Day 13
Woke up early! Reception telephonist did a wake up call for 4.00. Just time enough to get washed and dressed, before heading to reception to await bus pickup at 4.30. We tried to sleep on the bus but it wasn't easy as the roads were so bumpy and the driver was mad. The tour guide was picked up a little further in Sosua, where he lives. He was called Julio and kept talking all the way. He sounded very much like the Belgium tour guide in Trigger Happy TV who constantly describes "the windoze..." (apologies if you've not seen it).
We had breakfast on the way in a remote restuarant. It was nothing compared with the hotel breakfast, but the coffee served as a good wakener up. Whilst we were there, the power went off twice. We passed fields of rice, cocoa, banana and coconut plantations and many half built houses. The houses are built as and when the land owners have spare money, so this can take literally years.
We got to Samana at around 9am, the bus dropped us at the harbour where the Victoria II was waiting for us. On board was a crew, and Kim the onboard whale expert. Off we went and it didn't take long before we saw whales tails and splashes from their backs. Now this is an experience! Saw travelling humpback whales too. We were a bit early in the season but still saw plenty.
After a few hours we stopped off at the island of "Cayo Levantado". There we had lunch which was again buffet style, chicken, rice, fish and veg, plus a couple of drinks. We stuck to alcohol free ones. After lunch we had about an hour to explore the island and it's beautiful beaches named "Bounty Beach" and "Bacardi Beach". Obviously adverts for these products were filmed here. Unfortunately the beauty of the island is somewhat spoilt by all the rubbish everywhere...and all the mad sellers who just jumped on you as soon as you set foot on the beach. They offer to climb a tree for you to take a photo of them - at a price, rent you a chair for a couple of dollars or sell you a huge sea-shell or weaved hat. There is a hotel on the island but it looked derelict and run-down. The boat returned to pick us up at 3.15, and we headed back to Samana harbour. After glorious sunshine all day the heavens opened and everyone on the boat rushed to cover. Saw the most beautiful rainbow ever, and the end of it!
Walked through puddles and onto the awaiting bus. We made a stop at a local shop on the way back to the hotel, where we stocked up on more rum, and other products. We were back at the hotel at around 8pm. We got ourselves ready for dinner, played pool again and got drunk..hehe. Karolina took a photo of Sean and Tavares. We participated in the Merengue show dance on stage which was really funny, before dragging ourselves off to bed.
