Surf's Up...soon :)

Sunrise

View from condo

As I sit in my beachfront condo, enjoying the sounds of the ocean, sauteing garlic and onions for my pasta dish and sipping on red wine, I am amazed at how much a week in the Wino's life can change.  Last Saturday I was in the Kabul airport waiting to fly to Dubai and wondering if leaving a well paid job - that I hated - was going to be me my undoing.  I still don't have the answer to that question, but to say that I'm glad to be out of Afghanistan is an understatement!  After 26 hours of flying and being in airports, I finally arrived - sweaty, tired and with a cold - in the lovely Dominican.  There was even a little mariachi band to greet us as we walked through the airport.  I'm not here in high season, so there weren't many people on the plane which meant I got through quickly, was picked up and taken to this lovely little beachfront condo.  There couldn't be a place more different then where I have been living the past 18 months.  It's lush, humid, and right on the water - tons of flowering plants, palm trees (and bugs, but I'm getting used to those) and no burkas or anyone making doodies on the street - as far as I can see.

My flight from Dubai included a middle seat in between two enormous men - the hotel was kind enough to drop me off at the arrivals area so I had to haul all of my luggage and myself to the correct departure terminal in the unbelievable Dubai humidity and heat - therefore, the refreshing shower I had just taken before my long journey was utterly useless and I was as sweaty as a whore in church to begin my trip out of there.  So, I can't complain too much about being smooshed between to massive guys, since I was most likely not making a positive contribution as the sweaty middle seat person that they were sticking to.  To say it was uncomfortable would be an understatement and still wouldn't fully describe my 15 hour plane trip, but I was too excited about leaving to really care.

Goodbye Dubai!

So I arrived with one of those plane-colds and I was jet-lagged and exhausted.  I opened the sliding glass doors and took it all in - beautiful!  I love how the ocean smells and managed to take a nice long stroll on the "ocean's liver" as I like to refer to the sandy, sandy beach.  Cleaning and straining all the whatnot from the ocean.  My favorite time is early in the morning - it's like the ocean had a big night out and has coughed up everything it doesn't want in its system anymore.  Seaweed, coconuts, wood, seashells and these weird little hard jellied balls - what a par-tay!  I love it.   Fortunately, I'm not on a cruise ship channel and therefore do not need to be appalled at beach garbage from the ships.  Just me, the ocean hang-over and my little bag for collecting sea shells.

I'm so twisted from the time change that I've been waking up at 1:30am, then 2:30, etc. - I seem to be catching another hour every day.  I see some amazing sunrises because of it, but it hasn't made me much of a late night Hillbilly so far. I'm also not in much need of shoes while outside and am establishing a wonderful natural pedicure routine with the beach walks. Just walking, for hours, is a treat because I've been so confined for such a long time.  I did lose a couple of days being down and out from a terrible cold - my condo is "Balinese Style" which apparently implies no air-conditioning.  That's been a huge adjustment since I came from desert heat and am now dealing with high humidity, two days with a fever - and I had a rough first night with the mozzies that bit the hell out of me as I festered on the couch with my cold.  Nothing that two cans of lavender scented bug spray couldn't cure AND a roll of tape that I found to cover the gaps in the windows and screens.  Imagine that little home project with Kleenex stuffed up my nose because it was running so bad, sneezing and sweating like a hooker on Georgia asphalt (yes, I love my prostie references). 

morning view from the kitchen/LR

There's a thriving bug business here in the Dominican.  Fortunately, I just came from the land of rats, mice, ants, scorpions and Sally Struthers flies - which is actually a blessing because I am not freaking out as much over the roaches - not Palmetto bugs, but actual roaches - ants and spiders ( the Wino HATES spiders).  Once again, my two best friends - cans of bug spray - have helped me get things under control and I am just getting used to it.  I don't have an infestation by any means, but am not used to the tropical area yet and am laying down the law with my chemical six-shooters.  The bugs and I just need to come to an understanding that we can live in harmony, but I have my damn limits.  I am paying rent - they are not - but all is working out nicely so far.  I pour myself a glass of wine and serve them an Ortho cocktail - see, it's harmony!  The lizards can stay and I have no opinion on the dragonflies, other than I like them...

love it!

Kite Boarders

circus/surf school next door

This place is beautiful - every morning I have a whole wall of windows that open to the deck and overlooks the beach that I am only about 50 feet from.  Everywhere I sit, I see the beach and it's doing a soul some good.  I catch myself just sitting here watching it while doing absolutely nothing.  I'm in Cabarete and on Kite Beach - this is apparently a world renown Kite Boarding beach so there are a few schools next to me and every day there are tons of beautiful kites floating by my windows as they surf from right in front of my pad.  I hang out back on this little deck patio that's right on the beach and watch them for hours - totally entertaining as they encompass experts to beginners - I see as much huge air kiting as I do people being kind of dragged through the water.  I begin my Paddle Board Surfing classes on Monday with Maui John - that should be interesting, but it looks like a ton of fun and one of my favorite things is to watch the paddle boarders out on the ocean in the mornings.  I can't wait to be one of them, although I have a feeling I'll initially not be seeing too much of the top of my board until my balance is on track.  I do need something to do in addition to finding a job and this seems to be something I can focus on and practice - in between drinking wine, staring into space, walking on the beach, killing bugs and working on my Spanish. 

I'm adjusting to the incredibly uptick in my lifestyle and it's truly an adjustment.  The absence of all the adrenaline is weird and I find that I'm really, totally exhausted.  I'm still jumpy and startle at loud noises, but I'm improving. My better half shows up next week for a 3 week visit and during that time my bestie will also be here for a week - I absolutely cannot wait.  I will be in excellent, calm and caring company - who could ask for more than that?! By then I should be totally adjusted to the time and have most of my quirks and kinks worked out (well, you know, the ones that aren't part of my actual personality).  Who wants to be with a tightly wound, impatient, twitchy asshat - not I and I'm certain they will both enjoy the more laid back Wino.  I am quickly putting Afghanistan behind me and hope, hope, hope I do not have to go back there for work.  Trust me, I am avoiding all Afghanistan applications, but once people find out you were there, that's where they want you to go since so many won't work in that shithole.  Just typing the name of that country makes my jaws clench!  I would love to actually be home with my partner-family-friends, but the tax man cometh if I show up before my tax year ends, so I will be forced to stay in this ugly place until then - or a new job begins!  I will be a tanned, relaxed and paddle surfing Hillbilly by the time I leave this place.  Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend!

Drink of the night - wine, and then some Dominican Rum with an assortment of juices