Samana-ou-na-na

The coastal mountain drive
 Samana Dominican Republic 

Sometimes spring break is all about survival.  It is a jungle out there and we dared take on the challenge, including some death defying coconuts. This meant taking on the wildlife (and our sorry attempts trying to be the wild life).








There were many challenges, some of them physical like running slalom through the buffet.  

All that food isn't going to get eaten by itself. 

Negotiating the bar - does my drink match my bikini? 

How good is that sandcastle engineering? 

How long can you hold your breath underwater?

Jill takes on the 
first challenge of matching 
her drink to her outfit!

Jill and Gabriel are up for the dare 
- who can relax the most!

E just thinks she can take Grampy on in a challenge!

They have no idea what trouble we'll be up to....

Morning comes early  if you want to get a good chaise lounge.  But first, there is breakfast.

Pam fuels for the adventure

Tropical fruit galore.  
 Yummy quail eggs.

A hearty breakfast....
consumed by a nameless child...

Oops, maybe we should 
supervise the kids at breakfast...
first parental fail

Let the survival of the fittest challenge begin....

There were water challenges 
- more for the Dads than girls

Beach ball sports!

Being lost out at sea...
on a three hour tour

Floatation challenges... 
I'm out of air

Chaise lounge challenge - 
someone has to fill them

Did I get enough sun screen on?

Potential tree of death...
beware...

A works on sandcastle 
prototype 
or is that photo-types?

note:
not all contestants built their own sandcastles

So if we fortify it with....

Protecting  against invading forces

Taming alligators... 
dangerous waters here...

My two favourite ladies, 
Grandmaman and E.

Go Grampy!

Food coma... 
just from watching Grampy eat...

Can I eat them?  
It is all about survival!

We had to survive ferocious wildlife

Wearing my new body art - live.

Do they bite?

This one bites!
E had to summon the lifeguard 
for first aid after A was pinched by Mr. Crabby!  
Blood and gore!

Who is the monkey?

Avoiding biting birds

Romeo likes to nuzzle 
and he doesn't bite

Can we bring him home... 
pUUlease!

The water challenge to the set of SURVIVOR  
For real!  
They were really filming for SURVIVOR  
So much for complete wilderness

We barely made it through the challenge...

I survived!!
I get to go to the buffet tonight!

We did get our feet wet though.

Near miss!

Coconuts from the sky - 
missed by mere inches.  
See, told you to beware of the death tree

Yeah, I reckon had the coconut hit 
your coconut 
we'd be in big trouble

Fun working with you!  
Jill waving bye to the Survivor crew

Need to relax after all that commotion says Pam!

Being Here and Now.... 
is harder than it looks

Sometimes Gabriel 
had to elbow in for 
some room at the bar

Think we should tell them 
these weren't 
sin alcohol?

Oh, we should have checked those drinks....

Again, the consequences
of no parental supervision

Getting the chariot home

Two knights taking the Princess home -
or more like Cinderella who lost her shoes

Momma and daughter...