As two Dominican sisters currently living away from our much loved homeland we started developing our traveler information resource www.visiting-the-dominican-republic.com in last quarter of 2004 for a number of reasons.

First and perhaps foremost it helps to keep us in touch with Dominican Republic, as we offer a comprehensive ‘contact us with your questions about DR’ service. We endeavor to answer anything we can about our country, and will research those things we don’t have an instant answer to. Another motivating reason for starting www.visiting-the-dominican-republic.com related to fact that we found so many so-called information sites either deficient in any really useful information, or else merely excuses to field a host of adverts and links (often dead, dubious or irrelevant ones at that).

Our aim was to ‘do a Carlsberg’ (maybe that’s just a reference for UK TV addicts!) and provide what is ‘probably best’ no-cost information resource for anyone visiting Dominican Republic for a vacation, on business or to seek that ideal property for investment or even retirement. If you haven’t considered Dominican Republic for any of these reasons yet…then we have written this short article to suggest why you should! Indeed DR has often been described as Caribbean’s ‘best kept secret’, and even today, even though tourism figures have increased over recent times, this amazing and diverse ‘jewel’ of a country still represents one of least ‘discovered’ regions compared with other often over-priced and over-exploited Caribbean hot-spots! (We recently published another article ‘The Dominican Republic – Almost a Tropical Paradise’, that highlights just a few of things that DR offers lucky visitor - see GoArticles.)

We naturally have mixed feelings about ‘betraying’ secrets of our much loved birthplace, but in today’s world of commercial realities we also recognize that economic benefit that tourism can bring to our country is more than just necessary for a land that has suffered more than its fair share of exploitative political regimes and economic crises (since as far back as time of Columbus’ first footfall on that fateful day back in 1492!)

As DR emerges into this new millennium it seems at last that a forward thinking Government is at Dominican Republic’s helm. Investing heavily in numerous essential aspects of country’s infra-structure, and promoting many marvellous attractions country has to offer to a wider world audience, are just two of things that President Fernandez and his team have already embarked upon.

Recipe For A Dirtbagging Trip

Take an old inflated rubber tube, a bivy sack made from garbage bags, and some snacks. Put them in an beat-up daypack, add a bus ride, a river, wild strawberries and a thunderstorm or two. Mix well and enjoy.

This particular dirtbagging trip was a float down Boardman River in Michigan. I took bus out of town, and had driver drop me off on side of road, where river passed under. The water is shallow, but fast here. The sun was shining when stepped into cold current.

I had brought a few warm things to wear to bed instead of using a sleeping bag. I carried a small umbrella to use on river and over my head at night. Altogether, I had maybe 10 pounds in bundle on my lap as I floated down river sitting in tube, with my butt and my feet in cold water. I had to navigate usking my hands as paddles.