A Week in Paradise at Punta Cana

At the end of July 2018, Catrina, Preston, and I spent a week in Punta Cana at the Now Larimar resort, from July 28th through August 3rd. My dad, John, and my stepmother, Vickie, came along for the ride too, which made it a real family getaway. We spent most of our days simply bumming around the resort, soaking up the sun on the beach, floating in the pools, and working our way through the excellent food options the place had to offer. We had a preferred room right next to the preferred lounge, and that turned out to be a wonderful convenience, especially early in the morning and late at night when it was just a few steps away.

We only booked one excursion the whole trip, a Snuba and snorkel tour, and it gave me a story I'll be telling for a long time. Snuba is that hybrid of snorkeling and scuba diving where you breathe through a hose connected to a tank floating at the surface. I never realized just how claustrophobic I was until I tried it. The moment we reached the sea floor, my body went straight into full flight mode and I couldn't stop it, so I had to come right back up. Lesson learned. The rest of the family, thankfully, got to enjoy the dive without any trouble.

After everyone else was done doing the Snuba portion, I made the best of it by floating around up top with my snorkel, and honestly it turned out great. I got to drift over the reef and watch sharks and all kinds of other creatures gliding by beneath me, and I even made a new friend in a curious sea lion who came to check me out. Claustrophobia aside, it was a beautiful way to end a relaxing week in paradise with the family.