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| At the Resort |
One of our bucket-list items was to go zip lining. During our cruise to the Dominican Republic, we signed up for an excursion.
At the cruise pier we were met by our tour guide, Duran, who claimed us as part of his "family." We were loaded onto an old military style open air truck taking our group from the cruise port to the zip line resort. That was the scariest part of the entire adventure.
In the Dominican Republic, traffic moves incredibly fast. Despite solid center lines and hills with no view of oncoming traffic, other vehicles sped around us to pass. There were goats, cows and donkeys grazing only inches from the side of the road.
The trip to the site took around 45 minutes and took us past a variety of neighborhoods, some well-appointed and others at a level of poverty that made me grateful to live where I do.
Once at the resort, we were given a few minutes to get a cold drink and use the restrooms before touring the gardens and beginning our training. In the first photo, behind the truck in the trees you can see the first platform where the zip trek begins.
After getting instructions on how to hold on and how to brake during the slide, we geared up. The equipment is a bit heavy for someone my size, but manageable. There's a pulley hooked to a harness that goes around your thighs, waist and shoulders, and a crash helmet.
It's a surprisingly simple process to zing across spans of jungle dangling from a cable and a pulley. It was a six-leg journey with platforms between each of the runs. There was even a child among our party. She was fearless.
We're both retirement age. Dealing with the immense heat of the Caribbean climate was tough. My husband, got overheated by the strenuous stair climbing while wearing heavy equipment.
After 4 legs we made an early exit down one of the back "secret" stairs. He's had major back surgery and knee replacements. We didn't want to push our luck.
On the drive back to the cruise port after our excursion deep into the jungle the truck started making strange noises. Turns out it got a flat tire and we were broken down in a scary part of town,
Thankfully the excursion was sponsored by the cruise line, which meant we wouldn't be left behind if we got back to the ship late. As it turned out, we needn't have worried. A replacement truck arrived within 45 minutes to off-load the 30 or so zip-lining participants.
This was our first time to try this type of adventure and it won't be our last. One disappointment was that we couldn't use our Go-Pro camera at that site.
The thrill of sailing nearly weightlessly across an expanse of tropical forest was indescribable. The pulleys make a sound that becomes familiar as each participant sets off from one platform, zinging across steel cables to land feet first at the next platform. Waiting to catch the arriving zip-liner is a crew of trained professional handlers whose courtesy and understanding was much appreciated.
Where the truck transport stopped to fix the tire was a bit sketchy. There was a restaurant across the street, but no one got off the bus to give it a try.
The resort where we were taken was a beautifully decorated, tropical paradise with bathroom facilities, lockers, and a small souvenir shop.
There was a veranda in the back for catered lunches and a shady, covered area after the excursion where we were served fresh watermelon, cantaloupe and soft drinks.
Notes
Requirements & Restrictions: Minimum age – 6 years. All minors must be accompanied by an adult 18 years or older. Closed-toe shoes are required. Maximum weight – 250 lbs. Hair must be tied for the ziplines. For safety reasons, pregnant women, and guests with back or neck injuries, walking disabilities or other severe medical conditions may not participate in this excursion.
What to Bring: Comfortable clothing, hair band to tie long hair, and cash for additional purchases.
Good to Know: Tour order may vary. For the zipline portion of the tour, if a child is considered too small for the activities, the child must ride with a guide. Transportation is on an open-air truck and ride may be bumpy.
(Notes from the Carnival Cruise site)
