To everyone who Has offered me advice
There really isn't a good thread to put this in, but the Boca Chica thread has been rather underused lately, so this is as good a place as any. It's also where I first posted, so maybe it's appropriate to stick it here.
I want to begin by giving my thanks to everyone who has offered me advice, or told me I'm a damned fool, and also to everyone who has shared their knowledge throughout the site. I'm certain that you have saved many people from everything from minor inconveniences to potentially life threatening situations. You've also put literally hundreds of years of hard won knowledge at the fingertips of anyone who knows how to use a search engine.
Several people here have offered advice and have not been afraid to criticize, some have been more diplomatic than others, and that advice has helped me to, if not make better decisions, to at least see the alternatives. My first choice was the DR version of the all you can eat sex buffet. An all-inclusive resort that also includes plenty of chicas to choose from all for one price. There are 2 such places in Boca Chica, serviced through about 5 different companies, and 5 or 6 others around the country. Of these, I still feel I picked the best value and best service option of all of them. For a certain portion of the people coming to the DR, this is a very good option. But, I have decided to be a little more adventurous (or a damned fool), and I am charting my own course.
There is a possibility of me spending one night in BC, but thanks to the advice of many, I am sure there are better places for me to stay, including Sosua. Unlike many of you, sport fucking, or P4P, or GFE is only part of my ever-changing goals for this trip. I want to see some of the other things the country has to offer. While this does expose me to many potential risks, it also offers its own rewards. In order to maximize my ability to see the country, I've chosen to rent a car, something Mr. Gogo, whose opinion I have a great deal of respect for, claims is a big mistake.
There are many here, who, even though they are very experienced in the DR, never rent a car. They travel by bus, gua gua or taxi, when walking is not an option. Others always rent a car. It all depends on comfort level. Personally, I am more comfortable driving than doing just about anything else. I've driven well over 2 million miles, everywhere in the US (except Alaska), and in Canada and Mexico. I've driven everything from motorcycles to 18 wheelers on every type of road and in every type of weather. I learned a long time ago, that most people are very poor drivers. I make allowances, always know what is around me, what my options are and where my emergency exit is (driving tip: you should always have a default move, in case of emergency. First choice is to stop, but if that doesn't work, then usually going to the right, especially if there is a shoulder, is your next choice).
I realize that driving in the DR presents challenges, bad roads, bad drivers, lack of any consistent safety standards, are just a few. To reduce my risks, I plan to finish my driving before dark, never drive after drinking (2 years scraping dead drunks off the freeways in SoCal, cured me of that urge), and to not drive in Santo Domingo. I might even bypass Santiago, if I feel the traffic makes it too risky. I also plan on making my hotel choices based upon the parking situation. Overall I feel my chances to survive are good. If you feel differntly, I'd like to hear your perspective.
Where all I will go is undecided, it's an adventure. The adventure starts in two weeks, WiFi willing, I'll try to post updates.
Thanks again.