Back of a Bike

We are now in what is easily my favorite stop on the trip so far, Repulico de Dominicana (D.R.)! Customs was an excruciating procedure but we are finally cleared in. Today it was my job to go and get propane for the boat and I have never had so much fun with such a “simple” task.

Going to get propane goes something like this. Dingy over from the boat and lock up at the dock. Walk maybe 50ft before twenty different guys each rush me wanting to take me for propane. After wading through the crowd of adoring men “Mamasita I am best!” “Baby I take you!” “Mi amor tu es muy bonita!!” “Me me me!!!” I finally make it through to where the transportation is. Transportation consists of motorbikes, or motorbikes with carts on the back, very, very few are actual car taxis. I tend to pick the person with the fastest bike J

I hop on the back of the chosen bike, whose owner is beaming ear to ear that he is the one to take me, and try to familiarize myself with how to hold on before he races off . Bracing myself with one hand and holding on to the propane bottle with the other can sometimes be a bit interesting seeing as the motorbikes are all small and ancient but pushed to the maximum speeds every day. The world whips past me in a blur as I am raced through the streets dodging cars, people, dogs, and other bikes. Just as I am considering freeing a hand to wipe my eyes we arrive at the station. Because I am young, white, and female we wait only a few minutes before my tank is filled and we are once again on our way. The trip back however is much more interesting. I am now holding on my lap a considerably awkward, heavy tank and we are now RACING down the hill that before we had struggled to come up. Hair flying in every direction and holding on so tight my fingers are turning white I look up in time to see us squeeze down the middle line on the road between a large truckload of workers (whose hoots and hollers I can only briefly hear) and a large bus full of tourists.

“Only in the D.R.” has become a familiar saying on our boat.