Forums39
Topics36,525
Posts291,206
Members26,347
|
Most Online2,218 Jan 21st, 2020
|
|
42 registered members (marybeth, sunmantwo, moontide, CarolinaSailor, snman31, SXMScubaman, Kennys, ndfaninnc, JerseyPal, jagmansr, SXMBND, FatCat04, Manpot, Nibj, kaba, wct49, FRANKIE2, IWIWSE, deliveryskipper, zeus1963, CdnCouple, jazzgal, BBhmj, Jim Hallmark, xrayman67, boucharda, eightzerobits, Sunnysideup, Standrea, BlueMoc, cabokid, 11 invisible),
188
guests, and 74
spiders. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
Trip report - the caveats
#286753
07/28/2022 05:11 PM
07/28/2022 05:11 PM
|
Joined: Oct 2021
Posts: 22 Arkansas, USA
diver67
OP
Traveler
|
OP
Traveler
Joined: Oct 2021
Posts: 22
Arkansas, USA
|
These were minor things in a whole week of beautiful people and beautiful places. TravelBiggest stress was covid tests and approvals day before leaving. But all worked out. Approvals came within 2-3 hours of submission. But still really stressful to test negative and get approvals that close to leaving. When we got there, my wife’s email would not download her QR code. They didn’t care and didn’t even look at them (they were checked in the States before we left). Lady at entrance just stamped our negative tests that we brought with approval to proceed. Saw masks in a few random places while there, mostly check-out people in grocery store. But almost nowhere else and very, very few. The most was in airport and was still maybe 1 in 50. Interesting that when you did see them, it was mostly a family unit. Not random. Also, we never bothered with temp checks. I don’t think anyone is monitoring. Car RentalRented with Leisure and they were great as always. But first time I have had an incident. Crazy scooter tried to pass me while in a round-about (shopping day in the Salt Pickers one) and the rear of his scooter contacted the front of my car causing damage. He had damage too but blamed me for being a tourist and went on his way saying well, you will have to pay for that. Still waiting on process, but my credit card says it will pay for all. Will update when I do that and see how Leisure handles me. Orient BeachSeaweed – we watched on Thursday afternoon as a huge mass of sargassum came in. About as wide as the swim buoys and reached from those buoys to the beach. Amazing thing was that it only took minutes to come in. The chair workers even came out quickly to take pictures – probably to tell their boss that they were about to have a big job to do. Bad thing is, all the rest of our days there had seaweed on the beach. Even all mulched up in the surf so that everyone had to walk all the way down to end of beach in front of ruins to get in and cool off or take the occasional 'break'. The beach was missing more sand since I was there last. The stone bedrock was exposed on some of the places along the beach where you walked and many rocks in water anywhere you went in. And the shoreline at the Club O end was up into one of the old cabana ruins now – part of the rope fence is fallen into water. Almost no one in water just visiting and playing. And usually only a select handful walking the beach. Peaceful, but just quiet atmosphere. Which was the other bad thing – everyday, if you went past the set up chairs and umbrellas, there were locals hiding in the ruins (and some even coming out much closer) to spy or follow certain people. They would move according to who came down their way that they liked and I saw one guy ‘take care of himself’ while following a couple. There were cruise ships in four of our days and they mostly walked on through or partly participated late in the day. No real issues with them this time. And two four-wheeler tours came. They were mostly ok – just made it crowded for a while and one group was pretty loud. ShoppingHated the badgering. You could not look anywhere and just browse and think about what you might want because it was constant and from every place. Several were nice. But just still forceful. Several (skin care place, some folks selling timeshares) would engage you in what you thought was innocent sincere conversation, then start in hard on you. Wasn’t for us. Didn't;t need anygting anyway. 
|
|
|
Re: Trip report - the caveats
[Re: diver67]
#286756
07/28/2022 08:26 PM
07/28/2022 08:26 PM
|
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 79,959 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
Traveler
|
Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 79,959
Central Florida!
|
Thanks for the report. Sorry about the seaweed. I really hope that Club O will be able to rebuild at some point.
Carol Hill
|
|
|
Re: Trip report - the caveats
[Re: diver67]
#286771
07/29/2022 05:44 AM
07/29/2022 05:44 AM
|
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,685 Westchester /NYC
Colour1
Traveler
|
Traveler
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,685
Westchester /NYC
|
Thanks for posting! Sounds like the sargassum was pretty bad during your trip to Orient beach. SMH
Sand Gravity, got to love it!
|
|
|
Re: Trip report - the caveats
[Re: johndana274]
#286918
08/02/2022 08:29 PM
08/02/2022 08:29 PM
|
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 79,959 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
Traveler
|
Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 79,959
Central Florida!
|
johndana--that is really good news, that the Club O owners have resolved their differences. So hope they are able to rebuild soon!!!!
Carol Hill
|
|
|
Re: Trip report - the caveats
[Re: diver67]
#286923
08/03/2022 08:53 AM
08/03/2022 08:53 AM
|
Joined: Jun 2022
Posts: 12
Kelly G
Traveler
|
Traveler
Joined: Jun 2022
Posts: 12
|
+1 on the Orient beach observations. I spent a week there in June, my first time since pre-irma, and found the beach to be much smaller than I remembered. I know sand comes and goes, but this was a pretty big difference.
The beach was also a lot quieter than I recall. Probably 2/3's of the beach chairs were occupied in the C/O section, but there weren't many people in the water or socializing, just quiet and perhaps a bit more peaceful than in the past. I know June is generally lower traffic as well, but I've been there before in July so that's what I'm comparing to.
My favorite strip of beach was the small strip of sand on the other side of Papagayos. I like how the water is warm and calm, and if it's windy it's definitely less windy there. Getting there now is a challenge, especially as a female. Walking through the water is tough unless it's super low tide with the rocks in it. Going through the ruins and I ran into the locals hanging out in Papagayo and some of the broken down chalets. Every day I was approached, only one chatted me up and he was nice enough, but his intentions were clear as all I can say was he was standing at attention and I didn't need a place to hang my towel if you catch my drift.
Good to hear they are possibly progressing, but I'm sure like many others, I'll believe it when I see action.
|
|
|
|