I Went On My Honeymoon and Only got Shot at ONCE, then punched in the face!  

Did you get all tingly when you type those words "my husband and I"? LOL Fess up, bet you did! Nice to see you again stranger. Sounds like you had quite the time. Glad you survived!
I spent a couple of years in Jamaica mon, teaching school. I lived in a private house with about 10 or 11 other people who unbeknownst to me for a long time were moving drugs from Columbia through Jamaica to Montreal. Once day I came home from classes to find armed guards around the place partaking of our primo ganga. I went out to the pool for a swim, came up out of the water and looking down the very long barrel of a rifle. I hit the depths and swam to the other end of the pool. I'd just pulled myself out and onto the edge when 'wiiiiiiiiing!', whoosh, burn! The idiot was stoned and thought it would be funny to use my ears as target practice! I hit the pool again and was practically a prune before it was safe to come out. So yeah - the tropics are not my fav place to be anymore either.

No I have never had an experience like that, I don't vacation outside the United States, man what you went through, makes me want to stay within the US.

Goodgod, honey! You had one hell of a honeymoon. One thing's for sure - it's definitely memorable! Poor baby, I'm so sorry you got punched, and rather shocked that you didn't punch him back, and it makes my blood curdle to think of you being shot at like that, not to even mention your being tethered to the bathroom for 3 days! But the horseback riding sounds like something out of a dream. Surf, sand, horses, a brand-new husband, sounds so romantic, Cyn. I'm happy you have that little piece of heaven to remember along with all the hell. But still, it sounds like an incredible adventure and you came out of it not that much worse for wear, and you've got a plethora of stories to tell over the years to come, so I'd say it was all-in-all a positive experience, darlin. Welcome home. It's great to see you here, it's great to "hear" your voice again. Soothes my heart.

Mama loves you. xxx

Oh Cyn, you did not have a very friendly honeymoon at all.
I am really sorry to hear it was not a very friendly place.

Who would have thought one would get shot at and punched in the face,
While honeymooning.

At least you and hubby had each other,
And survived to tell of your adventures.

Oh my! Your time in the Dominican Republic turned out to have some very awful and dangerous moments. Having a rifle pointed at you must have been terrifying. You misunderstood how long the journey would be to the stables and this was easy to do because of the language barrier. I love snorkeling and the first time I did this was at the Great Barrier Reef. I have been snorkeling in French Polynesia, the Cook Islands, Samoa, the Maldives, the Seychelles, Kenya and New Zealand. Luckily I have seen all people act responsibly in not touching the coral because this will kill it and respecting the sea creatures. Getting punched in the face was awfully upsetting and painful for you. I had an eye infection when I was in Israel so I am sorry to hear that you also suffered in that way. I have heard that the Samana Peninsula is lovely but other areas of the Dominican Republic have some crime and hotels with poor standards that travelers have complained about. Yes, if they say don't drink the water bathing in it might be fine or risky. Cleaning your teeth with it could be dangerous.

I went to the Maldives and in my second week flew to an island connected by bridges to other islands. I cycled over to each island going up the chain of them. On my way back at the end of a road I could see a beautiful palm fringed beach. I pushed my bike on to it and walked along the beach taking photos of tiny islands just off the coast. A teenager gave me inappropriate chat and then attacked me. I screamed and shouted but nobody came. I was so lucky to get away from this dangerous idiot. I came back to my accommodation in tears and I got many bruises from struggling to get away from my attacker. I taught me not to go to lonely beaches in the future.

Good luck with future travels and I hope that you stay safe.

No Cyn. I can't top that. I have been held at gun point by crazed Italian Carabinieri on a mountain top. Been to a Luxembourg prison cell to offer bail to a girl that ran into me when we were stopped at a pedestrian crossing and held my hands high whilst an alcohol fueled Hungarian checked my pockets for ammunition for his gun. I also once punched myself on the nose whilst playing with my daughter. But what a honeymoon. One that you'll never forget and now, neither will we. Good to have you back. I've missed you. XX

"who rides horses and heels, and ballet slippers" I freaking cracked up when I read that. No way! So how did they do? I would have had to say something, how did you keep your mouth shut?

It sounds like a made for TV movie of the week. Too funny! So I can mark that one off my 'places I would like to visit' then. Check, got it! Thanks for the laugh.

hello, cynical. i got interested in your discussion and found myself reading it. i do not have anything to say actually. but i wish you can have a great time next time you go in a vacation.

pardon me, but i really love it when you said " WHO SWIMS USING FISTS?! " " I didn't know Michael Tyson got a job as a swimming instructor! " it was so cute when you said that and made me laugh. don't get me wrong, friend. You still can make humor out of everything. and I adore you for that.

I am sorry that your honeymoon was a series of trainwrecks, really I am.

Nevertheless, I have to say you did a great job of telling the story. Horseback riding in heels? Ballet slippers too? I died...really tears were steaming.

The rest, frightening I am certain but you tell it with such panache, some day I hope you can look back and smile.

DAMN Girl! Never a dull moment with you, huh?
When I was 17 I went to Grenada with my parents, it's where my mom is from. We stayed in a nice hotel, at least we thought it was nice, until somebody broke into our hotel room while we were sleeping and stole my mom's purse - which had all of our passports inside! Luckily, the local cops found her purse and contents of it scattered in the nearby jungle. The bad guy got about a $1000 US money, but left everything else including the Grenada money, alone.

I was sincerely hoping your honeymoon would be uneventful after I read about all the stuff that happened leading up to your wedding.
Maybe now you've used up your trauma magnet and can enjoy some actual peace and quiet for a while - but I have a feeling tranquility might bore you. LOL