Geotokens

The tokens came! I ordered 4,000 in 4 different colors. And no, they aren't EatStayPlay colors; I thought that if I got dark green, dark blue, and brown that they'd disappear in the bottom of a geocache. ESPECIALLY in an ammo can!

It was kinda strange having different colors...

I'm very pleased with how they turned out. Kris did an excellent job in the designing, as usual. It just took a while to get the guys on the PRODUCTION end to figure out the files. But it all came together in the end.

Here's all four colors.


And the green one. Isn't this guy jaunty? I actually scanned him in. I put these on my page about getting a free geocoin.

I took some to the briefing this evening to show Alvin. (They actually arrived yesterday but there was no time for posting.)

The Geocoins Are Here!

After WEEKS of waiting (and months of planning!) my geocoins have arrived! I ordered 100 custom, trackable geocoins from Larissa at OakCoins.com

Larissa did a WONDERFUL job! She was always patient and answered all my questions. She didn't get worried when I kept changing the size or the amount; she just drew up another quote and sent it to me.

And, the turn around time was great! I got photos from the factory (made me cry) and an email when they were shipped. If you're even THINKING of ordering custom geocoins (trackable or not) you need to get them through OakCoins.com

Anyway, this is my coin - the front. I don't have a good photo of the back. And, I am giving these away FREE on my website! They're at: http://www.EatStayPlay.com/Coin/Blog.html



Isn't it pretty! I can't WAIT to put some out. But first, I need the geotokens...

Punta Cana: Day 4

Today, I think we'd FINALLY had enough of the beach. So we decided to take a shopping excursion into "town". But, when we got to the excursion desk, we found out that there were no more shopping trips that we could even GO on. (The information made it sound like they left all day every couple of hours!)

So we decided to take a taxi. Frankly, this made me happy since the shopping was $35 PER PERSON and I knew a taxi wouldn't cost that much.

When we went to get a taxi I asked the hotel taxi man where we should go since everybody had been giving us different answers. He answered Higüey, (EEEEE-Guh-way the guh is like 'go' and is in the same syllable as way) but saying that that was the place all the OTHER tourist shops got their stuff and that it would be cheaper. Speaking Spanish is GREAT!

The best part: $90 for FOUR of us, round trip!

Our cab driver was named Leo. (Lay-oh) Leo didn't speak much English but he was from Higüey and knew just where to go for trinkets. I got some jewlery of the native stone larimar and some coffee beans for Les & Kathy.

We already knew that tomorrow we'd be going on a safari and there'd be kids who'd want candy so we had Leo stop by a candy store.

This store was probably only 10x15 but it was JAMMED full of candy. It smelled like surgar overload. Wow!

From there, we went to do some sightseeing since all the shopping was done. This is the Basicillica of the city. It's not very old but VERY impressive.

I expect Catholic cathedrals to be cold and dry. The stone whispers softly.

Except this was hot and damp and it didn't SOUND right.

Wooden sculptures behind the alter. There is an image of the Virgin all in gold that people make pilgramages to.


This lady had a mission to be here and she was very serious about it all. I know that I could have lined up a sure-fire county fair winning photo off of this, but I chose not to; this wasn't posed for her. She was on a pilgramage of her own with some very serious business to attend to.

I actually felt bad for even BEING there with my big hat and camera -- like I was cheapening her faith.


From there we went to the oldest church (Catholic of course!) in the Dominican Republic. It is over 400 years old. It even has the requisite pigeons out front!

Now THIS is more like what a cathedral should be like. Even if it's a lot smaller than anything in Spain or even San Xavier in Tucson.


I never saw a sign I didn't want a photo of!

This was in a courtyard outside.

Alvin. I knew he wasn't feeling well by this time.

Dad. Kim. Leo. Mom. Alvin.

We tipped Leo really well since he told me that of the $90 he only gets to take $17.50 home. He was a wife and four kids. I think we ended up tipping him $20 or $25. It was worth it.

This evening was actually the "farewell dinner" for group 1. But, because they couldn't get us home tomorrow, we have another full day. Like I mentioned, we'll be taking a "Safari". Cindy Chantrell recommended it to us.

I got to wear my AMAZING black and yellow dress that dad bought me in Las Vegas.


Larry & Doni Smith with Alvin and I.

Me and Mom and the Totem.

Punta Cana: Day 3

I HAVE SAND IN MY HAIR!

(and it won't come out!)

Alvin tried to teach me to body surf but it wasn't going so well. I think this ocean has it in for me! It just wants to knock me around and press me into the sand. Here's my trick: go limp. The wave beats me up and down but it doesn't hurt.

Of course, I come up looking like a sandy, downed rat...

I was standing in the surf, after having been knocked down a million times. I watched this huge wave come at me and I KNEW it was going to throw me to the ocean floor and toss me around.

Instead of fighting, I went limp. The wave caught me and threw me towards the shore -- right into Alvin. I caught him around the waist and THREW him to the sand.

The wave grabbed me and tried to tumble me over. At that point, I realized that I had just body slammed my boyfriend into the sand. And I started to laugh. All the air WHOOSHED out and headed who-knows-where!

Then, suddenly, I feel that Alvin is lifting my legs out of the surf and grinding my hair into the sand. Why?!!? I laugh some more imagining my white legs thrashing and nothing else of me to be seen. I try to let go of Alvin, concerned that he's fighting for air and I've pinned him down.

Oh no! We must look SO funny and I'm laughing so hard I think I just peed!

The wave tumbles me towards shore. I can't get up since I'm laughing so hard. Alvin slogs through the surf to pick me up, yelling at me to breathe.

The wave knocks us BOTH down and I am still laughing -- the type where you can't breathe IN because you're laughing too hard. I FINALLY can draw a breathe -- look at Alvin and start laughing all over again!

--
The Day In Rewind:

Dad wasn't feeling well this morning so it was just Mom, Alvin & I for breakfast. Since Dad was pretty much planning on sleeping during the AM, Alvin and I headed to the beach!

I love it that Alvin loves to take photos of me! When I went to Europe a few years ago, I think I ended up with only half a dozen photos of ME.


Even though I'm in SERIOUS shadow, I love this picture. I love the tree and the BLUE BLUE water and the sand!

Just before lunch, we had a Team NuVision meeting for Pre-Paid. This is Darnell Self addressing all of us about how we need to all start working for the $100,000 ring. That means earning $100,000 in a 12-month period with Pre-Paid Legal.

Most of the people there we already ring earners or at least Executive Directors!



Team NuVision.

For dinner, we tried the Mexican food restaurant. It was actually VERY good.

And yes, I did change my clothes. Again. I bought this dress in Huntington Beach and hadn't ever worn it! I brought so many clothes that I can change twice a day if I want to! I just like wearing something fun to dinner.

Punta Cana: Day 2

Everyone always asks me if we spend our "vacation" in meetings since it is put on by the home office at Pre-Paid Legal. Um, NO! There was a welcome breakfast where all the big names spoke, but it was optional.

I guess I kinda understand the question. Except, if Pre-Paid is giving me a PAID VACATION why would I want to earn another if I had to spend the whole time in meetings and trainings?

There were NO meetings. Just social; training if you wanted it and could find somebody who wanted to talk shop.


Dave Savula.

Brian Carruthers.

My Executive Director: Mike Humes.

Remember how I said the resort was still under construction? Here's a guy working. I guess they have some sort of special, 100% humidity resistant paint...


We FINALLY made it to the beach. It was warm and just breezy. Dad WAS there but he didn't end up in any of my beach photos -- he was off getting lunch when I finally took a break from the water.

You can't tell, but there is a TON of sand in my hair! The water was really warm, but the surf was rough. The first (and only!) time I tried to body surf I ended up being scraped along the sand. I got a nasty sand-burn on my elbow. Icko!

Alvin was a total trooper and stayed with me in the water. Not many people can keep up! I was screaming with laughter (Arizona girl does beach) and Alvin didn't get embarrassed.

Do you notice our wrist bands? The light one shows that we're guests at the resort and can eat, the purple on my wrist is my drink band: for $50 I could have all the alcoholic beverages I wanted.

So I go to the bar to get a drink. What comes out of my mouth?


Shirley Temple!


The sand was pale tan and very soft, like talc powder. But in the ocean, it's coarser and flat and round. Like glitter almost. It sticks to EVERYTHING and doesn't come out. Even dipping in one of the 13 pools doesn't wash it off... The pool was nice but too hot. Hotter than the ocean which was comfortable but not too warm.

I borrowed a boogie board from a lady. The waves were bigger than the last time I did it and easier to catch. But they were so BIG. Like scary big since if it hit me they'd roll over and over and pound me into the sand. It was hold my breath and go LIMP.

I'm not afraid of anything in the water but that, well! I think I swallowed GALLONS of salt water and had tons wash into my nose and ears.

It's really neat how they worked the beach/pool towels. They gave me a card for each of us that you trade in for a beach towel. You can trade a towel for a towel or back into a card. At checkout, they tell us we have to return the card or we owe them $20. NICE to not have to shelp a room towel back and forth.

We finally left the beach for a nap (tired!) and then to get ready for dinner. It looked like a rain storm was coming in too.



Dinner (we'd made reservations that morning) were at a tempenyaki restaurant. A Dominican cooking Japanese...

They served as much sushi as you wanted while you were waiting for dinner.

Just as the chef was finishing up, the power went off. And STAYED off. There were no security lights, emergency lights, backup generators... Nobody came out with candles or flashlights. In stead, we ate in the dark and then followed staff with glowing cell phones back out.

I'm glad we had 6:00 dinner reservations or it might have been REALLY ugly. And, it gets hot fast when the air conditioning is off.

On the tram on the way to the room the lights came back on. We went to the rooms, but it was too early to catch the 9:45 magic show so we headed back to the main building for dessert. We went to "Maria's Restaurant". I had a "Copa Cubana" - coconut ice cream, caramel sauce, plantains, and a cookie. Amazing! (On the way, I returned my borrowed boogie board.)

By then, we were too tired for the magic show. So, it was back to the room for a hot tub and bed.

Punta Cana: Day 1

Welcome to Punta Cana! We left Phoenix about 9:30 pm last night and FINALLY arrived in Punta Cana about 12:30 the next afternoon.

It's hot and humid. The air is heavy. But it is so much FUN. I mean, what's not to love. The airport was this open air affair -- not climate controlled and you use the roll-up ladders to get down from the plane. Customs and immigration was the EASIEST thing I've ever done.

Of course, like a looby, I didn't use the restroom in the airport so that bus trip to the hotel was LONG. When we finally checked in, there were snacks waiting for us but the rooms weren't ready yet. Mom was all for laying down but I could hear the ocean calling to me!

We finally got to go to our rooms: 5118 (Dad & Mom's) and 5119 (mine & Alvin's). Wow! The mock-ups on the hotel website didn't do it justice. By the time we'd dropped our stuff off, we decided to get a late lunch/early dinner before finding the beach.


My first view of the resort. It isn't quite done yet but you can already see how amazing it'll be.


They had these little signs all over near the sidewalk (down really low). I couldn't figure out what they meant.


Until it rained BUCKETS (no beach today!) and they put the plastic sides down on the little trolleys. Of course, we soon found out that the plastic sides don't keep you dry. Or even DRIER...


After "dinner" we wandered around a bit. The food was excellent but not enough so I decided that we needed a second dinner. (Hello Hobbit!) This restaurant has open sides and a palm-thatch roof. I love the photos on the first day of a trip: we all look exhausted and stressed (travel, work, and ready for a vacation)




FOOD:

All you can eat, whenever you want it, WHEREVER you want it! And you can order two if you want!




We finished up with scrumptious desserts. No swimming today (or even walking on the beach) so we'll have to do that tomorrow.

Flying To Punta Cana

We leave today for Punta Cana. We're leaving Phoenix at about 9:30 pm and getting into Boston (of all crazy places!) early in the morning.

Then, we fly out to go to Punta Cana for 6 whole days!

This is the Player's Club trip that I earned after 11 months of hard work. Dad earned his own trip. We're staying at a brand new resort -- we'll be the first people to stay there at the Moon Palace Resort in Punta Cana. It runs like $300+ per night. It's so new, their website doesn't have REAL photos, yet, just digital renderings.

Did I mention that this is all expenses paid? Pre-Paid Legal is picking up 100% of my bill.

NACOG Kids

My NACOG students start work today! Instead of two, I got THREE!!

There's N & K (brothers) and then B who just graduated from Prescott High. N finished his first year at NAU and K is a brand-new Senior.

The goal:


To get all the campgrounds, National Forests, lakes, and state parks up. MAN that state is huge! To do it, we need to be researching 45 new attractions every day.

I'll keep you posted.