Summer 2023 - Happy birthday in Punta Cana

For the first time I thought I would not be able to make it this time - pack the life of 6 for 4 weeks in just 2 suitcases. After 2 days of re-adjustments (and prioritisation) and a few extra kg bought we managed to close the bags..My usual travel fever has been full on for weeks now resulting in 4 am sweats of forgotten vaccins, hasty notes on the "to-do" list by the bed side drawar and nightmares having read of "bermudas triangle" to my son as evening tales. We are, after all, going to cross the big Sea tempting the first long-haul flight with the kids. I have reasoned to myself that it is not actually much longer than our usual journey up North (flight to Hki or Madrid - 7h train/8h plain). Our biggest concern was how to entertain our 5 yo.in the plane.I was picturing the tantrums in the DR immigration point 1 am in the morning. And? Maybe because of the intense pre-visualisation, when the difficult moment happened I had the much needed chupachups in my purse.Yey! At the end, the trip went flawlessly - flights on time, transport waiting with our name on the sign, hotel reception welcoming. The first few days can be described with positive superlatives only. I get moved by the joy of our kids discovering the tropical nature (and wheather, the humidity..!) the breathtaking choico of Food in the restaurant...I knew my son's appetite is insataible, but have to admit my jaw dropped when my little girl finished a full donut for breakfast. After her cereals and minny mouse pancake..on the other hand, given the humid warmth, we stayed all practically 8 hours in the pool yesterday. And learned to dance Bachata into the Carabian night. Reasons for a good appetite! Today was probably THE most important and high-pressure day of the whole summer (and contributing to my panicky packing) - my sons's 8th birthday! He had been raisin his expectations for several weeks now, worried about gifts and cake and suprises and whether they would actually make it to the Caraibes. So we had conversations with probably 5 different persons at the hotel yesterday to ensure they would make the day for him. The happiness in his little face when 10 dominicans come singing to him! The day reached its perfection for him with the very first diving lesson in the pool (competing the top place with the huge police car with blinking lights we carried from home). These moments are irreplacable and make all the efforts worth it. Feel so ever grateful and relieved.