I am usually game for trying just about anything.  I think I have proved that time and time again in my marriage to Mr. Diamond. Trekking off to Australia to live immediately comes to mind.  It is all part of the adventure called life.

But lately I am thinking that I am getting too old for some of the adventures that he wants to take me on.

Case in point—this trip to Puerto Rico.  I am all in for any kind of beach trip and since he has customers on the island I was happy when he booked a trip for us months ago.  He secured an Airbnb place for us to stay and was so excited because there were waterfalls on the property.  Waterfalls are one of our favorite things to go visit.

After the whole luggage fiasco (and yes–his suitcase did arrive 4 days later after a trip to LA) we were definitely ready for some down time.  We were overdue for some down time. The strain of living apart for the better part of the last year and half has made us appreciate each moment that we are together and we were so looking forward to unplugging and just being in the moment for awhile.

We stayed one night in a lovely Doubletree Hotel in San Juan before our trek to the mountains for our 5 night stay.   The GPS was ready and so were we.

This was a really wide part of the road when we left. Tons of room here!

And then the road pretty much disappeared. Somehow the directions we were following were for a local road that was as narrow as any one I have ever been on. I was too frightened to snap any pictures. Then there was traffic. Coming the other way. Including a huge truck on a hairpin turn.Not only was the road narrow it was steep.  We did not quite anticipate this type of road and our poor rental car groaned and moaned but Chris stayed the course and we made it to a decent spot to pull off and gather our wits.

I have been on scary skinny and windy roads before in New Zealand and Australia but this one beat those by a zillion.  We both were a little bit frazzled.  We stopped at a gas station that was close to the rental house to get a few supplies as we did not want to go back out at night.

We arrived at the place Chris had rented which was described  as having “rustic ambiance” and “Caribbean sea views”.   After we got over the shock of how remote it truly was—I was able to find the key in the designated cookie jar by the gate, unlocked the gates and in we went.

Holy cow.  It was misty and foggy and we could not see a thing but we were optimistic and excited about our stay.  Until we went into the house.  Rustic it was—perhaps it was more primitive than rustic.  Think mission trip lodging.  Well, maybe not quite as bad as some but it was definitely suited for those who were more accustomed to a simpler stay.  If I had been prepared for camping it would have been fine but I was not.

The hammocks were nice even if they were a bit wet.

We decided we had no other choice but to stay at least one night and contacted the owner and told her we would be leaving after one night because it was a little more rustic than we were prepared for. The hammocks which looked so inviting in the pictures were dripping wet. The view was obscured by mist and fog. The trails to the waterfalls and pools were far more treacherous than we realized and there was no way we were going to attempt them.

The trail to the waterfalls is at the corner right of the picture. Can’t see it? Well, neither could we. And this the next morning when the mist had cleared!

There were a few other things that dampened my spirits–no hot water to speak of and a bedroom that smelled like urine.  When we told the owner this the response was “Are you sure you are not confusing our organic cleaning materials for urine?”.  Uh. No.  I know urine when I smell it.

We got little sleep that night and got up before the crack of dawn to get going. The mist had cleared and we could see a little bit better in the morning and it was beautiful but honestly—I saw no Caribbean Sea view at all.

The trip down the mountain was  a bit easier–still windy roads but larger ones and I was not gripping the door handle as much as the day before.  We even passed a waterfall that I snapped a picture of out of the car window.

We did enjoy the sounds of the frogs and birds  but during the night the continual dropping of leaves and nuts and berries and animals scurrying across the tin roof made it a long night of little sleep.

Just one of our friends.

Don’t get me wrong–I do love nature and I love all that it has to share with me.  Just listen to all of these great sounds.

Puerto Rico from Beth Ann Chiles on Vimeo.

Still, it was an experience, another adventure to put in the logbook and another time together that we will remember forever.  Glass half full, right?

Where are we now?  At the Hilton Caribe resort.  I have decided that I am much more suited for this kind of life instead of the rustic one at least when we really needed a few days to totally relax and unwind.  Which we have been able to do in the safety and comfort of a resort.  With multiple swimming pools and room service.