I'm here in Puerto Plata Dominican Republic and getting ready to go on a Monster Truck Excursion - a day out in the Dominican outback onboard a massive 8 wheel mean machine.
It is a full day excursion lasting from about 9:00 am until about 5:00 pm and transfers from your hotel are included.
Drinks are included all day on the trucks and at the included buffet lunch. You get a chance to take a refreshing dip in the river during the lunch stop.
Cost for this all day adventure Adult $89US, children age 2-12 go half price
Make sure you bring sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, beach wear, a towel and you are ready to go.

How do I begin to describe this experience, they say big is better, and the woman standing beside me agrees.

I can see why they call it the Monster Truck. It's an 8x8 mean machine with with zebra stripes that towers above us, climb a ladder, get seated and get prepared to experience the Dominican countryside.

We roll out of headquarters and are on the main road towering above the the mini bikes and cars around us. Next turn and we are where this beast feels at home, through the middle of a sugar cane field. Twenty foot high sugar cane on either side, being cut down by hand, its harvest time.

First stop a brief one and everyone remains on board is at sugar mill where our guide gives us info on how the raw sugar cane is processed. The monster then lumbers off down the paved road soon though we are back where this beast likes to live it's day, on the back roads of the DR. About 30 minutes later the convoy of 4 monster trucks arrive at a one room schoolhouse. Here we are given some background history on the Dominican its culture and education system. An invite from the teacher brings us into the classroom to see first hand how the children are taught. Some people have brought pencils and other items for the children at the school and these items are gratefully accepted.

Schools out and we are back on board for a 10 minute drive down the road to Montellada to a small cheese factory.
The locals offer us some coffee which provides that little jolt that you need to keep you going. The cheese making process is explained, we receive a tour of their kitchen, chat with them for a while and we're off again.

It's about 33 degrees now, the sun is beating down on us and I could use a cold one right about now. Ask and yes shall receive, water, soda, beer, the truck is stocked with all the drinks we will need for the day plus some. These guys know how to look after you.

Here's another piece of advice though, one word Sunscreen, well actually a few more a hat, sunglasses, and shorts. The sun is intense, and you will burn quickly, as I did.

It's lunch time and lunch is on the other side of the river, well that's what these monsters do best, cross rivers.
The eight wheels pull us safely to the other side everyone cheers and now it's time to eat.

We have a buffet lunch on a ranch by a river where you can choose to take a quick dip to cool off, or simply sit around the small beach area and listen to some Dominican music or learn to Merengue.

Lunch over and we are back at it again. The rest of the afternoon is spent crossing two more rivers in these big beasts, having a surprise water fight between the other trucks in our convoy, a final stop where we have the opportunity to purchase some souvenir t-shirts and hats to remember this day by, and then the trek home. Passing through little villages people stand on either side of the roadway and wave as we pass, it is as if we were royalty. Soon we are back at our hotels and the day is done.

It's 5:00pm by the time I am dropped off at my hotel, enough time to quickly shower and prepare for dinner at the Mediterranean restaurant this evening. And then the night begins. I didn't get a chance to shoot video this time around but have a peek at the slide show I created and you'll get the idea of what this excursion is all about.