My Wilson Experience...
This is from my report back in May 2002 of my trip -- I don't know how to make a link to another post soooo...
"First thing noted - The great feeling of being back where I am not a minority. The bigger smiles, the willingness to help, the awesome temperature. Since we had no transportation (I refused to drive) we ventured out to Puerto Plata where we met Wilson on C-5 - a middle aged man who offered to drive us to Puerto Plata for RD$100. It was such a great deal why not! As I got to know him we struck up a deal - he was needing money and we needed a driver. He became our chofer the rest of the trip. We agreed on pick up times, locations and after dropping us off anywhere we wanted he would PROMPTLY pick us up for the next leg. By the end of the trip - Wilson was our best friend and sure enough his modesty and eagerness to help was well paid by trips end. Being a native and having a local help us get around was grand. I had inquired on this arrangement on the posts but didn't have much luck. I loved the way this turned out. Wilson showed us around to the cheap places with GREAT local cuisine, he reminded me of things from my youth that I had not eaten in ages. Since the cost of things were so cheap (at least to us travelers) and I had gotten to know more of Wilson (he had lived in the states and like many -- was discouraged with the false belief that money grows on trees in the US as well as the way of life - returned home), the more I wanted to treat him like a family member. Wilson took us to businesses owned by his friends and where his family went, he got us FRESH milk (as in, still warm from the cow), got us to the native bakeries and cheaper stores to buy our food, and plus anything we asked. I couldn't find more ways to thank him and we happily bought enough of everything for him to be able to take back home to his family as well as paying him well. This kind of attention would never come from an all inclusive.
We made sure to get phone numbers to reach Wilson for our next visit, and even though he's not a taxi driver - just a guy with a car in need of cash the day we met him - he offered his help for our next trip. I would more than happily recommend him to anyone. "
Thank you HB for posting the phone number. I am happy to know that you are gathering such info for possible referrals. Wilson is my connection for all my future trips to that end of the island.
Susanita
