Saludos y unas preguntas

Apr 7, 2010
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Greetings, DR1. I'm moving to the Dominica Republic with my wife, kid, and 2 dogs in August... had a few quick questions:

1) We're importing pets... I'm familiar with all the health restrictions, certifications, vaccinations, etc. (spoke with the Dominican Embassy here) What I'm not too certain of is the ease of shipping said pets. Seems a lot of the US carriers have temperature restrictions (i.e. 45-85 deg. F). Question: isn't it almost always at or above 85 in SD in August? Anyone with exp. importing pets from the East Coast or South of the US in the summer months? Suggestions?

2) We have a Toyota FJ Cruiser we're importing... already been in touch with the taller (Delta Comercial) in SD about the possibility of getting service there. Any suggestions as to what we should bring from the States w/r/t spare parts? I'm going to go ahead and assume that parts aren't cheap in the DR. I was thinking brake pads, tires, oil filters, wipers, etc. Anything else?

Thanks in advance... looking forward to spending the next few years in the Dominican Republic.

dp
 

J D Sauser

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Auto parts: You will be able to get most parts for you Toyota directly at Delta or from a vendor on the street locally.
Transport restrictions may NOT allow you for imported vehicles to be filled with "stuff". So if you want to bring in filters and stuff, you will have to pack them separately (in a separate shipping container). You might want to put new tires on the wheels, but again, NOT inside the vehicle.

And yes, if in August it'd ever be cooler than 85 F. in Santo Domingo, it might as well be snowing... for the second day in a row! In other words; nope.

... J-D.
 
Apr 7, 2010
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Yes, we're shipping a container as well. This whole pets thing is going to be a pain in the butt, I can already tell. Good thing there's an 8:50 p.m. flight out of JFK most days. Going to have to do the overnight flight to get the pets here.

Related question: Anything I should stock up on to ship in the container? What's most difficult to obtain down there?
 

J D Sauser

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]...

Related question: Anything I should stock up on to ship in the container? What's most difficult to obtain down there?

Anything you didn't bring.
Really, I would caution against turning your container into a commercial shipping. You don't want to put your "duty free" household goods at risk of all being considered a smuggling operation.
Most things are obtainable here, but most are more expensive.

  • If you are into music, some musical instruments and their gadgets are tough to find.
  • In general, hobby related items are sometimes impossible to find.
  • Good tools, if you are a handyman, are difficult to find. Good sets of drill bits for wood, or concrete in long versions are at times almost impossible to find in exactly THE diameter one needs. Electric hand tools like circular saws can be very expensive.
  • TV's? Well, everybody seem to die for a big flat screen TV... until the salty humidity has the better of it. They are available here, more expensive, but then, THAT IS THE item they are looking out for at customs. At times, you can pick'em up at PriceSmart for a price you don't feel you'd have to be ashamed to tell. I'd think twice about bringing one.
  • If you fancy a nice cell phone, get it in the US, unlocked and for chip cards.
  • If you are a laptop user, of course, bring one along (NOT a container item, though). Desktops can be built here... unless you have an air-conditioned room for it, it won't last too long due to humidity and salt. So, no sense to bring in a super-duper one unless you require one with a special graphics or sound card for your work or hobby.
  • You might want to bring along some special spices you'd use for your cuisine. Although, what's available at Costco or BJ's is also available here at PriceSmart by now.
  • A good quality can opener is an item I had on my shopping list on my last trip to the US. Similarly kitchen items like a knife set and quality cooking pots. You'll find professional Teflon coated frying pans at PriceSmart.
  • "China" or dining ware is expensive. I'd wish we had a K-Mart of Targett here which has those fairly good looking sets for little money. The sets sold here are mostly taken apart and sold as individuals. The designs are often of questionable taste and the price can be shockingly high. The same holds true for "silverware". Quality stake knifes also made it on my list once... Dominican beef can have a way to fight you.
  • Quality linens (bedding). I always ask visitors from the EU to bring me fitted sheets with the rubber band going ALL the way around. Likewise, if you are used to sleep on quality pillows or funny shaped foam pillows, you will not likely find them here.
  • You will find shoes here, but no orthopedic insoles. Quality shoes is also something I tend to shop for in the US, although, you CAN find good Brazil mad shoes here at times... but they don't always have the sizes. Underwear found locally may also not be up to your standards.
  • Pen an paper to make lists here of what you WILL WANT to bring along next time :D and lot's of patience.
... just to mention a few which came flying by...

... J-D.
 
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sylindr

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check with the airline

Auto parts: You will be able to get most parts for you Toyota directly at Delta or from a vendor on the street locally.
Transport restrictions may NOT allow you for imported vehicles to be filled with "stuff". So if you want to bring in filters and stuff, you will have to pack them separately (in a separate shipping container). You might want to put new tires on the wheels, but again, NOT inside the vehicle.

And yes, if in August it'd ever be cooler than 85 F. in Santo Domingo, it might as well be snowing... for the second day in a row! In other words; nope.

... J-D.

I am pretty sure that they have an off season for pets due to both extreme cold times and hot times. you need to check with the airline. i postponed my arrival into september because the airline would not bring animals in august
 

J D Sauser

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:cheeky: uh yeah, a solid gas stove, stainless steel, the kind'a stainless that does not rust... no squeeeks... fine tunable flames... ugh... and a dish washer....
Dishwashers are available here, but mostly only the cheapest, ugliest "trailer" edition... at the price of the nice one with the stainless steel lining at HD. :tired:


... J-D.
 
May 29, 2006
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It is the little things that will drive you nuts. JD was right about the can opener. Good kitchen stuff is hard to find. Dinky little tea cups from China you can buy anywhere, but a 12oz white cylindrical coffee mug, no. A good knife and wooden cutting board is a big plus. Back up shoes, decent underwear and socks. You can buy things like irons and toasters but many are twice to three times the price on the mainland if you want anything that will hold up. An orange juicer is very nice to have since oranges are pennies a piece, esp from a fruit truck. A blender to master your batida skills. I would prob bring a rice-cooker next time, not because I like rice a lot, but most Dominican bread is pretty basic. Propane or charcoal grills. A griddle if you like pancakes/French toast. Restaurant grind pepper from a dollar store(Dominican pepper is usually like dust). With a family, a cooler is nice for outings since they start around $60 in the DR. Most people convert to Dominican style coffee when they make the move but if you don't like it strong, an American style coffee maker is nice. If anyone knows how to bake, bring pans.

Back up your computers with something like Carbonite. Surge protectors strips.

With kids, think ahead for Christmas because the toy situation in the DR is kind of dismal. You may want to invest in an ice cream maker or at the very least popsicle molds.

Don't forget to bring a set of winter clothes in case you have to visit the states some time in December.

And definitely, definitely bring maple syrup but keep it in the fridge.

Kudos to JD--surprized how many of his things that are near the top my list too.

One more thing. Bring TWO can openers. My Swing-Away rusted in only about six month being by the ocean.
 
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belgiank

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Guys.... you ever come out of your house???? Ikea in SD has quite decent can-openers and all kinds of kitchen stuff...

Maple syrup... unless you mean the real thing, and not the aunt jemina stuff... you are right... the rest is readily available here at the local mercado

Pets... we arrived in august last year and had real good experiences at POP airport... our dogs never stayed out in the heat for more than a couple of minutes... and we imported 11. Try looking at petair.com, an airline specialised in transporting animals all over the world.

Anyways... welcome to the DR

Peter
 
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Yes the real thing for the maple syrup. You can get the corn syrup crap anywhere, even in the DR. There is a reason some people pay over $100 gallon for the real stuff. It's $35 for a quart on LL Bean!
 

MrMike

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I have not found the elusive nectar of the gods, not even at PriceSmart. You need to make friends with some Canadians that visit from time to time.

I totally agree on the crap available here for dishwashers. Worst unit I have ever seen or used. Made by Frigidaire - do not buy one here. Absolute junk.

For the price of the dishwasher you can hire someone to wash your dishes for a year, they can also do your laundry and cook if you don't mind eating traditional Dominican food, sweep and mop make beds etc....
 
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Chirimoya

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Try the Org?nica shop in Plaza Catalunya, on Ave. Gustavo Mej?a Ricart in Piantini. They have sold real maple syrup in the past, according to posters here.
 

DannyS

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I am pretty sure that they have an off season for pets due to both extreme cold times and hot times. you need to check with the airline. i postponed my arrival into september because the airline would not bring animals in august

Yes there are restrictions with both too hot and too cold for animals riding down below. My daughter has had problems on both ends of that spectrum Hot and Cold. I believe CO's is can not be above 90 F. Def check with the airline before booking.
 

MrMike

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Yes, Santiago is the bomb when it comes to weather, though in the summer it feels hot it is usually a few degrees lower than the SD or PP.

Also we don't have that problem with salt air eating our electronics, here circuit boards die natural deaths from power fluctuations and rodent infestations.
 
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