Tiffany wanted to go to Puerto Rico for her birthday so guess where we went? Puerto Rico!

I usually have more time to plan, budget, and buy my flight but not this time around. I looked for the cheapest flight I could find because most of them were about $600. The cheapest one was Frontier being just under 300 bucks.

I purchased a luggage allowance two weeks before the trip, and I only packed a carry-on to keep my costs low. If you couldn’t tell by now… this was going to be a *budget* vacay.

DEPARTURE

I might’ve flown with Frontier Airlines one time before and I don’t recall anything negative so the experience must’ve been decent. BUT none of that matters now because the turbulence I experienced was theee worst. I was beginning to reconsider my future trips because the scariest thoughts came to mind. I was on an emotional rollercoaster! Kinda excited about PR, but also kinda thought we were gonna lose altitude.

ARRIVAL

The Airbnb was 10 minutes away from the airport.*chefs kiss*.  But as our driver was dropping us off, he told us not to go out at night, and he also told us to not go down the street in a certain direction… Of course, this made us feel uneasy. We searched for a restaurant and decide on Costa Azul Wine and Lounge. We ordered another Uber, and we asked the driver’s opinion on the area of our Airbnb. He mentioned drug activity and violence. Imagine how we felt.

After looking over the menu, I decided on cod croquettes, which were absolutely amazing. I finished off with the white chocolate crème brûlée… It was the best I ever had. Truly delicious and decadent. It was my first time trying a flavored crème brûlée and I regret sharing it lol!

sidenote: unless you’re buying food in a non-touristy area and checking out hole-in-the-wall locations, do know you’re going to spend the same amount of money on food that you would back at home (for reference I’m in North Carolina).

We returned to our Airbnb and contemplated leaving the area. We tried to get a partial refund from the host but of course, they can’t control the neighborhood… Airbnb only deals with the property (it was worth a shot ;). We cut our losses and booked a hotel. We’d leave in the morning.

DAY 1

Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, I woke… however, the girls had it rough. There was a dying cat, a barking dog, and a chatty rooster throughout the night. I, on the other hand, slept with noise-canceling headphones and nightshades. I don’t play about my sleep 🙂

We dropped off our luggage and walked around a bit. The hotel was down the street from an STK restaurant and a Cartier store. The beach was 5 minutes away on foot… does that paint the picture? Such a stark difference! We took pictures and we came across a mini breakfast shop. I ordered oatmeal with cinnamon and bananas… Why was this the best oatmeal I ever had in my life? Am I doing something wrong at home? We ate our food and went to the beach. We found a great spot under a palm tree when a piña colada pusher approached us. He wanted to sell one piña colada (from a real pineapple) to us with alcohol for $20. I don’t think I’ve ever spent $20 on an alcoholic beverage. I don’t give a crap if I’m on a beach and if the ingredients are fresh. We said no and he went on his way. He came back a couple of times to negotiate. We finally settled on two piña coladas for $30 though I am 80% sure he did not put any alcohol in it so I think we got ripped off!

Despite being potentially played, the drink was gorgeous. After laying out in the sun, we made our way to Walgreens for a few items and to withdraw cash. While en route, we saw a sign for piña coladas being sold for $7.50! I was devastated lol. I’ve been had. Bamboozled. Played. This would be the second lesson I’ve learned while on this trip.

After running our errands, we went back to the hotel, collected the bags, and checked into our room. We took the elevator to the third floor, room 302. But the elevator jerked downward as it came to a stop. We rushed off quickly, and I swore I wouldn’t get back on it.

Next up was horseback riding! It was about an hour’s drive to Carabalí Rainforest Park. The music was bumpin’, and the servers were hustlin’ and busin’ tables. The energy was high! We waited a little while before our group was called. I had a horse named Sandy, and she had a lot of… personality. I was worried at first, but we ended up being a match. We didn’t actually go into the rainforest, but we did get to see it. I was disappointed because the title of the tour was misleading. Nevertheless, I had a good time and it was pretty chill! We didn’t get to trot, gallop or go through water but the scenery was pleasant. Truth be told, I was over it after 30 minutes.

After the ride, we wanted to eat immediately! I had a strong appetite. Originally, I wanted to find a different place to go for dinner, but we just ate on the premises because it required 0 brain power. I ordered chicken mofongo with garlic sauce and plantain chips. The food was alright! I would give it a 7.4 out of 10. I ate it like it was a 10/10 though. We paid, ordered an Uber to go home, and I was ready to go straight to sleep after that… but I felt bad because the girls wanted to go out.

We arrived at Éter Rooftop and… of course, we took an elevator. As we exited, we heard a banging on the one next to us. We later discovered someone was stuck in the elevator! If I ever come back, I will never take an elevator in Puerto Rico because I don’t have time to experience these fears. That’s not the thrill I’m seeking. I know I shouldn’t generalize… but I’d rather that than risk my sanity (forgive me). We ordered drinks. Service was slow, but the view was gorgeous. Once I received it, the garnishment was missing… My drink was naked and room temp lol. Despite my sad cocktail, our waitress was working hard and deserved a tip. We finished our drinks and took more pictures. The girls took the elevator down and I took the stairs because I refuse to be stranded in a metal container while on vacation. A shower was had and sleep followed promptly after because I was beat.

DAY 2

Woke up with food on my mind. We went to Wicked Ivy at the Tryst Hotel for breakfast by the beach. I craved French toast but I caught a glimpse of it on someone else’s table. It looked thick and a little dry. I wasn’t in the mood for pancakes, so I ordered garlic and parmesan potatoes along with two eggs. The potatoes carried the flavor while my eggs were plain and fried hard. Right after, we caught a ride to Old San Juan. We were dropped off at the main castle at the top of the hill. This day was my favorite, because we explored, sunbathed, took in beautiful natural views, got to see a lot of the city, and stopped at plenty of souvenir shops. I felt like a true tourist! I got some tamarind juice… (though it wasn’t fresh like what I had in Costa Rica) and later, I had two chicken empanadas… I will never forget the way they smelled, and tasted. OMG, these are the best empanadas I ever had in my entire life and I pray I will be able to make them this good. I’m telling you – this day alone was worth the entire trip for me. All of my senses were satisfied.

The full day was spent in Viejo San Juan and we left just before 7 o’clock. For dinner, we went to STK since it was close by and we wanted to end the night on a nice note. However, if you’ve been to STK, you know that STK prices are not budget-friendly. The cheapest things on the menu were salads ($25). I almost got a salad, but I opted for the tuna tartare which was the same price. The girls got salads and they were not happy with their purchase at all, but let me tell you about my food… It was hittin’!! I was pleased with it! I took my time and savored each morsel. We also ordered a cookie with ice cream on top and I have to tell you… the skillet cookies I’ve ordered from chain restaurants taste 1000 times better than the cookie we had that night. And it’s really sad because you expect the quality of a thing to increase with the price tag and this didn’t happen here. We left for the hotel and packed to get ready for our early departure.

TAKE AWAY

If I visit Puerto Rico again, I’m 100% sure I’d stay on the other side of the island to see more of it.

I learned a few things and was reminded of others:

• Always check out the street view of the Airbnb before booking to ensure the area is safe and to your liking
• Have a list of restaurants you want to check out for breakfast lunch and dinner to save time once you’re ready to eat
• Withdraw cash before travel to avoid fees and to tip the locals!
• Make sure to budget for meals in advance (of course, this was a rookie mistake)
• If the infrastructure looks sketchy, opt for the heart-healthy route and take the stairs 😉
• Always ask the locals where you should go and what places you should avoid
• Take it easy! Relax on your vacation. It’s 100% okay to change your mind