I don’t believe in that “live without regrets” nonsense. I get the idea, though. It’s about letting go and not letting mistakes sit with you. But if you live your life, normally, you’re going to have regrets. It happens, and it’s okay. You shouldn’t feel ashamed of that. Sometimes, you’re forced to make decisions. They can lead to regret, so yeah, you do actually kind of need to stare that in the face.
So, why am I sitting here talking to you about regrets? There I am, the night before a big trip I’ve been planning for nearly a year, all packed and ready to visit the Dominican Republic, and it hits me — I’m probably not going anywhere. I have my E-Ticket, specific to that trip. I have my suntan lotion packed and sized perfectly to pass through TSA screening. I’m warning you now people I don’t tan, I turn into a certified lobster. I even have my travel toothbrush. I always forget my damn travel toothbrush. This time was special. I didn’t.
By the way, if you decide to visit the Dominican Republic, the E-Ticket to get into the country is free. Go to the proper government website. Quite a few unsavory sites are proposing to offer it for a fee, which I unwittingly paid before realizing I didn’t need to. Don’t be a dunce like me.
But all of that was a gas, a bubble, a fugazi.
Paying a visit to La Aurora
You see, La Aurora invited me down to visit their factory and see how real cigars are made. I’ve been nothing short of ecstatic about this trip for a long while. But there was a problem, a huge Category 4 problem staring down my plans and he didn’t give a single care about what I wanted. Milton had hopped Mexico and taken up a track right across the state of Florida, something that hadn’t happened in over a hundred years. They almost always turn at the last minute. This guy was pissed about his stapler and all indications were that he was probably not going to turn. The hurricane tracks for this year have been frighteningly accurate.
Visiting LA Aurora and the Dominican Republic
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS LoungeSource: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS LoungeSource: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
Before we get into the weeds, I did get the chance to visit with a slightly altered itinerary. The biggest difference was that my trip was not a press tour as originally planned. Instead, I visited alongside a much smaller group, with a retail team from La Aurora.
It was enthralling and educational, and I was able to get boots on the ground in the fields and the factory. Despite some setbacks, it was still one of the most interesting experiences I’ve ever had and certainly the most cigar-filled.
Preparing for a once-in-a-hundred-year hurricane
Milton rapidly intensified, set his sights right on Tampa, and that was that. By the next morning, a few hours before my first flight down to Miami, Tampa International announced they were canceling all flights after 9 AM. The good news was that my flight was at 8 AM and I could probably make it. The bad news was I’d be leaving my two beautiful children and my wife behind to battle a once-in-a-century storm — never mind the fact that another had just breezed by a week or so earlier. The scenes of Helene’s destruction and flooding were seared in my mind. Good lord the devastation.
Standing alone, I was battling the age-old combat-rock question: Should I stay or should I go now? Luckily my — clearly privileged — angst was put to rest when American Airlines canceled my flight and sent me about twenty-seven and three-quarters notifications to my email, phone, and via text. I didn’t have to make the decision myself, I couldn’t go. It just wasn’t happening. And like that my plans and dreams were crushed and I was preparing to bend over and kiss my ass goodbye. It’s quite the shift, let me tell you.
No cigar enthusiast left behind
Elvis Batista, one of La Aurora’s seasoned marketing and sales gurus, and the mastermind behind most of the trip, gave me a call personally to offer an alternative.
“We wanted to give you the opportunity to make the trip still, so any way that you can get down to Miami we’re happy to help.”
He was hinting about sending a taxi or rideshare, which would be ridiculously expensive, or driving down myself. The stress of having to make a big life-changing decision flooded back. Oh… shit.
Ultimately, the universe forced me to make the decision that I was always going to have to make.
The good news is it wasn’t like that at all. Elvis was amazingly humble and, being from Miami, he understood immediately when I said “Yeah, no, I’d love to go but I think I’m staying with my family right now.” And it’s a good thing I made that decision, too, because, at that very moment, there was a huge fossil-fuel-sized problem happening across the State. Despite the administration’s promise that there was no gas shortage, there was definitely a gas shortage. Plus, they seriously underestimated how absolutely stupid people are panicking and flocking to the gas stations to fill twelve five-gallon containers for their generators they’re probably going to return after the storm passes. It’s like how many storms do you have to go through before you learn to prepare beforehand? Come on people. But I digress.
A split decision that was inevitable: No La Aurora trip
Ultimately, the universe forced me to make the decision that I was always going to have to make and stay behind to protect the ones I love most. Okay, that sounded a little too self-serving, almost heroic, but the point was I stayed behind.
It’s a shame too, because that first trip was what Elvis calls the “Master Class” experience. A real walkthrough of what it takes to bring a tobacco seed to life and personally bring that into a finished cigar. He explained the experience later, as you’ll learn, and as I’ll also cover separately, and it sounds out of this world. They walk you through the cultivation process and actually let you blend and make your own cigar — down to picking out your own tobacco leaves. He was describing how everyone gets a huge surprise at the end and… well, okay I’m not going to spoil it but it’s something grand. People are going to be able to buy this experience and if you love cigars even half as much as I do, it’s a bucket-list item for sure.
A new type of trip
But that trip was also designed from the ground up for press, and to market the new experience. An extra day had been tacked on to the trip, including even a leisure day for a beach visit, which, I’m not going to lie, sounded divine. I won’t do you the disservice of complaining, especially with so many uprooted by these hurricanes, losing everything. But circling back, it was a huge trip that I just missed out on.
Not all was lost, however. Elvis had my ears perked when he revealed that the next week he’d be returning to the Dominican Republic. This time with a smaller group, and more “retail” focused. In other words, he was bringing down employees and partners, and the trip was going to be much less suave.
Fuck it, I’m in.
Finding calm in the eye of a storm
Elvis gave me the go-ahead to rebook and we were off to the races.
After four hours of waiting on hold with American Airlines, the rep told me they couldn’t do anything. I had to wait until both flights were canceled. Although the flight down was canceled, and I was very obviously not going to be in the Dominican Republic to catch the flight back, I had to wait until that weekend when the flight back was canceled or I was not on it to rebook the trip.
After years of conditioning and watching my wife communicate with customer service, I was not going to take no for an answer and I was not hanging up okay with that resolution. I persisted, and eventually, the rep rebooked the flight for me for the next week. I’d be leaving Wednesday and getting back Saturday. That meant missing a day, instead of arriving Tuesday like the current trip called for. Whatever, at least I’m still going. Let’s do this.
With the flight sorted, it was time to focus my attention on the real elephant in the room. The safety of my family, my pets, and my home.
Taking on Hurricane Milton
Milton came and went. It was scary as hell, and I had my buttcheeks clenched the entire time. He took some of our roof, caused a slight foundation leak, leaned over my wooden fence and that was that. Oh, and we did lose power for quite a while but that was a given. He also made a few really loud, unimaginable noises.
More importantly, everyone is safe.
I patched the leak, removed the leaning fence panels, renailed them, and started the insurance claim process for the roof.
Trip time.
Flying away to paradise
Kissing my wife and children goodbye after being confined in close quarters with them for over a week — battling power issues, spoiled food, heat, and structural damage, no less — was not as satisfying as I expected. It’s not like I was jumping for joy, but the peace of flying solo and sleeping in a hotel solo in a foreign country was in the back of my mind.
When I landed in the Dominican Republic I was immediately waved down by the driver. After a short wait, some introductions to new people, and a bag throw or two, we were off to the street races, figuratively. I mean if you could see how these people drive it’s just pure insanity. There are entire families of five hanging on a pseudo motorcycle, carrying large items, weaving in and out of vehicles with no care in the world. Children, smaller and younger than my six-year-old son, running out into the middle of the highway. They fully expect cars, trucks, and weighed down vehicles to stop on a dime.
The beauty was palpable instantly. The entire city was surrounded by gorgeous mountains on all sides.
Chaos. It was absolute chaos and I am so glad I didn’t have to drive. That’s all I’m saying. I’m not sure if I’ve ever had a real heart attack. But, I had about ten of them all before we arrived at our first destination — La Aurora’s main factory in Santiago de los Caballeros.
Santiago de los Caballeros: A city of beauty
Take it or leave it, the beauty was palpable instantly. The entire city was surrounded by gorgeous mountains on all sides. The weather was warm and humid, but not swamp-ass humid, and, despite how rough some of the areas appeared to be, everyone was warm, friendly, and inviting. Although I wouldn’t necessarily go walking alone down remote streets late at night, you know what I’m saying?
It was and is a unique paradise. It’s rich in culture, industry, and community. At some point, I am absolutely going back.
So, what exactly happened on the La Aurora trip? Don’t worry, we’ll get to that.
Briley has over 16 years in the publishing and content marketing business. He's been writing about cigars for nearly half that in various forms. What makes him a tour de force is he also smokes them.
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
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