Cuba calls

My last day in MeHico. With a belly still digesting the lobster flambe from last night, I gathered my things for the Cubana Airlines flight I still didn't know was going to be on time or cancelled altogether. Given their reputation, I'd safely assumed one of the two. Since I had no easy access to internet, and when I did try I couldn't seem to access my booking (even more worrying), I could only hope it was all going to be OK. 

I got the bus to the airport, with a spare seat next to me taken at the very last moment by a strung-out Canadian backpacker who started conversation with me as soon as she sat down. Only it wasn't normal conversation - her first piece of worldly information came in response to the fact I was Australian. "I had the most AMAZING sex with an Australian guy the other night!" Geez… thanks. 

And it continued… I learnt how many drugs she was still processing in her body from the however many days she'd been partying with random artesans, how she hadn't paid for a hostel room for a while and just crashed on people's floors (what a charmer), how she didn't know if she was going to get through customs because she was so fucked… I tried to close my eyes to indicate sleep was preferable, but she didn't seem to notice.

Then it all went quiet. She was passed out. Only problem was, she was on the aisle side of the seats. And I was busting for the loo. Eventually I had to cave and nudged her awake, asking if she minded if I went to the toilet. She just smiled and went back to sleep. Level of annoyance just reached fever pitch. I sat there, not really wanting her awake next to me, and just held on. At the airport, I grabbed my bag and ran to the bathroom. Ahh, sweet relief! And no one to tip. Double bonus.

First things first, how late was my flight running? Hmm… only 3 hours, OK then. Now for my Cuban visa - this was a point of contention, as my work gives advice to pre-purchase a visa for $120 but everywhere else on the internet said you could pick one up from Cancun airport for $50. I chose to risk it and was rewarded - 30 seconds and $25 later, I was a proud holder of a Cuban visa. I even took a photo to prove it.

The flight wasn't just delayed 3 hours, in the end it was about 6 hours, and so when I finally boarded I was sleepy from dozing on and off at the airport. I'd spent my time eating in Bubba Gump because it was showing Forrest Gump in English, although when Celine Dion's All By Myself cuts in, it really cuts in. Deep. Yep, I'm all by myself, thanks Celine. 

It took forever to board the plane, delay after delay, and we ended up landing at dark, a shame since I hadn't booked any accommodation and had planned to wander around in the afternoon getting my bearings before deciding where I wanted to stay. Now, with the darkness folding in around me, I had some anxiety about where exactly I should sleep tonight.

Execution decision made - I was to book somewhere close to the fancy start hotel of my tour. A lady found me a $30 cassia - half house, half hostel - and I found a couple of tourists to share a cab into town, since the only bus that serviced the airport only took non-convertible pesos and tourists were only supplied convertible pesos. The convenient way Cuba sorts the locals from the tourists.

In the cab (not a vintage car as expected, bit of a letdown) was myself, a New Zealander about to go on a tour with the same company as me (but a different tour) and an American, who I quizzed about his entry rules for Cuba (of which there is one - DO NOT ENTER). After waiting AN AGE in line, the passport controllers didn't even stamp my passport, a shame as I will never have evidence I was in Cuba, but good in case it caused any further immigration problems for me. As it is, my passport is almost full, must get a new one within the year.

I was the last to be dropped off, the others in the cab were more than generous so I paid just a few dollars (pesos) for the ride. My place, a far cry from their 5-star hotels of the others, was down a dark street with some locals wandering about outside, some piles of rubble and bricks outside the door which was just like the rest of the street - no actual sign that this was a hotel. Thankfully, the owner was waiting outside and helped me in.

The wife of the couple that owned the hostel showed me my room, speaking in decent English before I said I was trying to learn Spanish and then continued on in native tongue. She got to the part about the guys picking up foreign girls, taking them to bed then asking them for money - I thought I was misunderstanding her Spanish but then she repeated it in English. How odd, I thought. But it's just the way it is here, she explained, and therefore no one is allowed to be brought up to the room. Fine with me, sounds too bloody complicated anyway!

I freshened up and went for a walk to check out my new 'hood, having been told by "Emmie" that it was quite a safe city. Nonetheless, I took only the bare essentials and kept my wits about me. I put on my new pretty Mexican dress, it was a Friday night after all, and took to the streets. There wasn't a lot on in terms of bars, well maybe I just didn't know where to look, but I headed to Plaza Vieja (Old Plaza) at E's suggestion and found somewhere that was still cooking. 

I'd been warned the food was bland, and true it was much less flavoursome than Mexican food, but it was food. I'd not eaten much during the last 24 hours and a feed and locally brewed beer was more than welcome. There were cats and dogs everywhere - some dogs wearing a special tag around their necks. I later found out this meant they were dogs of the high-up officials in the city and were not to be touched. Honestly, they looked just as scabby as the rest of them.

I headed back to the hostel shortly after, but got myself lost and after getting thoroughly frustrated with myself and the bike taxi guys who wouldn't leave me alone, a policeman (not bad looking either) and his dog pointed me in the right direction. Or thereabouts. I eventually got back and was happy to have a good night's sleep ahead of me. 

Sensitive little me

Another day of work, almost a week since I had my last day off. I wasn't really tired when I got up, I was actually already awake waiting for my alarm as the night was quite peaceful and comfortable. Still can't wait til I wake up next to a certain someone though...

I knew the day wouldn't be too busy, so I was happy when there were a couple of rides already booked and we ended up having a few more walk-ins. My first ride was late not because of the morning showers but because they came from the cruise ship and were on cruise ship time, or something. Anyway, they'd booked the ride last May so they weren't going to let a slight tropical shower stop them.

They were a nice, easygoing couple from New Jersey, as most of my rides seem to have been this week. Last week it was Canada, this week it's NY/New Jersey! Good for me, though, as they pretty much always give me something at the end. This ride enjoyed themselves, the wife said it was the best they'd been on ever and she was so relaxed, and they gave me $8. OK. Better than nothing, as they say. I just hope they do actually write us up on TripAdvisor like they promised (maybe mention my name...??).

My second ride was just one hour, what I can assume was a grandma and granddaughter or maybe just an older mum?? But they were NYers, also nice, bit more effort to get warmed up but they ended up giving me a decent tip so not complaints here. It's nice that we've got the foal and the baby rabbits (although one of them fell out of its box and was half eaten in the night by a mongoose or something through the mesh flooring in the cage - grooooooooooss) to show them too.

J and i had a bit of a "Day" today, him pointing out a couple of things I did wrong in my work. Now I am the first to admit I am not perfect at my job, but for some reason the way J explains my errors makes me feel like I am 2 ft tall. I got angry at him and stormed off the second time it happened, and almost exploded in front of the rest of the staff before I realised there was a guest waiting for a ride nearby, Probably a good thing, as it allowed me to take lunch and calm down, managing to talk myself into explaining my point of view to him.

That I did, later in the afternoon, and for some reason almost cried during the process. The girls at work tell me I need cock - hell knows what caused my behaviour. Maybe I do just need to get laid.

Didn't make a helluva lot of tips today, in fact more than double on my 1-hour ride than my first 2-hour. But it all adds up. It wasn't the greatest week of tips in my history here, to be honest, I wonder if the new year has left people skint but at the same time every time I ask my co-workers if they made tips, they seem to make more than me. I wonder, also, if my white skin works against me sometimes... like I'm not the "real" Caribbean experience. Hmmm...

There were no rides much after lunchtime so we got to finish right on time, me taking a couple of beers and watching the sun set behind a masquerade of clouds, streaking above and below its mystery... what a beautiful scene to capture with my eyes. My camera didn't do it justice.

Back at home, I had a few beers in celebration of the fact I'd finally get a day off - a week since my last one - and catch up with E to explore the French side. Got in the mood to talk to my boy and ended up using all my credit doing so... as did he, stressing about his visa, calling me back and talking about it til the phone cut off. I hope he managed to find some more credit and get through to the bastards at the visa bureau. I already told him I'd travel to whatever outside country he chooses if he doesn't get his visa, so that's all good. I just hope he gets it for ease sake.

I reminded him it was 3 weeks til my return. His response: "Yes, 3 weeks til your surprise... I mean your return." Don't think I didn't hear that....................

South American plans... going south already??

The most remarkable thing about today was the progress I made in my plans for South America. After receiving the positive, hap-hap-happening Couchsurfing response... actually before I continue I will copy exactly what he wrote and you can tell me if it seems at all like something I would be interested in:

"During Carnivall we have a lot of diferent parties, usually some song in a big car, everybody singing or dancing. It's cool, but really hot. Bring light - or even lighter clothes. There is a lot of cars, everyday, in a lot of diferent places. It's also a party where you can date anyone. Usually is like a summer passion. What happens in the Carnival, stays in the Carnival. If you can live a passion like that, be gratefull, usually they are very intense, and ends in 7 days, but we can remember things like that for all our lifes. It happens just once or twice in our life, anyway, so don't worry too much.

It's also a party where you can be who you want. Bring a costume - or don't - dress like a poor girl, a princess, guys dressing like prostitutes, a lot of beer, a lot of sun. Yeah, it's a hell, but can be good.

What more can I say about carnival? Sometimes I just want to stay away from Rio, it's a too passional party, sometimes I just want to sleep in the beach, enjoy, go out without know when I will come back.

The best place to stay during carnival is a central place, or near the beaches. Do you want to stay here? I will host a couple, but I might host one people more. It will be a little crowded, but it's carnival. Bring some beers (I will wait for you with at least 100 cans in my freezer) and let's party!"

So there it is. Exactly what I wanted to hear in one message, wrapped up in a neat little package. Since I got that, I have been off the CHAAAAAAIIN trying to organise myself to get there and as excited as I am, even I have to admit I am continuing hitting barriers.

Firstly, there is the issue of price for the flight there. It is never cheap to get to South America at the best times of times, let alone Carnivale, so that is a challenge. Then I find out all the requirements I need to actually get into the country... those visa things and oh yeah, an onward ticket... WTF?? I don´t DO onward tickets. It means I need to put a semi-definite date to returning home for sis´ wedding, which scares me a little.

Then there´s the issue of earning money while I´m there. On what I will have left in the bank, I will last about 1 week (esp in Carnivale) so a job is a must. I already have 1 hostel saying I can work there but they have a 2 month minimum and also don´t feed me so I would still need money to spend. And I don´t particularly like the thought of being trapped in this hostel for 2 months, esp since I imagine I would be digging for another job straight away and want to move to that asap.

Ideally, I need a hostel with a 1 month minimum or even a salary (unlikely) instead of just accommodation but who knows... The search continues. Bless me world, you know I´m good for it.