Exciting things are happening. I’ve got a massive bag leaning against the wall, filled with not only my ski gear, but baking stuff, magazines and any other things that I will not bring on my trip. On Monday I’m moving out of my house and into a new adventure. I’m finally going to Cuba!
I’ve got three weeks to see as much of the island as I can. After a long flight via Toronto I will land in Varadero, a resort town that I probably really want to get out of, but where I’ll spend the first night to recover on the beach. The first week of the itinerary is set, but after that it is still a mystery. There are plenty of plans, but I’m not sure in which order things will happen. In any case, this will be an adventure. I tried to learn some Spanish in the past few weeks and now I finally get to practise it.
I’ve never been in the Caribbean or South America, so this will be a completely new experience for me. They say Cuba is changing already and I want to catch it before the time warp fast forwards. I want to ride in the old cars, feel the salsa and taste Cuba’s exotic atmosphere. Instead of staying in hotels, we’ll be staying in Casas, or B&B’s, and hopefully this is how we’ll get to see a bit of the real Cuba, west to east, from Vinales to Baracoa.
I wonder what it’s like. All I know is what I’ve read online and some love it, some hate it. Everything will be a bit more difficult than I’ve been used to lately. A language barrier, poor vs. rich, a totally different culture, two currencies… It feels strange to bring in your budget in cash and to prepare things as well as you can. While there, I won’t have access to internet much, which means we rely on the people we meet for information. It also means I can be off the grid. I’ll try not to worry about anything from home, because there is no way I can do anything about it anyway. I’m actually looking forward to a more spontaneous way of travel. Without wifi on your phone, you actually have to approach people to get information and instead of watching Netflix at night, I can go exploring. Maybe it will be a bit of a detox.
Back in the western world, another adventure awaits. I won’t start my new job until June. The past week I’ve done nothing but worrying about where I’m going to live then and in spite of replying to a lot of ads I haven’t had any luck finding anything. I could just see myself worrying for another few weeks when I’m in Cuba and after I get back. So I’ve made the decision to extend my holiday when I’m back in Canada. Instead of going straight back to Whistler to find accommodation, I’m going on a trip to Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper. I know it might not make much sense, but I’ve now accepted that I will most likely live in a hostel when I start my new job. It’s not the end of the world and at least I get to see a bit more of Canada. The prospect of frustration about a failing room search is just a bit too grim. The next five weeks will be all about having fun! So for now I’m saying adios to blogging. Hasta luego! I’ll see you in May.
Great Post