Welcome to Cuba!

While I was away and in the 24 hours since I have been back I have received a lot of messages asking me about Cuba - so I decided to put it all in one spot.  Right here.  I will have to blog it over a few days as there is a lot to tell you - just means you have to visit a few times to get the low down.

Getting to Cuba:
My brother and sister in law have a saying: "Friends do not let friends fly United".  I now have a saying:  "Friends do not let friends fly Air Canada".

This could be difficult for a while, until the embargo with the US is completely gone, at which time you can fly to Cuba from the US (my understanding, and this could be incorrect, but it was what I was told) is that until the end of November unless you are an American citizen you can't fly to Cuba from the US.  Check it out again in December.  So at this stage you have the option to fly to Canada and then onto Cuba.  At this point remember the above advice: "Friends do not let friends fly United" and "Friends do not let friends fly Air Canada".

It is a long haul. I went from Sydney to Vancouver (14 hours) and then onto Montreal for a wedding and then after a week in Montreal I travelled on.  You can go directly to Havana from Vancouver (or if you want to stay and look around Canada, which I recommend you do to break up the trip) you can go from Montreal or Toronto also.  This is more expensive than the option I took (Montreal to Havana via Mexico - I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS - this is a 20 hour haul for a trip that can take as little as 5 hours direct from Canada - via Mexico is a cheaper way but it makes it a hard slog for a few days due to the continued jetlag, even though you are on the same time zone as Montreal - note; Vancouver is 3 hours behind Montreal and Toronto).

I went on a tour - I recommend this if you are not a regular traveller - it is a challenging country to navigate on your own, although if you are a seasoned traveller you will be fine without a tour.  Tours are:  Peregrine, Intredpid and Gecko.  All owned and operated by Peregrine.  They are just different levels of tour in terms of what you get.  Peregrine is the most expensive through to Gecko which is cheapest.  I do not know the difference between them other than $'s but I can say I rate Peregrine highly.  If you can get a tour with Tatiana as the guide you will have the best time!!

A tour will provide you with a transfer  - a relief as I landed at 10.40pm at night.  It was about 28 degrees with humidity in the high 90's.  I was jet lagged and tired, an air conditioned transfer was a saviour.

Now you are in Cuba:
Just to confuse you, Cuba has 2 sets of currency.  The CUP (Cuban Peso) used strictly by locals.  And the CUC (Cuban Convertible Peso) used by "foreigners".  The next challenge is that Cuban currency is only available in Cuba - and you can really only change Canadian Dollars and Euro.  You can take American dollars but an additional 10% charge is put onto the transaction (this may change eventually once the Americans and Cubans become friendlier).  DO NOT TAKE AUSTRALIAN DOLLARS - they have no idea what to do with them.  The exchange rate as at today, 26 October of Canadian dollars is 1 CUC to 0.74 CAD.  Use this link to work through it: Currency Converter

Once you exit via customs (on arrival, be warned it can take hours to clear customs and get your bags - I landed at 10.40pm and got out of the airport at 1am, you are now on "Cuban time").  There are two currency exchanges outside near the taxi rank/pick up area.  Again, be prepared for a very long wait - sometimes the line can go for a few hundred metres and you can be in that line for a few hours.  No point in getting cranky, everything in Cuba takes a lot longer than the western world, get used to it, it is the way it is and there is nothing worse than a cranky, rude westerner who complains about everything - you have been warned!!). 

Only use a certified bank or the hotel to change money.  Do not get sucked in by street hawkers, they will sell you the CUP - essentially useless for foreigners (and quite often counterfeit notes).  The CUP is used by Cubans for their rations (more on this in another blog) and day to day purchases.  You will be charged in CUC everywhere you go.  A bank is used by Cubans to pay bills etc, this is why it can take forever.  I recommend changing money at hotels (all government owned, more about this later) - you will get a little less than a bank but save hours of time and not have to stand in the heat.

Okay, now you are finally out of the airport, you will head to a hotel or a casa (home stay, very popular and used all over Cuba).  But that can wait till tomorrow as I know the above is a lot to take in.

In short:  Remember, Cuba is not a western country.  Take your patience, leave the attitude at home and prepare for an adventure..  It is a fabulous country - relax and enjoy it.

P.S. You will hear lots of things about what inoculations you should get to visit Cuba - I recommend you talk to your doctor.