A Surprise Addition to Our Itinerary!

The problem with chatting with other travellers is you often discover new places to visit.  I had such a discussion yesterday with someone who has been traveling around the world for the last 6 years and has been funding his travels by playing competitive backgammon online. Talk about if there’s a will, there’s a way!  Anywho, he and his Chilean girlfriend, who he met while visiting Venezuela, and I were chatting, and he was stunned about our current . . . journey. (I hate calling it a trip, because trips have destinations, schedules, plans, etc., and this really is more our lifestyle now.)  He asked where we were headed next.  Upon discovering that our next location was near Cancun, he shot out of his chair, smile spread from ear to ear, and loudly shouted “YOU NEED TO GO TO CUBA! YOU HAVE TO! NOW, BEFORE IT CHANGES!”

Cuba? Yes, I’ve always been interested in Cuba and have known several people from there but figured it was pretty much not going to happen so had never considered it for our current journey. When the US made the recent announcement of some. . . thawing in the relationship and some different types of visas now available, I did momentarily ponder how I could create something that would qualify us for a visa to visit there, but then departure date was nearing and life became more complex. However, my professional gambling friend got me wondering.

I came home, fought with the Internet, and finally was able to gather enough information and prices to make a decision, and . . . WE ARE GOING TO CUBA! I had no idea there were flights from Cancun (and fairly cheap at that, costing about $500 USD total for both of us to fly there roundtrip) until yesterday. Since we’ll be near there anyway, why the hell not? A place very few Americans have gone to? How can I resist? It’s also been interesting that I’ve had difficulty thinking through where we’ll go after Playa del Carmen before we hit Belize, trying to be near here when some very good friends are coming to visit near Tulum, and so on. Course, now everything is just flowing. Love when that happens.

The trip planning has introduced some nice logistics, especially since the only way you can use a credit or debit card issued by a US bank is with a license from the State Department. This includes trying to withdraw funds from an ATM in Cuba as well as even buying the ticket itself.  There is also a 10% tax on exchanging USD to the Cuban convertible peso. So I’m taking my friend’s advice and taking Mexican pesos with us.  It’s a little daunting having to plan on all the money you will need because once you’re there that’s it, but it just adds a new adventure into the mix. I’m doing some checking around to see if there are some other ways of getting around some of that (like getting a Visa gift card in Mexico that may not have the US-Cuba restrictions on it), but either way it sounds like a major adventure, and, well, you know me: Can’t resist the idea of a good adventure!

It has also opened up some great unschooling/worldschooling possibilities for Tigger. Just this morning alone we’ve had some nice discussions about the differences between a democratic and Communist country, foreign policy, the effects of embargoes, US history, budgeting, etc. And what a freakin life to have when you can just one day decide, Hey! we’re going to Cuba next week!

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53 Comments

  1. Have a great time. Sounds like it is definitely going to be an adventure! 

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  2. How awesome is that?  I think you will thoroughly enjoy yourself, but I’ve decided, on this extended journey, that is the goal….to thoroughly enjoy every new experience, place, etc.  I’m excited for you and can’t wait to read about the adventure in Cuba. 

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    • That is always the goal! You are so right!

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  3. Ohhhhh, my.  Mercy.  Cuba.  So exciting!  I’ve always wanted to go to Cuba.  My oldest and I got on a jag awhile back reading about Cuba and the Mariel Boatlift.  Fascinating.  Take lots of pictures.  I’d love to go there.  We watched a documentary on Havana recently and I thought it was so interesting.  In the cigar factory, a man comes everyday and reads them the newspaper and then reads from a book.  They go through tons of books every year.  Everyone was busy rolling cigars and listening intently.  It was so different from all the techy stuff we’ve got going.  I loved it.
    Have so much fun that you can’t stand yourselves!

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    • That sounds VERY cool! I hope to be able to photograph a lot of daily life and the country. My understanding is the only restrictions are government facilities, so hopefully!

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  4. im so envious!!! LOL… Cuba is one of my dream destination :-)… 

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  5. im so envious!!! LOL… Cuba is one of my dream destination :-)… 

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    • Very cool! It’s been kind of fun to hear from so many people who have wanted to go there.

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    • Very cool! It’s been kind of fun to hear from so many people who have wanted to go there.

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  6. That is awesome! I have several friends that have been to Cuba and LOVED it. Keep us informed. Safe travels and a big hug for Stevie.

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    • Thanks, Roxanne! Really looking forward to it. Stevie says hi and that he missed you very much.

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  7. Don’t you love how extended travel allows you to be so flexible? I had several countries added to my trip, all always at the very last minute. Have heard great things about travel in Cuba – have a great time!

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    • It’s so awesome! We’ve added a few places in Mexico I had never heard about it as well. Really makes it more fun.

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  8. My dad has been bugging me about how to fit a trip to Cuba into my itinerary.  I have been putting it off because of the expense with the US dollar change rate, as well as other difficulties.  How do you buy your plane ticket since you cannot use a US credit card?

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    • There are a couple of ways you can do it, but it’s a bit of a pain in the neck. More than likely I’ll be paying either with cash in pesos or a bank check in pesos from a Mexican bank. Seems to be the easiest way. There is a travel agency that will work with you to reserve your flight and then has you Western Union the money, but I’m not so sure that’s okay since you’re still sending American dollars, unless they’re using a bank in another country. Just seemed too iffy to me, so I’m going this route instead.

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      • Don’t mean to beat a dead horse, but just because you change US money into pesos does NOT mean you are somehow in compliance with the US prohibition of spending money in Cuba.  Am sure no one will get prosecuted (but you may get permanently flagged for special searches and treatment in the Customs computers, if you are found out), but just changing money into a foreign currency doesn’t wash the money clean.  You are still using US dollars… just though an intermediary country.

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  9. That’s brilliant! I’ve found the same thing over the past two decades of traveling- you never know where you’re going to end up! In the late 90s I went to Europe… and somehow ended up in Africa on a hunch, then in Turkey, then the Middle East… and now China. Who knew? 

    As for the money situation, it’s doable- it’s the same in Myanmar, with no access to foreign banks at all there (no ATMs, no Visa…) and you can only use brand new, crisp, smooth, perfect US dollars, preferably in $100 bills for best exchange rate as well as tons of $1s for various fees that are only charged in dollars in the country (trains, planes, hotels, etc). If they are even slightly bent or faded, they aren’t accepted… which was so nerve wracking as you can’t legally bring in more than $2000 for a one month visit. We were terrified that half of our money would be rejected and we’d be stuck with no way to get more in the country– but you know what? It was all fine. And you’ll be fine. Just make sure you know what needs to be done before you go. 

    I look forward to reading about this!

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    • Thanks! I had no idea about Myanmar being such a challenge with the money. So I guess bringing in only bhat isn’t going to work?

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      • I came in via China not Thailand so don’t know about using baht– but I don’t think it’s usable. Basically, almost everything is done in dollars except the little things (trishaws, street food, souvenir knick-knacks, low-budget shared taxis which can be paid in kyat) so you must pay for accommodation and most transport and most sit-down restaurant bills in shiny new dollars. I brought along shiny RMB, just in case, as we were spending time in Mandalay, which has a big Chinese business population… but they weren’t usable. Most of my dollars were fine in the end but it took me a few weeks of bank hopping in Shanghai before I could get $2k worth of perfect US banknotes. 

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        • Good grief! They were picky in Peru about the condition of dollars, but sounds like Burma has them beat!

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  10. Exciting, and I want to go soon also (think I will in early 2012), but you might want to be a little cautious about writing about it. Pretty much in this post you laid out a number of ways you are going to break US law. Doubtful you will ever get in trouble for it, but having a laid out “this is how I broke the law” post or series of posts might not be the wisest thing in the world.  

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    • I hesitated even announcing I was going because of that, but after some research I felt a few things were OK to share. The newer US policy isn’t as strict as it used to be, or else I wouldn’t have even said a darn thing until maybe AFTER we came back and possibly not even then. LOL

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      • Not sure the new US policy really affects you at all.  You aren’t going under any of the newly opened restrictions.  Unless I don’t understand the law (and I looked at it a bit in making my possible plans), you are flat breaking the law.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for it — and would have done it when I was in Colombia, but my Spanish isn’t good enough and after talking to a number of people that have been, it needs to be pretty good — BUT unless you see something in the new Presidential order that applies to you… I’d be careful about talking about it.  And if there was something in the new law that did apply to you, go ahead and get official State Department approval — it will be an even better story then to write about.

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        • Going with official approval would be an even better story? I dunno. LOL

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        • I’m curious.  How do people like Ry Cooder and his son get travel permits when they make a movie like “Buena Vista Social Club”?  At the beginning of the film he says he was returning, so he’s been before, i.e. not simply to make a movie.  Do artists get special treatment?

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          • There have always been exceptions & people who have gone.

    • Unfortunately, their info is a little out of date. They need to update with the current State Dept guidelines regarding travel to Cuba. Still some good tips in there. They also need to update Cuban information that changed last year regarding a requirement to have Cuban medical insurance.

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  11. Fabulous, I can’t wait to hear about your journey to Cuba! It’s a country we don’t hear a lot about!

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    • Definitely adds to the excitement for us!

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  12. Nice Choice! I’m heading to Puerto Rico, then will probalby go west = dominican REpublic, Haiti, .. Cuba.
    According to my research, although Cuba will let americans in at the border, we still must have a ‘license’ from DC, otherwise we can get into trouble from our US govt. ?! Know anything about that?

    I”ll be very eager to hear about your arrival, entry, and your adventures there! Lash

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    • My understanding is that you’re only required to have a license to spend American dollars there and to fly from America to Cuba.

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  13. I wanted to go to Cuba on my way home last year but it wasn’t in the budget. Have a great time!

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  14. It’s truly beautiful when folks are loose and open to whatever the universe tosses your way (ack! that sounds so very saccharine “New Age” but it’s true!) 😉  No doubt it will be an incredible experience for you and the lad!

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    • So very true! Being open to whatever door or window opens in your direction is so valuable and often leads to some great adventures. Thanks

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  15. Co-incidentally I had lunch yesterday with someone who had just returned from Cuba.  He was English and not American so some of your questions don’t apply, sorry.  However, he has been going there for a few years and says he can see it beginning to change, so you are most certainly right to go now before it changes entirely. I had to smile when you talk about taking cash – which, of course, was how we used to travel before ATMs!!!

     I’ve known lots of Cuban ex-pats here, and everything everyone says about their sense of fun, the love of life and of music is so true!  You will have a wonderful time.  One thing I was told yesterday which I didn’t know, was that on leaving you have to pay, in cash, a “tax” of around $25.  I’m not sure on the exact amount, but you should make sure to reserve that.  You will also find internet access limited, so we may be anxiously awaiting your news!  

    When I first came to live here in the Canary Islands I was really surprised to find Cuban cigars were so easily available, then I realized that all of my ideas about Cuba had been colored by news stories from the US, since 1959 was about the time I began to be more aware of what was going on in the world.  In Spain it wasn’t such a big deal, apparently, surprising given the extreme right wing government here at the time, but then ties between Spain and Cuba were different to the ties between the US and Cuba (as were). It occurred to me then that this was a lesson in living abroad, understanding a different perspective.Now I am going for a long, hard walk to work off my jealousy!  Have a wonderful and rewarding time!

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    • Thanks! Yes, I knew about the exit tax. We’ll also have to pay one to leave Mexico. I hate those things. LOL

      That is funny about the money. Back in the day that’s what you did! And I doubt many places do Traveler’s Cheques. No worries. Just adds to some of the adventure trying to do all that budgeting.

      Luckily I have found some places with Internet access, just don’t know if Cuba censors FB and Twitter yet. Hopefully won’t be too much of an issue. I also need it for work, but we’ll deal if that’s the case. 🙂

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      • Oh yes -on the cash!  I can remember stuffing it all over the place so as not to have it all in one lump if I was robbed!  There was a time in the 60s when the British government decreed that we could only take fifty pounds sterling out of the country!  (and we think this recession is bad!!)  Even given that it bought a lot more then than now it didn’t really go very far!  We had to be very creative with hiding places!  I remember going to Rome when that law was in force – and Rome has never been a cheap place to go!

        Unfortunately the person I know who went the other week isn’t very techie so I can’t help much.  He did send me a couple of emails and a couple of text messages when he was there, but he’s the sort who doesn’t have to watch the price too much.  He said that internet was ok for tourists but not for Cubans, and he doesn’t tweet or anything so i can’t tell you more.

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        • Er – yes I can tell you more.  He has only a very few basic words in Spanish and the friend with whom he went has less, so i wouldn’t think that language would be a problem.

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          • Cool. I speak Spanish so not too worried about the language even though
            their accent and speed will give me a challenge initially. Lol

  16. Wow, that is SO cool. My nephew was stationed in Cuba for over a year and the military personnel there can’t go off base at all. I hope you have a great time! 

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    • That would so stink! To be right there and not be able to ever check out anything else. . . pooh! LOL

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  17. Fabulous!  Awesome!  Love it!  (Just a LITTLE bit jealous.)

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    • He’s picked up a tad. He hasn’t really been around a lot of pure Spanish speakers, which was part of the plan to help his anxiety level stay lower. I’ve been teaching him a little, and he’s asked for some phrases. As we continue, we’ll be around less English speakers so he’ll pick it up more.

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  18. That sounds great to be able to do that.  Y’all be very careful on your travels and God speed to both of you.  Have a great time.  

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    • Thank you! It’s a wonderful life. 🙂

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  19. YAY! I’ve heard wonderful things about Cuba – always wanted to go, but haven’t managed to do it yet. I’m excited about reading all about your adventures!

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    • Thanks, Nancy! I’m excited to go there and love the flexibility we have to just go and do it.

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