I am sorry Cuba....

When I arrived two weeks ago I was angry at having to be there. In fact I spent the first 3 days trying to plot my escape, but it was such a logistical nightmare I didn't get very far! 

When planning any trip you can only go on a best efforts basis, follow your heart, and organise what works from a timing and budgetary perspective. Cuba has been "on my list" for a while. Like a lot of people I wanted to see it now before the Castro regime comes to an end and significant changes occur. How, though, could I have know how much of an effect the first 8 days of my 5 week trip would have had on me? To be honest anywhere I went after my trip down the Canyon would have fallen short.

But Cuba waited, and slowly, with no pretentions, it reinforced its faded colonial and Art Deco self, it continued to provide musical interludes on every corner, its people smiled, interacted and cajoled involvement, from a quick "Hola!" to insisting that a fresh coconut become a Coco Loka, to teaching someone with two left feet the basics of salsa. 

Fidel Castro's system may be considered controversial. Cuba is certainly poor, but the people we met were content, smiling and proud. They acknowledge what they have (education / health care etc) but own up to the short comings (prices / housing shortages etc), but they are loyal to above all their history and their country. 

Cuba, thank you for your patience. I can honestly say that it paid dividends and that ultimately you charmed me. 

And it is with great fondness that I head off to my final adventure.....

I had to be cunning as a fox and faster than a whippet to navigate my way through Nassau airport in time to make my connection to Miami! But US immigration were no match for me, and I managed to talk my way back into the country....suckers!!!! All he did was ask where I had been enroute to that point.....ha ha! Don't think he was expecting "Well 4 weeks ago I left an island called Guernsey, blah, blah, blah"! Battered into submission!

A quick stop in Miami and then it was on to Boston. Although I almost refused to get off when the pilot announced a temperature of 9c. For the last 4 weeks it has been above 30c every single day. 9c!!!!! How I didn't shrivel up immediately upon arrival is beyond me! But I think I deserve extra brownie points for gamely preserving and heading into town where my 5 Guernsey amigos were waiting for me!