Cuba 30th June

HAVANA

 The day couldn't have started worse, i woke and thought i would put some music on, in my room. Once plugging my iPod into my laptop it come up on the screen no music, i couldn't believe what i was seeing, this is all my music i have been collecting since i was 15 and i only have half of it backed up at home. I think everyone can understand my anger because music is one of the biggest parts of my life. i felt like crying! After that i went down stairs to give Sharni a call to see how she has been going home alone and tell her what i have been up to. After the phone call, the lady at the desk said that is $36 CUC which is about $38 Aussie dollars, i said "you have to be joking, there is no way i am paying that". Then as i was was saying that the bus driver had walked into the foyer to collect me to catch the bus to Varadero. I pointed at the time on my phone saying to him, his 45 minutes early. I was arranged to be picked up at 8:30am and it was 7:45. All my belongings were still scattered everywhere in my room, i hadn't even started to pack anything yet. I sprinted to my room, the lady at reception yelling in the background for me to pay the phone bill. i packed my stuff as fast as i could, running down to reception i gave her $30 CUC that was in my wallet and kept running the bus driver had gone and i panicked, thinking I've just wasted about 3 nights accommodation in a hostel on and 8 minute phone call and now this stupid $25 CUC bus ticket. I was pissed off at everything that had happened so far. I asked the information desk where the bus driver went she explained he will down the road at the other hotel doing a pick up. So i just left, running down the road as fast as i could with my bags on hoping he hadn't left yet. I turned the corner and he was there, i said out loud "thank F…K ". By this stage i was pouring sweat and it was only 7:55 am. i then later realised for the last 3 days in Cuba i had been running an hour behind time. And that's why the driver was there at that time haha, he wasn't 45 minutes early he was 15 minutes late. It was a hectic morning and i was glad to finally relax on the bus. i am still disappointed about wasting money on the phone call and loosing all my music but ill get over that.

VARADERO

The Hotel in Varadero is literally on the beach, just have to walk down the steps in the courtyard and you are 5 meters from the water. The room is not to bad little bit run down, but again its super cheap for a hotel on the beach. $27 per night. I had trouble paying for it because there efpos machine was broken so i had to pay cash but only had a little cash, i walked to the atm, my travel card wouldn't work in it and i could only get $50 out of my other card because i needed to transfer money onto it, which then became a hassle because they don't have internet. I then walked about 3 km to the town centre, where there was and internet cafe, the only one in the town. I couldn't log onto my net banking haha so it just wasn't really happening for me that day. I ended up writing to Sharni on Facebook and giving her my account details so she could log on and transfer the cash for me. I don't understand, the whole point of a travel card is to use it when travelling at any atm or anywhere that excepts Visa but most the time it doesn't work but my other Visa card does….. strange. anyway that was all sorted, i was glad to see the end on that day. 

I have been swimming early every morning, it's just magical the water is crystal clear with so many fish, it is so relaxing swimming then laying on the beach then i will go and have a massive buffet breakfast and read for a while on my balcony. I'm really getting used to this backpacking life. Even though i am finding it a little boring in the hotels with know one to hang out with, but it is good to relax and have some time to myself. Today i got a haircut and went to the internet cafe to write to the Australian girls Meg and Hannah to see where they will be once i leave here, because i have 6 nights not booked yet, so ill probably travel to where ever they are and spend the last days with them before flying back to Mexico. I haven't heard back from them yet so not to sure. 

Last night i sat up on the balcony, it was around 7/8. I was reading my book (Marching Powder) with the easing salsa from the courtyard playing in the background, just to top it of i was having glass of wine waiting for the sun to set. As it dropped bellow the clouds, it was this monstrous orange glow. 

I placed my book down on the small table next to me and watched it as it disappeared. The strangest thing happened, the second the last orange glow disappeared it started pouring rain. It would have been no longer than 3 seconds, everyone from the courtyard area downstairs where scattering for the nearest shelter. There has been some big thunderstorms so far in Cuba. I got some nice pics of the rain over the ocean with yachts in the frame also. I still haven't played a round of golf yet possibly tomorrow, if there's not going to be storm!!!!