Gina & Andrew's Cuba Trip: Day 8-9 Vinales - Havana

Day 8 Monday 7^th March Vinales – Havana , Confirmation Confusion

We spent the morning sitting on the Casa rooftop smoking our newly purchased cigars and writing our blog. We knew at some point internet would come our way and as fate would have it - bingo, later in the morning whilst queuing at the money exchange we overhear some travellers talking about internet cards and phone cards. Okay now were onto something. Mental note - a task to chase up upon our return to Havana.

For now the only plan until we travel back to Havana is to confirm our flight to Cayo Largo departing tomorrow. Whilst everything is booked and paid there is no guarantee we are going. This is how it works in Cuba. Thankfully, before we leave Vinales we spot a travel agent and ask for assistance and to do the ringing around for us to confirm . One hour later, we are still none the wiser. He too cannot confirm as calling now is too early.

Generally flights are confirmed by 5pm the day before travel but we will be on a bus heading back to Havana. Okay, we are cool. We can handle this and no need to get panicked. He assures us our name is on the list for pick up from Panorama Hotel in Havana but cannot tell us what time to be ready. Still keeping cool here. He recommends that if by chance we are on the 7am flight, be at Panorama at 5am or if we are on the 9am flight we need to be at Panorama at 7am.

Well okay, we aim for the 5am option so we don’t get missed at all. This means a 4am wake up and a taxi soon after to get us to Panorama. We spend the night at Villa Nilda again as its soon becoming our home base and safety net.

Day 9 Tuesday 8^th March Cayo Largo (Key Largo) Mission Accomplished

Geez we’re tired…….4am start after getting to bed at 11.30pm. Sitting in the lobby of the Panorama Hotel by 4.45am and the staff are looking at us sideways. Still flying blind (pardon the pun) the question hangs like a lingering bad Rexy smell – are we going to Cayo Largo or have we wasted our time?

5am passes so we figure it must be the 9am flight so we have a 2 hr wait until the 7am pick up. Hallelujah… the pickup arrives at 6.30am. Early or late, who knows?

Smiling Tanti's arrive at the local airport. It’s not open yet and no one responds to the door knocking so the waiting continues. Think Moorabbin airport but smaller with even smaller planes. Yep, the last time we flew in something this small was in Kazakhstan. An old ex-military helicopter seating only 18 passengers plus pilot x2. On this occasion the pilotx1 doubles up as the air steward covering emergency evacuation in Spanish. What you don’t understand? Just read the safety card - Andrew was very unhappy …………..