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Latin America 2018
  • Meaghan's Travels

Latin America 2018

A 64-day adventure by Meaghan's Travels Read more
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  • Trip start
    December 26, 2017
    Meaghan's TravelsLatin America 2018Meaghan's Travels
    Girlfriend loves christmas!
    Packing!Airport sleeping!Off on a new adventureMore sleeping for girlfriend!Sign as you enter hire car place!

    Off we go!

    December 26, 2017 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    First things first is the christmas outfit! Went all out!
    Second thing is I'm never flying on Boxing Day again - too hectic trying to get everything organised for a long trip combined with christmas. And everything takes longer than you think.
    Even a simple thing like advising the banks of the travel plans took ages. ANZ have a very detailed procedure where you list dates in and out of each country and because my plans involve several countries and abit of back and forth I kept on getting timed out - so thats one hour of my life that I will never get back!

    Next was the packing. Naturally this wasn't started until I got home on christmas night. You can see the chaos in the photo!
    And so of course last minute isn't complete unless you soak your clothes in mosquito repellant thus ensuring they are not dry for the flight. You can see some of them drying laid out on plastic in the background of the photo!
    Then as you are stressing out with the packing there is the lovely scent of permethrin in the air from the mosie soaked clothes as you wonder if the ventilation is enough so that it doesn't become toxic.

    Anyway no sleep for me as I head off to the airport!
    Tried to buy my way into the business class lounge to no avail so I left mum (aka margy) and headed for the floor - literally! So exhausted I joined a few people who were lying on the floor in one of the gate areas. A new low.

    Flew american airlines which I haven't done for a while - good food in terms of airline food - much better than united and delta. Killer chocolate mouse.
    And as a bonus a very good looking crew!

    Arrived in the US before we left for our 2nd boxing day. Weirdly customs didn't open until 6am so we had to sit on the tarmac. Checked into our budget hotel - booked the night before so we could check straight in.

    So as mum went to bed I headed off to an Amazon pick up centre where I had some purchases directed. Such a great idea and saves postage to Australia if you happen to be going to the States. And they accept returns saving postage which is good because I returned two items. You will see my happy face picking up my goods in a later post!

    Then to REI in San Monica for sturdy walking shoes and ugly waterproof sandals. Mission achieved - see photo of super ugly walking sandals

    Then it all went to shit! Tried to withdraw US dollars for the trip and discovered I had mistakenly bought my expired citibank card. I have a truly terrible track record with card mishaps on my travels. So after discussions with Citibank in the US and calls to Australia I can get my money but then discover the transfer of funds is still pending.

    More calls to Australia and I transfer my money out of Citibank back to ANZ but won't be able to access the funds until Ecuador. Also my emails and text messages on my mobile are not sending/receiving so I have to change my mobile number in my Citibank profile to mum's mobile which is working - another call to Australia. However I can go online for sending/receiving emails but in Cuba wi fi is going to be few and far between.

    Thankfully I am not travelling solo at this stage so we have the money from margy's Citibank transfer but her card is not working. Another call to Australia to fix that up. We take out the maximum $ allowed each day from margy's savings account but we still haven't got as much money as we wanted to take.

    Anyway I take margy to another REI store to get her ugly waterproof sandals for the Galapagos and after alot of trying on the perfect model are not in in her size! Bummer. We try other places but nothing.

    We have dinner in my favourite burgar place In n Out and while margy goes back to the hotel I go to Target and CVS - another two of my favorite stores - to stock up on a few things for the trip.

    Go to bed exhausted and stressed about the expired card and the money situation!    Read more

  • Meaghan's TravelsLatin America 2018Meaghan's Travels

    Ugly sandals!

    December 26, 2017 in Cuba ⋅ 🌙 18 °C
  • Meaghan's TravelsLatin America 2018Meaghan's Travels

    Disneyland happiness!

    December 27, 2017, Caribbean Sea ⋅ 🌙 26 °C

    Christmas at Disneyland is my place of happiness! I have been wanting to see the christmas display ever since I went a few years ago. And I have always wanted to go to Disneyland so when I went the first time it was heaven as we stayed in the lovely Californian Hotel and spent three days there.

    This time it was a hire car drive along the freeway and then parking in one of the huge lots. Parking alone took about an hour then walking to the park another 30mins followed by a long queue and at this point I stopped clock watching. So much for being there when the gates opened!

    Once in I went straight to haegan daz for a chocolate shake - this is my happy drink! Then I wandered around the lovely Californian Hotel which had beautiful christmas decorations, carolers and an open fire with rocking chairs. I could have sat here for hours watching the passing parade. Love that hotel!

    Next it was onto the Adventure Park as that was where most of the new rides I wanted to try were.
    I paid abit extra for the fastpass app as it saves alot of walking and with only one day girlfriend had to move fast! Also the day I went is one of the busiest days of the year.

    I queued for about an hour and a half for the new Cars ride. It was fun but not worth queuing if you have already tried it. As I was about to get on the ride it stopped for quite a while and when we finally got on we got stuck mid ride. See next entry for photos of me stuck in 'Monument Valley'! But this scored us a second ride which in Disneyland world is huge!

    Next it was onto Legends of the Galaxy. This ride is awesome and one of my favourites. Its the Tower of Terror re jigged but with lots more drops and fun music.

    Disneyland christmas means non stop christmas music playing all day and night - heaven! I want to go back one christmas eve and run around in christmas mickey ears!

    Of course on the one day I go to Disneyland there was a major power outage which closed alot of the rides for a few hours and at one stage they closed down the entries into Disneyland due to the crowds. There was extra crowding as people had alot less rides to go on. But as my fastpass ride was cancelled and I got another one for any ride of my choice it worked out in my favor to get on a ride with a long queue.

    So next was Disneyland and I just wandered around looking at the christmas decorations and then watched the christmas parade. Fabulous! Then a railway ride around the park to save walking and then back to the adventure park for Soarin over the World which is great and then one of my favourite coaster rides California Screamin.

    So fabulous day and it cheered me up given the $ debacle. Little did I know worse was to come!

    Then back to LA with a sat nav which was giving me crazy directions. Luckily I am familiar with the highway and we are staying near the airport so I found my way home.

    Go to bed exhausted!    Read more

  • Meaghan's TravelsLatin America 2018Meaghan's Travels

    Off to Cuba!

    December 28, 2017 in Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Up early, hit the ATM for another mimimum cash withdrawal and then off to Mexico City.
    Wheelchair met us when we got off the plane and this guy was pushing margy so fast I was running to keep up with him!
    Even though we had connecting flights in Mexico we had to retrieve our luggage and then check it back in. This was done in a weird little corner where the wheelchair guy literally hurled the bags in the corner. Then we ran to the hand luggage xray and these guys were putting pellets of water, coffee beans, nuts and frozen chicken through the xray!
    Wheelchair guy was not happy!

    There was another machine fully staffed but accepting nobody. Go figure. Wheelchair guy did his best but to no avail.

    Then we ran to the gate, wheelchair guy said 'My service ends here' and asked for his tip. Now I knew that wasn't right as we had to get on the plane but he kept on saying 20 minute wait and speed off. Of course loading started in about 2 seconds so we had to get some poor guy whose job it wasn't to wheel marge to the plane.

    Now it is only on the plane when I am wadding through an inch of paperwork that the travel agent only sent me days before flying out that I discover that US dollars are hit with an extra 10% tax that other accepted currencies are not, when exchanging. Of course we only have US dollars!
    I knew they were not great to take but I didn't have time to get any other currency and I thought it would just be a crappy exchange rate but not as much as 10%.

    So our money situation just got even worse!

    Arrived at airport about 11pm and no transfer was there. So a representative from another group called ours. They had forgotton about us! Great! So a taxi was arranged and off we went.

    The casa where we are staying has a great location and the room has a 70s vibe. Very small room and bathroom but all I care about is the air conditioning. They have even squashed in a fridge.

    To bed exhausted.    Read more

  • Meaghan's TravelsLatin America 2018Meaghan's Travels

    Havana

    December 29, 2017 in Cuba ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    Ok first day in Cuba was overall abit of a waste . We got up and had breakfast on the rooftop terrace which was nice. Our casa is in the old part of the city so great people watching. Then back to bed (in our room which is barely bigger than the 2 beds in it so abit of creativity with where to put luggage and then get around it) until 2pm! We are both still so exhausted!

    Then I staggered up and set off to try all of our cards in the ATMs with no luck. Basically went from ATM to ATM. Our cards were not on the list of cards that don't work but thats Cuba! The agency said they have no idea why some cards work and then don't work.

    So then no choice but to queue to exchange our valuable US dollars to get alot less in value. Will have to watch the spending and keep to a budget!

    Then after the tour meeting dinner with the group - took some dinner back for Marge so she could continue resting.

    We ate at the restaurant in the attached photos. The start of lots of overcooked chicken!    Read more

  • Meaghan's TravelsLatin America 2018Meaghan's Travels
    Airport we flew out of
    Flight mealAirport we flew intoPlane we flew onTaxi to the airportWaiting

    A short domestic flight!

    December 30, 2017 in Cuba ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    Met the group and tour leader last night. Nice small group of nine. Both the group and tour leader are great. The tour leader has an english accent as he spent 6 months at Oxford.

    Got up at the crack of dawn as our tour leader was adamant that punctuality is next to godliness. So we are all on time and a bus driver and a bus were there but no tour guide. Anyway the driver loads our luggage and off we go! Of course we have gotten on a bus with someone we don't know and could have been going anywhere!

    Meanwhile the guide sees the bus going off without him! An expensive taxi later the guide catches up with us at the airport which is a long way out of Havana. Of course he had to ring his boss and say he lost his group on day one!

    A very long wait at the airport and we are off to Baracoa which is at the very east of Cuba and was the first town established in Cuba.

    Late lunch in a hotel in the centre of town, supermarket stop to buy a massive bottle of water, bicycle taxi back to our casa then a rest before meeting the group for dinner. We were going to a place on the waterfront (malecon) but the recent hurricane had pretty much destroyed it so we went to a restaurant in an old colonial building.

    Then the rain really starts to pour. It rains every day in Baracoa. There is a lovely balcony in the restaurant where you can watch the passing parade on the street and with the pouring rain and a drink it is quite relaxing!

    Marge and I stumble, literally because the paths and roads are so bad, back to the casa in the dark. We get lost and have to ask directions because all the streets and houses start to look the same in the dark.    Read more

  • Meaghan's TravelsLatin America 2018Meaghan's Travels
    NYE in Cuba but I think I am in Mexico!
    Homestyle christmasOur hostessDinnerSidesMore sides

    New Year's Eve

    December 31, 2017 in Cuba ⋅ ☀️ -12 °C

    We are staying in a lovely casa which is spotless. The hostess is very nice and has the most amazing collection of dresses.

    Bit of a chill day so after a leisurely start we head off to a hotel on the hill which has views but the main attraction is the wifi.

    Whenever you see lots of people standing around looking at their phones (usually in plazas) you know its a hotspot. There is no free wifi in Cuba. You buy an internet card for so many hours at $1US for an hour.

    We planned to catch a taxi but only a jeep was available which was impossible for mum to get in. After various charades the driver finally accepted this and got some random guy on the street to drive us in his car!

    Unfortunately mum left her backpack in the car. Nothing really of value except the actual backpack, mum's cancer council sunhat (borrowed from me) and my travelling umbrella which I also use to keep the sun off.

    So I bolt down the stairs that led to this hotel to where we caught the car but no luck finding this guy who I am not sure I would recognise from any other guy. Then I queue for an internet card but in cuba a queue doesn't mean much as the guard is letting lots of people skip the queue so I give up on that.

    Then back to the hotel. We attempt to order lunch but most stuff is unavailable (an indication it is state run!) so mum has a fruit salad and I have a nectar juice.

    Then we sign onto the internet - yay! After leaving the hotel we hit the ice cream parlour and I walk around town abit.

    Dinner is at the tour guide's cousin's place abit out of town. The family didn't look very infused to have us even though we were paying quite alot for Cuban standards. We even had the sullen teenager who was obviously told he must sit through the whole thing!

    But the food and presentation were good. Our tour guide also gave us some salsa lessons. Next back to town to the only nightclub to see in the new year. Its a rooftop terrace with a view of the town square and a show was on.

    So happy new year to marge and I and everyone reading this blog!    Read more

  • Meaghan's TravelsLatin America 2018Meaghan's Travels
    Peaceful
    The view!Beach heavenCan you find margy?Man on beach with garbage

    New Years Day!

    January 1, 2018 in Cuba ⋅ 🌫 0 °C

    A lovely chill day at Maguana beach with white sand and palm trees - 20km west of Baracoa.
    I hired a top quality plastic sunlounge which had seen better days for $2. Later on they charged me $1 for picking up the lounge and taking it to the spot on the beach I had picked.

    Marge sat in a hut and we were charged $3 for her chair. I think they just made numbers up.

    We are learning in Cuba to order ahead if you have any chance of eating when you want to and it worked like a treat. Some places you can wait for hours. Very tasty chicken cooked perfectly and salad. The tomatoes here are full of flavour and we are eating loads of them.

    Eventually back to town and a miracle occured at 5.30pm in the telecommunications office - no queue!!! So I rushed in and loaded up on internet cards. You can buy them from guys on the street but the price is double. So I saved about $7!! Yes this is how much we have to watch our pennies! We tried another ice cream parlour and gave dinner a miss. The servings here are huge so its either two meals a day or you share a plate.

    I walked around the town abit. Nice little town with some ugly soviet style unit blocks down by the water. The waterfront strip or malecon as they call it is just ugly concrete and soviet style unit blocks. Prime real estate!    Read more

  • Meaghan's TravelsLatin America 2018Meaghan's Travels
    Casa
    The street1Gold deluxe!Fancy lounge!Display = wealthy familyCute

    Casa glory in Baracoa!

    January 1, 2018 in Cuba ⋅ 🌫 0 °C
  • Meaghan's TravelsLatin America 2018Meaghan's Travels

    For you Virge!

    January 1, 2018 in Cuba ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C

    Ok cats are big in the artworld in Cuba. Also fish so a cat and a fish is really something!
    Fish represent life and cats love!
    But a cat on someone's head with a fish is the ultimate! Even better is if the person is standing on a house!
    Go figure!    Read more

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