Letter to the Next Traveler

So, you want to go to Cuba.

Here are some things to be sure you pack in your suitcase with your other items:

·         Full bottle of shampoo to leave for the hotel maid, Tylenol and other toiletries work as well

·         Toilet paper for the bathrooms (and never flush it down the toilet)

·         Nice camera and journal

·         Small things to give to cab drivers and people you meet (simple things from the drugstore or Walmart like soap and toothpaste)

·         Walking shoes

·         Shoes you can dance in (not flipflops)

·         Tea, if you drink it

·         Granola bars or other snacks, especially if you are vegetarian or have dietary restrictions

·         Bandaids

·         Anything you might need from the pharmacy or drugstore

·         Leave room for bringing back paintings or musical instruments or whatever interests you

Expect to spend some time riding around Havana in style. Always tip your cabbie. Oh, and it is OK to ride shotgun.

                Money: Expect to spend about as much money as you would normally spend in a place such as Las Vegas. For example, you will have some meals which cost around $5 but you will also have meals that cost more than $15. In some places, drinks are $1 and in others, they are $6. For the economically minded: look for places off the beaten path and ask around for places that are less touristy. Listen to the people on the street who are holding the menus and go to those restaurants that have good prices and food you want. Live music cover charges range from $5-10 usually and tourist places are higher than that. Cover charges usually include one or two drinks. 

Image of the patio at the Hemingway House outside Havana. Relax in the beautiful gardens away from the city.

                Behavior: Walk slowly and look at people. Talk to them. Don’t complain if your AC doesn’t work or if the menu doesn’t include the food you wanted. Ask nicely and smile. Stop being self-conscious. Go with the flow. At shops, check the bill and count your change. Say something if it is not right. Tip everyone who helps you at least one peso. Ask locals to find out what is going on and where. In other words, basically the opposite advice as one might give to you if you were going to New York City. 

                Personal: Write in your journal every day. Write down notes about the photos you have taken so you remember which plaza/monument/street corner you were on when you took the picture. I took a tiny notebook just to write down where I was when I took photos. 

Don’t just consume: make memories.