My crap holiday

My crap holiday
Good intentions taken by storm in Cuba
The Observer, Sunday 2 August 2009

I booked a holiday in Cuba for some bird watching and hill walking, but
a week before we were due to set off, the island was hit by a hurricane,
devastating the whole eastern side of the country. The holiday company
offered a refund or a holiday in a different part of Cuba.

Arriving on the weather-beaten island, we were taken to a holiday
complex on the south coast.

Wanting to learn about the island, I went to a talk entitled "Cuban
History". I was the only one there! The teacher, Mateo, a student,
turned out also to be the activities arranger, DJ and occasional barman.
In broken English he gave me a potted account of the island's past.

Next day, returning from the beach. I noticed that "Spanish for
Beginners" was to be held in the bar. I joined four other hopefuls. The
teacher arrived ... it was Mateo! Somehow we did not progress beyond
learning each other's names and nationalities.

Later we were graced by a visit from the company rep trying to sell a
tour to Che Guevara's museum at Santa Clara, via the cities of Trinidad
and Cienfuegos. Since many of the guests were recovering hurricane
refugees, who had spent the previous week holed up in their hotels
awaiting rescue, they were unwilling to venture further than the pool.

I was only too keen to see more of the island and so, at 5am next day,
with the sky still ablaze with stars, I joined the coach trip.

The tour guide announced that the journey was more than 400 miles, and
would take 14 hours! There was only one driver for the whole journey.

As we drove inland, the weather rapidly deteriorated and on reaching
Cienfuegos there was a monsoon. Despite the deluge, everyone dutifully
got off the coach. We watched some local children water surfing on their
tummies along the flooded pavements.

On the return journey I started to feel unwell. A fellow passenger gave
me some medicine but I felt worse. Several unscheduled emergency stops
later we finally arrived back at the complex. I crawled into bed, not
resurfacing for two days, only to be greeted with the news that a major
tropical storm was heading straight for the coast where we were ...

Kay Bagon, Radlett, Hertfordshire

My crap holiday: Good intentions taken by storm in Cuba | Travel | The
Observer (3 August 2009)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2009/aug/02/crap-holiday-cuba