Vacation in Varadero

Our days in Havana had been great and a steep learning curve with regards to how a suppressed communist country operates. We were happy that we had experienced first hand by staying with with real deal Cubans. Maybe for not as long as we would have liked but time now is of a premium so it was time to escape from switched on traveller and head to tourist HQ. A place where we could totally switch off and in doing so act as a full stop to our "road trippin" odyssey.

It felt pretty tough to actually believe that the end was near. So guide books closed, currency converter off, phrase books to one side it was time to knock the brain into neutral as we dived head first into our first Caribbean resort and first ever "all inclusive" experience.

After many stops, manyana, manyana, in just under 3 hours our bus pulled into Varadero. A spear shaped section of land stuck in the north coast of the island famed for it's crystal clear sea and beautiful clean beaches lined with 5 star Spanish chain - Cuban run hotels.

Leaving Havana downtown we hit a coast line that inst too easy on the eye. Scattered with used and dis-used oil well frames dominating the land with pumps nodding back and forth in the search for that liquid gold. Then the towering power station chimney comes into view, below a network of sprawling pipework that all run back to those nodding oil wells. Then its the turn of the gas holding tanks and the tanker ship style terminal port to hog the sea front. Well in a country that's built on independence these sorts of sites had to be somewhere.

As we entered through an archway that doubles as a toll booth, we find ourselves transported onto a peninsula and area of all things all- inclusive, a haven of secure accommodation, a place where everything is done for you. One side beach and hotels and the otherside, the wilderness, no mans lands! A space that gave the image of simply no reason to attempt a venture. Just random piles of earth marks the spot of a possible beginnings of the next swanky Spanish funded developments.

Our digs looked good on the eye, the most non imposing white blob just sat there next to the Caribbean, thankfully she was more wide than tall. With 8 restaurants, equal number of bars, 5 pools, a SPA, a gym, beauty salon, tennis courts and paddle courts, whatever they are. And finally a ice cream "saloon". On initial thoughts it seemed we were going to have to synchronise watches, plot out some coordinates and keep an eye on the compass to navigate our way around this one! The hotel map looked like we were staying within a shopping mall!

The first few characters we were confronted with were the main reason why independent travel is now our preferred choice of travel. But a mojito (no fresh mint though!), a margarita and a very cold beer, all pre-check, diluted a lot of our initial woes. Non-ready rooms on arrival within an all inclusive hotel can be heavy going! 3 drinks prior to dropping off the rucksack, We were cruising! That's double the amount of booze drunk in our average recent nights out. A number only really broken back in Melbourne at the bowling club!! Deanooo where are you? I am in need of a wing-man.

Liset, our receptionist, thought we looked surprised with our hospital type wristband. We explained it was our first time! Next we push and successfully achieved an upgrade to a suite, stating that we had chosen this hotel to act as the full stop on a RTW trip.

This place even had a resident pianist, it was obvious from the off we were going to be the scruffiest guests! Especially given the state and smell of our now much travelled backpacks.

Apart from our mojito consumption (no fresh mint, outrage!) with dark and stormy rum and Gordon's getting the better of us one night, we mainly pool lounged, sea swam, sun sunned and book read. Stuff really that no one gives a blog about! Stuff that splits true holidaying from travelling. These few days weren't Cuba but great for relaxing. And the sea was the most floatable sea ever! We found that this down time gave us the chance to memorise about a year gone by.

We could moan about how all inclusive leads to gross over eating and drinking, but you already knew that. Surely the body can't cope with all this over indulgence? But by the look of some most have had plenty of practice. No one nationality being any worse than the other, but it was clear that the western world, both male and female were firmly heading up the charge. Having come from Havana where food is scarce to the point of rationing. turning up here is a shock. There is just soooo much food! At breakfast each there must be 6 months worth of local Cubans egg rations used, per day.

Then there is the booze consumption from the many, many bars. Now most like the odd drink, especially when your on your hols. But this was a big big activity here. The more experienced "all-inclusive" type never moves around the hotel without the trusty "thermos cup" firmly in-hand. This then ensures that the constant flow of cold ones stay as cold as poss. Some cups were even keg shaped! No jokng. These lot mean business when it comes to visiting a "no-cash required" bar. Some are on it at breakfast! A dangerous act some may say, but most were then easily still going at it at the end of each day, with the normal stay period being 2 weeks!

This place had a smart looking gym and with the Bristol Half swiftly approaching I did attempt the odd early morning run session. 3 of us in total seemed to opt for the morning shift. Most mornings I'd have a quick chuckle, as say out of a potencial 1000 odd guests it seemed we 3 were the measure of the gyms total usage. Me doing the odd bit of running, the 2 other guys using the odd bike and a couple of the weight benches.

Lets just say there was never a point where we were in each others way!