Forbidden countries
Join Date: May 2006
Location: South of the North
Posts: 106
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I went to Cuba with my other half last October (she's serving). She was supposed to get a brief from the RAF Police before she went but they never arranged it despite several calls, so we went anyway!
I'd echo what some of the others have said. You'll generally be fine in the tourist resorts (not many Cubans are allowed there if they haven't got a good reason - i.e. they work there), but Havana was a different kettle of fish. You're very much a target, but most of the time you will just be hastled to buy things. If you're on your guard you'll be fine.
One of the guests at our hotel had been well and truely con-ed. She had arranged here own flight out to Havana to stay there for a week before travelling on to one of the holiday resorts. When she got to the airport there was someone there who approaced her and explained he was a rep from her hotel. He looked the part, well dressed, clipboard, the lot. In his questioning he got her name and hotel. He tells her there will be someone to meet her at the hotel, so off she goes. At the hotel she meets another 'rep' who says he can change her money for her. So she hands over all her cash and he goes of and changes it. To Cuban Pesos not Convertible Pesos (which are worth about 7 times more than Cuban). Then he suggests he take a photo of her at the hotel on her phone. So she hands over her iPhone, he shapes up to take to the photo, steps back, steps back again, then he's off! Not only is her cash almost worthless, she's lost her phone and can't contact anyone including her insurance company because the phone had all her contacts on it!
I'd echo what some of the others have said. You'll generally be fine in the tourist resorts (not many Cubans are allowed there if they haven't got a good reason - i.e. they work there), but Havana was a different kettle of fish. You're very much a target, but most of the time you will just be hastled to buy things. If you're on your guard you'll be fine.
One of the guests at our hotel had been well and truely con-ed. She had arranged here own flight out to Havana to stay there for a week before travelling on to one of the holiday resorts. When she got to the airport there was someone there who approaced her and explained he was a rep from her hotel. He looked the part, well dressed, clipboard, the lot. In his questioning he got her name and hotel. He tells her there will be someone to meet her at the hotel, so off she goes. At the hotel she meets another 'rep' who says he can change her money for her. So she hands over all her cash and he goes of and changes it. To Cuban Pesos not Convertible Pesos (which are worth about 7 times more than Cuban). Then he suggests he take a photo of her at the hotel on her phone. So she hands over her iPhone, he shapes up to take to the photo, steps back, steps back again, then he's off! Not only is her cash almost worthless, she's lost her phone and can't contact anyone including her insurance company because the phone had all her contacts on it!
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Name changed to protect the innocent and he never had his passport stamped before
