Jamaica..Florida..Bahamas..Cuba..and everything in between

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Its been a while since the last blog and this will bring you up to date and will probably be the last for this journey !!
The sea day we had after Ocho Rios was pleasant but very busy.Gretchen had heaps mapped out for us and we were on the go with trivia competitions,tour of the ships galley,tour of the theatre stage and green room,lunch,ballroom dancing,more trivia and finally a dinner with our new found friends from the trivia comps!!We finally got the suitcases packed and outside the cabin at midnight for a dawn arrival into Florida.
It had been a great trip and we are now really confirmed cruisers.It just suits us and you meet so many interesting people.
We were transferred to Miami airport with ease although we had a long wait at the airport as we were there before 11am and the flight to Nassau wasnt until nealy 5pm.So there was heaps of people watching,solataire on the computer and MP3 listening !!
Our overnite stay in Nassau went OK but so little time and the next day we were back to the airport and the De Haviland Dash8 flight(AirNZ pensioned these planes off years ago) to La Habana or Havana.The flight was smooth and we got thru the immigration easily and into a taxi before we knew where we were.Unfortunately they take 10% when you cash US dollars and the rate to CUC is below a dollar.The taxi into the city turned out expensive when we managed the return trip at almost hALF THE PRICE !!!We would be more aware if we go to Cuba again!!
The trip in was informative with a guy who spoke very good English.The Plazaz hotel was amazing,very neat and clean amid the decay of the city.We had TV with a couple of channels picked up from the USA.
We spent the first day on the bus riding around the city for CUC% each... a great deal compared to the taxi from the airport.
The city has so many photo opportunities and the people are very friendly.Wegave out pens and paper and key rings to kids in the alleyways we explored.It really was an amazing time and so many interesting people.Food and beer were cheap as...CUC2.50 for a huge pizza..that is abou US$2.75.Makes Pizza Hut look way overpriced.
The weather was steamy although it hardly rained.It was two or three showers a day just to keep fresh.The sea views from the Malecon were something else when you took in the buildings that line this promenade !!
Soon it was time to head back to the airport and Bahamas.Our parting view as the Dash 8 turned for takeoff was a Lada with police at the end of the runway..presumably watching for Cubans trying to ecape on the under carriage of a departing plane !!
Back in Nassau and our home for 4 nighs is 2500 sq ft of condo with flat screen TV and bedrooms on 3 levels !!!The weather today has been only so so..no rain but only a little sun so heres hoping that the weather comes right tomorrow !! so we can enjoy our private courtyard and views of the ocean.
Before long it will be onto Miami,LA and Auckland !!

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