2.26 - TIEMPO PARA LOS ZAPATOS NUEVOS!

For this trip she must pack with great care

As into her closet she did stare

But she soon sang the blues

As she rummaged thru shoes

And cried “I must buy a new Pair”

Ok… no Nantucket yet but you just knew that sooner or later it would get around to SHOES!  Remember the Packing Ballet in NOWAT-TOSCANA2012? 

It was all about THE SHOES!

Yeah… she decided to re-evaluate what she needs to take that was comfortable yet light weight [she’s restricted to 44# of checked baggage] and has found that her "new" super comfortable Clarke sandals don't go with anything she plans on taking. This now gives her the perfect excuse to go shopping for MORE SHOES!

Now don’t get me wrong, a girl has gotta have the right shoes that will go with almost everything since luggage space is limited on this trip, but seriously… in a closet full of shoes, there HAS to be Something that matches what she already has!  Ok… Ok. I know we guys do have it made, a pair of loafers and pair of New Balance walkers and we’re good to go.  And in her defense, she does try to get by with as little footwear as possible but still, neutral sandals are NEUTRAL… they go with everything!  Welllll... apparently in this case – NOT.

Here’s the thing about space.  Our usual sojourns are 14+ days but we pack for JUST 8 expecting to do laundry somewhere along the way.  Chucky, the packing guru, packs very tight and we just barely make the usual international weight allowance of 50# per bag [and these are carry on sized bags!]. However...current regulations into Cuba allow 44# per checked bag per person and 15-20# total carry-on before a $1-2 per pound overage kicks in. So luggage space is at a premium as we are taking a bunch of stuff to the Cuz’s on the island that they cant normally get which adds unusual weight to the load, such as: shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, soap, olive oil, artificial Sweetener, disposable razors, over the counter medication – allergy meds, ibuprofen, bubble gum [yeah... for the kids] newspapers and magazines, discarded clothes,  etc – things we take for granted that are a luxury and scarce in Cuba.  All this stuff displaces SHOE SPACE and she is already moaning about having to reduce the number of pairs, usually 1 for every 2 outfits.  And we will NOT go into the number of outfits that are already on the bed for the practice pack...

Before we get too involved in the Packing Ballet and saga of Too Many Shoes – that will come next week - It's Uncle Chuck's Cuban Trivia Time.

We've had numerous queries about the picture at the Header of this NOWAT.  It is the Castillo de los Tres Reyes Magos del Morro at the entrance to La Habana harbor better known as Morro Castle <-- [Click the link for more info]

To keep this one short as promised, there is more about regulations and restrictions regarding Cuban travel, we'll wrap this up for now – we’re still waiting for the special visa’s to arrive and its gonna be close.  The Flight is already booked and I'm  not sure the tickets are refundable if we don’t get the travel papers in time.  

Fingers crossed, chanting a Tibetan Mantra - Ooooooommmmm!

HASTA LUEGO,

Uncle Chuck & The Anxious to get Shoe Shopping

Cuban Lady

Gettin' Ready for Hot Salsa, Sweet Plantains, and Fine Aged Rum