To Habana our girl is
now bound
Yet Her Visa is
nowhere around
While the shoes have been
sorted
The trip may be aborted
If the Visa cannot soon
be found!
Still no Nantucket references,
but a larger issue has now arisen.
Due to delayed handling of the special Visa application, it didn't get to Washington
until the 8th of Feb almost a month after our "Travel Provider" said we should get it there.
Then the Cuban Lady gets a very disturbing call on the 20th from “Cuban Consulate Special Interest section” in Washington, DC to re-confirm all her actual birth
names, [why we have NO idea, since she has had several variations since then – we wont go into that]. Anyway...the lady on the phone advised that we would receive the documents
the following week.
Guess what? It's now the end of “the following week” and…
NO
VISA!
This is very frustrating because now it really cuts down the
time we can order the Canadian currency for delivery to our bank in time, not to
mention shortening the time we have to cancel the rental car and plane tickets
without incurring a penalty. Of course
the “Travel Provider” can’t get the Cuban Consulate to answer a phone call or any
e-mail so we can’t even trace anything once they have it in their hands.
Chucky even
tried all the numbers listed for them… NaDa… they REALLY DONT answer phones. He even called the Swiss Embassy under whose
protection the "Cuban Consulate Special Interest Section" falls, and they can’t
help saying they get LOTS of calls about the Cuban’s not answering the phones.
NOW WHAT?!?!?!
Apparently the only option we have is to wait until Tuesday,
the last day to cancel the car and order currency. The only Good News in this scenario is that we
have 90 days to use the Visa from date of issue. Sooooo, the “Travel Provider” can change the
flight date to a month and half later then cancel it next week to save the
penalty and then reschedule when we get the Visa. So what if if will cost me $140 more to take only USD instead of CAD but hey... it's only money.
NOW… this puts a crimp on “Cuz” and her crew since a van to
handle their party of 6 is $150 more than 2 cars would have cost split between us so they will probably be
better off with 2 cars, still double what they had planned on..
Of course The Visa could arrive on Wed, Thur or Fri, and we
may be able to reschedule a flight on Monday or Wednesday if there’s still
room on one of those flights and still hook up with them in Habana, but the car
issue would be complicated. If that
turns out to be the case, maybe they can rent one car and 2 of them take a cab into
town along with the “CUZ of Cuba” until we get there.
Hey… ITS ALWAYS SOMETHIN’!!! With the Wacky
American Tourist and the Ever Lovely Cuban Lady…Ya just knew there would be Chaos and Drama involved - just not this soon in the story
before the Usual Departure Chaos which, if this thing plays out along these
lines… will surely prove to be More than Interesting… maybe even a Master Card Moment - PRICELESS.
Stay Tuned… this is gonna be a VERY bumpy next couple of
days.
My head is already spinning, where are those aspirins...
Wait, Make that a TALL Scotch....
Uncle Chuck & The
Very Upset That There's No Visa Yet
Cuban Lady
Gettin' Ready for Hot Salsa, Sweet
Plantains, and Fine Aged Rum
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