Take this blog to Cuba.....
Guayaquil,
Guayaquil,
Ecuador
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Our second trip to the Oro Verde hotel, Guayaquil, was a quick overnight stay. We were delayed about four hours taking off from the Galapagos and got into the hotel at about 6pm. Our guide told us that we would need to leave at 4am the following morning for a 6.50am flight to Panama City, then on to Havana. So, a quick Friday night stroll along the Malecon Salado then a bite to eat at the hotel (skilfully steering Jane past her preferred haunt, the Fondue restaurant and in to the snack bar for a quick plate of pasta).
Next morning, up at 3.30 - now where did I leave my sense of humour? - and off to Guayaquil airport. The flight to Panama City was on time and we had a three hour wait for our connection. I made good use of the internet at the airport to follow Millwall's great victory at Hartlepool...only three games to go and four points needed for safety. Three tough games, but...where was I?
We boarded a smallish twin engined Cubana jet for about 90 passengers that wasn't a Boeing or an Airbus. Never found out the make, but on the safety card it said it was a VX 4/90 or something...anyway, ever since the embryonic skyjacking days of the sixties, I've longed to get aboard a flight to Havana, and utter those famous words 'take this plane to Cuba'..... just for a laugh, you understand; nothing serious.
Have you ever been strip-searched in a Central American airport maximum security facility? Me neither, but I have a vivid imagination, and that's why I kept my mouth firmly closed throughout the two hour flight.
Next, Havana....
