Home sweet home. In many cases, when a holiday comes to an end, people are longing for one or two more days away. But for Dan Joudrey, a recent experience in Cuba had him longing for the usual uncomfortable plane ride so he could finally get home.
Joudrey recently vacationed in Cuba with a family member and it did not turn out as planned. Thanks to economic conditions on the island and a prolonged power outage that lasted an entire week, the trip was anything but relaxing. In fact the lack of basic resources made it difficult to survive, let alone enjoy a vacation.
Joudrey has been to Cuba multiple times before and says the situation has worsened significantly over the years. But this time, the current state of the country pushed him to his limits. Varadero is a popular destination for Canadians, but Joudrey advises people to think twice.
"Our resort and the entire country were without power for six days and counting. No power means no water. The only reason we can talk is because the resort had a generator which powered limited things. There’s no air conditioning obviously, so the humidity was out of control. Factor in some heavy rains with water making its way into the rooms, everything was soaked and mold was growing on sheets and clothes overnight. Guests were all moved the main building because there was no power in the outer structures. All the staff could say is we can't help you."
The outages and resource shortages are affecting both tourists and locals alike. Cuba’s power grid has been severely compromised due to ongoing infrastructure issues, and the government has struggled to maintain stability amid the crisis. All restaurants and shops off the resort and pretty much the entire country are closed, leaving visitors with extremely limited options.
"You couldn't even go out and buy a meal if you wanted," Joudrey explained.
"Resort staff are doing what they can, but they too are feeling the strain and if there is nothing, there isn't much they can do. The workers here go home to no power, no water, and their food has spoiled. They’re trying their best, but it’s hard when they’re suffering just as much,” he said.
The food situation at the resort also became precarious. Despite the resort’s efforts to provide meals, the conditions were far from sanitary with insects and bugs taking over along with the inability to clean things properly.
“Three days ago, I went to make a sandwich and saw two cockroaches were running over the cold cuts that were left. It’s been like this for days. Needless to say, we didn't eat much, limited fruit."
Cuba, already struggling with economic instability and fuel shortages, has been hit hard by recent power outages and just now limited power is being restored for the countries 11 million residents. The country relies on an outdated power grid that is vulnerable to many conditions and the effects are now being felt more intensely.
Joudrey was counting on two weeks of rest and relaxation and instead, it turned into survival mode with the hope being they would actually be able to leave as scheduled.
"At the start of the trip I took a boat excursion that should have been called off. With hurricanes in other parts of the Caribbean the waves were coming over the side of the boat and the crew was lost at sea for a while. I was fearing for my life. I’m a 20-year military veteran, and I’ve been through a lot, but this pushed me to my limits.”
Joudrey's plane fortunately did take off as planned Tuesday night and the weary traveler has never been more excited to be able to sleep in his own bed, adding Cuba will not be a vacation spot he looks at again anytime soon.
Current travel advisory for Cuba for Canadians.
