Jour 1: Le grand départ pour Holguin à Cuba

Day 1: The big departure for Holguin in Cuba

June 28, 2017

The big departure has begun. I've left with 10 kg of luggage, which will be packed into my two Arkel panniers. Bringing my bike requires a $30 fee. I invite you to watch my video to get an idea of the gear I'll be bringing for my three-week cycling trip around the island of Cuba.

Here is another video that explains how to put a bicycle in a box before flying.

In a few hours I will be in Cuba.

Day 1: Exploring Holguin

This is the start of a new adventure... Three weeks of cycling.

On the plane, I met two people, Patrick and Josée, with whom I chatted for a good part of the flight. People are friendly; you just have to open up a little. The flight went by very quickly... After four hours, I collected my bike and luggage and started assembling it. It was intensely hot. Nevertheless, I managed to put my bike back together in an hour. People were curious and came to ask me questions. A man came to help me pump up my tires; people are kind. Finally, I gave this man a pair of new sandals that I had bought before leaving. I quenched my thirst with a little apple juice and picked some fresh mangoes from a tree with my new friend.

I set off towards the city of Holguin under a blazing sun. The thermometer on my bike read 42° Celsius. Phew!!!

I only covered 15km on this busy first day. I found a nice room with a bathroom for the modest sum of 15 CUC, or about $20 CAD. I set off to explore the city; it's very hot. I ate a pizza 🍕 for 5 CUC, or 25 Canadian cents.

In 2017, both monetary systems were still very much in use in this country. 1 convertible peso (CUC) = 25 Cuban pesos (CUP) = 1.25 Canadian dollars (CAD). Tonight I went to climb the steps of Mount Loma...