After an early wakeup to be sure we have breakfast before our car to the airport arrives, we end up being ready earlier than expected, and spend the next half hour pacing nervously, hoping our car arrives on time. Fortunately, it did, and we had a smooth 2 hr drive to the airport in Varadero.
We were so early, we even had time to post mail….which still hasn’t arrived!
We exchange our remaining CUC pesos back to Canadian dollars and stroll confidently up to Cuban exit customs, where we… have ZERO issues! Relieved that we’re halfway back to Canada/US we walk through airport securtiy… with ZERO issues, and then onto the Global Entry kiosks (because border control for heading back to Canada occurs in Cuba, so you can land in the domestic terminal in Toronto)… with ZERO issues. Our finely crafted story (well, not that finely crafted, but still!) was completely unnecessary and all worries about potential issues, questioning, and the like simply evaporate. Relieved and pleasantly surprised by the ease of our exit, we find we are still 2 hours ahead of our departure, so settle down into some airport chairs and wait for our flight.
iAdios, Cuba!
We land in Toronto and after grabbing and re-checking our bags, stop for one last poutine with our northern neighbors, while also relishing in the fact that we can drink the water from the tap again! Oh, and guess what? The internet exists again too! We quickly realize we have told no one when we’re getting back to Chicago, so quickly peck out a flurry of responses to semi-concerned emails (sorry, friends!).
Final vacation sunset en route to Chicago
A couple hours later, we land back in Chicago (MERICA!) and celebrate by drinking water from the water fountain,
and then cab to the apartment where a feast of beer and Lou Malnati’s aways (BEST WELCOME BACK. EVER.)
Lots of catching up ensues, and we’re both happy and sad to be back, but mostly happy. It was a long trip, there were things we missed, and people we missed, so it was good to be back 🙂
-G & J