The Internet - It’s so easy for us

We are back from our travels again, this time we went to Cuba. 

We take the Internet for granted and I didn’t realise how much we did. Not so easy In Cuba, where you have to queue to buy  ETECSA internet cards. This can take a looonnnnngggg time, I mean not just a quick 5 mins oh no. It can take at leat 40 mins if you are lucky.

The internet card 

At the time of writing these are 1 cuc for 1 hour, you are allowed a maximum of 3 internet cards per person per day.  You quickly learn how to use this. Since, that hour can go very quickly. The trick is to download all your emails, and any other documents you need. Then log off, now logging off sounds simple doesn’t it?

Well if you log on and don’t switch off your auto login on your mobile device, it will take you to a login page that you cannot log out of, so you will lose all of the balance on your card.  I learnt this the hard way... whooa where is the log out page, I need to log out, drat, I’ve just lost that precious 40 mins left of my allowance. I quickly learnt the best way to logon is to go to secure.etecsa.net via the internet browser and keep this open. So when you have finished you can log off until you wish to use the internet again.  

Simples.... well trust me it’s not so simples!!! So you when you use the internet and open a new window for browsing, to ensure the so ETECSA window is open so you log off, trust me, it will not always work. 

So there you are all set up to send your emails, say hi to family and upload that very important selfie to Facebook, to show the world what a top time you are having, and don’t you just wish you were here too...you suddenly find that despite having 45 mins left on your ETECSA card when you last logged out. Now you get a message, I’m sorry but you have used up all of your allowance... whatttttt ... no, I didn’t I logged off.

Well my friend, you may think you have logged out, somewhere in the internet land your ETECSA card is still active.  So, you get another card out and start to scratch the password box to reveal the password. But, it does not come off, and so you keep on scratching it, and guess what, the number gets scratched off too..ahhhh, so now you have a useless ETECSA card that you know that has that precious hours internet, but you can’t access it, cause the number is defaced.

Heavy sigh, so that was your last card, which means you have to queue for at least an hour with the locals to get 3 more.

The upside, people actually talk to each other, and you don’t have to dodge the walking kids who have their phones glued to their eyes. Kids play hide and seeks, and cowboys and Indians, it is going back in time and it’s great.

I think Cuba have it right and I love the fact people actually converse with you. Plus you don't have to dodge the person who is glued to their phone whilst walking. Well done Cuba for bringing people back together to appreciate real life.