Briefs with Pelicans on...

The Pelican Brief...includes profanity, so if you are easily offended do not read, and shame! It's funny how things swing in roundabouts, up and downs, it's the way life goes, no matter who you are, or how fantastic you think your current position is, the universe can change that in a heart beat. Yesterday was an amazing day for me, I felt great, was in a good space and was content. I think that's an underestimated word when one is doing this sort of thing. Content. It's quite a difficult place to find when things are constantly a challenge. Yesterday I can quite safely say I was content, then today things changed. Not drastically, but enough to take me away from being content. I guess one really has to revel and appreciate those contented times. No matter where one is. Today started ok, but I have been constantly disappointed and saddened continuously by how we as humans behave and how the world in general has set out its stall. I went for a walk this morning at around 7.30, on the same stretch of beach which I managed to pick up 2-3 black bin bags of plastic and beer cans yesterday. I'm talking 300 metres, no more. This is the Cuban equivalent of Clifton. One would think that as its a tourist destination, there would be more care and legality around the littering. It's not like there are a shortage of bins either. On the road, just off the beach, there is a bin every 50 metres. I was appalled this morning how many rusted and newish cans had washed up. Astounded actually. That was the first ting that made me wonder about how the fuck we manage to continue to fuck up this planet we live on in such an obvious and blatant way. I walked 200 metres and filled another 3 bin bags. I then went to the bank to get some stamps for the renewal of my tourist card, which will expire on Monday next week, the 26th. I explained the need for the stamps, 25 convertible pesos, or the equivalent of 25 USD. I queued to get in the door of the bank, then had to wait in another queue inside, and on entry the security guy who let me in asked what I was there for and I told him to get "sellos", so he was well aware, and said nothing to me. Eventually after 10 or so minutes I got to see a lady at the teller and asked for stamps to renew my tourist card. I gave her my 25 pesos, and she then asked for my passport, which I didn't have, only my ID. I don't understand why that doesn't suffice, but I get that it's the rule, but WTF didn't the dude at the door tell me I needed my passport? Clearly it's not his first day on the job. Can you feel me getting annoyed, I can! I then tried to lie on the beach and the clouds came over, so I went back to where I am staying, ok, not a big deal, as am so brown now, it's not like I need more sun. But now there was an undercurrent of annoyance, like sand in my shoe, and that sort of thing gets amplified by the smallest of things that one can normally just easily let pass without much stress. I probably also had sand in my shoes, or under my feet when I walked inside. I am also trying my best to never get annoyed by stupid small shit, or big shit for that matter, so my whole mantra was being tested properly. I actually kept my shit together reasonably well, actually very well, but having said that, what is there to do? Curse out loud in Spanish. Haha. I don't know any curse words yet, except Howard Jones' version of rabbit. Finally I decided to have a beer on the beach to watch the sunset, as I'm only 100 metres from the sand. I went down and sat at the back of the beach feeling very happy with life, watched 6 Pelicans fly by, in a slip stream. It's like watching cycling roadies, trying not to get in the wind. The front one may not even know he has 5 following. When he flaps his wings, then there is a slight delay before 2 does the same, for the same amount of flaps, then 3, then 4 and so on. I can't make this shit up, it was so synchronized I was amazed, and all whilst being a foot off the water. Pelicans briefly! So, sitting there watching the world go by there are 2 guys in the sea, up to their ribs in water, fishing with hand lines. I saw it before, the previous evening, and had on occasion, whilst being in the water, had these small fish nibble at my feet. When I say small, these are like goldfish size. One would need 5 for a decent sandwich. The next minute the last of the big game fishermen, comes prancing out the water, through the waves, waving his big catch to his family members, sitting on the beach, who didn't look one bit interested in his major haul. He was strutting around showing off his 2 tiny morsels, I thought he has to now throw those back, as they are no good for man nor beast, not even for a hungry cat. True as fuck he chucks them into a dry hessian sack and goes back into the water. I was on my third beer and had a good mind, to go and throw the whole bag back into the water and run off. The family wouldn't have even noticed they were so busy on their phones. Fuck, I was so annoyed, and felt so sad for the 2 small fish. What about their fish families and friends. What a shit death, suffocating in that sack. What a c*^t I thought. Humans, I really don't understand us sometimes. I stomped off the beach feeling quite sorry for life. Perhaps I was being overly sentimental, but I just didn't see the point in what I had just witnessed. Do some people just kill things because they can? WTF? So I'm not overly impressed with these Cubans at present, here in Varadero, and am feeling that this just doesn't represent the Cuba that I have previously seen, and can't help wondering if it is the tourist intervention or presence which has had this effect on these Cubanos, but they aren't my fave people at the moment. The attitude here isn't great and they are a bit surly generally and to be honest, and can't wait to get the fuck out of here. If you want to experience Cuba, I don't suggest that Varadero is your best stop. The beach is good, but for the shit service and sulky attitude that accompanies it, it's better to go somewhere else. I hope tomorrow brings a change of fortune and once I have sorted out my banking admin, I am going to get on Penny and take her off somewhere for a spin, to get rid of this place for the afternoon. On a more positive note, my book is coming along quite nicely, still without a plan or direction or plot ( well it's an autobiography, so the plot is what it is), but the content is developing and gaining momentum. I am happy to have been able to remember as much as I have, but the time is coming for phone a friend, 50/50, or ask the audience, about some of the shenanigans I can't altogether recall vividly. If anyone has any good stories they can recall about my earlier years, please jot down what you can remember and send it to me. It may jolt my memory into action. Please don't include any stories you may have heard about shots being fired, those stories have all been over exaggerated already. I will recant the actual story in my book, where the name "9mil-Bill" actually came from. I hope that South Africa is still in one piece and that the ANC hasn't completely cocked it all up yet, but I can only imagine that there are still stories of bribery and corruption around every page of the newspapers. Africa, it will never change, it's a cultural thing. We have to stop acting surprised, as by now it shouldn't be a surprise any longer, and as long as they have power they are going to steal, cheat and enrich themselves at the expense of the general population. If you want to regain the power, collectively stop paying taxes, it's the only power you still have. 15 % of the population, paying 85% of the tax, has to end badly eventually. Everybody dies, not everybody lives, but it's a guarantee, unlike a 5 fish sandwich and a Pelican slipstream.