Forbidden countries

[x213a]

I'm ex mob. Missus wants us to go to Cuba on holiday. I was aware of a list of countries I could not visit whilst in and somewhere amongst all my gumpf is a dit about where I cant go now I'm out.

Do I have to declare or ask permission somewhere?


Can anyone clarify please?

Cheers:ok:

[Motleycallsign]

I know a guy who is still in goes to Cuba often on holiday, he has no problems!!!

[Throttle Pusher]

Just returned from a week in Cuba this morning.
I know several guys that are still serving that have been there before and I didn't ask any questions before I went. Had a fantastic time by the way, very frendly people who are eager to make sure you have a great holiday. Enjoy!:)

[taxydual]

Always useful to have an imaginary 'list', though, of Forbidden Countries.

Ex Mrs Taxydual woke up one morning desperate to go to China. She harped on about it for weeks. Brochures arrived, phrasebook bought etc etc.

Then I saw the price of the holiday. Unbelievable.

Trump card played, "Sorry dear, I'm not allowed to go to a communist country".

She none the wiser.

Saved me a whole load of dosh.

[Agaricus bisporus]

Like Cuba represents a threat to democracy or something?

Hmm. Must be that something then.:ooh:

[x213a]

I'm on that wavelength also. Most places suggested to me I have been to and I think are gash.

Like the sound of Cuba though but, like I said, I know I have somewhere something saying about declaring & certain countries etc.

I successfully thwarted a holiday to Egypt by declaring it communist last year:ok:

[P6 Driver]

I would check your passport if you have an older type. I once went to Israel with one that had "Government Service" in it. They were not too chuffed at Haifa. Yes, I know now :ugh:.

[vecvechookattack]

Always useful to have an imaginary 'list', though, of Forbidden Countries.

Ex Mrs Taxydual woke up one morning desperate to go to China. She harped on about it for weeks. Brochures arrived, phrasebook bought etc etc.

Then I saw the price of the holiday. Unbelievable.

Trump card played, "Sorry dear, I'm not allowed to go to a communist country".

She none the wiser.

Saved me a whole load of dosh.

Thats much the same as my flying pay.....

"I know its expensive darling but if I want to enjoy a career in aviation then I have to pay it!"

[Jabba_TG12]

Been there twice in one year. No problem whatsoever. If youve got DV you may want to breifly check with your security officer, but to be honest, thats just purely out of courtesy.

Nothing to fear. Go and enjoy it, for a tourist, its a great place. Best mojitos you can get and some cool cigars as well!

[Double Zero]

When the wall was still up, a chap I knew who was in BAe Flt Test visited the then ( already friendlier ) Moscow on hols.

He asked for a chat with the top Kingston security guy, who gave simple advice as to A, spot if one is being groomed for info', B, more likely being diddled out of money.

At the same time or thereabouts, my ex-wife ( before I met her ) joined in a family holiday week for New Years' Eve in Moscow - as far as I can make out, 2nd prize 2 weeks - vegetarians were regarded as hooting mad, and I'd probably not have liked to be around after a week on boiled cabbage !

Since then I've known a fair few people - services and not - visit Cuba and all have come back saying positive things, but one does have to be careful about personal security, as it's a relatively poor country and muggings are not unknown.

I know sanctions etc are gradually being lifted, I'd hope for all concerned inc. the U.S. that all should be made ' normal ' status ASAP and the inhabitants are allowed to develop financially to get on with it, a holiday destination rather than a strategic threat.

[parabellum]

Ex Mrs Taxyduel - Saved me a whole load of dosh


Now that has to be a first!

My last boss in the Army was original SAS from North Africa and spent two and a half years with Tito's partisans in the then Yugoslavia, he was told after the war, in no uncertain terms, that he could never go back there! Sorry, anecdotal stuff! It's age wot duz it.

[taxydual]

Oh, the former Mrs Taxydual had her revenge.

She could have bought China following the divorce settlement and I don't mean the crockery sort!

Back on thread. Mates have passed on their experiences of Cuba, all good but as Double Zero points out, personal security is a must. The Peoples Paradise of Cuba has it's fair share of footpads, scoundrels and ne'er-do-well's.

[The B Word]

:ok::ok:FREE HOLIDAY IN CUBA:ok::ok:

Just got to a US Airport muttering "explosive", "airplane" and have a copy of the Koran in your back pocket. You'll be whisked off for an all-inclusive break on the island of Cuba - they even throw in a nice bit of jewellery, a free orange flying suit and matching beanie hat. The 'holiday reps' are a bit "shout-shout-and-shout-again" but, hey, it is free!

Here's a holiday snap...:}

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Camp_x-ray_detainees.jpg/220px-Camp_x-ray_detainees.jpg

[chippy63]

Taxydual wrote:
Back on thread. Mates have passed on their experiences of Cuba, all good but as Double Zero points out, personal security is a must. The Peoples Paradise of Cuba has its fair share of footpads, scoundrels and ne'er-do-wells.

Ah, just like Whitehall and Downing Street, then.

[ricardian]

From what I can remember of the list of "forbidden countries" many were places you wouldn't want to visit anyway - North Korea, Yemen, etc

[Romeo Oscar Golf]

Went to Macau in '68 unaware that it was "prohibited" (well I was still wet behind the ears). Neither Mrs ROG nor myself felt safe or comfortable, so we hightailed it back to Hong Kong in a hurry. Got some great shots of the unbelievable density of red flags everwhere (the only Portugese flag was on the hydrafoil entering the harbour) and some pictures of the Border, but again made a hasty retreat when Mao's men came towards us noisily. It was a very sad place in those days.

[ArthurR]

When I came out ('76) I received a list of countries I was forbidden to visit, most where the Eastern block countries, and yes ricardian, you would not have wanted to visit anyway.

[GreenKnight121]

In the USMC in 1986, one of my men (I was Sgt in charge of the FLIR repair shop) got told his planned destination for Christmas leave was on the "no-travel list".

He got a funny look on his face and told the Captain "I'll have MY ambassador call YOUR president about that!".

The Captain managed to think enough to realize something was funny here (the thick brogue helped here, I think), and soon found out that Cpl Bray was indeed an Irish citizen (Eire, not N.I.), and the address on his leave request was his parents' house... and also his "home of record". It seems his older brother was a naturalized US citizen, and had sponsored him, which allowed him to join the USMC.

Regs required them to let him go "home" on leave, so he got an Intel briefing before leaving from a spook Major... who said afterwords that Blackie had told him more than he had told Blackie about who was doing what to whom, and where!

[Double Zero]

Cuba

Sounds a great place to visit, but I have a self-imposed rule that I only go where I can get myself under sail-power ( well it avoids terrorists & Bruce Willis; I suspect Bruce may be good for a beer and a f****y magnet so he'd be welcome, but I could well do without an RPG in the rear end ) so will go there when I have time AND money; tricky combination.

Please do be aware of muggings in Cuba; I know seasoned travellers ( not the hippy type, hotel people ) who have been mugged.

Enjoy with a certain amount of care, nothing to get an ulcer about just common sense notched up a degree.

[Union Jack]

"x123a needs to remember that he's not in the RAF ...."

..... which shouldn't prove too much of a problem in his case!:D

Jack

[Sook]

I went to Cuba with my other half last October (she's serving). She was supposed to get a brief from the RAF Police before she went but they never arranged it despite several calls, so we went anyway!

I'd echo what some of the others have said. You'll generally be fine in the tourist resorts (not many Cubans are allowed there if they haven't got a good reason - i.e. they work there), but Havana was a different kettle of fish. You're very much a target, but most of the time you will just be hastled to buy things. If you're on your guard you'll be fine.

One of the guests at our hotel had been well and truely con-ed. She had arranged here own flight out to Havana to stay there for a week before travelling on to one of the holiday resorts. When she got to the airport there was someone there who approaced her and explained he was a rep from her hotel. He looked the part, well dressed, clipboard, the lot. In his questioning he got her name and hotel. He tells her there will be someone to meet her at the hotel, so off she goes. At the hotel she meets another 'rep' who says he can change her money for her. So she hands over all her cash and he goes of and changes it. To Cuban Pesos not Convertible Pesos (which are worth about 7 times more than Cuban). Then he suggests he take a photo of her at the hotel on her phone. So she hands over her iPhone, he shapes up to take to the photo, steps back, steps back again, then he's off! Not only is her cash almost worthless, she's lost her phone and can't contact anyone including her insurance company because the phone had all her contacts on it!

[Pontius Navigator]

My last boss in the Army was original SAS from North Africa and spent two and a half years with Tito's partisans in the then Yugoslavia, he was told after the war, in no uncertain terms, that he could never go back there! Sorry, anecdotal stuff! It's age wot duz it.

Friend of mine same regiment, now retired, visiting a previously verbotten country "Welcome back Mr Bond" :cool:

Name changed to protect the innocent and he never had his passport stamped before :}

[collbar]

Cuba is ace, had a great holiday there, the RAF still cant overfly it unlike Argentina, which the RAF overflew this week.....twice!!