Brooke Conquers Her Biggest Fear

Noor planned for us to go to Vinales next. Bless her heart! Since I was studying this summer, she planned the entire trip. What did I do to deserve a dream friend like her?!

Vinales was dope. We took a bus for three hours and paid 14 CUC. When we arrived, our host Daily had already planned for us to go HORSEBACK RIDING ON A HORSE through the tobacco fields to a cave. ON A HORSE. There was no time to be nervous, however, because Juan the gaucho came to the house to pick us up shortly after we arrived. Don't worry Daily said! Horses are semiautomatic. My ass.

We walked with Juan to our horses, and I got on first. Juan's horse training included showing us how to go left, right, and stop. And we were off! My horse's name was Carmello, Noor's was Negra, and Juan had Mojito.

Noor joked that she was essentially on the Bachelor since I was riding ahead trying to stay alive and her and Juan were chatting and learning about each other behind me. I was oblivious but still laugh thinking about it now. We wanted to tell him he looked like Harrison Ford (same twinkle in his eye) but decided against it.

Horseback riding is really hard and not relaxing and is stressful and I would like to say again that a horse paralyzed Superman and I am still terrified of them. We walked (and to my dismay sometimes galloped) for an hour until we made it to where the farmers dry the tobacco leaves. I smoked a Cuban! Noor did not partake because her father is a lung doctor. The farmer put honey where I put my mouth on it. I was more into the honey than the cigar. I smoked half and gave the rest to Juan.

We walked ten more minutes and then explored a cave! Caves are tight. There was a swimming hole in the cave but it seemed stagnant and I was less interested in swimming when I saw how dirty the water was. I thought about how if I was with Lealah she would have made me swim. But only for Lealah! When we came out of the cave, we were greeted by a rainstorm and had to wait it out.

Riding a horse in the mud was even scarier! Carmello was rouge and kept slipping and sneaking to eat corn and tried to buck me once. Juan just laughed. Carmello was so bad! Juan kept yelling izquierda at me but that horse was stronger than me. Juan charged 5 CUC per person per hour, but we were so thankful to make it out alive that we gave Juan a fifty and took a selfie with him.