An early start for our morning flight to Havana. 'A small contribution' to the check in guy secured us seats together - we felt rather mean for handing over only 10 CUC when we got on the plane and realised we had the front row of business class!

After the short flight, we took our first trip in a beaten up Lada taxi, from the domestic terminal to the International terminal. Upon discovering that there wasn't actually the promised left luggage area we'd been told was available, we managed to strike up a side deal with one of the airport information ladies. For another small contribution we could leave our luggage in their office - it's great to see free enterprise flourishing no matter what the circumstances…

We just had time for a final trip into Havana, a last Daiquiri with Ernie in El Floridita, some final souvenirs (including a real Cuban number plate from one of the secondhand dealers on Plaza de Armes), a leisurely lunch, then back to the airport for our overnight flight home; first to Gatwick, a taxi to Heathrow, another flight to Toulouse and then a drive home, quick shower, then out to Thanksgiving dinner with a mixture of English, French, Australian, Irish and of course an American hostess… A great way to be welcomed home after an amazing trip!

And finally… My list of top Cuban Ironies

1. Castro's arch nemesis, Batista, was friends with the family of Fidel's first wife and allegedly gave the happy couple $1,000 as a wedding gift.

2. The FEU Havana students' movement who joined forces to support Fidel's 26th July group to overthrow Batista, were themselves banned when Castro's government took power.

3. The most enduring and iconic image of Havana is the classic American Car.

4. The cafe in the Bacardi Building in Havana sells mojitos made with Havana Club rum.

5. Baseball is the national sport in Cuba and most towns have a baseball pitch (it's even rumoured Fidel was so good that he was potentially considered for a US team when he was at university)

6. Cubans eat huge quantities of the local crop of sugar, but are neither fat nor toothless

7. Despite the obvious downside of such a closed society, everyone in Cuba has food, education and healthcare. Whilst not wealthy, neither is anyone destitute - the same can't be said for their larger wealthier neighbour to the North, or their Caribbean cousins to the South.