Getting To Guajimico

Our routine is already established and by 8 am we are ready for our bags to be loaded onto the coach...This time though we wave them good-bye and climb onto our bicycles instead.Out through the relatively busy streets of Cienfuegos, we soon move out to the countryside.The first 14 km are relatively flat and we stop briefly at a service station before continuing on the 'roller-coaster' section.It soon becomes clear why they've earned this nickname and we grit our teeth for the next 7 km along the undulating hills which include some painfully sharp inclines.

My bike develops a new gear at this stage, the newly christened 'Alberto gear'.Our mechanic/bike technician is also a professional Cuban cyclist and one of his many tasks is to act as a sweeper system on his fancy racing bike.Circling back, he picks up the last of the bunch and helps to propel them up the hill.At least half of the women in the group benefitted from the Alberto gear at some point and it was a great feeling to be swept along as the rest of us laboured up the hill, then he would return and with any luck it was your turn for Alberto gear.The hand would arrive in the middle of your back and you frantically click back up the gears as he propels you forwards, to regain traction at your renewed speed.Finally, we all reach a T junction that signals the end of the worst of the rollercoaster.Now we turn right and follow the road, with spectacular views of mountain ranges off to the right ahead of us.Ranchers, wearing cowboy style hats, herd cattle along the road and there's a cart pulled by oxen - all of which takes us back to a bygone age.The ever present looming shadows of the turkey vultures swoop overhead, cruising along on the thermals, searching for fresh kill on the roads (I fervently hope they don't develop a taste for knackered cyclists puffing up a hill).We briefly regroup at a bus stop (approx 29 km point) for bananas and assorted fruits, top up our water bottles then continue on through the continually undulating countryside.

The sun is now high in the sky, the wind has dropped, sweat trickles from my fringe, stinging my eyes and temporarily blinds me.We continually hydrate and never need to go to the loo and our skin tastes salty from sweat (if a detox of pores were ever required, this certainly did the trick).The final assault towards our final destination, continues with similar countryside and hills.At around 44 km, we regroup and sit in the shade of a mahogany tree, chickens and a pig meander between us and we have a final snack of peanut brittle, before the very short ride to the hotel (cycle stats: 47km total ride, 2hrs, 15 mins riding & arrive at the hotel in Guajimico around 11.30 am).

The bad news is the rooms aren't ready so early, so we head for lunch.The really bad news is the hotel is on a hill and lactic acid laden limbs don't quite function as well as normal, but a hearty lunch revives us.Our room is number 4, back down the hill again and faces onto a tranquil bay.The setting is idyllic and the rooms are not bad, just in need of some TLC and maintenance (as is the case in much of Cuba).Baking sunshine spurs many of us to do some quick laundry and put our cycle gear out to dry.

A quick snooze to catch up on sleep lost the previous night, due to the night club revellers and a meander up to the pool for a quick dip and a mojito.There's just time for a quick shower and head up for our briefing with José at 7.30.The buffet dinner is again better than anticipated - pasta is also on offer, so we carb load ready for our next big ride tomorrow.Once again we will start at 8am.Some of our group decide to take part in a salsa lesson, the rest (ourselves included) relaxed and watched with a final mojito, before turning in for an early night.

Universal Truth In Cuba

Just because something is present doesn't mean it actually works (TV, wifi, light switch, etc) - "Wifi or internet?" we ask hopefully at each arrival; as usual the same reply as elsewhere "si, yes we have it, but it no working"....