Two Wheels and Two Gears.. Our plan for a sneaky pre cycle tour outing was not quite as anticipated today.Our bikes were delivered to our Casa and we looked at them with some trepidation.Thanking God that I had my gel saddle cover and proper padded shorts, it was simple to compensate for the rock hard ancient saddles.What wasn't so easy to compensate for was the non functioning gears, the best we could manage was 2 gears front and back.Fine on the flat, but rath...

Our First Particulares - Villa Cristal Leaving the Hotel Moka, we managed to have only one buttock-clenching moment during the drive back to the autopista (a landslide had blocked most of the road, a sheer drop beside us, the car stalled and was stuck then slid back in the slimy mud, before finally coughing back into life). Once on the main road, we cruised the 80km to the turn off for Vinales, and followed the meandering road to this charming laid-back town. ...

Have Map - Will Travel This morning we were about to branch out as truly independent travellers off to the West of Havana, into the countryside in a trusty hire car. Said rental took the form of a rather dull and grubby white Kia, with the redeeming merits of power steering, air con and even a CD player (I knew it was worth buying those CDs that the groups were selling in the restaurants!). Armed with a map we'd bought at the concierge, I was feeling the press...

Buick to the future No visit to Havana is complete without a trip in one of the gas guzzling, politically incorrect and undoubtedly beautiful classic American cars. I had my heart set on a blue convertible, but things weren't looking too promising. It was our final day in Havana and the weather was menacing, a huge storm rolled in from the sea and fat heavy raindrops were hurled at the restaurant windows during breakfast. Plan B was raised up to plan A status...

Tanks for the memories The museum of the Revolution is situated, perhaps with deliberate irony, at the former President's Palace. You can still see the bullet holes in the marble walls half way up the staircase, made when students from the University of Havana stormed the palace against Batista, without success at that time. The exhibits provide an informative, if one-sided, view of the recent history in Cuba with the main focus on the events surrounding Castr...