Dodgy Cuban flight back to Mexico with dry ice as air con. Hopped on a coach at airport to Playa Del Carmen, a beach resort south of Cancun. Very touristy and pricey but good beach. Found a cheap hostel with a "swimming pool" (more like a paddling pool). Enjoyed a swim in the sea and supped corona on the beach, before catching up on Internet correspondence after the Cuban barren period. Went out to a lively local restaurant for dinner on recommendation from Mexi...

Back to Havana which means only one day left in Cuba! Looking forward to get back to nice beaches, not being asked every two secs whether we want a taxi or a cigar and not having to stay in people's houses. Despite telling the bloke in Havana that we would be returning he had rented his place to someone else. He took us to his "friends" place which we rejected as it looked like a prison cell. Walked around in the midday heat with our heavy backpacks and found a ...

After an average breakfast in our Casa we headed to the bus terminal to book coach to Havana the next day. In typical Cuban style loads of employees around yet no one could book the tickets! Spent the day on the rancho luna beach and Rob managed to get burnt in the shade! Managed to buy the last bottle of water on the beach - rum, yes, coke, yes, water? no need. Took on some chicken at a local restaurant and retired to our roof terrace to watch an incredible thun...

Early bus to Cienfuegos. met by a man who took us to a Casa Particulare recommended by the last place we stayed. Bartered the price down in return for agreeing to eat at the Casa. Walked around the town and along the promenade with views of the bay. Not much happening and town not as pretty as the Lonely Planet made out. Got soaked by the afternoon rain storm. Highlights of day around town were peso hamburger and ice-cream at coppelias, the ben and jerrys of cuba...

Another massive breakfast in our Casa after which we could barely toddle around town to do a few necessary chores. This included trying to get my camera fixed, which we would put all our double economy tourist CUC on the policia having broken. The photography shop couldn't help, but gave us an address of some other chap who fixed cameras - after taking a while to track him down due the inconvenience of most Cuban streets having 2 names, he tried hitting the on/of...