We went on a walking tour of Sierra Escambray, a mountainous area half an hour from Trinidad. Our guide, Jack, had been studying the area, flora/fauna, animals etc for 4 years but like us, nearly all his clients question him on life and politics in Cuba rather than anything to do with the land or the area! He was obviously used to it so happily talked about it all, but whether he had ever had quite as eager a quiz master as Ian before is unlikely!

It was a beautiful walk through the forest to a Hacienda where we had lunch and the interrogation about Cuba continued. We chilled out there in the peace, quiet and shade for a while, just enjoying not being surrounded by traffic and people. After lunch we took another little walk where we saw the stunning view over Trinidad and out to the Caribbean, a cave, a bamboo garden and two locals roasting a pig the size of a small shetland pony on a spit over a fire...we didn't join them for very long, the pig was definitely looking at me funny!

We had walked a long way into the mountains so to get back we got a ride in an old WW2 Russian truck kitted out with seats to ferry people about. Despite its little makeover it really felt like a big pothole would make it totally fall apart, but it was great fun bouncing through the forest on dirt tracks in such a huge vehicle. What amazed us though is that our new, Hyundai taxi up there had no seat belts yet the truck had them fitted!!? Mind you, perhaps I would rather have them in a decrepit, 70 year old army truck that is slightly too wide for the dirt track road!...maybe its not so stupid...?