We left the jungle and headed for the mountains, taking the bus to San Cristobal de las Casas. After the long, straight roads since Cancun, this definitely wasnt a book reading ride. We were twisting and turning up and down all the way. The ride was long enough to watch 2 ¾ movies, all based on the same theme - anacondas. In fact, I think they were even called Anaconda I, II and III, and all involved mutant anacondas devouring people, either in the jungle or suburban USA. San Cristobal is at 2120m, much cooler than the coast or jungle, and much less humid. We were looking forward to sweating a bit less, and also to a few days without ruins. We spent the first afternoon wandering around the town centre. San Cristobal is a lovely ... read more

Mexico...what a contrast to Cuba. We arrived to adverts, bright lights, food...noisy crowded roads, and the ability to get something almost without question. We arrived in Cancun on the shuttle bus from the airport, then took a local bus out to our couch surfers place by the beach. That makes it sound better than it was. Not that it wasnt a nice place, and that Mark wasnt a great guy, and that we didnt appreciate the bed and time he gave us, its just that we werent actually right by the beach. although we werent far away, and we did go swimming for the afternoon while we were there. So, Cancun...bright lights big city. We didnt stay long, one day and a couple of nights for a break and to get organised for our short trip ... read more

These pictures were taken by a host of ours in Santiago, Dr Pedro A Lobaina Delfino. Please do not reproduce them without permission. He was in Baracoa shortly after the second hurricane, Ike, hit to help his mother and her neighbours.... read more

Santiago de Cuba...home of the best Cuban music...but could we find any?! We were met off the bus from Trinidad by a hospitality club contact, Lianne, who had found us a lovely casa particular a few minutes walk from the centre of the old historic district of Santiago. We had to clamber up a small spiral staircase, with our packs, to get to our room. Getting up was way easier than when we tried to come back down again a few days later! Our first ride in a classic old car was to the casa in a 1948 Dodge with suicide doors in the rear. As battered as they come, but still working just fine. We met up with Lianne every night that we were there. We didnt hit the clubs or anything - those who ... read more

Ah...Cuba at last...we´ve been wanting to come here for ages. And as soon as we do, we get stuck in the city, unable to escape, unable to anything really. Well, serves us right really, we knew it was the end of the hurricane season, and this year has been a bad one. The first afternoon and the following morning were fine. Very hot and sticky though. We found ourselves a nice casa particular and settled in. The first afternoon / evening we just wandered around the local area ¨Habana Vieja¨and ¨Centro Habana¨. Down the Prado to the Malecon and the ocean, through narrow streets back up to the Capitolio. Just trying to take in as much as we could, the old colonial buildings, some restored and some definitely not, the people, friendly and unthreatening, and of ... read more