I do not know how i did it but i woke up in time for breakfast !! After my breakfast i went to the beach. I stayed in my usual spot until i was ready for lunch, oh it is a hard life all this eating and drinking After my lunch i got a couple of drinks and returned to my place on the beach. I stayed a while but then i got fed up listening to the beach guards jabbering away non stop. So i decided to go for a walk around the villas, i found the John Lennon statue next to the birdhouse then i went to the pool bar for a cocktail, and took some pictures of the gardens.
I returned to the beach and found a quiet spot to have a sleep, i slept for maybe an hour or so, i do not know and it does not matter, but i need these sleeps. When i woke i walked back to my place, it is handy for the bar   i went and got some cocktails and water. Then i took my sunbed to the waters edge so that i could keep cool and have a dip. That is when i met Antonio, he asked me about me and we chatted for a long time. he said he had waited two hours for me to return. I went and got some more drinks and some more, and that is how the rest of the afternoon went and into the evening.

When it got to nearly eight o clock i left to shower and change, i was supposed to have been eating at the Italian restaurant tonight but of course i missed it, so i brought food from the buffet restaurant.

And that is all you need to know ………….

I had to be up at 5am as the coach was coming at 6:15, i do not know how but i got up. It was an hour on the coach to the airport and a hour and a half flight. We were taken around Havana by coach, starting off at Revolution square, we saw the old and new Havana, but it all looked the same to me. But it was interesting to see the fabulous buildings all left to crumble, though they are starting a renovation programme, so i am glad i have seen it before it is restored. We had a nice lunch, chicken or pork with rice, chips and black beans. I had the pork and struggled to finish. After lunch we went to see Princess Dianas memorial, apparently the first one in the world, then on to Cathedral Square and the Ernest Hemingway Trail, the bars and drinks he liked.

Our flight was delayed so we went to the International Hotel, where all the big name stars have stayed. We were there for about an hour then took the coach to the airport. Going through security i was stopped and called back, the guard took my bag to be screened again, he kept pointing at something on the screen and asking me what it was but all i could see was a dark shadow. He kept pointing and asking me over and over “what is that?” I said i did not know, my heart was pounding and i was very afraid, i kept thinking, what if someone slipped something into my bag when i was not looking. I emptied my bag to show him i did not have anything and all the time he is still asking me “what is that?” That turned out to be my little ladybird compact mirror !!! Oh my what relief, the female guard thanked me, i just wanted to fall down in a heap.

Unfortunately the delay went on and on and on, we were given refreshments but i was fed up staring at a blank wall and i was too tired to play games with the friends i had walked about with. I was cold now too and just wanted to sleep. We were delayed seven hours, we were told there was a shortage of planes, only six out of twenty. So instead of arriving back to the hotel at about 10pm we did not arrive until 5am. I just went straight to bed disappointed and very tired.

After breakfast we all met up at the grill bar, Tibor, Tim, Violeta, Renatta and Nicole. We decided to go to the market, it was their last day, we walked through the villas and then got a horse and buggy ride there. We walked back and then stayed at the villas pool bar, we had a few cocktails then Violeta and her family went back. Tibor, Tim and me stayed at the pool, we had some more cocktails and took some pictures in the grounds. Then we returned to our pool, and had some more cocktails. Violeta and her family met up with us again so we had a play in the pool, that Tim is so strong it’s like fighting a bull off. Tibor wanted me to go the beach so we could take pictures, so we got some shots then went back to get ready for dinner. The three of us were eating at the seafood restaurant tonight.

I just about got ready in time to meet the guys at 8, i put a dress on and Tibor was very complimentary, we took some more pictures along the way.We arrived at the restaurant and ordered our meals, Tim and me had the same seafood starter, Tibor had the soup, then we had the lobster which was nice, well Tim and mines were. Poor Tibors had a fly in it, but the ironic thing was he’d swapped plates with Tim, he had been winding the waiter up and said maybe he did something to his food He should have had it changed but he said not to bother, what a crazy night.

After the restaurant we went back to the hotel, it was the water ballet on show tonight, then we all met up at the grill bar, Violeta and her daughters and sister. What a fabulous day, none of us wanted to be late though, the guys because they had to pack and me because i was being picked up at 5:30 to go to Havana. We stayed until about 11, Tibor, Tim and me went for their last dip in the ocean, i did not go in tonight i did not want to get my hair wet again in case i did not have the time in the morning to do it again. I went with them to pack, it was so funny, Tim was flat out and Tibor was going crazy because Tim was not helping, i lasted until 1am. I did not want to leave but said i must or i will miss my trip, it was very sad they were leaving Tim had telephoned to see about staying a bit longer but they would have had to pay for new flights.

After breakfast i arranged to meet Tibor to go snorkelling again, but Tibor took forever chatting with people so unfortunately all the snorkelling gear was out so we could not go. I met up with Violeta again so we all just sunbathed and lazed in the water until lunchtime. After lunch we managed to get a pedalo and the snorkelling gear but i was disappointed we did not see as much fish as the previous day.

So then we came back and had some cocktails at the grill bar and played in the pool until dinner time, by this time we had had quite a lot to drink. I went with Tibor and Tim to get ready for dinner and the evening. We all stayed round the grill bar after the show then Tim and me went the disco. There was quite a few in there, we had a few drinks and danced, i was very tired but lasted until about 1am.

As usual after my breakfast i went to the beach until i was ready to eat my lunch. After lunch i was going back to my room when i bumped into Tibor at the lift, i had said hello a few times but it had taken him until to remember me. He said it was because my hair was different from the night at the disco. He asked where i was going so i said my room then back to the beach. Tibor asked me did i want to join him and his friend Tim, they were getting a pedalo and going snorkelling, i said “great” and arranged to meet them in the bar downstairs. We had a few drinks and bottled some up to take out with us. Only my second time snorkelling i love it, seeing all the different fish, amazing, what a fantastic afternoon.

After dinner we met up at the grill bar by the pool, i saw Violeta and her sister and daughters so we all had a drink together, then Tibor and me went to the disco and partied the rest of the night away. Then Tibor decided he wanted to go swimming in the ocean, so we went to change our clothes, i cannot believe i was in the ocean in the dark. I had to shout at Tibor a few times because he was going further out and i was worried in case we had any problems and i could not see anything in the dark.
What a fab day !!

Today was the fantastica trip and fantastic it was too !!! We were picked up at 8:30am and first taken to the country park to go horse riding, what a hoot that was !! I was a bit scared at first it was a while since i had been on a horse, but we were all given helmets and helped on to the horses so that was ok. I got chatting to a couple of guys, Danny and Steve they were as bad as me, so i rode along with them. They were nice guys and we laughed all the way, mine had a mind of it’s own and kept wanting to go off and feed, trot off or come to a stand still it was so funny. When we arrived at the farmers house we dismounted and left the horses but we wanted to continue it was such good fun. The farmer showed us around his house then how they make the coffee and the coffee plants. We saw baby chicks, new born piglets suckling and baby piglets sleeping and others running about, they were so sweet.
Then we were taken across the marina to sea the dolphins. First we watched a sea lion show then the dolphin show, it’s fantastic how they get them to perform. After the shows we then got to swim with the dolphins, oh wow what an amazing experience and such gorgeous creatures.

We had to wait our turn, so while we waited i watched another group, they were all lined up and the dolphin went along and kissed everyone, everyone except the person at the end of the line. The last person didn’t get a kiss she was nudged by the way butted instead, then the dolphin laughed and splashed her , i thought it was so funny.

Then it was our turn, we were given life jackets and climbed down into the water with the dolphins. The trainer told us all to line up and the dolphin would go along and kiss each of us. When the dolphin got to me i turned my cheek to be kissed, i was so excited, but i did not get one, i was at the end of the line so i was the one that was butted , laughed at and splashed instead !!! I had not realised when i was watching the others that it was part of the act, i had just thought it was the dolphin being cheeky. Then we got to stroke and lift the dolphin it was fantastic, i could not believe i was holding and stroking a dolphin. Then he/she got me again i was stunned, but it was so funny, they are so clever i can only imagine they remember the person they got at the end of the line.

We then got to do an exercise with the dolphins, this we had to pay an extra 10 pesos for. I opted for the exercise where you hold onto the two dolphins fins and they take you around, it was amazing and i could feel their bodies hitting me as they swam. Some did the exercise where they had to tread water and the two dolphins pick them up by their feet so they are are standing and swim along with them in the air, i was too afraid to do that one. While we were waiting for the others to finish i was treading water when this dolphin came up in front of me from nowhere, butted my head, laughed at me then splashed me again !!! I was dumbstruck, the guys said they saw it swimming around then disappear, i could not believe it happened again, but we all had a good laugh about it. What incredible creatures and so much fun. The guys had pictures taken and said they would email them on to me.
When we got out the water our tour guide had one of my flip flops she told me the other one had blew away and the baby dolphin was playing with it and taken it somewhere. So that was something else for us to laugh about. My only problem was i was left barefoot, the shoes i wore to go on the horse ride had broken walking around the farm and now no flip flop.

We then went for our lunch, you could have chicken or seafood. I chose the seafood it was lovely there was everything and it was all cooked individually. After lunch were taken back across the bay and to the coach, luckily i did not have too far to walk, barefoot,, then on to our respective hotels. So thank you Danny and Steve for befriending me, being good fun and helping me, thanks for being a part in the enjoyment of what turned out to be a fantastic day !!!

In the evening i went to the La Trattoria Italian restaurant for my dinner, i met up with Roz, Keith and their son Aden. So we had a nice meal, i had prawn cocktail to start and a very nice fish steak for my main course and we laughed about the days events.

After breakfast i went to the beach, i stayed there sunbathing and swimming until lunchtime. I can’t wait to have my lunch and return. It is lovely and the ocean is so refreshing, i stayed there until about 6pm. Then i went to shower and dress for dinner, i was eating at the seafood restaurant tonight, El Patio. The restaurant is on the beach, you can dine here and at the Italian restaurant once a week.

I left about 8:15pm my reservation was 8:30, i was seated and given a menu, there wasn’t a great deal to choose from. I chose the fish soup and seafood with rice, the waiter told me this was paellla. I’d had that already in the buffet restaurant, so i asked for the lobster, he said he’d bring me both, just for me. I didn’t like the soup very much but the dinner was very nice, i had a couple of vodkas with lemonade. The restaurant finished about 10:30 so then i made my way back to the hotel.

I went to the grill bar for some more drinks, i was sitting alone when a woman sat at my table. I had seen her when i was having a coffee by the pool the day before. She said her name was Violeta, she was from Poland but had been living in Canada for 16 years. She had come with her sister and two daughters. One of the daughters came along and said to her “you can’t do that, just sit next down”, Violeta said “yes i can i want to make friends. So that is how i got to meet and know Violeta and her family. Violeta was drinking a red coloured drink, she said it was called paradise, so i was introduced to the paradise cocktail and we chatted until 1am.

After breakfast i went to the beach until lunchtime, i knew Maureen and Colleen were leaving about 3pm, so i wanted to see them before they left. I found them in the reception and we had some time to chat about the night before and laugh about the events, we had such a good time it was a pity they were going home.We had exchanged email addresses the night before and said we would keep in contact. Then their coach came and it was time for them to leave. I returned to the beach for the rest of the afternoon.

After dinner i met Al again he was with his girlfriend Amy, she was German, she would try and talk and say things to me but i didn’t know what. They were with another couple, i forget where they came from but they could speak English. So we stayed up drinking and chatting until about 1am, then made our way back to our rooms.