Neither of us slept too well last night, Antonio spent the morning sorting the bike out as it had a puncture, i did my packing. We went out to get some lunch but i wasn’t really hungry, my flight was delayed but i didn’t mind, it gave me an extra couple of hours. Antonio came to the airport with me, that’s all i can say about today, i feel too sad and upset to think about it.

I’m very sad today all my thinking is my last day and my last day i will do everything with Antonio.

We rode to Don Lino beach, it was a nice day, Antonio did some fishing while i relaxed in the sun and had a swim, Antonio went to get our lunch of fish and rice with beans and came back with a bottle of ron and lemonade. On the way home we went round to Playa Blanca as Antonio had been told he could get some cans of beer cheap. I chatted with a woman at the waters edge and played with her little girl while Antonio got his beer. It was still sunny so we stayed on here, we hadn’t been to this part before and it was nice.

On the way home we met a friend of Antonio, he asked could i clean my feet, she took us to her home and i had a shower down with water from the well, fantastic. We ended up staying, Antonio went to his friend Attoro and they came back with fish for supper, i’m sorry i don’t remember her name but she cooked the fish and rice, it was delicious. So we had a nice evening there eating, drinking and chatting.

Antonio was ill all morning, so we didn’t go out until the afternoon. We went for a ride, it was too late to travel to the beach so we went to the Hotel Pernik. We had to pay to enter 6 pesos each, Antonio had to leave his id card with security and your pass is checked and double checked. It was a waste of money really, we didn’t stay long, it went cloudy, we had pizza then went home for a sleep. After dinner we went for a ride on the bike then to sit in the park.

After breakfast Antonio took some of our clothes home for washing then we went to the beach at Don Lino. We bought fish from one of the fishermen at Playa Blanca to cook at home, they were huge. Antonio had to take them somewhere to be cooked in a big oven.
So we had fresh fish for dinner, i love it but i’ll never get used to having a whole fish on my plate and have to make him remove the head for me. After dinner Antonio went home for the washing, when he came back his aunt was with him, he said she wanted to meet me. He took her back home and said they were going to visit someone in the hospital, i said ok i may be sleeping when you come back.

I was asleep when Antonio came back, he woke me as they were having a party because his uncle had come to visit from Canada. It took me a while to come to and so i had to get dressed and liven up, but it was nice meeting his family.

We didn’t get up until late today so by the time we got out it was fairly cloudy, we drove for a while then Antonio decided to go to La Runa beach. It was a long way though, about 40k, very hard on butt and thighs, but worth it when we arrived, it was lovely.

Antonio went for pizza for lunch, i had pizza served on a leaf we ate and drank ron and bathed in the ocean, fantastic, i love it. It stayed fine for most of the day, hot and sunny, then the clouds came and it teemed with rain, there was a shelter but i was afraid because it was swarming with mosquitos so i wrapped myself in the towels and smothered myself with repellant. We stayed a while until the rain lessened then made the long journey back home.

After breakfast we decided it was best for me to go to the tourist clinic at Guardalavaca, my leg was in a bad way from the bites, i was in agony and could hardly walk. We had to go and extend the hire of the bike first, i couldn’t get about so we kept the bike until the end of my holiday. We drove the long journey to the clinic they cleaned my wounds from the bites and said i’d got an infection, they gave me antibiotic cream. When we came out the police were there, apparently we shouldn’t have parked the bike there, i was so nervous i wanted to leave it there, but they wouldn’t have gone away. Antonio went over to explain the situation and why we’d parked there, he got a ticket, it was only a few pesos but it was still nerve racking for me.
We spent the day on the beach at the Atlantico Hotel, it was a gorgeous day and for the first time no rain!! We had chicken and chips for lunch, and i just enjoyed relaxing on the sun lounger. We got home about 7:30, Antonio washed and cleaned my foot and leg, it was agony and i wanted to pull his hair out, but he did this everyday for me and i’m thanful to him for that.

Went to Don Lino beach, Antonio went fishing while i relaxed in the sun and had a swim. We had our lunch of fish and rice, i love the fresh fish. Then the terrential rain came again, we took shelter on the way home at the sweet/drinks kiosk. We bought some ron and had a few drinks while we waited, i played with the young girl Cattya there and she asked me to draw pictures for her, she was very sweet and hugged me when it was time to leave, unfortunately we didn’t get to go and see her again.

After dinner we went for a ride and stopped at one of the tavernas for a drink.

After breakfast we rode to Guardalavaca, we went to the beach at Las Brisas, where i’d stayed in July, it was a long drive but well worth it. We got chatting to Gordanna a lady from Canada, i think originally from Hungary, she was there with her granddaughter Tienna. She very kindly got us pizza from the snack bar and we played with the little girl collecting crabs, well Antonio did, i don’t mind looking but i wouldn’t pick one up. It was a beautiful day and very hot, until the afternoon when yes the rain came, we had to take shelter along the way again, something i wasn’t happy about after being bitten before. They weren’t healing and i wasn’t sleeping properly because of the pain i’d wake up with the throbbing in my leg, Antonio had gotten cream from the pharmacy but it didn’t help.

In the evening we went for a ride around the city as we did most nights, we met a friend with his girlfriend so had a drink with them.

Today was spent just going around the city and markets for food, it was very interesting to see the differences

After a breakfast of ham omelette which Antonio cooked we drove to Don Lino beach again, we had to go early enough because of the travelling and the rain in the afternoons. We had our usual fish lunch and then sure enough the rain came later. We went to Don Lino Hotel to wait it out, it was very heavy then the thunder and lightening started, wow, i’ve never seen or heard anything like it in my life, it was amazing and but i was equally very afraid. It lasted a few hours, we had a few rons while we waited it out before travelling back. I couldn’t wait to have a warm shower to thaw out, it’s surprising how cold you feel after being on the bike, it’s in the night and you’re still in your beach clothes and wet. Later we drove up to the Hotel Mirador Mayade, it’s very nice, but unfortunately Cuba being Cuba they are not free to enter. We sat in the hotel lobby bar area and had a few drinks there before driving back home.