Cuba to Colden Common

We were very happy to have landed safely in Cuba after booking our flights with Cubana airline, who apparently hold the worst aviation safety history record. This was a fact we found after making our booking (thank you Mayzie), explaining why they were the cheapest no doubt.

Cuba is an amazing country. We stayed in people's houses, Casa Particulares, where people rent out a room in their family home. Ana and Andreas, our first stay in Havana, were so attentive. They treated us like family and cooked us ridiculously big meals. We spent 3 nights with them and spent our days exploring Havana on foot, taking in old buildings (many on the verge of falling down), plazas, parks, the malecon and museums such as the informative but somewhat biased museum of the revolution and queueing up with locals for ice cream and peso pizza.

The majority of cars were classics, some in shiny condition and others just about running. Shop windows were lacking in goods, as were many shelves but Cuba was surprisingly pretty expensive to travel. At first we thought the two currencies (25 convertibles to 1 local peso) literally were in place that locals pay 25 times less on everything than tourists, which would appear fair seeming as the average monthly salary is $12.00, but that wasn't the case. Locals have to pay mostly the same as tourists, in conjunction with the ration system.

We spent 4 nights in Trinidad, a lovely laid back town with cobblestone roads, beautiful beaches, sugar plantations, glorious sunshine and dancing & singing in the square in the evening.

Then 4 nights in Vinales, in the tobacco growing region. The landscapes across Cuba were incredibly different to anything we'd seen across Latin America. The weather turned on us unfortunately so our expensive day trip to the beach came to an early end.

I felt a mixed reception as a tourist in Cuba, and I have a mixed opinion about the happiness of people there but I loved it and want to go back.


Flying safely back to Cancun we awaited Tareq's mum Isabel and partner Jules to arrive, who had a delayed flight, taking them over 24 hours to arrive. We had an amazing time on tour in the Yucutan. Spent our first day on the beach in Cancun, enjoying that turquoise sea and white sand and sun. Took a bus to Merida, reportedly the most Mexican town in the Yucatan where we found a hotel with jacuzzi on the roof terrace which we took advantage of and then spent the evening watching traditional dancing in the square.

Two days visiting Mayan ruins, Ux mal, which was a small site but my favourite, and Chichen Itza.

Then the relaxation started and we found our spot in paradise at Tulum. This was my favourite beach, and we found perfect little cabanas to stay in. Great food, music, margaritas and lots of laughing, couldn't ask for much more.

Next stop an hour up the road to Playa Del Carmen for 2 nights, more sun, sea, margaritas and laughing, then over the shore to Isla Mujeres. This was a great little island which we explored on a golf buggy which was an absolute hilarious experience. Then a gorgeous boat ride back to Cancun for a night in our ocean view room, all inclusive thanks very much to Jules. Perfect way to end our time in Latin America, so glad you guys came out, we had a blast.




Final stopover, Chicago, which on arrival was -14 celsius, where we got to catch up with newlyweds Mr and Mrs Djemal! Had an absolutely brilliant time, first day brunch at a fab diner, trip up the Sears Tower, taking in a bit of Chicago then off for a few drinks, dinner, a few more drinks, then amazing jazz night with more drinks and champagne to see me turn to the ripe old age of 30, then go home and puke as the old age had obviously kicked in. Had a brilliant time but spent most of my actual birthday recovering, slowly. Next day bit of shopping and then out for my birthday meal at Gibsons Steakhouse, which was totally amazing food, service and the most ridiculously big slice of pecan pie I've ever seen. Loved it, thank you so much. Another day of tourism and enjoying the free entrance to the aquarium and the planetarium and enjoying a final evening with Phil and Jay who we sadly had to leave behind but we hope you guys are loving Chicago and we can't wait to see you again there in the not too distant future.




A 7 hour, sleep deprived, but very cheap flight later we landed in Dublin to swap planes for our last leg of the journey, which we shared with Ronan Keating, to Heathrow (the only airport open in the UK). A national express ride down the motorway, then the E1 to Colden Common and we were finally home after the most amazing 316 days.

Tareq you are a legend. x

Happy New Year

Happy 2009!

Hopefully by now you have recovered from any new year's celebrations and are already breaking your resolutions.

All good here. We spent Christmas in a town called Flores which was a pretty lakeside place. Christmas eve was spent in a bar (no need to change traditions just cos we're not at home) and watching plenty of fireworks at midnight. Christmas day was chilled, plenty of food, wine and movies. Visited a Maya ruin site, Tikal, which I found very impressive.

Crossed over to Belize which was a nice easy border crossing. Stopped over in San Ignacio and visited a farm with a natural medicine forest trail where we learnt how different trees are used for healing all sorts of ailments. Really amazing to think of some of the cures and uses they found and want to know how long a period of time it took to work out what tree was good for what.

Took a water taxi over to Caye Caulker, back to the Caribbean coast for new year. The people there were so so friendly. I think everywhere we've been I might have written that but perhaps these guys win the friendliest title. Stayed in a little cabin, well more like a little shed for almost a week, chilling out in the sunshine.

New year's eve went on a snorkelling trip which was amazing. Spotted my first shark (whilst in the sea myself) which made me so excited I started shouting to Tareq before I'd surfaced and swallowed nearly half the ocean. There were 2 or 3 nurse sharks and 1 was about 1.2 metres long. (doesn't look it in the picture) We also swam with massive rays, about 1 metre or so wide, they were pretty freaky but no stingers. Lots of massive colourful fish, octopus and loads of coral.

The guys put the sails up for the journey back home and enjoyed the slow return home soaking up the sun, listening to the Caribbean tunes and drinking free flowing rum punch. By the time we returned we were in a suitable mood for new years eve party and went out for an amazing seafood dinner and headed to a few bars where at midnight there was a pretty poor fireworks show but very entertaining all the same.

We arrived in Cancun last night and today had lunch at Johnny Rockets (officially the best burgers in the world, which we discovered in Miami, along with Cinnabom,yum I love USA) and then headed to the beach with the most turquoise sea I think I've ever seen.

Tomorrow we fly to Cuba which I am very excited about. We only have 12 days there so think we will just see Havana and then we return to Cancun where we will be joined for 2 weeks by Tareq's Mum and her partner and go explore the Yucutan. Not long at all now til we fly home. Getting ready to give some super big hugs!
x

Guatemala

Hello,

Hope you are all ready for Christmas! Am starting to feel a bit more festive as most places we have been staying in have put their trees and decorations up, and I've decorated my bag with tinsel.

We spent a couple of days in Antigua which is a pretty colonial town and we took a day trip up a local active volcano where at the top you got within metres of the flowing red lava. The heat was amazing as were the views, the clouds, sun, moon and stars, very very picturesque.

We then headed over to Lake Atitlan which is also very beautiful and tranquil. Spent a couple of days in one village called San Pedro where we climbed another volcano, this one wasn't active. The guy in our hostel had said that the climb to the top of the volcano took 3 to 4 hours, then looked at me and said well it takes 4 hours for chicas, so I was quite happy when we made it to the top including a breakfast stop in 3 hours. The views were fantastic and the sun came out after our 5am start in the dark.
Boated over to the next village, San Marcos, which is a spiritual centre, very relaxing place and lots more sunshine and stunning views. Took up a meditation class which was really good except they were burning a little too much incense for my liking. It's nice to smell but not to inhale.

From the lake we decided to opt for the public transport system to Coban where we are at the moment. The bus drivers like to speed everywhere, especially over speed bumps so you jump off the seat and almost hit the roof. We reached about half way through our journey and then swapped from a school bus to a mini van where they wont leave until they have filled every single gap they can squeeze a person into. I was wedged between two teenage boys who luckily were shorter than me so I didn't have to fit under their armpits.
A woman on the same seat as me had a boy who couldn't have been much older than 3 or 4 years who was chewing gum. I was a bit surprised by this as most children I have known aren't allowed chewing gum until a lot older in fear they will swallow it. However the Mum didn't seem worried, nor was she when her baby, who couldn't have been older than 18 months, took the chewing gum out of its brother's mouth and started chewing, and instinctively knew not to swallow it, pulling it out and stretching it. I was quite amazed.

About half way through this journey we came to an abrupt stop and found the road blocked off with lots of people sat at the side of the road waiting. We were told there had been a landslide and it wouldn't be cleared until 6pm. We have spent long enough in Latin America to know that this probably meant it wasn't going to be cleared for another week. So we opted to walk with some of the locals. I thought we would walk the road route so didn't think half an hour with my big pack would be too bad. However we started walking back the way we had come from and then took a turn down hill. I was in flip flops and slipping all over the place, especially after we started walking through streams. Tareq had said we needed to stay with the group which kind of scared me a bit that there was a slight chance we could be mugged, which might sound strange being in a rural area, but it isn't uncommon to be mugged when hiking. I had decided though that it was more dangerous for me to walk in a group in flip flops than it was to walk on my own in trainers so stopped to change footwear before I slipped down the side of the cliff probably about 300 metres.
We managed to catch up with the group thanks to Tareq carrying my bag for most of the uphill climb. We then heard another landslide and my first reaction was to stop and have a look around to see where it was. I suppose I could hear it was far enough away although I still think my survival instincts were perhaps not working that well. All good though, far enough away from us.
Then by the time we were nearly out of the valley and back to the road Tareq spotted that one of the local guys in the front of the group had pulled out his gun and was showing it to the other guys. It was a bit freaky, especially after Tareq started saying he thought we were going to get highway robbed. We've heard enough stories of that kind of thing happening but we were safe. It made me realise though that perhaps a lot of people here carry a gun. All the police and every security guard has one. Whenever there is an alcohol delivery to a shop there is a guard watching over the delivery with his gun ready. And this is in really rural little villages.
Finally we made it to Coban, and after our epic journey I was very very happy to find our hostel with a lovely hot shower and a really nice restaurant a few doors down the road.
Moving on tomorrow and this time taking the tourist bus!
Lots of love,
Hannah x