June 8

We woke up around 8.30 and went for breakfast. Breakfast was delicious with an array of fresh fruit, cereal, omelettes, sausages and many other things beside. We then headed back to the rooms to get changed into our swimming costumes for a snorkelling trip. We walked to the quay and on our way we saw a snake. We got quite close to it but Matt is terrified of snakes so we carried on. We later found out that it was a Cuban Wood snake and completely harmless. We boarded the boat with flippers and masks and set off. The sea was an amazing light blue and I was told off for not bringing my camera. After 30 minutes we stopped over a reef and the man threw some bread into the water and schools of fish tussled for it in a dramatic frenzy. We dived in to the water and were greeted by an amazing view. There were thousands of fish swimming around the coral. We swam around for about an hour and saw some amazing things including a school of angel fish, four barracudas and many other species of different shapes, colours and sizes. While on the boat we met a honeymoon couple who lived in Leeds and they had travelled around South America for a year, during which time she had got 142 mosquito bites on her bottom (compared to my 80 all over my body).

 By the way Didi has decided to write more so anything written in italics is written by Didi.

Didi adds – Max’s stories are very boring because they’re mostly about food but never about what it tastes like! And he did not write the bit about the bottom – actually Daddy did (but it was true).

For the rest of the day we swam and relaxed on the beach and Didi watched Sponge Bob in Spanish.

Ursula

Guess which hand...

Is it the second hand...?

June 9

We woke up at about 7:30 and had a delicious breakfast. For the morning we relaxed on the beach and at about 11 I retreated to my room to read and watch the football I stayed in the room till about 6:00 when we went on a walk. While I was relaxing didi met an Italian girl and they played for the rest of the afternoon speaking in a made up language while playing Didi found a conch shell. We went on a lovely walk along the beach and everywhere you stepped thousands of hermit crabs ran away from you. We reached the end of the beach to find a mangrove swamp blocking our way. My mum and dad asked a sailor where the path was but he didn’t know so we all waded through the water. I arrived first and walked around the long stretch of beach and there were no other footprints at all. I felt lonely as I walked around the beach. When I got to the other end of the beach there was a deserted camp. I walked around further and got to a sign that read welcome. And there in front of me was water. I was terrified I ran back to the beach as quickly as I could. I reached the end and there they stood. I was very relieved to see them .After that we had a swim and headed back to our cabin.

Late afternoon wade

June 10

We got up and went for a quick swim before breakfast. We boarded the boat on time and were the only passengers. We arrived on the mainland at about ten o’clock to be picked up by mike in his blue Plymouth. We drove to our casa in Vinales which was a lovely house at the edge of town. They had two children and Didi immediately settled with the young girl. They communicated in international sign language. We decided to go on a walk but Didi stayed at home. We went on a lovely walk through the forest and we then saw how cigars were made, we continued to walk down the path which took us up a mountain through the middle by cave down in to the valley and round the other side. We went back to the casa and had a lovely evening and we all slept very well.