Cuba - Part 3 - The drive to Cayo Coco

Sunday 11th March - it's my birthday and fortunately I've slept for 18 hours and shaken off the tummy bug. I want my breakfast but the clock went forward during the night so we and several Italian guests were waiting patiently outside the restaurant in the rapidly brightening sky. As it turned out the clocks don't go forward in Cuba. Please note: a) the stewardess on the plane that told us they did, and b) Apple as my iPhone reset itself - I ended up having to work an hour ahead of everyone for the rest of the trip!

Today was going to be a long one in the driving seat as we had some distance to travel to get to our 5* all-inclusive hotel on Cayo Coco which is half way and more across the island. the trip was rather entertaining at first. We hit the Carreta Central to get to the Auotpista only to find that the ex-main road led straight into a reservoir - oops!

Don't think we should go any further, Mark!

We got lots of American Kestrels and a few Meadowlarks along the way and I managed to catch up with the Snail Kites and Tri-coloured Munias at the fish-ponds by the side of the road.

American Kestrel

We also stopped again at the large reservoir outside Havana but there was nothing new to see there so after a bite to eat we successfully skirted around Havan and I took over driving the long and not-at-all-winding four lane autopista to its end at a town call Taguasco. We passed field after field of sugar cane or banana or rough grazing, dodged the locals trying to sell you their cheese as you hurtle past but saw few birds along the way - Northern Harrier being the best.

We joined the old carreta central and it was thankfully free of large lorries. At Ciego de Avila we came across road works - as you do - the 'bollard' was about three feet in front of the men working and, later on we came across a new patch of wet tar which we avoided like the rest of the traffic by randomly driving on the other carriageway - MAD! About 5pm we'd reached the base of the causeway over to the cays; our passports were checked and we were on our way and very, very soon enjoying a 'Magnificent' birthday present.

Magnificent Frigatebird

Royal Tern

And not only that but Royal Terns, a few Laughing Gulls and thousands of distant Flamingos - and very few potholes!