08.38 It's a new day, a new awakening and actually a brand new pen. The former is a little tired. Today is the last full day on Cuban and Caribbean soil for this time. We are in Santiago de Cuba and at our home Casa Hostal Las Terrazas Martin y Gisel.

09.14 Now we have climbed the stairs up to the roof terrace. Here we have been asked if we would like breakfast. Wasn´t that ordered already last evening? Anyway, here it is. The lady we ordered from yesterday is not the same woman who asked us just now. Moreover, none of the two is serving us. They are getting younger. How young is she who will clean the table?

09.30 From the roof you can look down on what neighbours do and we also have a nice view of the harbour area and the mountain range north of the city.

10.43 We know nothing about the age of the table cleaner, we left before any such a person turned up. Now we have roughly planned this last day here in Cuba. Will it go as planned and in that order? I find that highly unlikely. A plan is good to have though.

10.53 Now we have arranged with dinner, it has been ordered for this evening. The passports are back and we have been told that it is possible to buy beverages here if we need to. There seems to be a really hot day out there so fluids will be needed as so many times before.

11.02 We have left Hostal Las Terrazas and navigated our way through the narrow streets here in Santiago. The city has many hills and some are extremely steep. Going into these hills in the tropical heat is not something you want to do too often. We have been out on the Balcon de Velázquez to look at the view. Any photos were not taken, that costs money.

View towards the harbour in Santiago de Cuba.

The wonderful roof terrace is the best part at this hostel.

Peter is having breakfast at Hostal Las Terrazas.

You can sit in front of this beautiful painting outside our room.

11.10 Now we are in/at the Parque Céspedes. Here is the yellow magnificent Cathedral Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción. It is equipped with scaffolding nets. Some form of renovation/restoration is in progress. Today it's hot. According to a digital thermometer here in the square it is +39°C. That we do not believe. It's probably not more than +36°C. We will check out what the internet says about the temperature later.

11.18 The heat punish us worse than ever before on this trip. This, together with an intense traffic consisting of the vehicles that emit black exhaust clouds means that we are already looking for a place to rest, a place to get something refreshing.

11.24 We have nevertheless managed to see some magnificent buildings on our walk, the provincial government building Palacio Provincial and Emilio Bacardi Museum. The famous spirit Bacardi has its roots here in Santiago. The company was founded in 1862 by Don Facundo Bacardi Masso who emigrated from Catalonia in Spain. In the 1890´s large parts of the Bacardi family supported Cuba's freedom struggle from Spain, which led to that don Facundos son, Emilio Bacardi, and grandson were deported to Spain's colonies in North Africa. The two other sons José and Facundo stayed and tried to run the company as best they could during the war. After the Cuban War of Independence and the American occupation of Cuba the two cocktails Cuba Libre and Daiquiri were created from Bacardi rum. Cuba became independent in 1902 and after this the company grew rapidly. After the Cuban revolution and as Fidel Castro came to power in 1959 all of its assets were seized in Cuba. The family Bacardi chose to escape from Cuba and rebuild the company. New distilleries were founded in the Bahamas, Canada and Brazil.

11.33 A lot has happened during the last minutes of our short tour. A happy guy was waving a wooden beer mug and shouted "Aaaah Cristal!”. Later, he was interrupted by a motorcycle that drove into him. No great harm was done to either the motorcycle or the guy. An old lady has offered home-made fans, hand fans. They were cut out of cardboard and had handles. Before we arrived at the place we are at now we met a man who carried a mustard bottle. He happily showed what he had. Now we are drained with sweat at the Snack Bar "Las Terrazas", which is part of the Hotel Casa Granda (http://www.hotelcasagranda.com). On this terrace the author Graham Greene used to sit and philosophize when he was in town. The hotel is also mentioned in his book "Our Man in Havana".

12.21 You can plan what to do but it is the reality that controls. No matter how much you want into a souvenir shop it means nothing if it is closed. Now we have instead returned home to make new plans.

13.41 The cool room was abandoned again and we again returned into the city and its heat. Now we walked to the small square Plaza de Dolores and will have lunch at Restaurante Teressina.

14.02 Food is good. We have eaten spaghetti with shrimps and sausages as accessories. Now I have ordered two cups of coffee. Damn, I forgot to ask Christer if he wants a cup.

Steep streets in Santiago de Cuba.

Calle Mariano Corona, Santiago de Cuba.

The clean beautiful Parque Céspedes is the heart of the old town.

Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción.

Santiago de Cuba is known for its hot climate.

Palacio Provincial.

The Emilio Bacardi museum.

Christer is walking through Plaza de Dolores.

14.40 Christer got one of the cups and even the coffee that was in it. Now I keep guard outside a department store which also includes a food store. The sweat drips down in the journal as I write. Christer has walked inside in search of food and beverages. We are very close to the Plaza de Marte.

15.28 Both Christer's and my actions passed without problems inside the store. The guarding of our backpacks offered a few splashes of colour and light. I was passed by a man in linen that read Heineken. He said Amigo, nodded and smiled at me. Christer saw a man in a t-shirt with the Equatorial Guinean leader and flag on. In addition, he met a young man who went on about something. Christer claimed that he did not understand. This was not believed by the man. He carried on and became angry. We are, after a short stop to buy bread, home again. Here we ordered sodas. One of the guys who run the accommodation had to go out to buy them to us. At this particular moment as we sit on the terrace we were served these sodas.

15.50 The roof terrace is left to cool bodies and the heads inside the room instead.

16.45 A tip for backpackers, if the shower is weak you just fill PET bottles with water from the sink. This water is poured over the body and head in the shower. Now we returned to the terrace for showering. No, we're supposed to read some in the books. We hear the thunder rumble in the distance.

17.50 The terrace and also the accommodation were left for a short time for one last city walk out there. We took us to a souvenir shop below the Hotel Casa Granda where Christer made a few small purchases. The rain then chased us back to the accommodation. We hope it stops until 20.00 or at least that there is a table under the roof when we'll eat our bespoke dinner.

Christer is drinking a refreshing drink at Hotel Casa Granda´s "Snack Bar".

Peter is in the bar with the same name as our hostel.

Hostal Las Terrazas Martin y Gisel.

Christer is exercising his legs in the Padre Pico stairs.

The pedestrian street Calle José Antonio Saco.

Plaza de Marte with flags and monuments.

19.08 In one day from now, if all goes as it should, we will have boarded an airplane bound for Zürich. In about two days, if everything goes as it should, then we are on a train bound for Sundsvall. Yet this seems very distant.

19.56 Now we are sitting outside our room, waiting for tonight's dinner. It is still raining so we will not get up on the roof terrace where meals are eaten in most cases.

20.03 The nice woman serving brought down the tablecloth, crockery, cutlery and glassware from the terrace. In the end she dropped a glass that shattered against the stairs.

21.03 Now the end is near. The last dinner was just eaten. We also paid for the room. Now we refresh ourselves with sodas before everything should be packed. The purchased glass bottles of rum will be wrapped. What goes down now will not be brought up again until at home. It's just great that everything comes home. It is stupid if something is forgotten or lost on the road.

22.26 Are we ready to return? Are we ready to return to work and teach pupils? These questions and other ones pop up when the Cuban evening turns into night. In Europe were we are going is it more but still less. Moreover, it is another day.

Literature and Cuban views

The sky looked angry and we went indoors.

Christer is enjoying the last dinner on Cuban soil.

Thursday 7th of August

06.00 It's once again light around me and I'm wet in the hair. It went fine to shower under the PET bottle. Now it's time for a simple breakfast.

06.53 Christer has left the last key for this time. Now our host wonders were on earth our neighbors' key is. It seems that they have checked out without leaving it. We are waiting. We might as well get used to it. There will be a lot of waiting ahead.

07.13 We went out to the airport in another delicious car from the 50´s. It was the taxi we ordered yesterday. Upon arrival, we could quickly realize that the long wait will come earlier than expected. Our plane is significantly delayed. It leaves from here at 13.00. It takes an hour and a half to fly to Havana. From there, the next plane takes off at 18.55 this evening.

09.20 Not much happens here at the airport Antonio Maceo. There are people sitting and waiting, music is played through the speakers and sometimes the pay phone that hangs on a pillar is ringing. No one is answering it. Maybe I should pick up the phone and say Johansson? Now the phone rings again.

10.02 A hairy man with short arms has wiped our table at the cafe. We have ordered coffee and sandwiches. Wait what did I just write? It should be a short man with hairy arms! We have a new departure time, 13.30.

10.35 As we sat and waited to be served, I saw a man with a large white plastic bag. The bag was filled with bread. Had something gone wrong with the order? No, there was another purpose for the bread. The waiter came with what we had ordered. A few cans of soda fell out as he opened the door of the fridge. We sure bring bad luck to the staff, yesterday it was glass and today, the cans. Now we will check in.

Peter is having breakfast for the second time this day at the airport Antonio Maceo.

We are waiting and waiting...

11.16 We sit at another gate with yet some tarjeta de embarque. That simply is boarding cards.

12.34 Our first wait is almost over. If everything goes well, we will have boarded the plane to Havana in an hour. A seductive scent reaches us from the cafeteria. It is the aroma of fresh coffee. We will need an airplane to be able to take off from here. It has not landed yet.

12.58 We sit here and yet no aircraft has arrived.

13.15 OK, now we have at least one aircraft here. Now, it will be emptied before it can be filled again. However, this is a bit small. The company is certainly right, though?

14.00 A new call, hard to hear, hard for me to understand Spanish. The call however evoked applause and smiling children here at the gate.

14.06 A bigger aircraft has landed. Is it right this time? What happens here now? When do we board? When do we take off and land? The Zürich plane will be in the air in about five hours.

14.33 OK, now, people have gone out to the small plane that landed at 13.15. The larger is still out there and we are still in here. The departure time for the plane from Havana is approaching and we are not there yet. We are not even on the road or on the plane on the way there. It seems to be all but hurry for the staff.

14.48 The gate people were here and left. Why the hell does it take such time? What is wrong with the pen? Now people are beginning to rise.

We have waited for this. Our plane has finally arrived. Soon it´s time for departure.

We are waiting at a new airport, this time José Martí in Havana.

15.00 We are on board Cubana´s Antonov 158. I have changed pen. Now I want to leave. The plane from Havana takes off in about four hours.

15.53 We are up in the air. The passengers have been served liquids. We got to choose between water and coffee. We chose the latter. At last, Havana is getting closer. There will be nothing of the expected long wait there, unless we miss the flight home. Chaleco Salvavidas debajo su asiento can be read on the seat in front of me, or more precisely on the bottom of my small table.

16.28 We have started to descend to Havana. Once down and out, it will be a pure running of gauntlet. The backpacks will be restored, we must find a means of transport to the international terminal where we will check in and controls will be passed.

17.03 My backpack is here and we have booked a taxi. Now we're just waiting for Christer's backpack. In about two hours the plane is in the air. Will we be there too?

17.25 It went smoothly to go to Terminal 3. It went to hell to check in. We found no counter and asked a man in an information counter. The man at the counter was talking on the phone when we came rushing. He quickly finished the call and looked almost scared. We might have looked like two demons. He informed us that we were at the wrong terminal. There were errors in our paper. We shot out of the terminal and nearly stormed into a new taxi. Now it's off to Terminal 2.

18.06 We quickly got to the terminal and the check in counter. At first glance it seemed that the queue was very long. It was but it wasn’t to our plan. At check-in we were given two sets of boarding passes, two each to Zürich and two each to Stockholm. The check in lady excused herself. I did not check how much I had in Cuban money when we should pay departure tax. Everything was solved, however, before we had withdrawn more. We passed through security and passport control. Now we are sitting at the gate. The day that was going to be a long wait here was rather a short visit. We managed three terminals in a flash.

18.47 I don’t know how it happened. We made it on board. The seats are however separated. Now we soon take off to Europe. We will once again fly with the Swiss charter airline Edelweiss Air.

CHANGING TIME ZONE

Friday 8th of August

02.38 Time has been adjusted. The watches and cameras are set for Swiss time. We've been on the road for a while. Through the speakers someone in the crew has intensively asked for someone among the passengers with medical training. I don't know why but it seems urgent.

04.30 I know nothing more about the medically related or about who is affected. Christer has heard conversations in German which might indicate that this is some problems with gallstones. They have called for the same medicine that he had when he had such problems.

09.19 When you have been in Latin America you realize how wide the Atlantic Ocean is. It takes forever to cross the great sea. When it is flown from for example the United States the route goes on a shortcut across Greenland and become more comfortable. We have now reached the French coast and begin to sense the end of this 10 hour flight.

10.06 Now we prepare for the landing. In Zürich awaits even more waiting but it is nice to be on European soil again.

SWITZERLAND

11.02 We have walked through the controls and have searched for places to sit. Now we sit down to make up plans. At passport control we had a Norwegian woman in front of us. Like always in Nordic countries she talked about the weather and found out that Switzerland had a really bad summer with rain, completely opposite from us and for those who have been home in Sweden.

11.32 It is nice that we don’t have to pick up the backpacks here in Zürich. Let’s just hope that they are loaded into the correct plane so that we can be reunited with them in Sweden.

11.51 Now we have logged on to the airport's WiFi network, surfed, Facebooked and checked how hot it was in Santiago on Wednesday. According to the weather service it was only +31°. Can that be true? Sometimes one can be fooled by the fact that the sun itself is murderously hot although the shadow temperature is quite normal.

Skymetro transports us through Zürich airport.

You can easily see where we are.

One of few spots at this modern airport where you can actually sit down.

We are flying from Zürich Flughafen.

We are looking down at Reichenau and Radolfzell in Germany.

The third and last flight on this long journey home.

13.06 In the speakers it's Funky Town that is being played. In our stomachs, there are Coca Cola, strips and burgers. We are at Burger King, the only place we can afford to eat at here at Zürich Flughafen.

14.48 We've been in one of the tax-free shops here at the airport. A bottle of cognac, Remy Martin Diamond, 70 Centilitres cost CHF 1329. It makes 19 CHF or US$21 per centilitre. The day I can afford it I will put my money other things. What does it cost if you happen to spill some?

16.17 Swiss Airbus A321 shall take us to Stockholm Arlanda. The airline is Swiss and Airbus A 321 is the model of the aircraft. I'm going to sleep. It is needed

17.37 A little sleep, a little vegetable pie and a bit of juice have been offered on board. It's just good and perfect.

SWEDEN

19.56 We are arriving in Sweden, Arlanda airport and now sit at Alfredo’s for some food before the upcoming train trip.

20.21 Alfredo’s has saved us in the past and did so again. It's a pretty impersonal restaurant and the food is ok, nothing more but many times it is the only open restaurant when we are here. In addition, the prices of many other restaurants at the airport are on a level we don't feel comfortable with.

21.09 Now is the time to go down to the underworld in order to connect with the train that will carry us out on this trip’s last transport.

21.22 We are aboard the train that now rolls away to the north. Now we need to not fall asleep and miss getting off in Sundsvall.

Late evening at Arlanda airport.

Saturday 9th of August

00.25 The last day of the trip is here. We are close to embarking. Then we will walk to Christer's apartment in order bring this to an end

01.33 One final video was made with help of the light from a lamp post. Now we have only 200 metres to go.

02.05 After nearly 40 hours of travel, we have reached our goal. The last lines are being written and everything is over. Now all we brought with us will be freed from the backpacks and dirt. I've slept a bit on planes and trains, but Christer has a personal record of just over 39 waking hours. The Caribbean is a closed chapter. We have now been in all thirteen independent nations there. Good night! We will return in the next travel journal.