Our final day and we started it early on the beach. The sea was still and calm and the fishes in the shallows were trying to avoid the crane stalking them from the edge of the shore.

Along the beach an ancient tractor pulled a trailer full of even older lawnmowers and gardeners off to make some other resort look tidy. We sat in the sun and watched the beach fill up with the people who we arrived with, all trying to make this day last here as long as possible. Despite out best efforts that moment came when we had to go back to the room, pack and call Pedro to take our cases up to reception.

After a final lunch we sat waiting for the coach, for this first time in weeks hoping that it will be late, and the journey to the airport.

Inside the terminal building it is clear that power is being rationed. Lights and air conditioning are turned off in the hope that the dreaded black out can be avoided but as the people spill into the heat and fight for the right queue it inevitably happens. For a moment it’s darkness before the lights come back and the departures board reboots to reveal the might of Cuban computer power, “Total Memory : 8k” it proudly displays before the list of planes flickers back.

Unlike the people in front of us we haven’t left one of our cases on the coach and we manage to get through check in, pay our departure tax and negotiate Passport Control with no problems. Unlike Gatwick the queue for security is short and you can take a bottle of water with you. The only thing is that it needs to be x-rayed, even if it is in a clear plastic container.

We sit near the air conditioning and drink our final Cuba Libres.

K has her final cigarette, I buy some cigars to smoke with Martin and we’re on the plane and heading home …