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Canada, Cuba and Covid 19

março - dezembro 2020
In March 2020 a group of 16 riders from the Australian Ghostriders cycling group travelled to Cuba to complete an extended cycling adventure around the island. This journal documents Cuba and the COVID aftermath that cut our trip short. Leia mais
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  • The World on Two WheelsCanada, Cuba and Covid 19
    1
    1
    Dia 7

    On our Bikes in Havana

    8 de março de 2020, Cuba ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    It's now almost a week since I left Melbourne. The long journey to Cuba took me first to Vancouver, then to Toronto, before arriving in Havana two days ago. Although it has been nice to have some time to explore and soak up the history at the Hotel Nacional, of course the real reason for coming all this way was to ride bicycles. And today that is what we did.

    In our previous adventures we have been treated to some pretty large and impressive buses, but I can honestly say that our bus in Cuba is by far the biggest we have ever had. I am not sure if they did not understand the difference between 16 and 60 when they made the bus allocation as I am sure the bus could easily hold the larger number.

    The bus is actually so large that all our bikes can easily be accommodated in the huge lower storage compartments. We have now met all the support staff that will be accompanying us for the next 16 days. Apart from the youthful Lee (our main guide), we also have a bus driver (Coco) and a bike mechanic (Titi). The bikes themselves are TREK brand mountain bikes equipped with semi slick tyres.

    We began the day at 8 am with an obligatory group photo (or series of photos) in front of the hotel, followed by a short drive in the bus to the place where we would be fitting and testing the bikes. My first impression was very favourable, The bike was relatively light and easy to ride and soon we were snaking our way on the streets of Havana.

    It was something of a relief to find that the streets were almost devoid of traffic. Maybe that was because it was not only a Sunday morning, but daylight savings had only just started that morning meaning that many people may have not put their clocks forward and were still happily home in bed.

    Although the traffic was light, the wind certainly was not. In fact it was blowing a gale all day. Our cycling route took us along the coastline towards the old part of Havana. This also meant that we were heading into the wind for about 80% of the ride. We hoped that this onslaught would not become a daily feature of the weather here.

    The roads were liberally spotted with potholes of various sizes, but were probably in better condition than I had expected. During the course of the morning we stopped at a succession of historically significant locations, while Lee explained their history to us. Because I have a limited capacity to store vast amounts of this type of information, I contented myself with just looking at the buildings, rather than trying to remember all the place names and dates. One theme that did keep repeating is that the history of Cuba and Havana in particular, dates back over 500 years. The city is liberally dotted with ancient buildings that have made it a World Heritage Site.

    When our cycling was complete we adjourned for lunch in a cafe which was apparently one of the favourite haunts of Ernest Hemingway who did much of his writing in Cuba. The afternoon was spent in a walking tour of the old city, however the wind was now blowing so hard that it was hard to stand upright.

    Tomorrow's ride will take us on a much longer foray into the Cuban countryside.    Leia mais

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  • The World on Two WheelsCanada, Cuba and Covid 19
    Dia 8

    Cuban Showers, Lobsters and a Super Moon

    9 de março de 2020, Cuba ⋅ 🌙 23 °C

    I suppose I could have claimed that I had planned it that way, however that would have been a bit of a lie. The truth is that it was just one of those glorious coincidences that often seem to happen during travel.

    We had been told that we were being taken to a lovely rooftop restaurant in old Havana. That was all we knew. At 7 pm out bus collected us from the hotel and took us back to the now familiar centre of the city. A short walk took us to the selected restaurant, followed by a challenging climb up several flights of stairs on a very narrow and very steep staircase.

    We emerged on the very top of the building where a long table had been prepared for us. Soon we were happily chatting away when I noticed the clouds part to reveal a glorious full moon. There was something magical about seeing a huge full moon over the rooftops of such a famous city. It was only later that I learned that the moon really WAS special - it was one of those "super moons" that only occur at certain times when the moon is closer than usual to the earth.

    The meal itself was also rather special. I chose the "number 7", which was a full seafood spectacular. complete with prawns and a huge lobster tail. It was the best meal I had eaten since arriving in Cuba. I had heard a lot about Cuban lobsters, but this was my first chance to actually taste it for myself.

    This I awoke to some good news and some bad news. The good news was that the howling wind that had almost blown us off the island yesterday had slightly abated. The bad news was that it had been replaced by a succession of light passing showers. It always seems that every extended ride is accompanied by at least one wet day, and it looked like toady was going to be that day.

    While I don't mind getting slightly damp, the thought of being saturated right down to my shoes did not have much appeal. Before we actually began the ride we were transported to an elevated location near a giant statue of Jesus. The thing that makes this statue someone special is that it was created by a woman.

    We unpacked the bikes and donned our wet weather gear. The first stop was a nearby display of old military items from the cold war days. It also included the remains of the US spy plane famously shot down during the missile crisis. We also created something of another international incident when several of our team (including me) accidentally climbed onto the sacred military monument and were chastised by the angry guard.

    The next hour or so alternated between showers and sunshine. When the sun did appear, the humidity shot up and we were soon sweating away inside our jackets. The rain did eventually disappear completely and we were able to dispense with the coats.

    One of the biggest hazards of cycling in Cuba is not the risk of being run over by a car, as the drivers are generally very courteous and give us a wide berth. The real danger is that of being asphyxiated by a lungful of noxious black smoke from the ancient vehicles. I suspect that some of them have not had an oil change in decades and the fumes really are nauseating.

    After riding for a considerable distance along a busy highway, we were relieved when we finally turned off onto a much quieter road. This gave us our first real experience with rural Cuba. Several old horse drawn carts passed by. Numerous "holas" were exchanged in greeting. Our riders were in high spirits and thoroughly enjoying being out of the traffic.

    Our destination for the morning was an organic farm, that was well known for the innovative ways that they raised a wide variety of crops, fruits and livestock. It really was fascinating and the lunch they served was wonderful. The highlight was a whole pig that they had prepared for us, complete with crackling ! I could not help but return for seconds.

    Later in the afternoon we were taken back into Havana for a Salsa Class. This was conducted on a rooftop terrace, complete with loud music and a collection of Cuban dancer partners. For a shy introvert like myself, this was about as much fun as a visit to the all night dentist. I was happy to sit and guard the bags while the rest of the group hopped and gyrated around.

    This evening some of the group went to a show in the old town, while the rest did their own thing. Tomorrow morning we will be checking out of this fine old hotel and moving on to the next leg of our adventure.    Leia mais

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  • The World on Two WheelsCanada, Cuba and Covid 19
    Dia 9

    A Hundred Fires by the Caribbean Sea

    10 de março de 2020, Cuba ⋅ 🌙 23 °C

    Our time in Havana at the Hotel Nacional was certainly memorable, however all things must eventually come to an end and it was time for us to now move on to our next location. We were planning to check out of the hotel at 8.15 am and be on our way, however we soon discovered that leaving the hotel is nowhere near as easy as checking into it.

    In order to get permission to leave the lobby for the final time you must first be issued with an exit ticket from the cashier. This can only be issued once the mini bar contents have been examined by a security expert and the report relayed back to the management. A simple infringement such as an unaccounted bottle of water can mean that you would be bound and held indefinitely.

    This process held us up for a considerable amount of time as each person's room was checked and signed off. If I was being entirely honest I would admit that the final felon was actually myself. When I handed my room card back to the cashier, they simply said "Thank You" and waved me away. I assumed that I was free and clear. I assumed wrong. It was only when I was seated on the bus that a stern faced security guard escorted me back to the cashier. There was not one, but TWO, bottles of water missing from my mini bar. I guess that means I will never be able to regain entry to Cuba at any time in the future.

    Eventually all accounts were paid in full and our bus was given permission to leave. Our first destination was the notorious "Bay of Pigs" . This was the location of the ill fated invasion of Cuba by a group of Cuban exiles. The entire debacle was orchestrated by the CIA with the assumption that the local population would quickly side with the invaders to overthrow the government. It never went that way. Within two days the invasion had failed and the invaders were all either killed or captured.

    Standing by the blue waters of the Caribbean it was hard to imagine the bloodshed that had taken place on this sport almost 60 years ago. That location also marked the spot where we began the day's ride. The route was simple - just keep the sea on our right hand sides and follow the coast to the resort of Caleta Buena.

    The ride was not long but the difficulty was increased by the heat and humidity and the deplorable state of the road. It was impossible to dodge the pot holes, as they vastly outnumbered the bitumen. The vibrations made my hands and backside ache in complaint.

    The resort itself is a playground of the privileged where the entry fee entitles you to lunch and unlimited drinks from the many bars. It is the place where overtanned men and women in far too small swimsuits wobble about with pina coladas, trying their best to look cool. I suspect that very few real Cubans would ever set foot in the front door.

    We then returned to the bus for a short drive to Cienfuegos. This is a relatively modern town situated in an impossibly beautiful location. The name means "One Hundred Fires", although these must have now all been extinguished because I didn't see a single one.

    Our home for the next two nights is the Hotel Jagua. The entrance certainly is impressive, the lifts are the most hideously decorated I have ever seen and the rooms are an exercise in contrasts. While the view from the room is absolutely breathtaking, when you look closer the standard of workmanship leaves a lot to be desired. My shower door fell off, the water was only slightly warm, the light was hanging off the roof and my patio door needed both hands to drag it open. When I washed my cycling jersey I noticed that the water from the tap was about the colour of a cup of tea and it added several new stains to the front and back of the jersey. At least there can be no repeat of the grand larceny from the minibar that happened in Havana. The minibar here looks like it has not been used for a long time. But the air conditioning worked extremely well and the view really was incredible. The bed is huge. In fact I really like it here.

    Our dinner was at a nearby restaurant where the ambiance far exceeded the quality of the food. They somehow missed serving the four people at our table. We complained and were eventually served but it appeared that the supply of food had just about run out by that time. Each plate had a meager portion spread around to make it look like there was a genuine dinner. A bit disappointing to say the least. At the end of the meal a blackout threw the place into darkness. Apparently these are common in Cuba where all the power comes from oil powered generators.

    As we walked back to the hotel Venus shone brightly over the water while the huge moon shone down from the opposite direction. It had been quite a day.    Leia mais

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  • The World on Two WheelsCanada, Cuba and Covid 19
    Dia 10

    A Day in Cienfuegos

    11 de março de 2020, Cuba ⋅ 🌙 23 °C

    Travelling in Cuba really is certainly a little bit different to travelling in western countries. I guess because the country has been cut off from the rest of the world for so long, they have no ready yardstick to compare their performance against the elusive “world’s best practise”. The Jagua Hotel is a great example of this. While in some respects it is a good 4 star hotel, in other areas it fails miserably. The air conditioning works well enough to ensure you can have a cool nights rest, but when you step under the shower, the water temperature never rises above luke warm. The shower door itself falls off whenever the door is opened or closed. My bed is comfortable and massive but the door to my patio requires a test of herculean strength to get it to open or close. The bathroom is large, but it stinks of tobacco, presumably thanks to the smoking habits of a previous occupant.

    Although the room has a number of these niggling issues, the view is just so superb, that it is easy to overlook them all. We have two nights here before we move on to Trinidad and our first taste of the famous Casa Particulaires (home stays) that we have heard so much about.

    After breakfast we cycled into the centre of Cienfuegos for a look around the central square. We arrived in the middle of a book fair, with a collection of sellers stocked up with what looked like school text books. One of the buildings in the square is a school and it was interesting to see the well dressed pupils wandering around the exhibits. Education is completely free in Cuba and this extends to the provision of the school uniforms as well.

    We then headed out of town to the famous botanical gardens. The hot and humid weather combined with a succession of hills to make the modest ride a lot more challenging than it should have been. When planning this trip I had been worried about how I would cope in these sultry conditions and the answer was now very clear – not very well.

    After a nice lunch in the garden cafeteria we were taken on a guided tour by a very enthusiastic guide. The combination of heat, humidity and non stop talking soon took its toll on me. I seldom take guided tours at any time and I found my mind wandering. The sultry air seemed suffocating and I desperately looked for a chance to sneak away unnoticed. I walked back to the café and had a couple of drinks in an attempt to wake myself up again. They didn’t work.

    Although I could have punished myself by riding back to the hotel, I really found myself lacking motivation. I can see no virtue in self flagellation at any time. We had paid good money for the services of our bus and driver. It was air conditioned in there, while the air outside was enervating. So in I went (along with several others). It was delightful. I dozed in the cool while the others sweltered their way along a hilly road back to Cienfuegos. It was a brilliant decision.

    Later in the evening we dined at one of the most amazing restaurants I have ever seen. Rather than try to describe it, I will simply say look at the pictures below.    Leia mais

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  • The World on Two WheelsCanada, Cuba and Covid 19
    Dia 11

    Cienfuegos to Trinidad

    12 de março de 2020, Cuba ⋅ 🌙 21 °C

    After our two nights at the Hotel Jagua, it was time to move on to the next leg of our Cuban Adventure. Since the minibars in the rooms had never been stocked, we had none of the inquisition process that had delayed our departure from the Hotel Nacional de Cuba. Our bags were quickly bundled into the waiting bus and we were on our way.

    The plan was to transfer by bus to the outskirts of Cienfuegos so that we would not have to battle our way through the busy morning traffic. It was a great idea. A short time later we were ready to begin the day’s ride. In normal conditions 60 km might not sound like a challenging day’s ride, but the combination of regular undulations, high temperatures and even higher humidity makes riding rather taxing. In the afternoon the hot tropical sun really seems to burn right into the centre of your body. The very best time for any sort of energetic activity is in the cooler morning. After lunch the riding is much harder.

    To my relief the condition of the road was quite good. The potholes that we had battled a couple of days ago were replaced with long sections of smooth bitumen. It is quite amazing how much quicker progress you can make when the surface is smoother. One thing that has surprised us all is the number of horse drawn vehicles we see, especially when we get into the rural areas. The only vehicles we saw all day were the occasional truck, a few buses, numerous old 1940s cars and dozens of horse drawn carts. One cart even had a “spare engine” following along behind, presumably ready to take over when the first engine ran out of energy.

    After stopping for lunch at a thatched roof roadhouse, we continued to the outskirts of Trinidad. By that time the heat had really started to tax everyone’s stamina. I managed to survive by pouring water down the front of my jersey and relying on evaporative cooling to keep my temperature under control. It did make a difference, but I was very happy to finish the ride and climb inside the bus for the final couple of km to Trinidad.

    For the next three nights we will be staying in the Casas Particulaires that Cuba is famous for. These are private homes that have been converted to bed and breakfast accommodations for travellers. We had been told that the hospitality of the hosts is amazing, and now we were about to find out for ourselves if it was true.

    The process began when we assembled at the central Casa while the bargaining for rooms went on between our guide and the casa owners. After about 30 mins they apparently reached agreement. We were then lined up and allocated one by one to the line of waiting hosts. It was just like those dreadful days in primary school when they picked the school teams. I was sure that I was always picked last, when there were no other genuine sporty types left to pick.

    I was allocated with Janna and Linda to a nearby casa. We followed Jenny (our hostess) trying our best to carefully watch which way we were walking. In these narrow streets every doorway looks the same and it would be so easy to get completely lost. The thought of spending hours knocking on every door in Trinidad trying to find the right one would be very daunting.

    On arrival at our allocated rooms we discovered that they actually were very clean and comfortable. They were even equipped with private bathrooms and air conditioning. I did have some initial hiccups when I discovered that there was no hot water in my shower and the toilet did not flush, however these were quickly sorted out by the owner.

    We all returned to the central casa for a combined dinner, before retiring for the night. It had been a very long day and I was looking forward to our first “rest day” the following day.

    Images to follow when Internet access is better    Leia mais

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  • The World on Two WheelsCanada, Cuba and Covid 19
    Dia 12

    A Rest Day in Trinidad

    13 de março de 2020, Cuba ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    After the non stop activity of the first few days in Cuba, I had been eagerly looking forward to our first rest day. It is always a lovely feeling to have so much time and so little to do with it. While we had options to partake in several activities, including a catamaran trip to a nearby island, for me it would be a great chance to partake of my favourite activities – walking and people watching.

    My first night in the casa particulaire must have been a restful one. I awoke to the unfamiliar sound of horsesteps outside my window. It brought back vivid memories of life in Melbourne in the 1950s when I often heard the milkman and his horse doing their early morning milk deliveries. When I checked my mobile phone for the time it was after 7 am ! For someone who usually wakes before 6 am, this was certainly an indulgence.

    It was when I checked my email that I received the worst possible news that one of our much loved and respected riders had passed away the previous day in Melbourne. Helen Wilkie had been undergoing a long battle with cancer for over a year. Although she had made some temporary recoveries, her condition had worsened. I had last spoken with her just a few days before we left Australia and I could not believe that she would no longer be a part of our Ghostrider family. Helen was not just a keen cyclist, she was also very involved in Rotary and had been a regular participant in their annual ride for health. One of her last acts was to arrange her funeral so that it could take place after this year’s ride was completed. We will all miss her immensely.

    I then joined Linda and Janna who were already having breakfast and shared the news with them. We had been told about how good the breakfasts were in the Casas, but this was my first chance to experience one for myself. It really was superb. Jenny and Carlos had prepared a full table of fruits, bread, pancakes, pastries and juice. A fresh omelette was also supplied to order.

    Linda and Janna then left to join the catamaran trip while I caught up on emails and other matters. I then set out to explore more of Trinidad and found myself walking back through the park and up to the Plaza Major. Outside the telecom shop a long queue was already forming to purchase Internet access cards. Each card costs 1 CUC (about $2) and gives 1 hour of (slow) access time.

    The main plaza is on an elevated part of the city and gives a great view over the rooftops and out to the Caribbean Sea. A huge market was being set up. I walked back and forth, returning every cheerful “Hola” that was directed in my direction. Although there was a huge number of traders, most of them were selling the same items, so it became rather repetitive.

    Very soon the heat started to build and I stopped for a cold drink, before slowly finding my way back to the casa. The heat seems to be getting a bit worse every day and this does not auger well for the next few days of cycling. After a brief rest, I ventured back in search of somewhere for lunch. I found a lovely old restaurant with a towering ceiling and ordered an Hawaiian pizza and a coffee. They were both delicious and the young waiter spoke quite good English.

    On my return walk I thought I would join the queue for an Internet card. I waited in the line for 20 minutes, but it did not move. No one seemed to know what the problem was. People started knocking on the door, without response. I gave up and walked back to the casa, dodging numerous horses and motorcycles along the way. It was time for an afternoon siesta.

    Since the Internet is so precious here, I will have to upload pictures at a future time.    Leia mais

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  • The World on Two WheelsCanada, Cuba and Covid 19
    Dia 13

    Disaster Strikes the Peloton

    14 de março de 2020, Cuba ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Our plan today was to cycle out of Trinidad to a location called the Valle de los Ingenios. To my relief the early morning was relatively cool and overcast, making the morning cycling quite pleasant. After battling our way out of the Trinidad traffic, we were soon coasting along smooth bitumen. Although Lee had promised us a nice easy ride, as usual he was lying. Very soon we started to encounter some lengthy climbs, followed by fast descents. In the near distance we could see a quite impressive mountain range so I hope that we will not be riding anywhere near that in the next couple of days.

    Our first stop was at a huge tower. We were told that in Spanish colonial times this was actually the tallest structure in the whole of Cuba. It was built over a period of 14 years by brothers and used as a watchtower to observe the slaves working in the nearby sugar plantations.

    After paying a fee of 1 CUC I climbed to the top of the tower to admire the panoramic views and enjoy the fresh cool breeze. On the way up I managed to bash my head several times on the low beams. The shorter members of the team had no such difficulties.

    This is obviously a tourist trap, as evidenced by the regular arrival of tourist buses from Trinidad. In order to reach the tower you first had to run the gauntlet of dozens of eager local trying to offload cotton tablecloths and the like. We were surprised when a large tourist train pulled into a small station and disgorged even more people into the fray.

    Lee had given instructions that everyone had to be ready to continue the ride at 10:40 am. By around 11 am most of our team had straggled back and we were finally ready to go. The first 15 km or so meant repeating the route we had followed from Trinidad (including riding back up the same hills). At one location we were treated to some lovely cold bananas from the bus and these were eagerly devoured by the group.

    We eventually took a left hand fork in the road and started to head towards the beach. It was at this point that things took a terrible turn for the worse. We were not expecting to encounter train tracks, especially not ones that crossed our path at an oblique angle. I was the first rider to encounter the dangerous tracks. My rear wheel slid out alarmingly, but somehow I managed to regain my balance. I immediately called out a warning to those behind me, but it was already too late. I could already hear the shocking sounds of a pelotonic pile up of biblical proportions.

    By the time I had stopped and turned around, riders were scattered all over the bitumen. Some were dazed, but apparently OK. One rider had obviously suffered the worst and was lying motionless on the road. This is the worst sight that I could have had. A closer view showed that it was Bob that had crashed the hardest and he was moaning and groaning in pain. My immediate worry was that he had broken his collar bone or dislocated his shoulder. We formed a guard around him to protect him from the hot sun, while Marg (an experienced nurse) checked him over.

    We had been told that medical services in Cuba are very good, but we really didn’t want to check this personally. However Bob was in trouble and he needed help. An ambulance was called from the nearby hospital and it arrived about 20 minutes later. By that time Bob had rallied around somewhat and had been able to test that most of his bodily bits were still functioning (or functioning as well as they usually do at his age). The initial shock had also passed and he became more lucid. The ambulance personal performed a few tests and then seemed happy for Bob to be assisted to the bus, instead of heading with them to the hospital.

    It really had been a worrying time, but we were all greatly relieved that Bob was OK. Although we love to tease him, Bob is a genuine Ghostrider legend and we adore the guy immensely. He also demonstrated that he is a tough old buzzard and it takes more than a steel railway line to put him down permanently. The other riders who came down had a few cuts and abrasions, but were able to continue the ride.

    The remainder of the ride to the beach was completed in rather subdued fashion. We were all conscious of how quickly accidents can occur and we were still somewhat concerned about Bob’s condition. After a couple of hours at the huge resort hotel, it was time to leave. The regular afternoon heat had built up again and I quickly made the decision to quit the ride at that point and sit in the bus for the final 15 km.

    When putting this trip together I knew that the heat and humidity was going to play a significant role in how hard each day’s ride was. That was the reason that we organised to have a bus available at all times. I am not sure about the rest of the group, but I came to Cuba to enjoy myself, not to suffer under a blazing sun when I don’t have to. There were about 5 others who also took the smart decision to sit in the bus.

    Tonight is our last night at the Casa Particulaire in Trinidad. Although the standard can vary from one hostel to another, I have been very happy with the place we have been allocated and the hosts really have been amazing.

    Pictures to follow when we have better Internet access    Leia mais

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  • The World on Two WheelsCanada, Cuba and Covid 19
    Dia 14

    In Search of Che Guevara

    15 de março de 2020, Cuba ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    After three days in Trinidad, we were really starting to feel at home in the place. The streets that had looked so confusing when we arrived, now felt familiar. My home for the three nights had been the magnificent casa particulaire owned by Carlos and Jenny Amenidides. They really had welcomed us and proven to be exceptional hosts.

    We bade our final farewell after breakfast and walked our luggage back to the waiting bus. Our destination for the day was the famous city of Santa Clara - the place where the image of Che Guevera is everywhere. But before we could begin the day;'s ride we had a tortuous bus transfer up high into the mountains.

    Anyone who thinks that Cuba is all flat, has no idea what they are talking about. The driver had to use all his skill to negotiate the narrow roads and the tight switchbacks. At times the gradients were so steep that I was worried that the bus would not be able to struggle to the top of the next climb. The roof of the bus regularly bashed on the low overhanging branches.

    At one spectacular vantage point we stopped to climb to the top of a viewing platform where we could see all the way back to Trinidad and the Caribbean Sea beyond. It was an ideal spot for another group photo.

    Then it was back in the bus for another 30 minutes of serious climbing. I was certainly glad we didn't have to ride THAT section ! Eventually the bus stopped and we were told to get ready to ride. I looked ahead at the next section of road and noted that it went straight uphill. Lee had told us that the day's ride would be a DOWNHILL ride, but once again he had lied.

    For the next two hours we alternated between long fast descents and steep climbs. Although the climbs were not long, some of them were very steep. I am happy to admit that one two occasions I got off and walked to the top.

    The scenery that we were riding through was probably the prettiest of the ride so far. Not only did we have regular views down to the lowlands, but we passed through a succession of small villages where the locals greeted us cheerfully as we passed by. Numerous horse drawn carts carried all sorts of goods back and forth.

    The road itself was sometimes unsealed and sometimes bitumen. The poor condition of the road reminded me of some of the mountain roads we had ridden in Bhutan.

    At one point I could hear happy singing coming from a small house and I stopped to listen. It did not take long to realise that it was a church gathering. The people sang and clapped with obvious joy and the harmonies were beautiful. Several young children wandered in and out, waving and smiling at me. It really was a wonderful glimpse of local life.

    I stopped outside the church for 20 minutes or so until the rest of the riders joined me and we continued together. As we descended, the heat that we had experienced each afternoon steadily built up. Apparently there has been very little rain and this shows in the dry and dusty conditions we have seen everywhere.

    Eventually we reached the sizeable city of Manicuragua, where I met a T intersection. I thought it would be good to film some of the street life. In the process I did not notice that our riders had stopped by the side of the road. I kept going through the town, before finally realising that I was alone. It was a slightly scary feeling and I had to turn around and retrace my route until I found the rest of the group.

    A short distance later we finished the ride and loaded the bikes into the bus. We then had a short drive to Santa Clara, the famous location where Che Guevara successfully waged a guerrilla war against the Battista regime. The image of Che is now everywhere and a huge mausoleum has been built in the revolution square to house his remains. This has become a place of pilgrimage for those who think that Che was some sort of superhuman.

    We visited the memorial where we had to walk in silence past his remains, before finally checking into our lovely hotel. It has been another long day.

    I should also add that word of the outside world is slowly reaching us. I can assure you that we are all well and healthy and have plenty of food and toilet paper. The biggest worry is that our flights and travel plans over the next couple of weeks may be impacted. Interesting times indeed.

    Pictures to follow .    Leia mais

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  • The World on Two WheelsCanada, Cuba and Covid 19
    Dia 15

    Time to Call it Quits

    16 de março de 2020, Cuba ⋅ 🌙 21 °C

    Over the past few days a dark cloud had been growing steadily, not just over Cuba, but over the whole planet. It was called the COVID 19 virus. The first mentions of this epidemic were just hitting the news as we departed Australia, but no one could have foreseen just how rapidly the situation was going to involve.

    Even though we were on the other side of the planet, I endeavored to keep up to date with the latest developments whenever I could get Internet access. In a place like Cuba the Internet is something of a luxury and access can only be purchased an hour at a time by means of a coded scratch ticket.

    Over the previous couple of days we had been informed that the first cases of COVID19 had been reported in Cuba. We noticed a rapid increase in the number of people wearing face masks. Restaurants started insisting that everyone entering the premises had to have their hands disinfected. My level of anxiety increased with each successive elevation of the alert level.

    Today we travelled from Santa Clara to Las Terrazas (The Terraces). Although we were due to spend the afternoon cycling, I decided that I needed to spend the time getting as much information as possible, so that any decision I made would be rationally based. The next 3 hours were spent in my room at the beautiful Hotel Moka, searching for accurate information.

    The first thing I found was that my planned cross Canada rail trip had already been cancelled. For me that was one of the main reasons I was taking this trip in the first place, so the cancellation was bitterly disappointing. I also received another email from World Expeditions advising all participants to look for earlier flights home. The final straw came in the form of a notice from the Australian Government raising the threat level for the entire world to level four - the highest possible.

    In the space of a couple of hours I could feel that this trip was being taken from my hands. I looked around the room and gazed at the spectacular view outside. Although it was breathtaking, I knew just how far I was away from home. All it would take is a disruption anywhere along the way to make a return to Australia impossible. I decided that I would return to Havana as quickly as possible and seek alternate flights back to Melbourne.

    Anyone who has tried to ring airlines would know how difficult it is in normal circumstances. In times of crisis it is absolutely impossible. Fortunately my family back home were able to work on my behalf to find earlier flights.

    When the rest of the team arrived I told them what I had discovered and I informed them that I would be returning to Havana. Each participant then had to decide whether to continue or not. I have to admit that I was more than a little surprised when the rest of the group decided to continue with the trip.

    I returned to my room to pack my bags for the final time, knowing full well that it would be a very long time before I would be able to lay my head on a pillow again. A taxi had been arranged to pick me up at 1 am for the long journey back to Havana.    Leia mais

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  • The World on Two WheelsCanada, Cuba and Covid 19
    Dia 16

    A Midnight Drive to Havana

    17 de março de 2020, Cuba ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    My original plans had been to leave Havana on Tuesday 24th March via an Air Canada flight to Toronto. From there I had booked to ride the Trans Canada Railway on a spectacular 4 day trip across the country to Vancouver. Once this part of the trip became impossible, I tried to contact Air Canada to get an earlier flight. It would probably have been easier to try to call Queen Elizabeth. Not only was it impossible to contact Air Canada, but it was also impossible to contact Webjet, where I had booked my flights. Neither of them were taking calls, nor were they responding to emails or other messages. The stress started to rapidly build.

    In the meantime my taxi arrived at the Hotel La Moka at the ungodly hour of 1 am. I bundled my luggage into an old taxi where I was met with, not one, but two drivers. At times like this you realise just how vulnerable you are. They could have taken me anywhere and I would have been defenseless.

    As the taxi pulled out into the darkness I strained to look for any landmarks that I recognised from the previous day. I wanted to see that we were heading in the direction of Havana. My mind was put a little at ease when I discovered that one of the drivers spoke a little English and we were able to have a limited chat during the long drive.

    Although the road back to Havana was one of Cuba's major highways, driving in Cuba in unlike driving on our roads. Drivers constantly weave from one side of the road to the other, attempting to avoid the worst potholes. At times we were almost driving along the verge at the side of the road. At least the driver seemed cautious and was driving at a modest speed.

    About 90 minutes (and 100 Euros) later we were back at Havana. Since it was still too early to go to the airport, I decided to stop at the Hotel Nacional instead. Since I already had two nights booked and paid for that I would no longer be using, I thought it would be very reasonable to ask for the use of a room for a few hours. They could keep the payment for the nights that I would no longer use. I was wasting my time. Apparently such a request was just "not possible".

    Since I was too tired to argue, I dragged my luggage out to the rear courtyard, sat in one of their giant chairs and started to wait. I had already gone close to 24 hours without sleep.

    At sunrise I decided that it was time to get to the airport. Another taxi ride (and another 30 euros) later I was walking into the terminal of Havana airport. While all this was going on, Maggie had been busy at home working with Flight Centre to try to find an alternate series of flights that would get me home as quickly as possible. They eventually made a plan which would see me first flying to Mexico city, then flying to San Francisco and finally to Melbourne. Since I could waste no more time trying to contact Air Canada, I reluctantly accepted the alternative.

    Although I now had a feasible way of getting back home, the flight to Mexico was not due to depart till 7:15 that evening. That meant another 12 hours of sitting in Havana airport before I could get underway. People who have never spent some of the best years of their lives waiting in aiports would probably never appreciate just how boring these waits can be. The time moves inordinately slowly and the few seats are probably the most uncomfortable you will ever find anywhere.

    By the time my flight was finally called my backside was numb. Although I had already been awake for over 36 hours, I knew that the most taxing part of my trip was only just beginning. I tried to console myself with the thought that every little step was a step closer to home.    Leia mais

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