Fear in Cuba

Scary Bike Ride

Fear is a gift others give to you. You’re about do something and a voice at your side tells you that “you should not do that as it is too dangerous”. Out of politeness you listen you pay attention and weigh the words in your mind. You wonder what is the danger and you look at yourself in the mirror and think this is the person in danger.

Is he a bomb disposal expert? Does it he clear minefields for a living is he a  news correspondence working in a war zone. Is he learning to do the Hopi snake dance. As is true of almost everyone my answer is. None of these. I am just a slightly overweight person pedaling a bicycle

When I was a child I was told that the most dangerous job was that of a deep sea fisherman. This I accepted  without ever having met one or been on a fishing vessel. thinking about it perhaps worse still would be. A mine clearance expert who tap-danced as a hobby. Yes, that sounded weird and very dangerous. But remember that there are many different people in the world all trying to get on.

With all I know I am a cyclist; my great fear is high-speed horseflies able to fly faster than I can pedal. As far as I know there are no statistics for the number of cyclists who have been dinner for  cannibals or swallowed whole while on their bike by cyclist hungry anacondas. So what fear can a cyclist reasonably have?

That is why fear is a gift. it is not yours it is a present from another who tells you that you will certainly be attacked and robbed. I remember the first time I arrived in Bogota being told in all seriousness not to  put a foot outside my hotel door as if I did “they will steal the shoe”.

But please note that despite this danger within three years I married the most beautiful woman in the world who stole my still beating heart.

Such is life but  how to deal with other people’s fears as every minute people are attacked. The strangeness of the lone cyclist does  give some protection because almost all of the worlds wildest places have become used to the nervous panting mechanical human patchwork with bulging pants  that arrives from nowhere in their midst; a peculiar object perhaps from outer-space, speaking a strange language which is eventually understood to mean it wants to buy a bottle of water or could it just please sit in the shade nothing much here to make even the  hungriest cannibal start to think of the best recipe for this person.

When the cyclist does go in harm’s way it is done of their own accord it is they that decide that they can cycle faster than the foaming dog at their heels and it is the cyclist who starts to shout as the children surround  his bike and touch all his things he will remember too late that children every were do the same thing. Mainly these are silly and not dangerous. You can go swimming in the Amazon even knowing that there are 35 different strains of piranhas.  If the locals go everyday so can you.

So what fears are my own. Almost all of the fears I’ve collected after the event. For example I learnt in the Middle East the certain knowledge that my forward motion can be stopped immediately by the sound of a rifle bolt being cocked I was not afraid at the time but I certainly found real fear thinking about it afterwards.

I also managed to do some really stupid things on boats in the English Channel which again in retrospect makes me scared of my own stupidity. I crash and burn with fear and shame  at the memory of being in Panama when a large hand was placed in my shirt pocket. I grabbed hold of the hand and much to the surprise of the owner I bit it as hard as I could. the owner then fled up a dark alley. I followed and caught the thief. Then I stood ready in the classic boxing stance I then looked again at my huge dark opponent turned around and ran back out into the into the sunshine.

Today my I fear that I may not show respect or understanding to the community as I’m travelling through. In Cuba my bike was the equivalent of the total value of a professional salary for four years. Naturally this is not something I mention unless specifically asked. Other touring bikes can easily be twice or even three times this cost. Fortunately the amount is so bizarre that most people in the community you are travelling through will have no idea. Cameras are another problem I was amazed and perhaps disgusted to see foreign tourists in Cuba walking around with $3000 plus cameras hanging around their necks. This scares me as does a man wearing a gold Rolex watch.

Certainly it is wonderful to have nice things but respect the community your travelling through and keep them hidden.

You are not allowed fear in your mind. If it comes to visit get it to sit down and listen to what is has to say but then get on your bike and pedal and leave the fear behind.

 

 

 

 

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Up the silver way

Well I have a had a fantastic time. i did not do what i had hoped to do in that I only went part way up the via del Plata the reason is that mostly at least it is a track which at times  is very difficult to walk just might be possible to pass if you are a strong cyclist on a Mountain bike but out of condition me on my vastly overloaded touring bike no way. But I did get from Seville to Zafra and I learnt some important lessons. The first was that however determined I am to do something there is no point in pushing myself into exhaustion. I am actually required to enjoy myself. On this trip i was very fortunate to meet another plgrim who saw how afraid i was of failing when I should have been concentrating on the value of success.

He also made  me talk about my life and of course i talked about Lilly.He made me look at things through different eyes by asking me what I would want for Lilly  if I had died first and not her. Of course my answer was that i would want her to find a new life and be happy. my friend of course said that would be just what she would say to me.

He said I should stop feeling guilty and confused and get on and live life to the maxim. He also said that I should stop thinking Lilly was gone forever but that she was in a different place. This I had a lot of problems with but he said the body changes every seven years and this means  that nothing is left of us as children. that person has gone but the essence remains. he wanted me to accept that in some place there is Lilly and although we are separated. he said there is no difference between were she is now and her being at home in Caracas while I cycle in Spain.

well as you can see I have been thinking and trying to balance life a little.All the while peddling away. My children are everything but there are still parts of my life that I need to find.

In Zafra I was hosted by a young American couple, Savi and Levi, who are teaching English in Zafra. After I had been there a couple of days they said how Happy they were to see how I had revived. Apparently when I arrived they both thought I looked exhausted. They fed me great food and told me about their lives. Teaching English is a sort of boat they are using to sail around the world. They have a happy and relaxed little ship. Work seems to find them in that word of their skills spread through the community and walking with them in the street it soon became clear as a lot of people called to them to say hello. We talked a lot. Their next country will be tieland starting in September 2012 they suggested I come and see them there. They painted a very tempting picture of the English teachers life so there is another path that I might follow.

After Zafra I came to Madrid just in time to meet Alicia and Alvaro who literally the day before had finished cycling around the world.

Wow. It was a real privilege to see how they tried hard to remember what it was like to live in their own house. to go to the supermarket, to face family problems and the annoyance of a neighbors barking dog. Their kindness was immense and so was their wisdom. I told them about my battle on the via del plata and was told to be patient with myself. That was just another way of saying what the pilgrim had told me. Perhaps this time I will pay attention. They also repeated that cycle touring I not a race. Take all the time you need go the distance your happy with.

www.rodadas.net   will tell tou much more about this very special partnership

Now it is almost time to return to Venezuela. Was this trip a failure. No I don’t think so. It is amazing how we stumble through life now I am being forced to think about things and make choices based on simple things like having patience with myself. It was not the pilgrimage I intended but it was a pilgrimage.

I must also mention the others  who shared their thoughts with me and helped me untangle my ideas especially Edo Chris and Ben who filled me with happiness to see their happiness. Alberto who would like me to take a vow of poverty so i can better appreciate just how lucky i am, Anna and the joy and enthusiasm .she has in life. Katrina and Lucas for their warm supportive friendship and determination to find their way forward in life and Ester the highly indignant one finding solutions to some very tough problems together you all make my life wonderful.

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Riding a bike in Cuba

Habana

Habana

Something strange happens when you get on a bike and ride in Cuba. The wheels go around and the kilometers pass by the  sun beats down  and you drink warm water from  plastic bottles. That is the same. Then you find yourself on a motorway sharing the inside lane with horse-drawn carriages and Rapidly moving stout iron bicycles pushed forward by strongman who always turn and  smile at you as they move past

Cuba is about people; all 11 million of them who share a world that is magnificent and inspirational but also very depressing. As you pedal along you become aware that there is very little traffic and under each bridge there waits a group of people waiting for a converted lorry to arrive so they can clamber aboard to stand and sway their way home. You see large American cars all at least 20 years old highly polished and sparkling with the pride of the owner.

Old timer in Cuba

Old timer in Cuba

This is not your world you pedal on and come to a crossroads and find a small shack selling very tasty mini pizzas you pay what seems like nothing and follow with ice cream you drink more water. You pedal on, at dusk you come to the village and there you’ll find bed-and-breakfast but bed-and-breakfast in a house that is run and administered partly by the state so the owner look who gives you great warmth and friendliness provides a service only because as a foreigner you are not allowed to  camp or perhaps even visit a private house

Roadside break

Roadside break

But if you do, cross the line into their private world you find wonderful warmth and friendliness and a caring for yourself and each other that is magnificent why then is a depressing because life is held together with a shoestring if there are rich people they are well hidden the majority of people somehow live on perhaps $20 a month or less the state provides free education free healthcare but what if you want to buy a new pair of Nike shoes or surf the Internet or do many other things which we each take as a natural part of life what you want to travel to a foreign country how could actually do that with $20 a month. These are the  thoughts you have is your peddle down the road wonderful country wonderful people very hot sun. You ride  and smile but still you wonder when will the future arrive and what will it look like

but now there is talk of a new economic policy but as far as the television says this will be achieved through increased discipline efficiency and better planning.

Me cycling in Cuba

Me cycling in Cuba

I ask my Cuban friends what they see in the future and both together they say more of the same nothing will change. There you have it; everybody wants to find a new future but nobody has a vision of how that future will arrive and what the future will look like. Certainly they survive by working just a little bit outside of the system and they smile and laugh over a glass of rum. Cubans are all very proud of their country and patriotic a lot of effort went into building their revolution and the relationships and a caring attitude they all show each other is a wonderful testimony. it is the future that is the big unknown. Presently a lot of effort has been put into encouraging the development of the tourist industry but that has unfortunate consequences because it only provides great benefits to one group and worse still it turns tourists into special people with special privileges that are not shared by all Cubans. For example hotel beaches etc which are only open to tourists. Doctors and teachers who give up their profession because they can earn three or four times as much as tour guides

so without losing the good things of the revolution now it is time for all Cuba to pedal down a new road.

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Starting in Spain

Here is my first email on my bike travels in Spain. You will remember that I have only been traveling for two days so things will get better. (Come and join me whenever you like) I started the trip on Sunday afternoon by getting the train to Reus so that I could set off early on Sunday morning from Edo´s parents farm. When we arrived at the station Edo´s father had very kindly drawn up a map showing me the route to follow to the farm. Easy enough. Except that if your drive a car you see the world through different eyes to a cyclist. The first part through the town was perfect but after that I got lost on a network of unmarked internal farm roads that seemed to go on for ever. Eventually a very kind man spoke to Edo´s Dad and agreed where I was and the place I should go to be met.

There are other things to mention but let me do it in note form. I have two overfilled pannier bags on the back of the bike. Perhaps 30 kilos+. This changes the way the bike handles and bang over I went. I became dehydrated. This was a new experience. When I finally arrived at the farm I was unable to concentrate or talk. I just had to drink. Also my energy levels dropped way down. Edo´s Mother had a super dinner party arranged and that brought my energy level up again but I still got up four times during the night as I still needed to drink!!!

In the morning I left at about 10.00am. It was cool and overcast so there were no problems. I wore the same jeans I had had on the day previously. Ouch. I did not get to the end of the farm road before I stopped and changed into my special padded cyclist shorts as even on the first day I had a severe case of `bike bottom´. Without too many problems I found my way to the coast and immediately drank a litre of water so I would be ready for the day. My first error was to follow the ´bike path´ that ran along by the beach as this really take the longest possible route. Once again I toppled off my bike. Not sure why but by now a number of ridding difficulties had made themselves known. The bike has a tendency to pull to the right although this may be because it is not correctly balanced. I find I have to use a ´mounting block´ as there is no way I am able to swing my leg over the top of the panniers. (when I am able to send some photos you will see the reason for this). Also the tip of my saddle constantly gets caught in the back of my cycling shorts so that at times my bottom smiles back at those behind. I am still not use to the gears but that will come with time and yes my legs do hurt.

With all these problems I am not letting them upset me. Time will solve them. I have found that it is essential to stay out of the sun from 11 to 4. The first day I found a huge olive tree and slept on my new (wonderful) self inflating mattress. Today I was not so lucky so spent an hour in a bath of ice cold water.One other problem I have to solve is what and when to eat. Yesterday I had coffee and bread for breakfast and did not eat again until after five when I ate a large packet of honey roasted peanuts and small bottle of chocolate milk. Since I am trying to control my Diabetes 2 my idea was to avoid all carbohydrates which I still think is a good idea. However at times I feel weak from lack of food. Eventually I will sort this out too.

Virtually no planning went into this trip. I do not have sufficient time to do it all on the bike as I have to return to Venezuela. Eventually the pains in my legs will stop and I will learn to push the bike without the peddles trying to cut my feet off at the ankles.

So that is it. The first two days. It will get better.

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Hello world!

Here is my first email on my bike travels in Spain. You will remember that I have only been traveling for two days so things will get better. I started the trip on Sunday afternoon by getting the train to Reus so that I could set off early on Sunday morning from Edo´s parents farm. When we arrived at the station Edo´s father had very kindly drawn up a map showing me the route to follow to the farm. Easy enough. Except that if your drive a car you see the world through different eyes to a cyclist. The first part through the town was perfect but after that I got lost on a network of unmarked internal farm roads that seemed to go on for ever. Eventually a very kind man spoke to Edo´s Dad on my cell phone and agreed where I was and the place I should go to be met.

There are other things to mention but let me do it in note form. I have two overfilled pannier bags on the back of the bike. Perhaps 30 kilos+. This changes the way the bike handles and bang over I went. I became dehydrated. This was a new experience. When I finally arrived at the farm I was unable to concentrate or talk. I just had to drink. Also my energy levels dropped way down. Edo´s Mother had a super dinner party arranged and that brought my energy level up again but I still got up four times during the night as I still needed to drink!!!

In the morning I left at about 10.00am. It was cool and overcast so there was no problems. I wore the same jeans I had had on the day previously. Ouch. I did not get to the end of the farm road before I stopped and changed into my special padded cyclist shorts as even on the first day I had a severe case of `bike bottom´. Without too much problem I found my way to the coast and immediately drank a litre of water so I would be ready for the day. My first error was to follow the ´bike path´ that ran along by the beach as this really takes the longest possible route. Once again I toppled off my bike. Not sure why but by now a number of ridding difficulties had made themselves known. The bike has a tendency to pull to the right although this may be because it is not correctly balance.l so I find I have to use a ´mounting block´ as there is no way I am able to swing my leg over the top of the panniers. (when I am able to send some photos you will see the reason for this). Also the tip of my saddle constantly gets caught in the back of my cycling shorts so that at times my bottom smiles back at those behind. I am still not use to the gears but that will come with time and yes my legs do hurt.

With all these problems I am not letting them upset me. Time will solve them. I have found that it is essential to stay out of the sun from 11 to 4. The first day I found a huge olive tree and slept on my new (wonderful) self inflating mattress. Today I was not so lucky so spent an hour in a bath of ice cold water.One other problem I have to solve is what and when to eat. Yesterday I had coffee and bread for breakfast and did not eat again until after five when I ate a large packet of honey roasted peanuts and small bottle of chocolate milk. Since I am trying to control my Diabetes 2 my idea was to avoid all carbohydrates which I still think is a good idea. However at times I feel weak from lack of food. Eventually I will sort this out too.

Virtually no planning went into this trip. I do not have sufficient time to do it all on the bike as I have to return to Venezuela. Eventually the pains in my legs will stop and I will learn to push the bike without the peddles trying to cut my feet off at the ankles.

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment