Thread: Where do I put photos of Cuban Land Rovers?

Hi Cripesamighty,

Good to hear some other Perthian has been to Cuba, not many Ozzies go there. We spent a month criss-crossing the country on a rental car last year. This was the only old LandRover we saw in that time.
From the sticker I could see that it belonged to a caving society.

Mechanics must be part of the national curriculum in Cuba by necessity, can't just get parts due to the embargo so they copy them or adapt them from other vehicles. Most cars in Cuba are "hybrids" under the bonnet, half original half russian tractor. And I say this with admiration.

Will have to compare notes on Cuba sometime. I confess I paid more attention to the scaley creatures than the cars....

Hi Salamanquesa,

Fantastic that someone else has been to Cuba on this forum - it's a little off the beaten track! Also good to see I'm not only one who takes photo's of Landys while on holiday too!

We went for over five weeks in total and got around by taking the Viazul buses. Funny you should mention caving though. About the third week in my partner fractured her ankle crossing a stream while we were out caving in the middle of nowhere. It's a long story and she laughs about it now, but a few days after her plaster was put on, she still had no crutches - embargo again. I ended up having to go halfway across the country from Sancti Spiritus back to Havana on the overnight bus to get some crutches! It was rather interesting trying to get around Cuba after that with her in a knee length plaster cast and hobbling around on crutches. Ha. Ha.

Our original intention was to see a few caves while we were there on holiday. Cavers though are kind of like Landy owners in that they share a passion for something not quite mainstream and just welcome you into the fold. We met up with the head of the Cuban caving society by fluke and he gave us a letter of introduction, so we ended up plugged into the caving network and headed out with cavers in several provinces.

It would be good to compare notes as we intend on heading back next year to run a combined Cuban/Australian caving expedition!

cheers

cripesamighty

Hi again Cripesamighty,

Sounds like you got to see the real Cuba too! Howz your Spanish guys?, if u were travelling in the Viazul, you must be proficient?

I had fun with the local lingo, my native tongue is Spanish, peninsular spanish a bit different.

The caving society Landy was in Trinidad.

I bet you had top medical treatment, better than some Ozzie hospitals where they would miss the fracture and send you home in cruthes anyway.

Will catch up sometime.

Señorita Gálvez.

Would that brown and white one be one of those Spanish built things. Or just customized. They sure stick some strange gear on them. Diffs etc. Tony

Ahh my Spanish is rather poor but my partner was going to Tafe at night to learn Spanish so the Viazul was OK. We went to several hospitals while in Cuba and the ones in the countryside looked like dilapidated abandoned buildings but the one in Havana was top rate - the vagaries of Cuba and the embargo I guess!

As for the medical treatment, even though they had few resources the doctors were first rate. The fracture was not picked up while in Cuba but as they were a little unsure whether it was really a fracture or just ligaments the Cuban doctor put it in plaster anyway to be on the safe side.

When we got back to Oz, the doctor did the "she'll be right mate" and the plaster came off and a compression bandage came on. Unfortunately the X-rays didn't show up any problems until over three weeks later when there was signs of bone healing. Too late by that stage as the damage was done. A broken ankle and a stress fracture or two because of poor healing and it is now over seven months later and the poor girl has finally got the go ahead to do even a little bit of exercise. Considering we used to go caving and rogaining on a regular basis it has put a real dampener on things!

Luckily the new Defender has come along just when my other half can finally get around and we will be taking it out as soon as we get all the accessories fitted. Can't wait!!!!


Cripesamighty