Vehicles don't last long round here - a new 4x4 can be ground into the dust in only a few years. There are a handful of old Land Rovers which have been patched up enough to be used as local run-abouts, and then there are the Bedford trucks. These trucks carry a full load of oil drums - full of gasoline - on the road between Georgetown and Lethem and then from Lethem into the mountains, into the forest, over the savannah. They carry on where the roads stop and pretty much keep the interior of Guyana running. I've no idea how long this one has been going - but there is a chance that it will be still running when the driver's son is big enough to reach the pedals, and old enough to drive it.
Would this vehicle pass its MOT in the UK? Great smile from the budding driver!
ReplyDeleteMy one and only trip in one of these took us to Karanambu. The other passenger and I had to take turns in the center "seat" because the 4 wheel drive gearstick stuck out at almost 90 degrees to the seat back. So you have to lean forward all the time.
ReplyDeleteMan, I was almost happy when we got stuck in the middle of the savannah at midnight after traveling for the preceding 10 hours.
Almost happy, that is, until I had to get into one of those Land Rovers you mentioned with one Mickey McTurk. But that is a story to be told over a couple beers :)