TOUR DE TIMOR-LESTE,ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS TO THE SEA.

AS DENI AT RENTLO CAR HIRE IN DILI TOSSED ME THE KEYS TO A MITSUBISHI 4 WHEEL DRIVE,I KNEW THE NEXT 10 DAYS WOULD LEAD ME ACROSS SOME OF THE MOST AMAZING "ROADS"IN EAST TIMOR,AND THE CHANCE TO MEET SOME INCREDIBLE PEOPLE AND COMMUNITYS.MY BATTERED MAP OF EAST TIMOR HAD ONLY JUST SURVIVED THE LAST VISIT,THIS TRIP HELD TOGETHER BY STICKY TAPE IT RARELY LEFT MY SIDE!DRY SEASON IN TIMOR(APRIL TO NOVEMBER) WOULD ALLOW ME TO REACH REMOTE AREAS,USUALLY OFF LIMITS WHEN THE RAINS COME,THE PLAN WAS TO REACH THE BORDER WITH WEST TIMOR,TREK ACROSS THE BIG MOUNTAINS THEN ADVANCE ONTO SUAI.AFTER A NIGHT IN THE FAMOUS TURISMO HOTEL,THE SUN ROSE ON A PERFECT TIMOR MORNING,THE HARBOUR REFLECTING A SHIMMERING LAZY CALM AS THE FIRST BIG CONTAINER SHIPS EDGED THEIR WAY TOWARDS THE MAIN TERMINAL.FIRST STOP WAS LIQUICA,30 KMS FROM DILI,WALKING ALONG THE BLACK SAND BEACH AND THROUGH THIS TOWN IT'S CENTREPIECE IS THE SAO JOAO DE BRITO CHURCH,MARKED IN HISTORY FROM IT'S MONUMENTS,JUST 20 METRES AWAY A SCHOOL FULL OF NOISY EXCITED CHILDREN SHOWS THAT EAST TIMOR IS CARVING OUT A NEW ENTHUSIASM FOR THE FUTURE,THIS WAS FURTHER ENHANCED AT THE SMALL TOWN OF MAUBARA,WHERE TO MY SURPRISE LOCAL WOMAN HAD BEEN GIVEN SMALL BUNGALOWS TO MAKE AND SELL THEIR HANDICRAFTS BY THE ROADSIDE,I CAN ONLY HOPE THIS SENSE OF DIGNITY AND PROUDNESS EXTENDS TO THIS EXERCISE BEING IMPLEMENTED IN OTHER DISTRICTS.THE OLD DUTCH FORTRESS STILL STANDS HERE ALONG WITH AN ORIGINAL CANNON FACING OUT TO THE SAVU SEA,THE PORTUGESE SWAPPED THIS AREA WITH THE NETHERLANDS FOR FLORES ISLAND!SOME OF EAST TIMORS BEST BEACHES AND SCENERY ARE LOCATED ALONG THE COASTAL ROAD LEADING INTO VATOBORO AND BATUGADE...WHITE SANDS,WARM WATERS AND TRADITIONAL FISHERMEN SETTING THEIR NETS MAKE UP THE IDEAL REFLECTIVE REST STOP.FROM BATUGADE YOU HAVE 2 OPTIONS..2KMS AROUND THE CORNER IS THE BORDER CHECK POINT FOR WEST TIMOR(INDONESIA),TURN LEFT AND THE ROAD SNAKES IT'S WAY UP THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS TO THE SMALL TOWN OF BALIBO.HISTORICAL EVENTS AND NOW AN AUSTRALIAN MOVIE DETAILING THE "BALIBO 5"HAS PUT THE SPOTLIGHT ONTO THIS VILLAGE,DURING THE 1999 PEACE KEEPING OPERATIONS,THE 400 YEAR OLD OLD PORTUGESE FORTRESS WAS HOME TO AROUND 1,000 UNITED NATIONS PERSONEL,RECENTLY THE VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT PURCHASED THE HOUSE WHERE THE "BALIBO 5"HAD STAYED WHILE REPORTING ON THE INDONESIAN INVASION,NOW SERVING AS A MEMORIAL TO THE JOURNALISTS IT IS ALSO USED AS A COMMUNITY CENTRE.WINDING MY WAY BACK DOWN THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS INTO THE MALIANA VALLEY,THIS IS WHERE YOUR DRIVING SKILLS ARE TESTED,AS EACH SHARP BEND IS APPROACHED YOU START SENDING A MESSAGE TO ANY ONCOMING VEHICLES WITH THE CONSTANT USE OF YOUR CAR HORN WHILE KEEPING THE WHEELS ON THE ROAD,ALONG WITH A NEVER ENDING STREAM OF GOATS,PIGS,CHICKENS,HORSES,BUFFALOS,DOGS AND THEIR HUMAN COMPANIONS CRISS CROSSING,IT MAKES PEAK HOUR ON CORONATION DRIVE SEEM TAME!AS YOU APPROACH MALIANA,RICE FIELDS STRETCH FOR MANY KILOMETRES ACROSS A BEAUTIFUL SPRING LIKE VALLEY FED BY A HEALTHY WATER SUPPLY FROM THE RIVERS RUNNING FROM THE MOUNTAINS,DRIVING UP THE BIG HILL THAT OVERLOOKS THE TOWN I FOUND THE POUSADA(HOTEL)MALIANA,IT'S BEST DAYS MAY HAVE PASSED BY,BUT THE SPECTACULAR VIEWS DOWN THE VALLEY AT SUNSET WIPE AWAY THE HARD DAYS TRAVEL,WASHING OFF THE FATIGUE AND DUST WITH A COLD TIGER BEER,I WATCHED A SPIRITED BUNCH OF LOCALS PLAY VOLLEYBALL UNTIL THERE WAS NO LIGHT LEFT,IT WAS ANOTHER INDICATION THAT THE PEOPLE OF TIMOR LESTE ARE PLAYING THEIR OWN GAME.NEXT DAY I RAMBLED THROUGH THE MAIN MARKET AREA,GATHERING MY BREAKFAST OF DONUTS AND MANDARINS,THIS DAY WOULD TAKE ME UP THROUGH THE BIG MOUNTAIN PASS AND INTO BOBONARO,FROM THERE ONTO THE COASTAL TOWN OF SUAI NEXT TO THE TIMOR SEA.IN THESE REMOTE REGIONS TRANSPORT IS NON-EXISTANT,SO MANY FAMILIES HAVE TO WALK LONG DISTANCES TO TAKE THEIR FARM PRODUCE TO MARKETS,YOU PASS MANY FULLY LADEN HORSES ON THE TRACKS TO REGIONAL CENTRES,SO IT GAVE ME GREAT PLEASURE TO HELP MANY GROUPS MAKE THE TREK EASIER,IT WAS MY PAYBACK TO LAST YEARS VISIT WHEN LOCALS AFFORDED ME LIFTS, BAGS OF ,CORN,PEANUTS AND CHICKENS ALL HELD EQUAL SPACE IN THE BACK WHILE CHATTING IN MY BROKEN PORTUGESE/BAHASA/ENGLISH COMBINATION TO THE EXCITED PASSENGERS,AFTER THE TORTURE OF THE GOAT TRACKS AROUND BOBONARO, IT WAS A SENSE OF JOY WHEN I SPOTTED THE TIMOR SEA WAY OFF IN THE DISTANCE,MANY OF MY "TAXI" PASSENGERS WERE STUDENTS GOING TO SCHOOL,HOLDING RIPPED EXCERCISE BOOKS FULL OF BASIC ENGLISH,THEY ASKED FOR HELP IN SPEAKING MORE WORDS AND PHRASES.A COUPLE OF BOYS FROM ZUMALAI ESCOLA SHOULD NOW BE FULLY VERSED IN THE TERM "I AM PLEASED TO MEET YOU"!THE RUN ALONG THE COAST TOWARDS SUAI RATTLES THE BONES WITH 30KMS OF CORRUGATIONS,NORMALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO GET TO IN WET SEASON,NEW BRIDGES ARE BEING CONSTRUCTED TO HOPEFULLY ALLOW ACCESS TO SUAI ALL YEAR AROUND.AFTER CHECKING INTO THE EASTERN DRAGON HOTEL,MY TRUSTY PAIR OF THONGS TOOK ME OUT INTO THE BLAZING AFTERNOON SUN TO EXPLORE,WITHIN 10 MINUTES I HAD THE SENSE THAT SUAI WAS ONE OF EAST TIMORS BEST KEPT SECRETS,AN INCREDIBLE COMMUNITY PRIDE MET ME EVERYWHERE,EVERYONE WAS HAPPY TO TELL ME THEIR STORIES OF STRUGGLE AND HOPE,A NEW HOSPITAL HAS OPENED IN SUAI CREATING MANY JOBS AND HELPING PEOPLES HEALTH,THE FRONTEIRA GUEST HOUSE WAS ADDING EXTRA ROOMS AND A NEW RESTAURANT WAS NEARLY COMPLETE...SCHOOLS WERE FULL AND THE 'FRIENDS OF SUAI"AN AUSTRALIAN VOLUNTEER GROUP HAD MADE THE COMMUNITY CENTRE A PLACE OF VISION FOR LOCALS.EVEN THOUGH THE TOWN SEEMED BUSY WITH ENDEVOUR,THE FEEL WAS LAID BACK,IT REMINDED ME OF VANIMO IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA.AS I WANDERED INTO THE RESTAURANT ATTACHED TO THE EASTERN DRAGON,IT SEEMED LIKE THE WHOLE TOWN HAD GATHERED FOR A PARTY!A BIG GROUP OF UNITED NATIONS POLICE,AID WORKERS,AUSSIE VOLUNTEERS AND A HEALTHY MIX OF SUAI LOCALS ALL GATHERED INTO THIS TRADITIONAL HUT,THE FOOD WAS FANTASTIC,FRESH SEAFOOD FROM LOCAL WATERS FILLED MOST OF THE MENU,WHEN SOMEONE TOLD ME THIS IS THE BEST RESTAURANT IN EAST TIMOR,I COULD NOT DISAGREE.WHAT A NIGHT!THANKYOU TO ALL THE INCREDIBLE PEOPLE AND FAMILYS I MET ON THIS LEG OF MY "TOUR DE TIMOR".

DON FOSTER
JUNE 2009

Timor Leste - The Tracks to Independence

TIMOR LESTE,THE TRACKS TO INDEPENDENCE.

AFTER ALL THE YEARS OF FOLLOWING EAST TIMOR'S TRACK TO AN INDEPENDENT NATION,IT WAS FINALLY REWARDING TO BE ON AN AIR NORTH FLIGHT FROM DARWIN HEADING TO DILI THE CAPITAL OF TIMOR LESTE,MY FIRST TRIP TO THE EX PORTUGESE AND INDONESIAN COLONY,MY PLAN WAS TO GET OUT INTO THE RURAL AREAS AND SEE WHAT THE PEOPLE AND COUNTRY HAD ACHIEVED 10YEARS AFTER INDONESIAN OCCUPATION ENDED IN BLOODY SCENES AND MASS DESTRUCTION IN 1999.AFTER 24 HOURS OF WATCHING CONTINUAL STREAMS OF WHITE TOYOTA FOUR WHEEL DRIVES WITH THE BLACK AND WHITE INSIGNIA OF THE UNITED NATIONS ATTACHED DOING LAPS AROUND DILI, I WAS HAPPY TO BE ON THE ROAD AND HEADING ALONG THE COASTAL STRETCH TOWARD MANATUTO,MY DRIVER ALPHONS AND HIS BATTERED OLD CAR ALSO SEEMED HAPPY TO ESCAPE THE U.N. COMPOUND OF DILI,AS WE STRUGGLED OVER THE MOUNTAIN RANGE,I LOOKED DOWN ON THE CAPITAL AND BID FAREWELL FOR THE NEXT MONTH.

PASSING THROUGH METINARO WE WITNESSED THE LAST OF THE DISPLACED PEOPLE CAMPS IN EAST TIMOR,SET UP AFTER THE TURMOIL OF 2006,THEY HAVE FILLED THE VOID OF PEOPLE WITH NO HOMES TO RETURN TO.WITH THE FRETILIN FLAG FLYING ACROSS THE ROADWAY,IT SERVED AS A REALITY CHECK THAT THIS COUNTRY IS STILL ON STRUGGLE STREET.AS WE DROVE THROUGH MANATUTO SEARCHING FOR SOME ACCOMODATION,IT WAS EVIDENT THAT THEY HAD COPPED THE BRUNT OF INDONESIA'S EXIT IN ANGER,ONCE A MAJOR STRONGHOLD OF INDONESIAN MILITARY AND ADMINISTRATION,A LOT OF THE TOWN RESEMBLES A WAR ZONE WITH A MULTITUDE OF BUILDINGS JUST CONCRETE SHELLS,RE-BUILDING IS UNDERWAY AND PEOPLE ARE GENERALLY UPBEAT ON THE FUTURE PROSPECTS OF THIS DISTRICT CENTRE.

AFTER ENJOYING THE HOSPITALITY AT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH GUEST HOUSE FOR TWO NIGHTS,IT WAS TIME TO LUCK MY WAY ONTO A BUS HEADING TO BAUCAU..AS MY BAG WAS THROWN ON TOP OF THE BUS ROOF,I FOUND A SPOT KNEELING ON A SACK OF RICE NEAR THE BACK WINDOW,AS WE TRAVELLED ALONG THE COAST THE TERRAIN REMINDED ME OF THE HARSH LANDSCAPES IN THOSE MAD MAX MOVIES,ALMOST LIKE A GRAVEL PIT WITH THIS SNAKY ROAD STUCK IN THE MIDDLE..THE CROWDED BUS WAS FULL OF SLEEPY LOCALS RETURNING HOME,THEY SEEMED LIKE THEY HAD DONE THIS ROUTE TOO OFTEN,THE WAY TO SIGNAL TO THE DRIVER TO STOP IS TO TAP A COIN LOUDLY ON THE METAL SUPPORTS,NOTHING FANCY HERE!TOWELS SHOWING EAST TIMOR'S FLAG ARE PROUDLY ON DISPLAY ACROSS THE FRONT DASHBOARD ALONG WITH THE PORTUGAL SOCCER TOWEL.

ARRIVAL IN BAUCAU WHICH IS THE SECOND LARGEST CITY PUTS YOU IN THE AREA CALLED "NEW TOWN",THIS SECTOR IS WHERE INDONESIA ESTABLISHED IT'S ADMINISTRATION CENTRE AND THE SURROUNDING MARKETS AND SHANTY STYLE SHOPS STILL RESEMBLE MOST INDONESIAN TOWNS,JUST 2 KILOMETRES DOWN THE ROAD IS THE ORIGINAL PORTUGESE CENTRE-"OLD TOWN",FULL OF FINE OLD BUILDINGS INCLUDING THE FAMOUS POUSADA de BAUCAU(HOTEL),MUNICIPALMARKET,CHURCHES,SCHOOLS AND THE SURREAL SIGHT OF A SWIMMING POOL WITH DIVING PLATFORM AND STARTING BLOCKS,YES THERE WAS WATER!AS YOU WANDER THROUGH THIS FORMER GRANDIOSE AND OPULENT STYLING IT IS EASY TO FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE STEPPED BACK TO 1948,AND YOUR THOUGHTS GATHER ON WHAT THE PORTUGESE HAD PLANNED FOR THIS SMALL OUTPOST?THE TIMORESE HAVE HELD ONTO THEIR LOVE OF ALL THINGS PORTUGESE,SOCCER,WINE,FOOD,NAMING OF CHILDREN,HORSES,STREET NAMES AND AREAS,THEY EVEN RE-INTRODUCED THE LANGUGE INTO SCHOOLING,AND IN A STRANGE TWIST OF FATE MOST PORTUGESE BUILDINGS SURVIVED THE DESTRUCTION OF THE MILITIA FORCES AND INDONESIAN ARMY AS THEY FLED.BAUCAU HAS A PROUD VIBRANT CHARM TO IT'S PEOPLE,SURROUNDED BY BEACHES AND MOUNTAINS IT IS A LOCATION THAT TOURISM WILL FIND AGAIN,LET'S HOPE THE AIRPORT RE-OPENS FOR FLIGHTS DIRECT FROM AUSTRALIA AND INDONESIA,AT THE MOMENT THE U.N. PEACE KEEPERS ARE BASED THERE AND ONLY USED FOR U.N. MISSIONS.

BIZARRE FACT:IN THE EARLY 70S MORE TOURISTS VISITED TIMOR THAN BALI!WITH A LACK OF TOURISM COMES A LACK OF TOUR OPERATORS,DILI HAS A SCATTERING,BAUCAU NONE!SO YOU HAVE TO IMPROVISE,FOR MY JOURNEY OFF THE MAIN ROADS I HIRED A TRUSTY 4WD FROM DIANNE AT THE MARIST BROTHERS SCHOOL,ENLISTING THE SERVICES OF LOCAL WOMAN FELICITY AS MY GUIDE AND HISTORIAN WE HEADED OUT ON THE ROAD TO VIQUEQUE,OUR AIM WAS TO FIND THE JUNGLE MONUMENT ERECTED TO RESISTANCE LEADER AND NOW PRIME MINISTER XANANA GUSMAO,ALONG THE WAY WE VISITED THE FRETILIN CEMETERY,INDONESIAN MILITARY CEMETERY,THE NATURAL SPRINGS POOL WHERE ONE END IS COLD ,THE OTHER IS WARM(THE BISHOP OF BAUCAU MAKES A VISIT HERE ONCE A YEAR TO BATHE),THE JAPANESE WORLD WAR 2 CAVES,MT ARIANA,VENILALE TOWN,OSSU WATERFALLS AND THE MOUNTAIN PASS WHERE THE INDONESIAN ARMY GENERALS TRIED TO LURE XANANA TO SIGN A PEACE TREATY.

WHAT IS AMAZING ABOUT THE HISTORICAL MONUMENT ERECTED TO XANANA IN 2003, IS THAT THIS IS THE EXACT AREA HE HID IN CAVES FOR 2 YEARS TO AVOID CAPTURE FROM THE INDONESIAN ARMY,THE LOCAL PEOPLE HELPED HIM SURVIVE. I WAS TOLD STORIES OF THE LENGTHS THEY WOULD GO TO IN FOOLING INDONESIAN ARMY OFFICERS SEARCHING FOR HIM,SECRETLY SMUGGLING FOOD HIDDEN UNDER SCRAPS MEANT FOR THEIR PIGS,AND PLACING FOOD IN HOLES COVERED BY LEAVES.THE SIMPLE BUT POIGNANT STONE MONUMENT IS ALREADY BEING ABSORBED BY THE JUNGLE WITH A THICK MOSS COVER,A SMALL FLAG POLE AND STONE SEAT ADD THE FINAL TOUCHES TO THE PEOPLES GIFT TO XANANA.

THE ACTUAL AREA IS NAMED WAIDABA NEAR THE VILLAGE OF BERCOLI.NEXT STOP WAS A VISIT TO THE TOWN OF QUELICAI
(KELIKAI IN INDONESIAN RULE)AT THE FOOT OF EAST TIMORS SECOND HIGHEST MOUNTAIN-"MATEBIAN"(MOUNTAIN OF DEAD SOULS),AROUND 2 HOURS DRIVE FROM BAUCAU THROUGH
LAGA AND UP AN IMPRESSIVE SCENIC ROAD WITH GREAT VIEWS BACK TO THE COAST,THE AIR IS COOL AND CLEAR,PERFECT FOR SOME TREKKING,HERE THERE IS A DISTINCT WET AND DRY SEASON,THE BEST TIME FOR CLIMBING IS THE APRIL-NOVEMBER "DRY".THIS AREA PROVIDES A BIG PART OF TIMORESE HISTORY,FROM 1976-1979 ALL LOCAL PEOPLE FLED THE INDONESIAN INVASION AND LIVED IN THE HIGH MOUNTAINS,HIDING IN CAVES AND LIVING OFF WHAT THEY COULD FIND IN THIS HIGH TERRAIN,BY 1980 LACK OF FOOD FORCED THEM TO RETURN TO CONTROLLED PEOPLE CAMPS SET UP BY THE INDONESIAN MILITARY.

A NEW GUEST HOUSE IN THE TOWN IS OPENING, OFFERING A GREAT CHANCE TO TREK AMONG THE HISTORY AND TALK WITH LOCALS WHO LIVED THROUGH THIS BLOODY PERIOD OF RESISTANCE.THE LOCAL MARKET ON SATURDAY MORNING IS A GREAT CHANCE TO "RAMBLE"AMONGST THE STALLS AND BUY FRESH VEGETABLES,FRUITS AND MEAT.OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS I VISITED VIQUEQUE,BEACU,LOSPALOS,TUTUALA,LORE,COM,LAUTEM..ALL PROVIDE INSIGHTS INTO THE STRUGGLE THESE PEOPLE HAVE ENDURED AND THE HARDSHIP IS EVIDENCED IN THE AMOUNT OF POVERTY THE MAJORITY HAVE TO LIVE WITH DAILY.IT IS NOW COMMON TO HAVE CHILDREN IN RURAL AREAS CONSTANTLY ASK FOR MONEY FROM FOREIGNERS,AND WOMEN YOU PASS ON ROADS ASK FOR BOTTLED WATER,SURVIVAL ON THE MOST BASIC LEVEL,DIMINISHING DIGNITY IN DANGEROUS TIMES!

I REFLECTED ON ALL THESE STRONG INDIVIDUALS I HAD HAD THE PLEASURE TO TALK AND WALK WITH AS THE OVERCROWDED BUS WOUND IT'S WAY BACK ALONG THE COASTAL TRIP TO DILI IN POURING WET SEASON RAINS,I HOPED THAT WITH SO MANY AID ORGANISATIONS AND U.N. PERSONNEL IN THE COUNTRY,TIMOR LESTE COULD TAKE TINY STEPS FORWARD FOR ALL IT'S PEOPLE,AND NOT JUST AID THE LIFESTYLE OF THOSE PROVIDING THE AID!TO ALL THOSE TIMORESE I MET,AND THOSE I HAVE NOT,"OBRIGADA"(THANK YOU).
DON FOSTER /JANUARY 2009