Yes. With a little break, it’s time for another video – probably my second to last one.. Indonesia and Timor Leste are beautiful. A fantastic end to the trip before the last leg in Australia. I hope you like the video!
Archive for the ‘Cycling’ Category
New Video: Cycling from Tawau (Indonesia) – Dili (Timor Leste)
Posted: July 18, 2016 in Cycling, Indonesia, Timor LesteTags: Bromo, Cycling, Ijen, Indonesia, Kelimutu, Timor Leste
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Day 419. 83km. Lientuto – Dili
Posted: July 17, 2016 in Cycling, Timor LesteTags: Cycling, Dili, Lientuto, Timor, Timor Leste
‘Sure! You can come along!’
The sailors of the Darwin to Dili yacht race were sitting around the table drinking, laughing and telling stories. One of them will be returning to Darwin, and Clement and I are allowed to join them. A dream come true!
Darwin to Dili trophies
Today’s cycling was a dusty affair. I popped over the high pass into a new, much drier valley, and over a second little pass into the dry, Australian-like landscape. Timor has two climates, and the border is the mountains. It is fascinating to see everything change so suddenly. Water is the bringer of life.
The green middle valley
The dry side
Day 418. 70km. Wedauberek – Lientuto
Posted: July 16, 2016 in Cycling, Timor LesteTags: Cycling, Lientuto, Timor, Timor Leste, Wedauberek
Today was a ride up from the beach into the heavens – over the highest mountains in Timor Leste. Its good to climb again – and to climb on a half descent road. Riding in the sun, it was a lovely slow climb to a less hot night at just below 2000m.
On the way up
The road just got better and better. Approaching and leaving the town of Same, I had pristine new road which made climbing a breeze. Even the road in construction about 5km out of Same was pretty good. I spent the climb listening to podcasts and trying not to get my earphones stuck in my ears.
Mountain road
Mountains
My place of residence tonight is with a family in the mountains. I spent the evening talking to the grandpa in Indonesian – one of my last chances to use the language for a while.. Tomorrow Dili again, and then we’ll see how I get to Darwin, Australia.
Day 417. 98km. Beaco – Wedauberek
Posted: July 15, 2016 in Cycling, Timor LesteTags: Beaco, Cycling, Timor, Timor Leste, Wedauberek
‘It’s coming! It’s coming!’
I lie on the bamboo bed structure under the straw roof as the guy pokes the tweezers deep into my ear. I expect the unexpected every day in East Timor. Today it’s not a Tae Kwon Do class on the road deep in the mountains. Today I’m having the rubber piece from my earphones extracted from deep within my ear. It took two hours to get it out.
My ear doctor
Clement has left. His rim on his back wheel is almost dead, and he didn’t want to venture further on the bad road along the coast, and then into the high mountains. He’s returning to the northern coast and on to Dili. I’ll meet him again there.
He might have been better off coming with me. The road got better slowly. It still had it’s fair share of deep road-wide puddles and mud, and the odd river crossing or two, but it also had a stretch of a few kilometres where I could scoot along at over 30 km/h. It was heaven.
River crossing – the bridge is visible on the left
The narrow road
I’m staying with a lovely family on the south coast, getting near to my climb into the mountains. No swimming here though. Big crocodiles apparently.
Day 416. 59km. Pointy House – Beaco
Posted: July 14, 2016 in Cycling, Timor LesteTags: Beaco, Cycling, Pointy House, Timor, Timor Leste
‘Here we are!’
A classic proclamation by Clement as we stood in the mud – the road ending in a quagmire. In the middle of nowhere at the end of a diabolic road we looked from the ankle deep mud down to the uncrossable river. The real road turned off a few hundred metres back, up a rocky scree to cross a pristine bridge. The going is slow on the south coast.
The mud bath (one of many)
The bridges are amusing – in the middle of the scree slopes and mud baths stands a bridge (actually many on this road) with perfect bitumen. At the start of the bridge is a sign – funded by the European Union. There was one bridge only half funded by the European Union. The bridge stopped ubruptly in the middle of the river – a river crossing was necessary.
The bridge half funded by the European Union
We met a Swiss cyclist today – our first in ages – cycling from Switzerland to Australia. He travelled east all the way to Alor Island (what I was trying to do, but ran out of time). Quite an experience. After our meet, we knew more what to expect of the road ahead. The road slowly improved to one that (for brief moments) allowed cycling at speeds of up to 15km/h. My tyre couldn’t handle the road though, and exploded. I expect fewer exploding tyres moving forward.
We were plucked off the street as it got dark this evening, and welcomed into a home, given corn and biscuits as a pre-dinner snack before a lovely, copious meal for the hungry cyclists. Great people!
Day 415. 38km. Cacaven – Pointy House
Posted: July 13, 2016 in Cycling, Timor LesteTags: Cacaven, Cycling, Pointy House, Timor, Timor Leste
About 5km of bad road he said. Another said 100km of bad road or 12 hours by bus. Well, we haven’t left the crappy road yet, and it is spectacularly dreadful. It also bucketed down today as we pushed our bikes up and down a steep, rocky, muddy, riverbed-like surface.
The bumpy road
We also changed our brake pads, and have almost used the new ones. Even walking next to the bike as it bumps and jumps over the rocks and slurps through the thick mud, you have to use the brakes – and they squeak and scream out as they die, killing the rims in the process. Then pushing the bike up the river floes requires stopping (with full brakes) on a rock before mustering energy to scale the next one.
We are staying with a lovely family in a traditional house – I’ll call it a pointy house. A really cool wooden structure on stilts – high above the ground.
They tell us that the crap road ends in 10km. I kind of think the good road that may or may not follow will be of the quality of the roads yesterday. This means cycling may be possible, and reaching speeds of 10km/h is also on the cards.
Our humble abode for the night
Day 414. 56km. Tutuala – Cacaven
Posted: July 12, 2016 in Cycling, Timor LesteTags: Cacaven, Cycling, Timor, Timor Leste, Tutuala
And there we were, on the road in the middle of the jungle in Timor Leste, practicing Tae Kwon Do with 30 students. They held out the pad and I executed a turning roundhouse kick. We did some forms (patterns of movements) together on the road. They did the same style that I had studied 25 years ago – and this in the middle of absolutely nowhere. Timor Leste keeps surprising.
Tae Kwon Do class
‘That road doesn’t go to Lospalos,’ said one guy. Another said it does, but not for cars – only for motorbikes and bicycles. We gave it a try – a beautiful road through grassy plains bordering a lake, dotted with houses here and there. Oh – and there was a challenging bridge.
The tricky bridge
The tricky bridge
The tricky bridge
Grassy plain
Satellite dish
Again today was not rich in kilometres travelled – the road was muddy and bumpy – and peaceful, tranquil and beautiful. After the high altitude plain we passed into the forest exactly on the border between two weather regions. On the right was sunshine. On the left were the darkest of clouds and rain. Tomorrow the road leads south. More rain is in store.
Day 413. 17km. Tutuala – Jaco – Tutuala
Posted: July 11, 2016 in Cycling, Timor LesteTags: Cycling, Jaco, Timor, Timor Leste, Tutuala
How long should I wait? It had been four hours. There was no sign of Clement as I scanned the waves on the stretch of water between Timor and Jaco island. After the bumpy descent to the beautiful pristine white beach with turquoise water, Clement had set out to swim to Jaco island. I had visions of him drowning in the high waves on the way back, and finally paid the $10 to catch a boat there myself.
View out over to Jaco
Clement arrived at the beach just as I was pulling away in the boat. I only spent minutes on Jaco island before returning, after confirmation that Clement was indeed back on the Timor beach.
I did, however, lie on the white sand, swim in the turquoise waters and generally relax. It was amazing to be in this beautiful place, and nothing to do but just enjoy it. I was looking out over a pristine island with sandy white beaches, and behind was Darwin – as close as I can get to it by bike. I’m quite proud of that achievement.
View out over to Jaco
The ride down had one of the worst road surfaces of my trip. It was like bumping down a rocky creek bed – but very steep. Still, it makes getting there all the more satisfying.
The road down
Clement returned over the moon. He swam with a turtle, and explored the island with a real Robinson Crusoe feeling – alone on such a beautiful tropical island.
Day 412. 76km. Binagua – Tutuala
Posted: July 10, 2016 in Cycling, Timor LesteTags: Binagua, Cycling, Timor, Timor Leste, Tutuala
The island has come to an end and the road has come to an end. It feels like the end of the earth. We’re at the end of a bumpy dirt road, on the edge of a high grassy plain surrounded by rocky mountains reaching up to the heavens. Heavy black clouds hang low over the peaks ahead, and the sun behind casts long evening shadows in front of us. There is tranquillity in the air. Here time stands still, and we have come to rest.
Towards the dark clouds
This island is incredible. Every day – every few hours – the landscape changes. We started the day cycling on a peaceful road bumping along the coast, grassy plains to the left and right. Cows and goat graze, watching as we pass, and water buffalo wallow in the muddy pools.
Coastal road
Then it was time for lunch – 30 fried bananas and a watermelon. A bus stopped – a typical one for East Timor. The busses are always colourfully decorated – usually with paintings of young, attractive women or of Jesus Christ. This one was with young, attractive women.
Colourful bus
Colourful bus
Then the road climbed through forest to a high plain with endless grassland and cows, ending in a lake in the distance. The road was very bumpy, and the standard Timor headwind kept our speed down, but our spirits were high as we breathed in the beauty of this remote part of the earth.
The road to the end of the island
The lake
Tomorrow we will descend to the beach at the end of Timor island, and visit Jaco island – and wave in the direction of Darwin… Australia!
Day 411. 71km. Lalela – Binagua
Posted: July 9, 2016 in Cycling, IndonesiaTags: Binagua, Cycling, Lalela, Timor Leste
‘Look! Dolphins!’
Cycling in the evening light, the road was flat along grassy plains next to the beach, and, there they were – 10 metres off shore – lots and lots of dolphins.
Our camping spot
This morning I woke to the sound of the monks singing. They sing all the time, even just walking through the mission. Happy people. I even ventured into the church service this morning. The church is immaculate as are the whole church grounds – such a stark contrast to the village outside. The wealth of the church and the religious life must be very attractive. The young students seem happy – their passion for religion makes them happy, which makes me happy. Such passion has brought the church, and help for the local people into these remote places. The passion has also brought Christianity.
Today Clement asked me what I ate in Iran. Like with faces and with clothes, I only remember if I like something or not – if it was tasty or not. He was shocked at my lack of memory of this – for him a very important part of life. He has told about a Swiss cycling companion he had, and how they spent hours reminiscing what they ate in great detail. For me, I remember different things. I guess this may shock lots of cyclists, as eating is an important part of the cycling experience for many. I spent the afternoon thinking about this – is this strange? I have never liked cooking, and when at home by myself, I usually went to minimum effort to make something I wouldn’t offer to anyone else (like toast and marmite). I don’t know – I was happy enough.
We decided to camp near the dolphins today, and I have put up the hammock on the beach between two trees. Dinner was bread and tuna, and a desert of a brilliant starry sky with two shooting stars.
Sunset
arctic-cycler.com 