Just returned from a month long adventure in Timor Leste (East Timor)...riding rental motorbikes, driving 4WD...adventure right up to the last minute. Stayed on Atauro Island, 35km north of Dili. Only access by water taxi, powered by 225hp motor. We were to fly out yesterday morning (Saturday) at 8am. Imperative to be back at Dili Fri night. Water taxi arrives 6pm, one hour late, just on dusk. Overloaded, (15 people instead of 8) PLUS luggage, boat ploughed through water at about 10kph instead of 35+.l We had to drop some passengers around the other side of the island (15k trip), and by the time we got there it was pitch black. No lights on the shore.....no lights on the boat. Boatman got a little disoriented, eventually landing 8 passengers by means of light from my digital camera. Then to Dili, again no lights. In the Malaccas Straits there is all sorts of debris to look out for, including containers fallen overboard from ships. Bad enough at day time, but night----with no lights???? Eventually got to Dili after 135km in the dark. Scary? But wait.... theres more! At 10pm there is NO taxis. etc. Lucky to be passed by an off duty microlet (minibus) with driver taking his family home. He backed up after passing us, and asked if we needed transport. 5 minutes later we were at our accommodation. Atauro Island has an Eco Resort run by expat, Barry. Fabulous bamboo huts right on the beach, coral reef 50m away, with fabulous sunrises, sunsets
Posted on: Sun, 22 Jun 2014 06:50:58 +0000
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