Soe
on Really Out There Experience (Indonesia), 26/Oct/2009 08:27, 34 days ago
7– 19 October 2009October has been a month of disappointments. The latest is that John has been told the motorbike he borrowed had to be returned to Soe– onTimor. I gallantly volunteered to take it back– well it gave me an opportunity to exploreTimorthat I had not yet had.After work on Friday I set off for Panti Baru– the natural harbour wherethe slow ferry docks and which is used by the fast ferry when the sea is too rough to use the jetty in Baa. Panti Baru is about an hours ride from Baa along a hilly, windy but good quality road. I had always thought I should use the slow ferry at least once whilst on the island but with the ports being further out of town at both ends this was not really practical without my own transport and the savings on cost of tickets is partially offset by the extra bemo costs involved; so this was the idea opportunity. The fast ferry costs 104,000 Rp per person economy and 100,000 Rp per motorbike; the slow ferry was 110,000 Rp for motorbike and rider. The ferry is due at 13:00 but did not actually arrive until 14:45. I will admit when I saw it my heart sank– it was a rusting ex cross channel type ferry. The loading was very quick as all the motorbikes just drove onabout 8 abreast and then the lorries and cars reversed on whilst we parked up. Foot passengers took their chance amongst the traffic. In the economy passenger area people stood sat and lay wherever they could find a space– although much more crowded that the fast ferry it actually felt safer as the cabin was open so in an emergency there was a good chance of getting out– which there is not out of the lower section of the fast ferry where the inadequate exits are blocked by luggage. I had been warned that the journey would take 4 hours but it actually took 4 hours 45 minutes. Once off the boat I then had to find my way to Sam’s house in the dark – I decided to follow the majority of the traffic on the basis that most people would be heading for Kupang and eventually reached a road that I knew. At Sam’s I met an ex volunteer who was back inIndonesiaon holiday and discovered he lives in Stourbridge.On Saturday morning I set off to ride to Soe about 130km. I had been assured that the way was easy to find and I was relieved to discover that this was in fact the case; withsignage at almost all the junctions.The ride started off through very flat area, with a combination of lush fields and dry barren areas. It was soon possible to see the hills in the distance. The road was good quality both in terms of maintenance and visibility and I was able to do a constant 70– 80 kph. It then proceeded up into the hills, generally the road surface remained good with occasional undulating areas, three areas there the surface had been washed away – including a bridge where the road was diverted into the dry river bed; I hope they mend it soon otherwise the road will be impassable once the rains start – and a few areas with pot holes. However the riding was not as easy as the road climbed up with steep bends. The views were magnificent and there were a lot of traditional houses and grain stores. The thatched roofs on some were quite ornate. After a rest in a hotel and lunch I set off further north on the road towards Kefa. I then headed off towards Oinlasi the road deteriorated here with lots of pot holes and stretches of unmade road but the scenery and villages were spectacular. I over took an icecream seller and when I next stopped to take a photographa guy came past eating one. I asked him if it was enak – tasty and he said yes and stopped and chatted; he is a fish seller from Kupang who makes the trip to remote villages three or four times as week. Later on her overtook me again whilst I was stopping to drinkand again chatted for a while. I did not quite make it to Oinlasi about 5 km short but my shoulders were beginning to ache and I knew I had to retrace my steps. When I got back to the main road I went on past Niki-Niki for several km. I returned to Soe just before dusk. That evening I handed the bike over to the NGO who now own it and returned by bus the next morning. I stood waiting for the bus with a group of young ojek drivers, as they were in the only spot of shade. We talked quite a bit and then they flagged down a bus for me and then evicted a passenger from the front seat so that I could sit there. It was quite unnerving as I was sat in front of the front wheels so on several hairpin bends I was over the sheer drop.