Mountains To Sea

Back on the road for another great ride through Flores, Indonesia.

Leaving Moni and its surrounding volcanic peaks my destination for the day was Bajawa, along the way I dropped down to the coast to the sprawling town of Ende. The road then hugged the coast for a while and I experienced some great views of black sandy beaches and small fishing villages before heading up more twisty mountain ranges for an early afternoon check in at a Bajawa hotel for the night. Bajawa was another inland town surrounded by forested peaks with a very pleasant temperature for an afternoon walk around the busy market area.

 

Up early the following morning for a 7.00 am hotel breakfast, I anticipated a long days ride to my next destination, Labuan Bajo. Not far out of Bajawa I was halted while an excavator and loader cleared the road after a landslide, thankfully my waiting time was short and after snapping a quick photo or two I was rounding up the scooters that had got the jump on me.

 



 

 

Riding on, I reached the mountain town of Ruteng just on lunch time. I spotted a very clean looking Warung with locals eating so I parked the bike, entered and ate a tasty Nasi Ayam. Well nourished and watered, I was back in the saddle to navigate my way out of town, after one wrong turn I stopped for a quick double check of directions from a local and was soon heading the right way.

 

Just out of town, dark clouds filled the sky and rain was a definite so I stopped and put on my wet weather gear. Within minutes the rain bucketed down and rather than seeking shelter I slowed my pace and continued on. On and on and on the afternoon went, both rain and twisties, hill after hill, light rain and heavy rain all afternoon. I reached Labuan Bajo about 4.30 pm, wet through and exhausted from a long day of intense concentration.

 

I fronted up to the accommodation I had short listed, stood ringing wet out side the reception area and asked the attendant if they had a room, a response came not from the attendant but in an aussie accent from a guy tapping away on a computer within the reception area, "no mate, but I am just checking out alternatives for myself on the trip adviser web site". So with that response I met Michael, a kiwi/aussie whom had travelled a very similar route as me after entering Timor Leste in his 1967 Morris Mini. Michael and I discussed the accommodation options and I got back on the bike and headed for the closest one. About half an hour latter Michael turned up after selecting the same hotel.

 

When the rain cleared the following morning a spectacular view of the Labuan Bajo bay dotted with small islands and coastal vista was revealed.

 

 

Sunset views proved equally spectacular.



 

 

Michael, whom had travelled to many parts of Indonesia over the past twenty odd years was a pretty fluent speaker of Bhasa Indonesian, which certainly provided an advantage in communicating with the locals. Michael and I had three days in Labuan Bajo before the next scheduled ferry would transport men and machines to the Indonesian island of Sumbawa, so during our wait we cruised around town in the mini, checked out local bars and eateries including the night market which dished up a delicious version of Ikan (fish) Bakar (bbq) or barbequed fish. The fish on offer was usually a couple of coral trout species, red snapper and cod, My whole coral trout meal was a steel at $5.00.

 

 

Labuan Bajo was also the place to organise a trip to Komodo or Rinca Islands, home to Komodo Dragons. We organised a day trip to Rinca Island, travelling in a timber boat propelled by a chug chug two cylinder engine with no muffler and one speed just over walking pace, needless to say it was a noisy two hour trip their and a noisy slow trip back with a stop off mid way for a quick snorkel over some pretty coral providing habitat for many brightly coloured species of small reef fish.

 

Oh yes, we did see five Komodo Dragons on Rinca Island, most were under the Rangers kitchen, we also spotted their number one meal, Timor Deer.

 



 

 

Before departing Labuan Bajo I took the opportunity to wash the bike at a nearby car wash, the young guy spent about 40 minutes washing my bike then it took about 30 minutes for the photo session, each worker' the owner and his wife wanted a photo on the bike, then one with me in shot, it was all good fun and put a smile on the faces of everyone.

 

After a great three days in Labuan Bajo, it was time to board our 8.00 am ferry to Sape on the Indonesia Island of Sambawa. The ferry journey was about 7 hours in duration, leaving us enough daylight  hours when we reach Sambawa to ride/drive to a town with accommodation. After the Indonesian islands I'd travelled through so far Sambawa proved to be quite a bit different. 

 

Twisty Roads, A Warm Welcome & Good Times

The overnight ferry from Kupang arrived in Larantuka on the Indonesian Island of Flores at about 6.30 am. So I was on the road early and soon discovered that Flores, with it's lush green mountainous rainforest's was where you are able to ride twisty roads all day long, hill climbs, hill descents, twists and turns just go on and on.

I was keen to get to the small town of Maumere for a bit of a rest and recovery, I ate a dodgy Nasi Ayam (rice & fried chicken) on the ferry for dinner, and all I will say is that one squat toilet with a constantly wet floor used by 20 or so other people on a ferry is not somewhere you want to visit as often as I did through that night.

Narrow, yet reasonable quality roads with little traffic meant by mid afternoon I was settled into a Maumere hotel for a one night stay, by early evening I was feeling a little better and required food to boost my depleted energy levels. The hotel was snookered within a residential area so I had to ride my motorcycle to the nearby eatery area for a meal. After eating it was well and truly dark and I soon discovered that in my unwell state I had not payed enough attention to exactly where the hotel was and was unable to find it.  I gave up and asked a teenager for directions, he kindly jumped on his scooter and I followed him back to my accommodation. Turns out I had ridden past the hotel at least three times without recognising it because the signage was not laminated, the hotel looked similar to other houses in the street.

The next morning, eager to get back on the road but still not feeling one hundred percent I gathered my gear and prepared to depart. A quick pre ride bike inspection revealed what I really didn't need to start the day, a flat rear tyre. I had a nail through the tyre, probably from all my circle work trying to find the hotel the night before. So it was out with the tools and off with the wheel, one of the hotel staff doubled me and the wheel to a tyre repair shed and for $1.50 the tyre and tube was removed, a vulcanised rubber patch was installed over the hole and the tyre reinstalled. A quick double back to the hotel for my reinstalling of the wheel and the job was done, I was back on the road.

My destination for the day was Moni, a very small town surrounded by volcanic peaks. I  had pencilled in a two night stay in Moni for a bit of rest and relaxation and I was not disappointed by my decision. Moni proved to be a wonderful place, with an ideal cool 22 - 26 degree climate, a wet season afternoon showers and great views from the veranda of my chosen accommodation at the Bintang Bungalows, I really could have stayed a lot longer.

 

 

Also staying at Bintang Bungalows were three Swiss guys, father Andre, son Eric and Johannes, Eric's mate, they had purchased a couple of old Honda motorcycles (not scooters Eric would say) in Indonesia and were riding around having  great time, they were a couple of well travelled friendly guys always happy to share a story.

 

 

 

While in Moni I rode up a nearby road, parked the bike and after a short walk was on the Western rim of Kelimutu and its three coloured lakes, minerals in the water mean one volcanic lakes remains turquoise while the others fluctuate in colour between yellow, orange and red.

 

 



 

My stay in Moni at Bintang Bungalows provided the rejuvenation I needed. A hot water shower, the first in about ten days was special, along with good food, and an impromptu acoustic session from the resident musician Billy who was a dab hand on the guitar and good vocals to match proved a real winner. I was feeling fit and healthy again, anticipating more twisty roads and friendly locals. 



Barbequed Fish

After riding through the land border at Atapupu, West Timor Indonesia the weather looked threatening with dark clouds filling the sky ahead. I continued on, reaching a small inland town called Atambua just as the rain came down. I stopped at a shop with a large awning, donned the wet weather gear and asked the teenage students sheltering from the rain where I could find a hotel. A volunteer came forward and offered to guide me into town on his scooter, so within a few minutes we reached a hotel, I thanked the young guy and I settled in for the afternoon.

Still keen to make up time I set off after breakfast the next morning for Kupang, the port of departure for my first ferry crossing island hopping in Indonesia. During the days ride I pasted through several small towns and reached the outskirts of Kupang just in time for the afternoon downpour, it is the wet season after all.

My accommodation for the next couple of nights was opposite the water front with a great water view from the raised gazebo at the front of the hotel block.

 

 

I was also fortunate to be close to the night market where I was able to first eat what is possibly the tastiest fish meal I have ever eaten. Ikan Bakar is a whole fish with one side filleted and butterflied off the bone, dipped in a spicy sauce and placed in a folding wire grill. The fish is then barbecued over a flame, producing a crispy skin and tender flesh taste sensation. I backed up with Ikan Bakar the next night and also enjoyed six big prawns cooked using a similar method.

 

 I was in Kupang to catch a ferry, so after checking the departure schedule I fronted up at the ferry terminal early to beat the queue. That proved to be a waste of time, the 2.00 pm scheduled time was not the departure time, but the time tickets begun being sold, departure time was 4.30 pm, so it was a long afternoon. I payed about $22.00 for a ferry ticket for my motorcycle and myself and a further $15.00 for an upgrade to business class which provided me with a bunk bed in a large room containing 22 bunk beds, so potentially sleeping room for 44 people, thankfully there was only about 20 people occupying the air conditioned business class room for my 15 hour overnight journey to my next destination, Larantuka on the island of Flores, Indonesia.

 

 

 

 



 

Finally On The Move

I have picked up my motorcycle after over three weeks wait, the shipping company do a great job securing the bike in the container, are very easy to deal with in both Darwin and Dili, it appears to be the ship maintenance and port availability that causes delays. Now I am on the bike and glad to be mobile again.

While still in Dili, Timor Leste I spent a couple of days checking out the sights. I visited two worthwhile exhibitions that highlight the struggle the East Timorese people went through over many years to achieve independence, one being the Chega Exhibition the other was the Resistance Museum. These people have been through some tough times in the recent past to say the least.

A couple of other highlights in Dili were the water front area where the students hang out through the day and are more than happy to expand their English language skills on an Aussie tourist. Also just a couple of kilometres East out of town is Cape Fatucoma, the Jesus Statue and a couple of nice Cafes along a pretty strip of white sandy beach with clear water for a swim, a great getaway from the hustle and bustle of town.

 

 

 

Due to the delays with my motorcycle and getting started on my adventure, I have had to shorten my time touring Timor Leste, I am on a bit off a schedule after all and if I do not hasten now it may accumulate causing issues down the track.

 

I did have time for a day trip South, inland from the coast, the road up the range out of Dili was a tarred but very dilapidated and pot holed, it did get better about 10 kilometre out of Dili but it still was not great. The main town I visited was Maubisse, a very small town in the mountains with a very pleasant temperature of about 24 degrees.

 

During the two hour ride to Maubisse I came up behind a guy on a scooter riding like he knew the road, so I sat in behind him for a while until he waved me passed. When I got to Maubisse I found a Warung (Café), parked the bike out the front, sat inside and order lunch. While I am eating a young guy walks in, sits down and also orders lunch, I recognise him as the guy I followed by his jacket and back pack and say hello, turns out he speaks pretty good English and we chat away through lunch then he suggests a walking tour of town, what more could I ask for. It also just happened to be Market Day so it was a hive of activity with stalls selling second hand cloths from Singapore, others selling a variety of local fruit and vegetables, and the women pictured selling tobacco and beetle nut.

 

 

My tour guide learnt to speak English while working in a Mission with Foreign Nationals in his home town of Same, further South in Timor Leste. He provided a great commentary for my tour  of town.

 

 

 

I returned to Dili after my Maubisse tour, prepared to leave and the next morning set off for West Timor, and a border crossing into Indonesia. Just before the Indonesian border I diverted slightly, to visit Balibo Timor Leste, which was the site where during the Timorese conflict five Australian based journalists were killed by Indonesian soldiers in 1975.

 

 

 

After a quick tour of Balibo and observing scrum like crowds of men viewing Cock fighting, I exited Timor Leste border with surprising efficiently, and entered West Timor, Indonesia with pretty much the same efficiency and with that my Indonesian adventure commenced.

 

 

Bali Break

Six days in in the Legian / Kuta / Seminyak area was more than enough for me, not being a beach bum left only motorcycle watching, people watching and the odd tourist spot to see, I also spent a fair bit of time in the hotel pool as well. The hotel I stayed at deserves a plug, Legian Guest House was a great place to stay, a small complex, 8 rooms in total, a very nice little pool and run by a family that couldn't do enough to keep you happy. Positioned in a quiet location away from the tourist and beach strip yet central enough to access restaurants, beaches, shops etc quickly on the Honda scooter.

While in Legian I checked out the local sights including the Bali bombing Memorial in Kuta. I also rode the scooter to the near by Safari Park. I tagged along really, a English woman had organised with the hotel to be pillion on the back of a hotel security guards scooter, they asked if I was interested, so why not, I went to.

Along the way I was  introduced to how the Indonesian police operate. I rounded a corner to be faced with a police road block randomly stopping drivers for who knows what, they make up some infringement on the spot, fleecing you for 300,000.00 rupiah and sending you on your way. Deny, deny, deny was my instinct, and after several minutes and an appearance by the hotel security guard who didn't get pulled over, he bargained down to and I payed 100,000.00 rupiah (AU$10) and continued on. I still don't know what the infringement was for, the cop tried on several, in the end I just wanted out of there.

 

Ubud was my next destination, situated about an hours drive from Denpasar, it is away from the coast, set at a little bit of altitude and a bit cooler than the coast. It is more of an arty, cultural place than Kuta. Kuta and the coastal area I found a little bit like an episode of the Australian TV series Housos holidaying in Bali.

 

Ubud was also easy to get round, on a little Yamaha scooter this time, I visited many of the temple sites, including Monkey Forest Sanctuary, Goa Gajah and Gunung Kawi.

 

 I also went on another tag along from the hotel I stayed. This time the young guy from the hotel was taking a young Swedish girl (Yar) on the back of his scooter to see where Luwark coffee was made. The young lass was on a mission set by her brother in Sweden to sample and purchase Luwark coffee. Luwark coffee is made after the coffee fruit containing the bean is fed to fury little critters similar to a mongoose, the critters pass the whole coffee bean, the bean is then retrieved and processed. Yes, we sampled the coffee and several other types of coffee and tea they made, the Luwark coffee is said to be stronger than normal coffee (though that could have been in the making of the test cup) who knows, but it was nice.

 

 



 

Six days in Ubud was also plenty, so I was off to the airport for a flight to Dili, Timor Leste. That is where I currently am, waiting for my motorcycle to arrive on the ship from Darwin. I have made contact with the shipping company, paid the local fees, just waiting on an email to say come and pick up your bike. I can't wait to get on the road for a quick visit to a few towns here in Timor Leste, then across to West Timor, Indonesia then begin island hopping my way towards Thailand.



Hurry Up and Wait

Darwin has been a great place to visit for a short period while waiting for the ship to transport my motorcycle to Dili, East Timor. Darwin is very laid back, casual, friendly and easy to find my way around on my bike or walking.

While in Darwin I visited a reptile and crocodile zoo within a building in the city centre. They have barramundi in an aquarium, though I would prefer to have one on the end of a fishing line, then on my plate as a meal. These fish were big and fat and would not have the taste of a wild caught barra. They also have native lizards, snakes and small crocodiles for handling. I always enjoy crocodile encounters while fishing rivers in Cape York Northern Australia, so holding a croc was a bonus.

But Darwin was my stepping stone to South East Asia, so faced with a three week stay due to shipping delays an alternative plan was hatched. I needed somewhere cheap with a direct flight back to Dili to pick up my bike once the ship was repaired and sailed from Darwin.

Where else would an Aussie go for a cheap and cheerful holiday, Bali Indonesia of course.
So, I am currently relaxing in a fabulous little guest house with a pool side room and a little Honda scooter to get around on.

Motorcycle Change

I set out on my Moto Adventure on a big old BMW R100 GS PD, not entirely happy with the bike right from the get go I spent a day test riding 4 or 5 different bikes for a possible replacement. I persisted with the PD to Cairns, but on arrival decided it was now or never to change bikes, it would be to late once I exited Australia. The decision was made to replace the PD and the test bike I rode that ticked the most boxes for me was another BMW, an F 800 GS Adventure. The bike was source in Townsville, thanks to the boys at Moto Life, the PD was trucked home and I will now continue my adventure on a mid size adventure motorcycle.

While in Cairns I took the opportunity to ride some of my favourite roads including the Captain Cook Highway, Cairns to Port Douglas and up the Gillies Highway, Cairns to Atherton.

Upon leaving the familiar surrounding of Cairns, biding farewell and a big thank you to my great mate, his equally great partner, their lively daughter and urban farm yard collection of animals I rode the Gillies once again for an overnight stay in the cool climate at Ravenshoe.

The cool climate has now given way to the heat and after a week of 40 degree temperatures with stays in Normanton, Edel's Grove (Lawn Hill NP), Mt Isa, Three Ways, Katherine and Litchfield NP I am in Darwin.