Dilli
Trip Start
Aug 01, 2007
1
15
20
Trip End
Aug 01, 2008
Dilli,
Timor-Leste
Monday, October 15, 2007
There were no buses around so the options consited of spending the night in the town or heading down to the Border on the back of some Scooters. We Took the Bike option and before Mike could protest (He was actually stood there mulling over how me and him plus the driver and our bags where going to get on this small Bike) we were zipping off at breakneck toward east timor now mike really started to feel like Mr Palin Between the grunts and groans of the potholes you could here shouting weee heee
Day out at the Beach (Just outdide Dilli)
. All the way to the border you where reminded that only 2 or 3 years ago there was a serious war going here there were houses shot to pieces there was lots of graveyards but again the people where out waving us past with shouts of Hey Mista. On arrival at the border we had to report to all the correct people police and customs etc. I had really beleived that we would be given a hard time by the immagration in Indonesia we were straight through with the now well heeled comment about my name and manchester (Nothing to do with the fact he is a right tubber)
We got to the East Timorese side of the workings and were given a real reminder about how new this country really is. The Border post was pained on the ground and the imagration was a caravan. Commander Genral Travolta immagrasi as it said on his badge gave me the once over took my passport and asked how long i wanted to stay?. I said well were on holiday and suppose we will be here 10 or 11 days. Ten or Eleven he says which is it? eleven i mutter (The Fact that i should of got 30 for paying my green backs did not seem to matter to Travolta)
Back in the Caravan he goes talking to his commrade, i am sweating now thinking of a schene where some bloke has to do seriously hard time in a shithole of a prison breaking rocks and doing ungodly acts just to survive
shall we walk up or climb?
. Even worse I am chained to Cookie for the duration having to listen about his fav comic books and his one big regret is that he will never every get to see the new transformers film. Then the customs blokes start checking through our bags and i remeber that both me and Mike had packed our sumartran coffee in the bottem of our rucksacks. Only coffee i promise but the bloody was wrapped up in plastic and looked like a flippin bag of you know what. I can imagine all the faces of the people behind us in the cue waiting to get there chance to go in front of the Commander Genral. Mikes grumbles something like put a few dollars in your passport that always does the trick, thats all he wants a little bit of kickback, 20 should sort him.
I am contemplating the 20 dollar bribe when Travolta sticks his head out of the serving hatch on the caravan and shouts us over. OK Mr Smirk from Manchester. 11 days you want
Yes please Commander Genral
The republic of Timor Leste says you need 15 bucks a day to support yourself while you are here no i have done my sums and it will be $1000 dollars. How do you tell the thick sod that his maths are a little out. I dont have that kind of money i says blah blah i have $300 dollars and a credit card now this is what the genral wants to here. He is seriously impressed when i whip out a gold card "Welcome to Timor Lest" he says enjoy your stay.
