Heading south from Dili

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All adventures seem to start from Dili. I'm not sure how easy it is to get a bus from say, out east to go south without going via Dili. It wasn't too much of an issue as we could come back, switch out things with our main backpacks stored at Casa Minha and then head off again when we were ready. This time we were hoping to climb Timor Leste's highest mountain, Mt. Ramelau for sunrise. The small town of Hautebailico is one of two starting points.

Instead of a bus to Maubisse, we were on a truck that had no sun protection. Upon arrival at the bus station (aka, a roundabout south of town), we found out that the bus directly to Hautebailico had left hours ago (we were unable to ascertain what time and we were there for 8am) so heading to Maubisse and picking up another vehicle from there was our only choice.

The truck was empty and we thought we'd have a long wait but once the driver started the engine, the crowd that had been sitting in the shade stood and stretched and made their way over and into the truck. Next time we'll know...

It was the hills I had been watching from the hostel in Dili that we slowly started climbing. It didn't take long for the air to cool though the sun continued to shine. We were happy to stand for the most part, giving ourselves a view over the cab of the truck. The roads were new and smooth all the way up and even when that ran out, it wasn't too bad. A large section of the road is being surfaced so soon the entire journey to Maubisse will be wonderful (and even quicker!).

In the marketplace of Maubisse where the truck dropped us we spoke to locals about transport to Hautebailico. Supposedly it's not very reliable and appeared at various times. Across the way was a small restaurant so we headed there for food. $1.75 got us a bowl of hearty soup (kidney beans, pasta, etc), a piece of chicken, a side of noodles and a large portion of rice. Rather than waste the rice, we gave some straight back. It was delicious and ridiculously cheap. You can find it next to a small shop run by a lovely couple that sell wine among other things.

Eventually it was decided by the locals that we should take the truck heading for Ainaro and jump off at the turn off to Hautebailico. Google maps (grr) was telling us it was only 5km from there to the village which was perfectly doable.

Let me tell you it is most definitely not 5km. After jumping off the truck and waving our goodbyes, a sign clearly states that it's 18km. It was already mid afternoon. But what to do? We started to walk. It was cool as we were already high up and the scenery was beautiful. The clouds rolled into the valley and then lifted, only to descend again soon after so that it was damp and drizzly walking through them. I had my hiking shoes on which was presenting a problem for the trapped nerve in my left foot. An ongoing though occasional issue for years, I'd finally had it checked out and was given a steroid injection in the area. It made it so much worse. Now the hiking boots which had been so comfortable previously were causing indescribable pain. My only option was to remove my left boot and wear my flip flop whilst keeping the boot on the other (so at least one foot had traction). Although it looked ridiculous, none of the locals we came across even seemed to notice and it made the world of difference to me.

What began as drizzle soon started to get heavier and we realised that it was indeed going to be 18km, not 5. We'd be walking well into the dark evening. So when we spotted a man outside his hut tinkering with his motorbike, we asked how much he'd want to drive us the rest of the way. $7 seemed a small price to pay and he called a friend to bring another bike. Of course, once on the bike it began to rain harder and we were soaked through by the time we arrived. Poor guys. It was so much further than we anticipated. They had to return in this weather and were grateful for the $10 we gave them, even offering to come back and get us in a few days.

We checked into Hotel Ovalido which was pricey at $30 but was one of only two choices. It had a super comfy bed and... an actual hot water shower - the first we'd come across! It felt so luxurious after the bike ride. Breakfast was included and they gave us some instant noodles, eggs, onion and garlic plus access to the kitchen to make ourselves dinner.

The weather wasn't looking promising at all. It rained hard and Mt. Ramelau and every other mountain were hidden in dense cloud. The hotel manager advised leaving around 8am but in hindsight, we think that's because no guide wanted to get up early enough to accompany us for sunrise. In the end, my foot was too painful for me to go, especially with the bad weather and expected slippery path requiring hiking boots so off they went, returning several hours later to confirm that I would indeed have had trouble on the path. The view looked incredible (sorry I don't have any photos to add here) and comes highly recommended.

What we did do was hike cross country to a waterfall I'd spotted from the road. It seemed a lot more straightforward than it was but nonetheless was a fun walk, even the sliding down steep cliffs on my bum in mud bit. We found spiders who'd built their web above the water and dangled from it with their long front legs in an attempt to snare the bugs that skittered on the water's surface. There was signs that horses and cows had been along seemingly impossible paths on the sides of steep hills. The views were stunning as we wound our way up and over and around before finally reaching one of the two waterfalls that feed the village. The water was incredibly cold and I lost all feeling in my legs but the dip was refreshing and we dried in the sun on the surrounding warm rocks.

Portuguese won't get you anywhere out here, only Indonesian really. Some school children attend english classes and spoke fantastic english whilst their friends stared wide-eyed from the fringes of the group, not understanding a word. From what I understand, younger children attend school in the mornings and the older ones have afternoon classes. There just isn't the infrastructure for a full day of school for everyone. I'm not sure if that's countrywide though.

Our ticket out when we reluctantly decided to leave (there isn't a whole lot to do though the scenery made up for that) appeared in the form of a truck half filled with sacks of cabbages upon which half a dozen people sat. Well, except for one guy who must've had an extremely big night. He was out for the count, his head banging on the medal bar not even rousing him. I'm not sure they were expecting to pick up two foreigners but we climbed up and over the bars and later proved our worth when we helped them load even more; rearranging umbrellas, backpacks, hungover bodies and our stuff to make way. They dropped us at the turnoff to Maubisse and didn't ask for any payment. We gave them all the change we had (which amounted to a pitiful $2-something) and with a wave from everyone, off they went.

Back in Maubisse some time later (having waited for transport then having to wait for a funeral procession walking towards us), we checked into the aptly named Sara's that sits above a restaurant. $25 gets you a double bed with a private bathroom (it's $22 for a twin room) and includes breakfast downstairs. If you are a light sleeper - really, even if you're not - I recommend ear plugs. It's right on the roundabout leading out of town.

The old pousada up on the hill has been hollowed out with renovations under way to restore it. We wandered the empty rooms and took photos from the windowless frames.The weather kept us there for some time before we made a dash for it back down to town. And luckily we did. The heavens unleashed a torrent of water and showed me just how easily roads can be washed away. People squeezed under shelter wherever they could and the rain kept them there for some time. The occasional person made a dash for it with an umbrella but that meant navigating what was now a waterfall on the main road.

Things close early in Maubisse. Oh, and restaurants were nonexistent in Hautebailico (or maybe we were looking in the wrong places). There is a poster of a waterfall in the restaurant under the hotel but we couldn't figure out where it was. Portuguese would be a help here. Buses and trucks back to Dili are plentiful and we found ourselves travelling through thick fog one moment and then the warmth of the capital the next as we descended from the hills.

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Photos

Thumbs up from our driver
Though probably best to not repeat this (he veered a bit into the other lane)

Cross country in search of a waterfall
We found it! And dipped in its cold water ( I couldn't feel my legs!)

Our ride out of Hautebailico
We sat on cabbages and kept stopping to load even more (they're surprisingly comfy)

Hotel on the hill outside Maubisse
Pity it was too far out. The view must be amazing