Blogs from East Timor, Asia - page 6

It’s early Saturday morning and I’ve been in Dili (East Timor) since late on Monday. Once again I’m travelling with a group from work to train some local people in the use of some software that has been developed at work and to also run a workshop on climate and climate change for a larger group of people. We had to travel from Melbourne last Monday because we could not arrange flights from Darwin to Dili for the weekend. We initially thought that this was because a lot of Army personnel use those flights but I think that it was because of a bike race. For the last few years East Timor has been running the Tour de Timor. This is a bit like the Tour de France but for mountain bikes. I also imagine that ... read more

We made another remote via helicopter today. We went to an isolated section of Timor called Oecusi (O-Cue-See) which is west of mainland Timor. It is separated from the rest of Timor and is surrounded by Indonesia except along the coast line. Apparently, this is where the Portuguese first landed when they came to Timor. This region also has one of the highest concentrations of leprosy in the world. Given these short comings, it is the most beautiful place I’ve seen in Timor. It still has a lot of old colonial structures and feel. The community has adequate water supply and is clean. Drove around last night with a chicken in the back seat. ... read more

Traveled via Helio to the providences of Ainaro and Zumali today which are in the central and southwestern part of the country. Ainaro is in the mountainous regions of Central Timor and Zumali is closer to the southern coast. Ainaro is high up in the coffee growing area of the region. It is absolutely beautiful with a 9700-ft Mountain for a back drop. The hill sides are rugged and there are small villages scattered throughout literally clinging to the side of the mountain. I am simply amazed at the ability of these people and how they can get by so well with so little. Zumali is a little closer to the coast and hence, a lot hotter and humid. Nothing like wearing a full uniform on a sweltering hot day. Oh well, it’s better than getting ... read more

Another warm and humid day in Dili. Spent most of day meeting with local agencies and NGO's. ... read more

12/07/2010 Time to spice up my travels a little, my Indonesian visa was due to expire so in order to get an extension I would have to venture out of the country. Situated in Kupang, West Timor belonging to Indonesia I would have to head to Dili the capital of East Timor also known as Timor Leste, where in 1999 it became its own country. After years of conflict due to an unwanted Indonesian occupation where an estimated 100,000 to 250,000 East Timorese lost their lives the UN stepped forward and sanctions were imposed thus ousting out the Indonesians and making East Timor independent. Tensions these days apparently less obvious with the last public outbreak of conflict being in 2007 during the presidential elections. The poorest country in south east Asia, crime apparently not rife, but ... read more