East Timor - Under UN Occupation

The beach road east of Dili, on the way to the Jesus statue at Cape Fatucama.

Arriving in East Timor is like arriving in an occupied country, but it's not occupied by one single country. The United Nations have occupied the country and it's hard to ignore their presence. Big white SUV:s travel up and down the streets of the Capital (Dili), and the main highway along the northern coast (fewer venture into the mountainous interior and the southern coast).

I cycled across the border at Motain/Batugade, and camped and continued slowly along the coast on the way to Dili. There are some beautiful white sand beaches with nothing else than the locals fishing canoes and huts.

In the Capital i got my new Indonesian visa at the embassy, then cycled across the mountains to the southern coast. Roads are ok between major towns, but the Atsabe road was in a terrible state, with hardly any asphalt left, steep inclines, bathtub sized potholes, and hardly any facilities. The road goes through a few small villages, but only one or two has a warung (food stall or cheap resturant). There is simply not enough of a local economy to justify it. Small kiosks exist where there may be some instantt noodles, coffee sachets and washing powder. Life is very traditional, which means that men get drunk and play cards, while women work in the small, dry pathches of soil.

Timor Leste is an interesting, young little country, but I hope they can get rid of the NGO:s and the UN soon, and be free to create their own economy.