Day 420 Kupang – Atambua, Timor (Indonesia) / motorbike GS Dakar RTW overland adventure traveller

• Left – 8.45am
• 29th May 2015
• Miles rode – 189 (302km)

The boat to Timor left Lembata at 3.30pm the previous day and I was told it would take 24 hours so I was shocked when at 3.30am a very annoying Indonesian voice started screaming through the tannoy. It was time to disembark, 12 hours before I expected.

I WAS TIRED AND GRUMPY AND DIDN’T WANT TO BE NICE TO ANYONE!!!

As the ferry docked young men flooded onto the boat like rats deserting a ship in reverse, they looked at me, smiled and said ‘taxi?’ I looked at them back and I think my expression said ‘if you look at me again or dare to talk to me!’

I’ve been kind and wanted to engage with people for over a year but this morning was different! I was grumpy, GO AWAY! I was very tired, GO AWAY! In the middle of nowhere, GO AWAY! and considering my options;

1. Find the hotel I had been recommended which was 20km away.
2. Think of an option other than option 1.

Feeling tired and riding through pitch black streets in Indonesia isn’t the wisest decision I’ve ever made. I took my time loading my gear onto my bike and then very slowly headed towards Kupang, the main town 15km away. My GPS was grumpy too and refused to work so I stopped in Kupang as I saw a street stall selling coffee. What I didn’t realise was there was a disco / karaoke club opposite. I ordered a coffee and had to endure listening to the loudest and worst signing ever! It’s now 5am I’m still very grumpy and the last thing I want is to listen to awful Indonesian karaoke!

The owner of the karaoke bar wandered over to talk to me, I told him to shut the front door of his awful karaoke bar. He laughed and thought I was joking!

I found the hotel ‘La Hasienda’ in Kupang and Michael the owner was so kind, he let me have breakfast there, print off my Timor Leste visa and use his wifi for free. Thank you Michael.

Although I was tired 3 or 4 cups of coffee did the trick and at 8.45 I started riding East towards the border. The roads were very good and empty so by 2.30pm I made it to Atambua just 35km short of the border. I rested for the remainder of the day, I’ll head into Timor Leste in the morning.