THE INDONESIAN SIDE OF THE INDO/ TIMOR-LESTE BORDER IS SPREAD OUT ALL OVER THE SHOW – OFFICES EVERYWHERE – AN OLD BORDERPOST AND DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT UNIFORMS. I HAD TO PARK MY CAR AROUND THE CORNER IN THE DIRT. WENT TO THE IMMIGRATION OFFICE TO GET MY VISA STAMPED BY THE “FRIENDLY’ IMMIGRATION OFFICER AND THEN HEADED OVER TO THE CUSTOMS OFFICE TO SORT OUT THE VEHICLE SITUATION. THOSE GUYS HAVE BEEN FUNNY AS FU*K AND WE HAD A BRILLIANT TIME TOGETHER. FELT GOOD TO BE WELCOMED LIKE THAT IN A NEW COUNTRY.

 

I HEADED BACK TO THE CARPARK IN THE DIRT BEHIND THE OLD BORDERPOST. ACCOMPANIED BY A SHORT ‘BOARDER SECURITY’ OFFICER WHO WAS ALL FRIENDLY WITH ME – HE WAS VERY INTERESTED IN THE GOPRO – RIGHT AFTER THE REQUESTED PICTURE TAKEN –  IN THE SHADOW OF THE CAR – HE PUT ON  SLEEZY SMILE AND DEMANDED ME TO GIVE HIM THE GOPRO. I RESPONDED WITH A SIMPLE ‘NO’ AND ALSO ADDED A SLEEZY SMILE TO MY FACE. END OF THE CONVERSATION!

 

THE QUALITY OF ROADS INCREASED AS SOON AS I CROSSED THE BORDER TO INDO. ABSOLUTELY AMAZING WITHOUT A SINGLE POTHOLE IN THE ROAD

 

I KNEW THERE WAS FERRY LEAVING THE NEXT DAY FROM KUPANG  – WHICH IS THE ONLY CITY WITH A PORT IN WESTTIMOR. IT WAS ABOUT 300 KM. IT TOOK ME AGES! THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO STRAIGHT THAT IS LONGER THAN 500 METERS. CORNERS OVER CORNERS AND SLOW, OVERLAODED TRUCKS CREEPING AROUD WHEREVER YOU GO. IT TOOK ME EASILY 10 HOURS AND IMPROVED MY VEHICLE DRIVING PERFORMANCE AT NIGTH. A TREEBRANCH AND A ROCK ON THE ROAD MEANS THERE IS A BROKEN DOWN TRUCK AHEAD. LITERALLY AHEAD -WE ARE TALKING 20 METERS WITH PEOPLE SITTING ON THE ROAD IN THE DARK TRYING TO FIX IT – NO LIGHT – COLLISON GUARANTEED – AND SCOOTERS ON THE ROAD EVERYWHERE – AGAIN NO LIGHTS. SO CAUTION WAS NECESSARY AT ALL TIMES.

 

THE NEXT MORNING – I GOT UP REASONABLE EARLY FOR THE FACT OF DRIVING ALL NIGHT AND MADE MY WAY TO THE PORT – 20KM AWAY FROM TOWN – TO SORT OUT THE SAILING TO FLORES ISLAND. I HEADED TO ALBERTO’S OFFICE – A FRIENDLY PORTUGUESE FELLA IN HIS EARLY 50’S – AROUND 1.600.000 RUPIAH FOR THE 12 HOUR CROSSING – UNFORTUANTELY I DID’T BRING ENOUGH FUNDS AS I STILL HAD LOTS OF TIME – NO BIG DEAL THERE IS AN ATM’S NEARBY – THAT’S WHAT I THOUGHT. I TRIED ABOUT 20 ATM’S ALL THE WAY FROM THE PORT BACK TO THE CITY – BUT NONE OF THEM WOULD SPIT OUT ANY SINGLE RUPIAH. I COULN’T BELIEVE IT. ALL THE WAY BACK IN THE CITY I WENT INTO A PROPER BANK AS I HAD SOME US DOLLARS THAT I COULD POSSIBLY CHANGE – 200 PEOPLE IN THE QUEUE. I COULDN’T BELIEVE THIS WAS HAPPENING. I REMEMBERED AN ATM OF A DIFFERENT COMPANY THAT I HAVEN’T TRIED YET BUT WHEN I DROVE PAST IT JUST GOT REFILLED BY ARMOURED SECURITY. I THOUGHT I AM PART OF THE ‘TRUMAN SHOW’ – I HEADED BACK TO CHECK OUT THAT ATM AGAIN. THE GUYS HAD LEFT TO REFILL THAT ATM AND I FINALLY GOT SOME CASH. I RACED DOWN TO THE PORT TO SEE ALBERTO AGAIN BUT ALL I SAW WAS THE FERRY SLOWLY FLOATING AWAY – FU*K MY LIFE – I SAW MYSELF ON THAT FERRY..

 

SO I HAD SOME TIME TO CATCH UP WITH PAPERWORK – VIDEO EDITING – EXERCISING – EATING – AND EXPLORING KUPANG

 

AND ALSO LOTS OF TIME TO MEET THE LOCALS

 

 

4 DAYS WERE GONE LIKE NOTHING AND ME AND MY NEW ESTONIAN MATE ‘MART’ WENT DOWN TO THE LOCAL MARKETS EVERY NIGHT TO TRY ALL THEIR FOODS

 

 

I MET A CYCLIST ‘MARK’ IN THE BACKPACKERS WHO IS TRAVELLING THE WORLD BY PUSHBIKE – IMPRESSIVE – WE CHUCKED HIS BIKE IN THE CRUISER AS HE NEEDED TO CATCH THE SAME FERRY AND WENT TO THE PORT TOGETHER – WE LEFT THE BIKE IN THE BOOT SO IT’S ALL SAFE ON THE FERRY..

I GOT OFF THE FERRY AT 4AM – LARANTUKA PORT – WHICH IS ON THE FAR EAST SIDE OF FLORES ISLAND. I DIDN’T FEEL WELL THE WHOLE FERRY RIDE, NOT BECAUSE OF THE WAVES, MORE BECAUSE OF THE BANANA PANCAKE I HAD PRIOR TO THE ‘CRUISE’. THERE WAS A SMELLY ‘VIP’ ROOM ON THE FERRY FOR ABOUT 4USD BUT THE AIRCON DIDN’T BLOW ANY COLD AIR AND THE TELEVISION WAS ON FULL BLAST WITH BAD MOVIES AND STALLING PICTURES. IT WAS A RELIEF TO GET OFF THAT THING. 16 HOURS IT TOOK. MARK, A FELLOW TRAVELMATE WHO IS CYCLING THE WORLD BY PUSHBIKE HAD HIS BICYCLE STORED IN MY TRUCK FOR THE FERRY RIDE. WE GOT OF THE BOAT TOGETHER AND LOOKED FOR A LIGHTED PLACE SOMEWHERE AS MARK NEEDED TO CHECK ON SOME MAILS. I WAS ABSOLUTELY ‘KNACKERED’ FROM THE FERRY RIDE AND WE DROVE AROUND AND AROUND THROUGH THE DARK TINY STREETS OF LARANTUKA – LOOKING FOR LIGHT. WE GOT LOST – I PERFORMED A U-TURN – AND BAM!! THERE WAS A LITTLE CONCRETE STORMWATER-DRAIN DITCH KIND OF THING THAT WASN’T REALLY VISIBLE AND MY LEFT FRONTWHEEL DISAPPEARED IN IT – SIDEWAYS – DEEP – WEDGED. THE LAST THING I NEEDED AT 4AM IS GETTING STUCK. BUT THAT WAS THE CASE NOW. PUTTING THE CAR IN 4 WHEEL MODE DIDN’T HELP. IT WAS SITTING ON THE LEFT FRONT SUSPENSION AND THE IMPACT SMASHED OUT SOME CONCRETE – THE SUSPENSION BOLTS STUCK IN THE CEMENT AND THE WHEEL WEDGED IN THE DRAIN. I GOT MY LITTLE SCREWJACK OUT AND SLOWLY WINDED UP THE CASSIS. SOME LOCALS ON SCOOTERS ARRIVED – THE WHEEL ONLY HALF WEDGED NOW THANKS TO THE JACK. I JUMPED IN THE CAR AND THE GUYS LIFTED THE FRONT – I WAS OUTTA THERE — GOOD MORNING FLORES

I DROPPED OF CYCLIST MARK AND STARTED DRIVING WEST – ZERO VEHICLES ON THE ROAD – NICE FOR A CHANGE

I DROVE FOOR A WHILE AND DECIDED TO HAVE A ROADSIDE NAP IN THE SHADE

WHAT I WAS ABSOLUTELY CRAVING AFTER THE SWEATY FERRY RIDE – A SHIT AND SHOWER

I GOT BOTH DONE ON THAT LONELY BEACH

UP A LITTLE MOUNTAIN TRACK, THROUGH A FEW CLOUDS AND…

PAST SOME OF THOSE CUTE STINKY FELLAS…

THERE ARE THE FAMOUS HIDDEN THREE COLOURED LAKES OF THE MIGHTY KALIMUTU VOLCANO

HOLD ON – NO IT’S NOT RED – AS YOU CAN SEE – BUT THAT’S PROBABLY WHY IT HOLDS THE NAME ‘BEWITCHED’ AS IT CHANGES IT’S COLOUR REGULARLY

AS I WENT DOWN THE MOUNTAIN I PICKED UP THE FIRST HITCHHIKER – A JOUNG LOCAL CHICK WANTED TO CATCH A RIDE TO THE BASECAMP

ON MY WAY TO THE TRADITIONAL VILLAGE OF BENA – HIDDEN IN THE JUNGLE

THERE WAS DEFINITELY NOT MUCH GOING ON

AND HOW AS THE SPRINGS ARE DOWN A FEW HILLS FROM HIS VILLAGE

AND DROPPED OF MY NEW FRIEND AT HIS VILLAGE AND DECIDED TO TAKE A DIFFERENT TRACK THAT I SAW ON A LOCAL MAP

I FOUND MY WAY BACK TO THE MAINROAD – AFTER RUNNING OUT OF BRAKES FOR A WHILE AS I JUST OVERHEATED THEM AS THE WAS ONLY CORNERS BAD CONDITIONS AND HILLS ONLY

AND CONTINUED MY JOURNEY TOWARDS LABUAN BAJO TO FIND SOME CIVILISATION..

I HEARD THE DIVE IN LABUAN BAJO IS SUPPOSED TO BE ONE OF THE BEST SPOTS IN THE WORLD

THE DIVERSITY WAS INCREDIBLE

THERE IS A CLEANING STATION FOR MANTA RAYS WHICH MEANS THOSE STUNNING 5 METER WIDE ANIMALS FLOAD THROUGH THE WATER AND GET THERE SYSTEM CLEANED BUT TINY LITTLE FISH AFTER THEY HAD A FEED – SIMILAR TO A CROCODILE AND A BIRD

THE SAME DIVING BOAT TOOK US TO RINCA ISLAND WHERE WE MET SOME DRAGONS

FLORES IS SO PURE.. SO PEACEFUL..

CAPTAIN PHIL IS TAKING OVER THE VESSEL FROM FLORES ISLAND – HEADING WEST FROM LABUAN BAJO (FLORES) TO SPAPE (SUMBAWA ISLAND)

GOOD VIBES ON MY BOAT..

AFTER ONLY 4 HOURS OF CALM OCEANS WE REACHED SUMBAWA ISLAND IN THE AFTERNOON

WE REACHED – BIMA – THE CAPITOL OF SUMBAWA SOON AS THE ROADS IN SUMBAWA ARE OUTSTANDING CONDITION. AND THEY ARE STRAIGHT – UNLIKE MY PREVIOUS EXPERIENCES. WE DECIDED TO CONTINUE DRIVING AS I WE WANTED TO KEEP GOING TO MEET SOME AMERICAN FRIENDS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ISLAND

FINDING ACCOMMODATION WITH A SHOWER WAS A BIT OF MISSION THOUGH

TAKING THE FERRY FROM SUMBAWA TO LOMBOK

THE FERRY WAS PRETTY STRAIGHT FORWARD – WE ARRIVED AT THE PORT AND WERE ABLE TO DRIVE ON THE FERRY STRAIGHT AWAY – THAT WAS TIMING. THE CROSSING TOOK LESS THAN 2 HOURS – ENOUGH FOR A SNOOZE THOUGH 🙂

MY PASSENGER ‘VAIDA’ WANTED TO GO TO ‘CUTE’ – A LITTLE TOWN SOUTH OF LOMBOK, FAMOUS FOR SURF, SO WE DID. THE SUN WAS ABOUT TO GO DOWN, WE CHECKED INTO  ‘BANANA HOMESTAY’ AND I JUMPED STRAIGHT INTO MY RUNNERS TO DO A LITTLE EXPLORATION RUN BEFORE DUSK WILL TURN INTO DARKNESS. I BUMPED INTO SOME ‘STRANDED’ SPANISH GIRLS AT THE BEACH ASKING ME FOR DIRECTIONS. WE BEFRIENDED – OBVIOUSLY – I MEAN WHO WOULDN’T BEFRIEND THREE SPANISH GIRLS IN THEIR 20’s. WE WENT FOR DINNER AND SET A DATE TO CHECK OUT THE SURF THE NEXT MORNING.

YOU GOTTA TAKE A BOAT TO CATCH THE WAVE OFFSHORE

AFTER A GOOD MORNING OF CATCHING SOME WAVES WE WENT TO EXPLORE SOME HIDDEN BEACHES AROUND THE ISLAND

THIS FABULOUS DAY GOT ME INTO SERIOUS TROUBLE AS LOCAL TAXI DRIVERS THOUGHT I AM A TOUR OPERATOR OR ‘UBER’ DRIVER AND A FIGHT ENDED KIND OF UGLY- THE STORY IS KIND OF COMPLICATED SO I DECIDED TO EXPLAIN IT ON A SEPARATE PAGE – CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE

THE GIRLS NEEDED A LIFT TO SANGIGI, ANOTHER TOWN ON THE WESTCOAST OF LOMBOK. I WAS GOING THAT WAY TO GET TO THE GILI ISLANDS SO THEY JUMPED IN

I DROPPED OFF THE GIRLS AND HEADED TO A LITTLE PORT FURTHER NORTH TO CATCH A FERRY TO THE GILI’S

I LEFT THE LANDCRUISER AT THE PORT AND TOOK A SPEEDBOAT TO THE GILI’S

THIS WAS MY 3RD VISIT TO GILI T – AS IT IS SUCH A RELAXED ISLAND WITH A LOT OF FUN BARS AND NO MOTORISED VEHICLES – SOO GOOD FOR A CHANGE

I ONLY SPENT A COUPLE OF DAYS ON GILI T BUT MANAGED TO HAVE ME IPHONE 6S STOLEN AND MY BANKCARD TAKEN BY THE ATM. NICE WORK PHIL!

SO I LEFT GILI WITHOUT A PHONE AND BANKCARD

I DROVE TO MATARAM – LOMBOK’S CAPITOL – TO FIND A COMMONWEALTH BANK BRANCH BECAUSE THEIR  ATM SWOLLOWED MY BANK CARD ON THE GILI’S – THEY ACTUALLY WENT TO THE ATM ON GILI T THE PREVIOUS DAY AND FOUND MORE THAN FOUR BANKCARDS STUCK INSIDE THE MASHINE – FOUR! BUT NOT MINE – SO I SENT THEM BACK TO HAVE A BETTER LOOK! USELESS BUNCH OF PEOPLE!

THANKS TO MY MATE JOESPH AT THIS POINT TO SORT ME OUT WITH EMERGENCY CASH OF OVER 3000 AUSTRALIAN DOLLARS WITHIN 2 DAYS. THE KIND OF FRIEND THAT YOU CAN COUNT ON IN DIFFICULT SITUATIONS! LOVE YOU

I DROVE SOUTH TO LEMBAR PORT TO CATCH THE FERRY TO BALI – AWAITING A 6 HOUR CROSSOVER

800.000 RUPIAH FOR THE FERRY

I GOT TO BALI IN THE EVENING –  IT WAS ALREADY DARK. BUMPED INTO MARTINUS ON THE FERRY WHO WAS HAPPY TO ACCOMPANY ME TO UBUD – BALI’S SPIRITUAL HEART. WAS GOOD TO HAVE A COPILOT TO FIND MY WAY THROUGH THE TINY DARK STREETS OF THE ISLAND – THERE ISN’T ANY MAINROADS – IT’S JUST A LABYRINH OF ENDLESS TIGHT ALLEYWAYS

THE NEXT MORNING – WE MET SOME FRIENDLY GIRLS IN THE GUESTHOUSE AND I HAD A DATE WITH MY OL’ FIREND YVETTE FROM DARWIN WHO HAPPEND TO BE THERE AT THE SAME TIME – WE MET ABOUT 3,5 YEARS AGO AND HAVE BEEN CLOSE FRIENDS EVER SINCE. I AM GLAD TO KNOW YOU YVETTE!

WE FINALLY GOT THERE.. WALKING WOULD HAVE BEEN QUICKER WITH ALL THOSE ONE WAY LANES..

WE FINALLY GOT THERE AND SHOVELED OUR WELL DESERVED BREAKKIE INTO OUR MOUTHS! AND IT IS SOO DELICIOUS – I LOVE YOU CLEAR CAFE

THEY HAVE THE BEST SHAKES, HAD TO GO FOR ANOTHER ONE .. PEANUT SOMETHING.. UMMH, DEVINE

WE SPUN AROUND UBUD TO CHECK OUT THE LOCAL RICEFIELDS

2AM ALARM TO GET OUT OF BED – 1 HOUR DRIVE FROM UBUD AND A GOOD FEW HOURS HIKING TO GET UP – MOUNT BATUR SUNRISE – WAS WORTH IT

OUR LOCAL FRIEND COOKED SOME BREAKFAST FOR US

HE THREW THEM INTO A LITTLE HOLE NEXT TO A THERMAL VENT AND THE SLEEPY VOLCANO BOILED THEM FOR US – A PITY THERE WAS ONLY ONE EACH

THE HIKE WAS QUITE INTENSE AND WE DROVE STRAIGHT TO CLEAR CAFE AGAIN TO GET SOME BREAKFAST BEFORE CRASHING OUT IN BED AGAIN

FERRY TO JAVA ISLAND

THE CROSSING TOOK LESS THAN AN HOUR I THINK

BECAUSE I ENYOYED GETTING UP AT 2AM SO MUCH I DECIDED TO DO IT AGAIN STRAIGHT AWAY .. ONCE YOU ARE IN THE RHYTHM YOU KNOW..

MT IJEN IS ONLY A FEW HOURS AWAY FROM THE PORT ON JAVA ISLAND SO I DROVE ALL TTHE WAY TO ‘BASECAMP’ AT NIGHT, GOT SOME FOOD AND SLEPT IN THE CAR UNTIL SOME LOCAL GUY WOKE ME UP AT 1AM. THE CARPARK WAS FULL OF POEPLE. I BOUGHT A DUSKMASK AND TORCH OF HIM AND FOLLOWED THESE OTHER PEOPLE THROUGH THE DARKNESS.

MT IJEN IS STILL VERY ACTIVE WHEN IT COMES TO VOLCANIC ACTIVITY – YOU SMELL THE SULFUR AND YOU KNOW YOU MUST BE CLOSE TO THE CRATER. THERE IS USUALLY SOME BLUE FLAMES THAT OCCUR AT NIGHT BECAUSE OF THE SULPHURIC GAS REACTING WITH OXYGEN. NOT THAT NIGHT THOUGH…THE AIR WAS TO MOIST. LUCKY I HAVE SEEN IT BEFORE IN CHEMISTRY CLASS 😉

IT SMELLS RANK EVERYWHERE AND YOU START COUGHING STRAIGHT AWAY IF YOU TAKE OFF YOU MASK

I HIKED UP TO THE TOP – AN HOUR TO GO TIL SUNRISE

I FOUND MYSELF A NICE PLACE IN THE BUSHES AND WENT FOR A NAP. SLEPT THROUGH SUNRISE OF COURSE.. BUT THERE WASN’T ONE ANYWAY..IT WAS TO FOGGY. POSTING MY ‘SUNRISE’ PICTURE HERE WOULD BE TO EMBARRASSING

 

THE IS A SULFUR MINE CLOSER TO THE CRATER … STILL IN USE

THE LIQUID SULFUR RUNS DOWN THOSE PIPES AND SPLASHES ON THE GROUND

WHERE WORKERS SMASH IT INTO PICES AND FINALLY CHUCK IT INTO THEIR BASKET TO CARRY IT UP THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN

AIR ISN’T THAT FRESH DOWN THERE

I MADE IN DOWN THE HILL AND DROVE TOWARDS SURABAYA- I TRIED TO TAKE A SHORTCUT AND WAS GLAD TO HAVE A SOLID 4WD

MY SUNROOF MANAGED TO GET STUCK HALF WAY OPEN ON THESE BUMPY ROADS – UNLUCKY THAT IT WAS RAINY SEASON!

I MADE IT BACK TO THE MAINROAD AND FOUND SOME PLASTIC TO COVER UP THE MASSIVE HOLE IN THE ROOF! JUST IN TIME BEFORE THE RAIN.

I CONIUED DRIVING INTO THE NIGHT UP ANOTHER BIG AND LOOONG HILL. MY ENGINE STARTED TO HEAT UP AS THE HILL GOT STEEPER AND STEEPER. I DECIDED TO OPEN UP THE BONNET A LITTLE BIT TO INCREASE THE COOLING BUT AS I OPENED THE BONNET I ALREADY HEARD THE COOLING WATER BOILING SO I DECIDED TO CALL IT A DAY AND SLEPT AGAIN ON MY BACKSEAT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.. WHAT A KNACKER!