The road tracklog
From Kupang to Motoain
from 22/08 to 24/08/2009

Histoire :
-- In the 16th century the Portuguese traded sandalwood.
-- In the 17th century the Dutch occupied the town of Kupang. A long conflict opposed Dutch and Portuguese to acquire the monopoly of the lucrative trade of the sandalwood. Finally Timor was divided, the Dutch in the west and the Portuguese in the east.
-- In 1949 at the time of Independence, the Dutch left the Timor Island whereas the Portuguese remained in the east up to the tragedy which leads to independence in 2002.
Once again colonialism durably fixed the borders between two communities which should live in good intelligence!

The ferry from Larantuka to Kupang landed at the expected time; I unloaded around 4:30am by driving on remains of any kind strewing the ground after the night of the Indonesians laid down on soil. It was a great moment to leave the ferry without the help of the invisible crew in a badly enlightened harbour; I found a carpark where I finished the night. As with the practice I looked for a cybercafé to publish pages of my website relating to Flores Island, a long moment of patience it was a connection by satellite, then I was shopping in Flobamora Mall where I had lunch before taking again the road to find as soon as possible a spot of bivouac in fact a sports ground.

 
 
It was 4:00am 
Bolok Harbour 
Kupang 
22/08/2009 

The August 23 was a long driving day towards the border between West & East Timor located at Motoain Indonesia side and Batugade East Timor side. Of course the road was narrow but the renovated sections were widened contrary to the other islands.

 
 
En route  
to Atambua 
23/08/2009 

Some sections were under work of which this diversion in the bed of a river, no it was not a track in Mongolia, but in West Timor. No quite serious any vehicle could drive the ford. Moreover some drivers benefited from it to wash their vehicle.

 
 
En route 
to Atambua 
23/08/2009 

 
 
En route  
to Atambua 
23/08/2009 

The entrance of Atambua is marked by the statue of a glorious soldier, see the picture on frontpage, certainly to commemorate exactions made in East Timor. Moreover the rabble soldiers back in West Timor in 2000 lunched of three UN workerss. I was not lingered. I bivouacked at 18km away from the border.

The 24/08 as of early dawn I had visitors, the inhabitants of the close village. No talking but they remained there; Indonesians are like Indians, they remain to look at as if time did not exist. But when I do them understand that I will do my toilet, they go away.

 
 
Morning visitors 
to Motoaina 
24/08/2009 

Around 09:20am I arrived in Motoain the border post of Indonesia; first stage, the Immigration office for having my passport stamped, second stage, customs office for having the passport of my truck stamped too, the carnet de passage en douane, and the visit of curiosity of my truck. I was the lonely people & the only vehicle. The two procedures lasted less than a half an hour. By the exit gate of Indonesia I entered into Timor Leste.

 
 
Exit Indonesia  
Motoain 
24/08/2009 

Have regard by waiting for a ferry in Ende then in Larantuka and by the expired date of my visa, the journey in Timor was of short duration, three days to head from Kupang to the border. The latitude took two degrees south, I felt it at the temperature in net up and the percentage of moisture in net down.