Back from Timor-Leste
Wow, what an amazing trip! Ivan and I got back late last night after almost two weeks traveling and racing our bikes around Timor-Leste. I wasn’t able to blog on the actual trip as I was riding as well as media so I will try to get some photos and info up here over the next few days.
These photos were taken on our first 3 days out of the capital, Dili. Ivan and I wanted to get away and see a little of the island before the race got under way. We had no idea if it was even safe to travel independently in Timor, time to find out! We really had no preconceptions of what Timor-Leste could offer, let’s face it, no one really knows much about the worlds newest country so we were very excited.
We packed up the bikes with our camping stuff and loaded up some water, that’s all the preparation we did.
The organisers of the TdT gave us a map about the size of a large postage stamp and we headed west to a small fishing village called Liquica (lee-qee-sa). We cycled for about 70 km along the beautiful coastal roads. We had heard that the roads are in really bad shape but we found them to be great for mountain bikes! Heaps to think about skipping over pot holes and waving to the villagers :o)
Early morning sun rise
Fisherman
We set up our tents on the black sand beach near the local Portugese style church and drifted to sleep listening to the sound of the waves lapping the shore only a few metres away, pure magic! The next morning we woke up to the sound of local fishermen busily unravelling their nets and preparing their boats for the mornings catch. Round here, people eat what they catch so fishing is central to their diet and important for trading.
We packed up the tents and head further east for another 20km passing villages hosting soccer matches, Ivan was a hit with the locals giving out biscuits to the kids as I wondered around taking snaps.
Time to head back to Dili and get ready for the race..
Fishing village at Liquica, about 60km east of Dili
