Timor - last island before Australia..

Our plane just after landing in Kupang, West Timor

Yesterday we flew from Ende, Flores to Kupang, West Timor. One hours flight with a local airline not generally recognized in our part of the world - but all fine (the plane was nearly brand new)..
 Just landing here this place seemed a bit different from the last many islands - more dry and less hot - a pleasant change. And - guess what - more flat.. But time will show if this is true in the days to come.. The university town of Kupang is the largest (300.000 inhabitants) of West Timor. Our hotel is a very run down faded glory kind of place - and we almost all decided to listen to Gerald (he left Ende one day earlier than the rest of us and made a little research about this place) and go for the new "Bottles and Barrels" restaurant last night. That turned out to be a good idea. Up scale kind of Bali style place with great food, drinks and least but not last some good live music. I think we were around 10 of us dancing like mad for quite some time - ending with 4 of the guys jumping in the pool. Enough of beer, wine and drinks to make everybody very relaxed and happy.. A good change in our everyday rhythm.. - thank you Gerald.. The next party is already planned for Darwin, Australia where we start celebrating Jodie's 40 years birthday a couple of days before it actually is.. And of course the reunion with many known faces from the Bamboo Road last year that will join us there.
 Well it is not all partying.. We still have 4 riding days here at our last island. Actually we leave Indonesia to go to Timor Leste before. This is the youngest nation of the world grounded in 2002 after many years of political conflicts between the two ends of the island of Timor. The splitting up of this place originates from the colonial period where the Portuguese were in the east and the Dutch in the west. Our local guide here, a great woman called Yayan, told me that she is still very connected to the east thru family and friends and goes over there regularly..
 Next Monday on the 20th of October we fly the short distance from Dili, East Timor to Australia's most northern town of Darwin. I think even the most mountain fanatic riders are looking forward to this. Personally I can't wait to get normal food on a daily basis (the rumor goes that the TDA cook who is going to make our food at camp is a real chef - no complaints about that..). And although I generally see myself more like a climber and fan of challenging surfaces I can't wait to ride the flat roads that are awaiting us down under. BUT this is a TDA trip so there will be a new thing to cope with: tenting (which will be a first time experience for me).. And apparently many bugs, insect, snakes and crocodiles.. NEVER A DULL MOMENT!