KUPANG CITY
Yes, we made it! The trip was long, tedious and boring, not to mention ROLLY!! We rolled from one side to the other and back again. We left Darwin at 7.00am on Sunday the 25th and put the anchor down at 11.30 on Thursday 29th July. So that is just over 100hrs at sea.
Clearing in was an experience: 9 (yes nine) people on board to do the paperwork for quarantine and customs, which involved lots and lots of papers and stamps and signing god only knows what. Then you go ashore and start all over again. There you see 1) Customs, 2) Quarantine, 3) Health and 4) the Harbour Master, pay 210,000 rupiah and by this time you really need a drink. Bintang is the order of the day, a really nice beer. Yep, even I am drinking it. A big bottle costs 30,000 rupiah which equates to $4.00. Wine and spirits are almost non existent here, so beer it is.
LOCAL VEGGIE STORE
Friday we were up bright and early for the complimentary bus trip that was to leave at 8.00 but didn’t. Apparently it was organised for 9.00 o’clock! There were 3 buses (small, old, ripped seats, rattled like mad and dicky brakes) lined up and once we were on, on came our guide and 2 guards. We left with police escort and sirens blaring while our guide stuck a megaphone out the window to announce to all and sundry that we were very important tourists from Australia and to make way for us. Boy, did we feel like royalty.
RICE PADDY
We saw a demonstration of a cultural dance and musical instrument playing from the island of Roti, then on to a community house for refreshments (all free) and then off to a remote traditional village, about an hour’s drive up into the mountains. ( with dicky brakes!!) The roads are very narrow, so the police went ahead and stopped the traffic so we could come through unhindered. If we needed to turn or get back onto the road after a stop, they just stepped out into the road and stopped all traffic for us.
What came next is something that we will remember for a long time to come. We drove up into the hills behind Kupang to a traditional village. We were only the second group of tourists to ever go there. What a welcome we got. The children from the school were dressed in traditional costume and delivered a ritualised call of welcome. We were all presented with a scarf or “blanket” which is given as a sign of respect.
There were probably 2000 people there, nearly all the older people were dressed traditionally and chewing betel nuts. A special welcome dance was performed, and then we were all invited to participate. After the ceremonies were complete we were given banana leaves on woven plates and given a traditional lunch.
The generosity of spirit and food was humbling, they have so little and still they shared. And everywhere smiling faces. Awesome!!
The children are especially delightful, and if you take their photo and show it to them they dissolve into peals of laughter. Everyone wanted to shake our hand or take our photo.
KUPANG KIDS
Well another day or two in Kupang then onto Rote. Will keep you posted. Not sure when as the internet is intermittent and slow.
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