Day 3.
Up early at 6am in the hotel lobby for my taxi for the ride to the airport.
Back at Ngurah Rai International Airport for the flight to Dili, Timor-Leste.
Mexican chicken sandwich for breakfast at one of the air-side eateries.
The Sriwijaya Air 737 being prepped for the 8am flight to Dili.
Climbing out soon after take-off.
The flight was just under two hours, and got crumbed chicken, fried noodles and some kind of jelly for dessert.
Clear blue skies after landing in Dili, Timor-Leste.
After paying for my $30 visa on arrival, was through immigration in no time.
Catching a taxi into Dili to my hotel. My driver was a big Barça and Brazil fan
.
The Dili Beach Hotel on the right for my short stay in Timor-Leste.
For $45 the room was pretty basic, but was fine for just one night.
After checking into my hotel, I headed down the beach for a walk.
Jason had arrived the previous day to do some diving, and wasn't leaving until 5pm today for the flight for Darwin, so caught up with him and Jennifer, another diver from D.C., for some lunch.
Some tasty smoked salmon and pasta.
I then went to check out the Kampung Alor Mosque with Jason, and then said my farewells and wished him well on his upcoming travels throughout the South Pacific, including diving in Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Samoa and Tonga as well as Timor-Leste!
I then headed out to see some of the sights of Dili.
Restaurant.
The Presidiential Palace.
Hanging out on a Sunday afternoon.
Damsel.
Porto de Dili.
In the shade.
A mural of the Tour de Timor, a 5 day, 450 km mountain bike race that is held annually.
One of the local pastimes, cockfighting!
Battling it out in the ring.
Some post-match first aid.
All ready to fight another day.
At the Santa Cruz cemetery, site of the 1991 Dili massacre where over 250 people were shot and killed by Indonesian soldiers during the Indonesian occupation of Timor-Leste.
Mini market.
I then visited the local Tais (traditional weaving created by the women of Timor-Leste) market and picked up a couple of souvenirs.
Stringing up the day's catch.
Back at the hotel for a burger for dinner at dusk.
Day 4.
Poached eggs and toast for breakfast.
I then caught a taxi out to the Cristo Rei of Dili (Christ the King of Dili), and climbed up the 500+ steps.
The 27 metre tall statue was a gift from the Indonesian government in 1996 to the people of Timor-Leste, which was at the time still a province.
Looking out to Dili.
The statue is made out of 27 separate copper sections.
Looking out to one of the beaches to the east.
I then caught the taxi to the airport for the flight back to Bali.
Roast chicken and vege's this time for the in-flight lunch. Plenty of legroom too in the exit row seat
.
Deep blue sky on the flight west.
After landing at Ngurah Rai International Airport, I took a taxi for the 80 minute ride up to my hotel in Ubud, the town famous for being in the book / movie 'Eat, pray, love'.
The hotel was quite small, with only 12 units/room, but was almost brand new, clean and great, especially given the price of $47 a night including breakfast.
Almost the same price for what I paid for the hotel in Dili the night before
.
An infinity pool just outside my room looking out into the Balinese jungle.
For the rest of the day I just relaxed at the hotel, went for a swim in the pool, and enjoyed the chilled out atmosphere.
Although it was only a small hotel, they had their own restaurant and I had dinner there. I was the only one there and the lady working in the kitchen did all the serving too, so was abit like having a personal chef
. For the starter I had the Lumpia - fried springrolls with vegetables, glass noodles and sweet & sour dip.
For the main, Peps Ikan Kermangi - steamed fish in banana leaf with local basil, sautéed vegetables and steamed rice.
And for dessert, Pisang Goreng - banana fritter with palm sugar syrup and ice cream. The three course meal was $12 total, great value!
Day 5.
Breakfast at the hotel, with the some fresh pineappple, banana and watermelon.
And eggs benedict with hollandaise sauce.
I then got picked up at my hotel at 8am for a cycle tour through the Balinese countryside.
The first stop of the tour, Mount Batur. The dark patches are solidifed lava from the last eruption in 1999.
Next we stopped off at a cacao and coffee plantation.
Roasting the beans.
The finished product.
We then got to try the different drinks, including hot chocolate made from the locally grown cacao.
Back on the road again and checking out the local wildlife
.
Cycling through the countryside and through the rice paddies.
Shaking out the rice grains.
Terraces.
Farmer.
Blessings.
Group photo at the end.
Statue of the Hindi god, Ganesh, back at the cycle tour operators house.
And where we got treated to a delicious lunch. Perfect after a good bike ride
.
I had some time before my flight back home, so just went for a swim back at the hotel and just chilled out for a bit.
Some unexpected oncoming traffic while driving from Ubud to the airport.
Back at Ngurah Rai International Airport for the flight back home.
The QR A330 at dusk for the flight to Doha.
At dawn the next morning for the A320 flight from Doha to Dubai after a great five days in Bali and Dili
.
