REFLECTIONS: Dili Dally: Part I

I had planned this trip back in 2020 and was supposed to fly Air Timor to Dili from Singapore in May 2020. The trip didn’t materialise of course and in the second week of January 2024, I decided to resurrect my plan. This time, I had to fly Citilink from Denpasar.

Friday, 26 January 2024

I left the office just before lunchtime (I clocked in early) and made my way to the airport. I just about managed to catch the 13:52 KLIA Transit train with less than two minutes to spare. I quickly located the MAS counter in my bag to drop my bag off and went through the autogate. While dropping off my bag, I noticed a QR code for custom check at the Indonesian arrival airport so quickly scanned that and filled the form in. The prayer room was full with Indonesian pilgrims transiting on their way home.

After prayers, I made my way to gate H4. We were supposed to take off at 15:20 but the crew had to clean the plane and we only boarded at 15:20 and took off at 15:50. The plane was quite empty.

We landed into a wet Denpasar- it had clearly just finished raining - and our bags took time to emerge. I managed to check emails while waiting! The upper part of my bad near the bag pull was wet when it came out so I briefly wondered if any of the water bottles I packed had leaked.

I made my way out into the night and dodged the persistent taxi drivers and asked for directions for Al Ikhlas Mosque. I’d identified it as part of the landmark of my way to Asta Hotel. I stopped once to ask for directions but it wasn’t hard to find the hotel (I’d saved the location and there were signs leading to Warung Kubu which was near the hotel) so I knew I was on the right track. I reached the hotel after 13 minutes.

After checking in and paying cash for my room (it cost less on booking.com than on Airbnb so I cancelled the Airbnb booking and booked the room under the former), I went out to find dinner. It had started to drizzle. I managed to find a row of halal restaurants at the junction of Jl. Kartika Plaza and Jl. Dewi Sartika and ordered some soup and fried rice to go - for my breakfast the following morning. There was a moment of panic when I couldn’t find my wallet and I had to return to my room. It was there, I had taken some cash out and kept it behind but left my wallet behind too. Alhamdulillah.

I had an early night as I had an early start the following morning.

Saturday, 27 January 2024

I didn’t sleep very well and woke up before my alarm. I showered then performed tahajud prayers while waiting for Subuh. I finished packing then had some fried rice before checking out. The walk back to the airport took me ten minutes this time as I didn’t have to ask for directions and the traffic was still light. I went up to the departure area to check in at Citilink counter. The airline didn’t have check-in option for international flights. I wasn’t happy when I found I was assigned seat in row 29 - which turned out to be the third row from the rear of the plane. Passengers were given the arrival form upon check-in.

The embarkation was quick and we were already ready to taxi at 09:20 which was ten minutes earlier than scheduled. Right after the seat beset sign switched off, I changed seats and moved to row 25. I wasn’t expecting any meal to be served as I thought Citilink was like Batik Air plus there was a catalogue with food prices in the seat pocket and was pleasantly surprised when the crew wheeled out the trolley and doled out food. It was beef stew with mashed potato and mixed vegetables on the side. The passenger across the aisle asked if there was another option and the crew said no. The food was not at all accommodating to vegetarians or Hindus.

We landed at President Nicolau Lobato International Airport at 11:20. We went down the stairs and walked to the airport. Some airport staff were waiting to give us the custom declaration form and I quickly filled it up before joining the queue for visa application. It was slow because they had to write out the visa payment receipts by hand. The visa was a sticker with our faces on it and pasted into our passports. Oh and by the way, the Timor Leste immigration has a guide on how much money a visitor should bring.

The process was such that our bags were already waiting when we walked into the terminal building. I looked around but couldn’t find any restroom and was so glad I went to the lavatory before the plane made its descent. I had contacted the hotel to pick me up at 13:30 because I thought the process would take longer and settled down to wait.

The hotel reps arrived at 13:20 and we were on our way into the city within minutes. When I asked, I was told it’d take 30 minutes to get to the hotel. Well, this was because everyone adhered to some speed limit. It would’ve taken a Malaysian driver fifteen minutes only.

I checked in and paid the hotel. The hotels in Dili are not cheap. I read this is because of the UN personnel they have in the city and hotel rooms are much sought after. After performing prayers, I went out to explore the downtown. I walked along the road and found Rocella Hotel. I stopped to ask and was informed that rooms start from USD45 inclusive of breakfast and wifi (however, I also read that staff are usually absent and the hotel is not well maintained). I didn’t check the room though. I walked on until I dawn this beautiful abandoned building at the end named Casa Europa. The Presidential Palace was ahead of me. I crossed the road and walked around the palace. The Resistance Archives and Museum is nearby but I didn’t feel like exploring it and see committed genocide captured in photos. I’ve had enough of present-day genocide for now.

My hotel

Had to laugh when I saw this

I then walked to Tais Market just to browse then to Motael Church after asking for directions at Hotel Timor. Then I walked along the park along the waterfront before returning after some 10,000 steps to the hotel to rest. It was a hot and humid afternoon but I was glad of it as I wouldn’t have enjoyed walking in the rain. It is the rainy season after all.

Igreja de Santo Antonio de Montael

I went out again to the waterfront to see the sunset but there wasn’t much of one. I went back to my room before it got too dark and stayed in.

Sunday, 28 January 2024

I woke up early for prayers then read my book. I went down for breakfast after dhuha prayers and lingered over my breakfast. I had decided to check out at 09:30 and I was out at 09:35. A #2 microlet bound for Becora came within a couple of minutes and I boarded it. The driver stopped a few times to wait for passengers but there were many other microlets so he didn’t get too many passengers. Just before we arrived, a man got up and asked if I was going to Baucau and started to grab my suitcase. I protested and held on to my bag. The microlet driver then let me down and pointed to the waiting buses bound for Baucau. I paid 25 cents for my ride (all microlets charge this regardless of distance). There were more men trying to grab my bag when I got down and urging me to board a bus. Thankfully I found a seat (or rather, it was pointed out to me) and I could store my bag aboard. I had read horror stories of people waiting for more than two hours in the bus and I was thankful that ours took off within 15 minutes. And it didn’t go around looking for passengers (another thing I read about). Alhamdulillah. There were passengers who sat on the floor and those who were happy enough to be standing on the steps and hanging on. They paid less than those of us who sat in seats.

We climbed up the hills, navigated the corners and caught glimpses of the sea. I couldn’t take any photos though as I was sitting next to an elderly lady and she was blocking the window and although I sat near the door, there were passengers standing at the door. I saw some goats on the cliffs, small villages, mangrove, even paddy fields. Gone were the days when it took four to five hours to reach Baucau. The roads had been paved except the last few km as we were nearing Baucau. It took us three hours to get to Baucau and cost us USD5. I got down together with the elderly woman sitting next to me as she was also heading for Kota Lama. I had read that the buses would pass Kota Lama before proceeding to Kota Baru so was not pleased to find that I had to take the local microlet to Kota Lama. Anyway, I had this woman to help guide me. I had the microlet stop at a small roundabout and walked up to Mar-Bel Guesthouse. Alas, it was fully occupied and I was advised to check Blue Ribbon which was about ten metres up the potholed lane.

Thankfully, there were vacant rooms and I decided to check out the room first. I was shown to a twin room with fan (I didn’t need AC and in fact even slept without turning on the fan). It cost USD10/night including breakfast. I asked and was told that no towels were provided and I thanked God I brought mine along this time. There were ants in my room but hey, at least it wasn’t cockroaches. I asked about the buses back to Dili and the owner told me there was a bus at 2 or 3 and I would arrive in Dili at 5 or 6. Then she said it was in the morning and I went, say what. I asked if it was safe. I didn’t really fancy taking that bus as I’m sure I wouldn’t be able to sleep, plus I would have problems performing morning prayers. And what would I do in Dili if I arrived that early in the morning anyway. What I already saw didn’t really impress me. Then the owner said that she might be going to Dili herself on Tuesday and hinted that I may be able to get a ride from her.

After checking in and performing prayers, I went out in the afternoon sun to check the town out. It may be the second biggest town in Timor Leste but the roads were not great. Some are potholed and would raise dust when vehicles pass. I donned my face mask on while walking. Alhamdulillah that I brought my face mask, small brolly and Converse shoes. I checked out the Pousada de Baucau and wandered its garden where I saw a small colony of ginger cats. Then I walked down to Piscina de Baucau, the public swimming pool. I then mounted some steps near the swimming pool and walked to Saint Antonio Cathedral and then walked by the magnificent but neglected Mercado Municipal de Baucau before returning to my room.