Recovery First thing: I have uploaded photos about Indonesia. Click here to view! (oppure il link sulla colonna di destra) Il giorno successivo al mio arrivo in Australia mi reco in ospedale. Al Pronto Soccorso del Royal Hospital di Darwin ricevo trattamenti ambulatoriali gratuiti (grazie a degli accordi bilaterali con l'UE) e nuove dosi di antibiotici. Il ginocchio e' ancora bendato e la ferita genera pus ma spero negli effetti del nuovo cocktail farmacologico.
La prima settimana di soggiorno australiano la passo al Gecko Lodge dove cerco di abituarmi a nuovi ritmi e consuetudini di viaggio. Accetto di malumore il fatto che d'ora in poi la maggior parte delle mie sistemazioni saranno costituite da camerate in ostello, con tutto cio' che ne deriva: rumore, compagni Room harassing, dirt, disorder, theft, stinks.
The impact in the local currency (Australian dollar) and 'a shock. Everything is very dear to me: sleeping, eating, drinking, travel. The money and out of the portfolio at a rate 'awesome. The inexpensive meals in Asian restaurants are a distant memory. From now on, breakfasts, lunches and dinners are eaten in the kitchen of the hostel.
The eta 'media of travelers and meeting' very down: most of "work and holidayers" (owners, like me, a visa annual holiday-type work) under 25 years. The ability to travel and 'very' party 'and fracassone. Or you work or chaos. Where did the old explorers?
Those arriving for a certain period of time in Australia trying to do on the road. This 'is used to identify two tribes' and two different approaches to the Australian trip. On the one hand there are the backpackers, the noisy inhabitants of the hostels, the other, "those with a van" who flock to camps and Caravanpark. Sometimes the two worlds come into contact, especially when someone "tries" a step and the other "facilities". Personally, I do not recognize in either group, I still wake up dreaming of one day in possession of a Toyota Landcruiser to explore the immense outback dirt roads. A step
Darwin two weeks of convalescence. Limp in the morning the streets of downtown in the afternoon I relax at the hostel, reading, writing or surfing the Internet. There 's a tropical climate, moderate humidity. E 'being the season known as "dry",' cause, as opposed to "wet", it never rains and the sky and 'always blue. Darwin 'a city' that has only 200 thousand inhabitants, but which 'distributed over an area in which Italy would host at least 1 million inhabitants. There 's a small town where there are offices and shops and rest and' made of one-family houses with gardens. There are very few apartment blocks. Piu 'a city' seems to me a country "allargatissimo. On foot you can 'only run the center, the rest you need a car. It 's the first city' I see in Australia and it 's a lot different from any other center abitato visitato in Europa. Devo ammettere: non mi fa impazzire. Per fortuna qui la burocrazia e' snella e in 2 giorni mi ritrovo con codice fiscale e conto corrente. Pronto per un eventuale primo lavoro.
Finalmente, dopo molti mesi, incontro ragazzi italiani con cui scambiare due chiacchere! Conosco Silvia e Matteo, di Mestre, che sono gia' da 8 mesi in Australia e Lorenzo, un ragazzone di Pescara; sono loro a svelarmi strategie e tattiche per sopravvivere un anno in Australia; mi sembra di capire che serva, soprattutto, molto lavoro!
Qui vicino a Darwin c'e' il Kakadu National Park, dove hanno girato Mr. Crocodile Dundee, una delle tappe fisse di un viaggio in Australia. E' una regione molto vasta, ricca di acquitrini a nord, vicino the sea, and waterfalls in the south, where the plains give way to rocky plateaus. Although the current dry season, rivers are still full of muddy water near the coast and are populated by aggressive crocodiles. Some groups of rocks, springing up like monoliths from an area almost 'flat, bring the witness of milleniaria Aboriginal culture. Paintings that speak of mysterious legends and traditions that are lost in the mists of time.
explore the park with Silvia, Matthew, and Jonas, a German boy, rent a campervan 4x4 and every occasion and 'good to throw in the dirt. We spend 3 nights in Kakadu, one of which is on the banks of 'Alligator Billabong (loop "dead" of a river): a campsite selvaggio tra uccelli, canguri e zanzare, raggiunto dopo quasi 40km di strada sterrata. Anche noi come Mr. Crocodile Dundee.
Poi si ritorna a Darwin, in tempo per vivere un'altra delle notti insonni a vedere le partite dell' Europeo. Durissimo star sveglio fino alle 7 di mattina per assitere al termine di un pallosissimo quarto di finale. E' decisamente ora di cambiare. Il ginocchio da segnali positivi e di fronte a me si distende la vastita' del continente rosso. Rene'
And finally ... Australia E’ una notte ad intermittenza, quella passata all’ospedale di Baucau. Il dolore mi sveglia in continuazione. Sudo. Un medico che mi visita nel corso della nottata predice che tra alcuni giorni tutto sara’ past. Hard to believe.
At 6 am I loaded up a direct local bus to Dili. My scooter and 'hanging on the back. Apart from the rear brake pedal, and that 'bent, was not damaged. Before noon they are already 'in Dili, where the owner of the' East Timor Backpackers charge me on his jeep and brings me back to the hostel. Here you will spend 'a week in hospital, waiting to fly to Darwin, Australia, June 7.
past seven days to read (a little, actually, I finished a Spiegel abandoned by a German traveler), eating heavy (can not move, I have to cibarmi the Indian restaurant opposite the hostel, curry at all hours), drinking beer, watching TV (pirated movies and TV series: The Sopranos, Heroes, Entourage) and play the Nintendo Wii (figata!) or cards with the other characters in the hostel: a young Australian from Almost a month cooking lunch buffet for all the hostel, an English girl engaged in volunteer work, a Frenchman who works for the UN and a U.S. computer expert, who is trying to get hired by the Ministry of Finance of Timor.
After two days I go to an emergency room run by an NGO (a kind of Emergency), where a nurse takes my points 'cause the wound and' infected. I'm taking antibiotics 3 times a day but does not seem to make a large effect (sara ' perche' sono di produzione indonesiana?). Cerco di andare al Pronto Soccorso ogni secondo giorno ma la situazione non migliora. Cammino a fatica, non riesco a piegare il ginocchio e l’infezione e’ sempre presente. Vorrei tanto vedere un dottore ma l’ospedale dell’ ONU e’ off-limits (aperto solo per i dipendenti), quello statale e’ un delirio, un medico privato australiano non ha un attimo libero per i prossimi sei giorni e al Pronto Soccorso della ONG (dove i trattamenti sono gratuiti) c’e’ una marea di gente; un pomeriggio decido comunque di aspettare e mi faccio visitare dal dottore americano responsabile del centro: pur essendo ancora infetta, mi rassicura, non e’ una brutta ferita; e mi advised to go to the hospital just arrived in Australia.
Saturday, June 7. I undo some extra clothes and a shirt, partially torn, I went to the accident and good morning to the airport. It 'an important moment of the trip. I'm waiting for the first plane after what led me to Moscow, July 11, 2007. I'm almost past 11 months. I crossed Asia by land.
Liftoff in a small plane in the double helix, a capacity of forty seats, and I am leaving behind Timor, Indonesia, Asia, great stories and great adventures.
After an hour and twenty minutes are already 'in Darwin in Australia's vast north. Beyond the glass ordered the taxi runs a landscape, a city as' clean, little traffic. A very quiet Saturday. At times the desert. Arrived at the hostel shortly after mezziogiorno I have to wait until 2 am lying on the couch 'cause the reception and' closed during lunch-break. Some travelers ask me what happened to my knee (in addition to limp, I have a conspicuous bandage). When I talk about East Timor, look at me strange and 'one country,' a city ', and' in Australia? They do not understand, do not know.
for them are a Martian, just landed on planet southern hemisphere.
Rene '
In the realm of 'UN If you are curious to know what the UN, this mysterious institution sovranazionale, una vacanza a Timor Est puo’ rivelarsi interessante. Il paese e’ infatti amministrato dalle Nazioni Unite, pur essendo indipendente dal 2002; per dovere di cronaca vi ricordo che e’ la nazione piu’ giovane della Terra.
Passeggiando per le strade di Dili (la capitale) non si puo’ fare a meno di notare le numerose ferite di un sanguinoso passato caratterizzato da colonialismo, saccheggi, rivolte, guerriglia e barbarie: edifici che cascano a pezzi, strade con enormi buche, segni di proiettili sui muri delle case, scritte violente, aiuole e parchi trasformati in campi profughi. Gli abitanti di Timor sono sempre stati dominati: prima dai portoghesi, poi dagli indonesiani e ora dai caschi blu dell’ONU. The presence of the latter, both in military and administrative, and 'massive. The white Toyota Landcruiser with blacks letteroni A printed on the side dart among the Timorese rickety taxi, need a keen eye to pedestrian crossings, not to end up lying. The fact that there is the United Nations leads the local population to think that any foreign presence on the territory is somehow involved in lucrative activities' (the money coming for the reconstruction of Timor are many, but few end up in pockets of the population and I think are mostly used to feed the "machine" UN). The first question asked is not 'in fact "where are you from? "but" who do you work for? "for those jobs? I explain to be a tourist, a traveler interested in discovering the country. Amazement.
a curious or intrepid visitors like me there are very few. Mostly 'to meet' East Timor Backpackers, perhaps the only place "budget" of the capital: U.S. $ 10 (the currency locale) for a night on mattresses in the dormitory and the minimum rigid wire mesh. Unfortunately, thanks to the UN, the prices for foreigners are very inflated and this 'and you pay no' to anything related to what you receive. A painful step backwards, after all the single rooms of which I enjoyed in other Asian countries.
Timor is quite the ass on the ground (the annual per capita income of just over $ 100, and 'among the most' lowest in the world): agriculture and 'mostly' subsistence, there 'industry or service sector and most food must be imported. The tourist infrastructure and 'absent, then that means we must turn to organize. You may wonder at this point what all of this circus' UN. Presto said: off the southeast coast there 's a big oil field. In short, there is' more and half black gold! And who eats the cake? Quite simply: USA, Australia and political local control of oil, the Portuguese telecommunications deal with (monopoly), the Chinese are holding Timorese trade and, once again, fail to do their masters at home. E 'colonialism in' 2008.
But back to my ups and downs ...
Since I'm not here to do investigative journalism (though it would be worth) I decided to leave Dili for several days and venturing inland. Pemette wise decision that I meet the faces a little more 'cheerful than cross the capital. With a scooter hire - a formidable means of production in China, more 'like a motorized bicycle to a motorcycle - I move to Maubisse, a pleasant, ramshackle village on the mountains in the center of the island is located in a panoramic position, at a height of 1600m, surrounded by hills shrouded in clouds cool. Every time I get to share continued to amaze me how, while being the equatorial belt, can be cold at certain heights, and perhaps' because the body undergoes a thermal shock at the sudden change in temperature. Good thing I left equipped to Dili, pants, shirt, jacket and sleeping bag to allow me to spend a great night, a super sleep, in a single room on a comfortable mattress. At Bed & Breakfast accommodation where you have 2 engineers, one of Timor, the other Indonesian, I illustrate the project you are working on: a greenhouse for growing vegetables, not far from Maubisse. Chatting with them I have the confirmation of the dire state of the local economy every little step, every upgrade - explain to me - and 'a great achievement.
In a long day of driving my vehicle and leave the B & B touches the waters of the east coast where a beautiful girl I fill up the tank with the fuel needed to return to Maubisse. I choose to take an alternate route to reach the plateau: on paper and 'more' short but soon reveals itself ... quite rough. The path cuts straight from the coast and climbs up to Maubisse, serpentine, on the mountainsides. The track now leaves the road to a dirt road with pebbles, aided by the wet weather, it turns into mud. Proceed very slowly, cautiously, and, almost miraculously, I reach the top of the pass without sliding. Arrival at the base and that 'already' dark, I fill my stomach and I slip into bed exhausted.
The next day return to Dili for a brief pit stop, I decided it start again almost immediately, in the early afternoon, at a time of Baucau, the second city ', by number of inhabitants of Timor.
The road hugs the coastline and is' very scenic, white sandy beaches alternate with rocky cliffs. It 's a jagged coastline, where the blue of the contrasts with the deep blue sea 'yellow and brown vegetation, made of small trees, shrubs and long, sharp blades of grass. The track is 'sinuous asphalt and' ok. I stop for some photos, then allotment. Everything is going well. I relax. Too.
later sent in a curve. At this point, instinct tells me to avoid hard braking, it risks falling on the asphalt to peel and all. Opto then a gentle deceleration. Widen the path of ending the first curve on the gravel beside the road and then on 'grass where a stone, hidden beneath the vegetation abruptly stops the travel of the scooter and I launch into the air over the middle.
Crash, boom, bang
everything happens very quickly. I land face down 'in the grass. I get up quickly and start to control me frantically. Button face with her hands. Lose blood. I peeled the nose, abrasions on the lip and inside the mouth. The teeth are all still there. Sigh of relief. Then a few scratches on his arm, not much. I feel a pain, which is intensifying, his right foot, I sprained my ankle. More 'at the top, at the knee, right on the kneecap, individual cut an inch long, deep enough. Gushes from the wound a strip of blood that line the tibia. I'm in a state of semi-shock and I move continuously. Gather backpack, look for water, increase the motor. Meanwhile, and 'stopped a pickup carrying three people there. I have water and tissues. I try to flush and clean the wounds. I'm full of dust. I try to mind locally. They tell me to be directed to Baucau and offer to load the scooter, including myself, on the back. I agree.
not remember how long 'previously for the pick-up, sitting on a box with a hand attached to the scooter and the other side of the machine. Maybe one hour, maybe more, 'a prey to bounce, to the breaks, the pain. Every now and then someone from inside the car turned around and made me make signs, maybe if I was still controlling them, that I had not flown via ...
The race ends at the emergency room of Baucau. Hard to describe. A jumble of small buildings, at times seems to be in an abandoned school. Empty seats. With other waste and old furniture piled up. I can not walk. The ankle and 'inflated and it makes me very badly, as well as the knee. Two nurses hold me and help me to get a room. Here's another nurse makes me lie on a couch and started to disinfect wounds. I am in a small room, dirty, with medical equipment scattered to the right and left. While receiving treatment comes another patient, carried by four people, which ends on a table next to mine. I do not know what happened to him. Mumbles, suffers, you tap the side and 2 times the risk of falls to the ground. I dare not look. Meanwhile, the nurses and 'come to the knee, take a needle, he looks at me and says "pain now". Shit, I see what you have in mind. A suture without any kind of anesthetic. I put one hand in my mouth and while the type Morsico proceed with the operation of piercing. Fortunately the cut is not 'too long, otherwise I would surely faint! Terminate
care ask me if I have a place to stay. Say no. I do not know where to go and I do not have the strength to move. Wonder if there 's a free bed in the hospital. I shall then wait in another room with two beds. I lie and try to figure out if they have something to eat. After twenty minutes, the nurse who assisted me brings me a bowl of spicy chicken with boiled rice. I eat everything. I swallow a pill painkillers and tried to sleep. 'In The Dark. Addomentare dream I could wake up and healed. Dream.
Rene '
Summary Sit or printed, I wrote a lot.
From Sumba to Timor I sipped the crossing by boat more 'long journey in Indonesia: 32 hours, as I call Flores to first reach Kupang, the main port on the island of Timor. The boat, as usual, and 'a kind of a little rusty tramp steamers (squeaking causing anxiety), however, with some pregievole comfort zone as a with air conditioning for a few pennies where you can 'rent a mattress, to be spread on the ground on which to spend the night and satellite TV, good to see a film in English (the patriotic "Beyond Enemy Lines" - the story of a pilot American shot down in Serbia during the NATO bombing, alone against all, but we will do ') or a MotoGP race (also in Indonesia, Rossi-mania).
Kupang and 'last city' of a certain size (300 thousand inhabitants) and I visit in Indonesia and 'a little' the sum of these daring in 60 days' archipelago. Busy, noisy, sometimes dirty and chaotic, but basically very friendly.
The bemo of Kupang
What '? The bemo and 'a shared taxi which can be found in all cities' of' Indonesia. In the form of a van, hosts usually 8 people but there 's a real limit to capacity. It runs on fixed routes that are identified by the colors of bemo or numbers. Stop at the request of passengers. In addition to the driver (a little more 'that age in most cases) uses a "crier" who, clinging to the sliding door, outside the car, drew the attention of passers-by shouting the destinations and stops the vehicle from the hand on the roof. The bemo and 'private and there' then a fierce competition for every passenger, even on the same route.
In Kupang Bemo I saw the most 'beautiful and fracassone in Indonesia. There is a real phenomenon of tuning, for the most 'cool city'. The music is 'an essential element and is fired without mercy'. Parallel under the seats in the back of the van (where you sit to the side and you are traveling opposite one another) are housed huge speakers and woofer, and when the music and 'high, your ass vibrates and ear aches. The interior '"cushion" and predominant colors like pink and green water (perhaps as a favor to the girls). However, also circulate more bemo ' fucksters, the stuff of boys, blacks and internal music strictly rock (Guns & Roses and Metallica). The interior, in addition to the padding, and 'upholstered with posters of pop stars (Britney and Avril pull) and players (Cristiano Ronaldo).
on the body, the outside is often the name of bemo: catarinfragente a huge sticker that has the title "Love Britney", "Man U", "Riccardo Kaka '," "Blue." Guys, amazing stuff. Made to me inexplicable. In Timor, the Catholic presence and 'strong and sometimes you see a sticker around Jesus' with a crown of thorns or Madonna. Then there are the long
antennoni, which do not nothing, 'cause there's no' the CB. The hull and 'shiny, perfect, with metallic paint. Chrome detailing. Alloy wheels. Lowered suspension.
at night and 'a light show, the interiors are tinged with pink or blue with neon lights and the same is happening under the vehicle: a blow to the accelerator is colored asphalt. Each
bemo and 'custom, beautiful, and I have the impression that there is a certain loyalty' in the score, like, "I only travel with the taxi to my friend" or "on what makes the music that I like ".
You pay the race shortly before their arrival and descend ... on the fly!
Other means of transportation in Indonesia
From City 'a city' ...
bus with air conditioning: the allocation of seats, comfortable, traveling day and night and only stop in the bus stations
bus without air conditioning for short-haul trips, there 'a capacity limit, they stop on request and all the time, speed 'average around 25km times, even the animals are allowed. Constant presence on board of street vendors and local singer-songwriters with a guitar. Frequent mechanical failures. Advisable to have endless patience.
Train: this only on the islands of Java and Sumatra, is a refreshing alternative al pullman.
Aerei: statisticamente non i piu’ sicuri al mondo; tuttavia veloci.
Nave: generalmente un vecchio scafo arrugginito, piu’ o meno affollato a seconda delle tratte. Anche le piu’ elementari norme di sicurezza vengono trascurate (si fuma ovunque). Dotati comunque di TV via satellite e VIP-spaces ad aria condizionata.
Charter: per i viaggiatori piu’ esigenti e danarosi; trattasi del noleggio di una macchina con autista. All’interno della citta’...
Taxi: rapido e confortevole, va tenuto d’occhio il tassametro e la furbizia del tassista
Minibus (bemo): sapete gia’ tutto
Becak: riscio’ a pedals. Slow but cheap. Excellent for sightseeing. Widespread.
Ojek: definitely the most means of transport 'is used. Mototaxi. Does not require a license virtually every scooter and 'a potential taxi. Economic, can ', however, be dangerous. There seems no limit to the distance traveled.
Cidomo: horse-drawn cart can accommodate up to 6 people. Ecological and nostalgic.
Benur: The name probably derives from the chariots used in the movie Ben Hur. Similar to cidomo but used only for freight. The driver stands on a platform, reins in hand.
Population friend
Indonesians are incredibly friendly e simpatici. Sono stato subissato dagli “Hello Mister” e dalle richieste di conversazione. Praticamente in ogni citta’ o paese visitato ho fatto nuovi amici e scambiato numeri di telefono; al 99% sono stati momenti gradevolissimi. Un solo episodio sfortunato: il ricchione che mi ha rinchiuso nel suo appartamento a Jakarta. Rispetto ad altre popolazioni socievoli (es. Indiani) ho notato che l’indonesiano ha un genuino interesse alla conversazione; una curiosita’ sincera che non nasconde truffe o proposte d’affari.
Calcio-mania
Come in molti paesi del sud-est asiatico anche l’Indonesia e’ colpita dalla calcio-mania. Qui si segue soprattutto la Serie A (as in China) without neglecting, however, Premier League, English La Liga or the Bundesliga. The icons are football Kaka ', C. Ronaldo, Lampard, Del Piero, Totti, Maldini. Stickers and posters depopulated mainly on trucks, motorbikes and taxis. Top teams: AC Milan, Inter, Man U, Chelsea, Liverpool. In Kupang
I saw the final of the Champions League means a long night. The afternoon before the game I rented a scooter and at the time of delivery - can not remember how - I met a boy who immediately invited me to his house to watch the game. E 'come get me at midnight in the hotel and took me to the home of a friend. Here, along with 20 other guys, we followed the game. Special Mention house: a small house for 5 of 5 meters, wooden walls and tin roof where, in one room, there are hardly bed and kitchenette; under a small porch in front of the home, staying a TV screen huge giant and 4 speakers worthy of a nightclub. Stationed in the garden a motorized satellite dish. TV, speakers and probably more cost parable 'of the house. When I inquire about their presence (and 'a DJ? Organize parties?) Someone tells me that, just like the type to listen to loud music. The gang
tifava most of Man U (Pallosa game) and I, Bastia, sided with Chelsea. Total hysteria to goals. Chairs that part in the air, hugging, patting shoulders, close Alarm clock: a joy bordering on tears. At the end of the penalties started a carousel of scooters (6 in the morning, between dawn), I along with 2 other guys: in 3! Fascinating Indonesian
madness.
memorable moments, like a kid in the middle of a gang of mini football pitch in a country, chasing me shouting "hello mister, my name is Frankie" (wearing a t-shirt printed with the image of F. Lampard). Outstanding.
to the border and beyond
In Kupang know Edwin and Joel. The first and 'the operator of Lavalon Cafe', since time immemorial as a den di viaggiatori; fino all’ultimo cerchera’ di realizzare il mio sogno di traversata marina fino in Australia. Invano. Ma almeno ci ho provato. Joel invece e’ un attore australiano reduce da 3 anni di recitazione in una soap opera (Home and Away, equivalente australiana di Un posto al sole). Amareggiato e deluso dallo show biz australiano, che reputa palloso e antiquato, si prepara ad un viaggio via terra verso Londra e nuove speranze di carriera. Un tipo simpatico.
Prima di raggiungere Dili e Timor Est faccio una tappa intermedia a Kefa, nell’entroterra, e mi godo gli ultimi sprazzi di indonesianita’: gente calorosa, cibo piccante e sfide serali a calcio con i ragazzini (Playstation 3!).
Il giorno successivo, during the journey to the border the bus mast step (here we go again ...) and I have to wait for a passing minibus. Reached Atambua, the last town before the border with East Timor, I organize in order to cover the remaining 30km separating me from the "more 'young nation in the world" (independent since 2002). Travel by motorcycle taxi and everything runs smoothly. Thank goodness. I close with no scratches two wonderful months in the vast and populous Indonesian archipelago.
easily be higher than customs, synchronize the clock (+1) and hitch a ride on a truck, it's almost 4 pm and public transport stopped in transit at noon. For $ 5 U.S. I can travel with him and a lot of mattresses to Dili (130km) the capital of East Timor, where he arrived on a warm, dark night in late May.
Rene '
