It was time for another adventure. This time we went to the mountains. The plan was to hike up Tatamailau, the highest mountain in Timor Leste. Not only the mountain, but the whole way getting there was such a story, basically a hell ride into paradise.
The way there
After leaving the place from Josh, we went by the little public transportation buses to the outside of the city. It was harder than expected, because we didn’t have an exact plan which one to take and there isn’t a good plan of where you can see it well.
Somehow after taking a few and talking to people, which is always hard, it worked. We were basically on the street, which should lead to the mountains. There it was time for some hitchhiking. In Dili it worked quite well, so at a mountain road, there it also should work well and that was indeed true for the first part.
We went in a truck, while the locals were looking super confused about us being in that truck. The truck driver was obviously slow, but smiled a lot, still we haven’t been able to understand each other.
The ride was quite a bit, until his working place, so we got out and some local rangers or police were inviting us in. They probably didn’t fully want to hitchhike. We were able to talk in English, which was actually quite nice, they were even giving us chairs because it was getting a longer waiting session. The few people who passed were not really going far, so the guys didn’t let us drive with them, because it didn’t make sense for them.
For us it was okay, we had at least chairs and were able to relax a little bit. It was until a fully packed truck was turning around the corner.
The ride up the mountain
It was time for us to leave the relaxed time and get into hell, at least for me it was. We got in the truck with 60 or more kids and mothers, all stuck up to each other. There was no roof, just some metal bars on which Bana and I had to hold on. We were with the backpacks and had to hold on to the bars, because if we failed that, the drop would be painful, because it would be out of the truck or on the kids, who were sitting on the ground.
The people were singing some local songs, the whole ride. Honestly the songs were quite nice to hear and also a bit relaxing. It was probably a thing for them to hold on to, while not freaking out too much, but maybe they were used to it, I don’t know.
The way up was long and included many curves, the heat was hard to handle and being in this truck as well. I was quite fast let down from the bars and was able to stand where the kids were standing, which was still not much better. There was basically no space at all for anything and the kids always touched me the whole time, so it could have been better.
Some peace was appearing
After over an hour, we finally took a break. I was hoping it was the end, or that people would go out, but it couldn’t be more wrong than that. We did a long break at somebody’s house where the people insisted that we need to sit down on a chair, to be fair it was way better with a chair. Many people were giving us food and since I am a bit afraid of food poisoning, I was a bit skeptical, but in the end it tasted decent. There was some rice wrapped in some leaves.
We went back to the truck, but this time we received a little bit of a better spot, quite near the back, where we hoped to receive more quality. To be fair, it was better, but not even close to be good.
There was actually a second truck, with many males in it, who was driving in a convoy or so. We were always a bit faster than them though. They were catching up after we had some issues with the car.
Who were they?
Actually we thought the whole time it was just a form of public transportation, but actually they were going to a religious event. They were singing religious songs. Also asked us if we would want to join them on the event, or if we would keep doing our hike up the mountain. They kind of insisted on it. We were of course kind of tempted, but I personally could hold on longer to that truck. It was too hot and way too crowded. I almost freaked out in it, really not my type of transportation. For a short time it is of course okay, but for several hours in the midday sun, I can expect better things.
It was quite a ride with them and also they were super nice people, but enough is enough! We made it to the street, where it was time for us to hike up to the village before the mountain. Actually the people with the truck didn’t ask for money, so it was still hitchhiking, which was amazing! I mean we safed like $5, but $5 is $5!
Hatu-Builico
It was time for some hiking up to reach this village. Bana was fully motivated and I wasn’t that much, but even without motivation a German guy will always find somewhere energy for hiking, I think. I was hoping the whole time for someone to drive up and can take us, sadly that didn’t happen.
The distance by air wasn’t even that far, but the curves made it far. Always up and shitty roads as well. The scenery was quite nice to be fair and the weather was good, but for hiking in my opinion too hot. It took a while until we reached that village, but when we did we realized, there is absolutely nothing! There was no possibility to get food or something to drink. Bana wanted to hike up the mountain without water, I’ve done stupid things, as you can read on this blog and that could have been one of the stories. At that point, I decided for myself, no way I am going to hike up that mountain. He can do it, but without me, that’s also what I communicate.
We came across many people, who were all looking at us. There were many traditional houses, at one they actually allowed us to look in, after we asked them for it. It was actually quite amazing, but I wouldn’t want to live in them.
Drums in the distance
We were walking along the hiking trail, some kids came to us and wanted to make some type of communication. They were smiling and laughing a lot, probably because we looked confused or so. We went further in the direction of the mountain and people were starting to approach us more and more. They are used to having some tourists here, from whom they can make good money. Some were asking us if we wanted a ride from them to the mountain, obviously not for free. It was a high number, which I can’t remember, but it was for sure not making sense, when comparing it to the prices to where we drove before.
We got a bit further and then heard drums in the distance, not fully knowing what was going on. From the distance it seemed like some type of celebration, we were not fully able to see it properly. I kind of really wanted to go there, but without Bana I might have been too shy for it. He was also tempted to go there and to not go up the mountain anymore, because he realized that it might not be the best idea to do so.
I was actually quite happy when he decided to not go up the mountain anymore, so it was time for some real cultural experience, at least that is what I was expecting from happening. We went just closer to where the drum sounds were coming from.
What’s up next?
In the next blog post, you can read about where the drums were from and what was happening after. It will be a really interesting story!
