Continuing my beginning

Well, having found the internet cafe and posted my first post, I was quite chuffed.  Then I had to get home.  It seemed a simple process - retrace my steps or at least head in the general direction.  To cut a looooonnng walk into a brief stroll, it took much longer than anticipated and I did become geographically embarassed.  Finally, I found the beach.  Yes, I know you'd think it might be a bit more difficult to lose a whole beach, especially when the other options are mountains.  But apparently I am capable of this.  Nonetheless, I finally located it and set off with gusto looking for the landmarks I had noted down in the morning.  Two shipping containers one red one blue and the Dili Beach Hotel.  Word to the wise - shipping containers can be moved.  Though fortunately hotels prove a bit more difficult and though I suspected I was still lost, I did manage to find home.

The days are merging together a bit and I'm not sure if I went for my first motorcycle ride on my first or second evening.  This is certainly an experience.  Dili has a lot of traffic - more than I would have imagined.  The challenge is that there are few traffic lights and largely everything gives way to traffic which operates on a system of merging.  You drive and if you want to go left, you just 'merge' to the left.  It's sort of like elbowing your way through, except we were on a motorbike.  There is also a cacophony of beeping.  I think this is so other drivers know where you are.  Or it can also mean, "Get out of my way" or "hurry up". I was riding pillion - thankfully because I certainly wouldn't have navigated as well - with one of my housemates Nelson driving and his two-year-old daughter up front.  He got a lot of stares and questions from guys I assumed were his mates.  And there you have  it.  My first day in Dili and already scandal.

My Timorese housemates are wonderful.  Lorenzo is teaching me Tetun - fortunately he's very patient, at least so far.  Shico works for Timor Telecom and he is hopefully getting me a dongle.  It's a device everyone needs - a personal internet connection.  It could take a while to acquire; things more on Timor Time here.  And I totally get why.  I never really understood the concept of the Spanish siesta but let me tell you, there have been quite a few nanna naps.  The heat really takes it out of me.

I saw part of the end of the Tour de Timor with Tracey, a lovely UK ex-pat who is showing me some of the ropes.  I joined her and one of her housemates and friends for an Indian breakfast yesterday.  I was a bit sun-affected and last night Nelson drove me to get a massage.  Certainly couldn't do that in Melbourne at 6pm on a Saturday night.  It was amazing - 1 hour; full body for $15 US.

I suspect though, I'm getting ripped off by the taxi drivers.  I'm told it shouldn't cost more than $1 to go most places.  The least I've paid is $2.  Sigh.  I need to ask Lorenzo for some key phrases to use :-)

I'm going to post this now, just incase Intenet Explorer crashes - again.  Will hopefully make my next post using my dongle!