We managed to go diving beyond Metinaro today with one of our local staff Nelson, he felt comfortable so it was almost back to normal for our diving day. Wayne and I di
ved a site he had discovered on an exploratory dive a couple of weeks before, but we hadn’t managed to get back out to it until now. I told Wayne at the end of the dive that he had ruined diving for me as all I look for now is nudibranch and critters, small, rare and unusual stuff. For the unordained, nudibranch are tiny sea slugs that are the Dolce & Gabana of the underwater world, stylish, unusually patterned and often very brightly coloured. Finding a nudibranch is like finding a Tiffany Egg. I saw five varieties on the dive today, three I had never seen before.
To get to the dive site you need to pass through several road blocks. Ann and I decided that the tastiest troops in town were the Kiwis. Unfortunately Australia seem to have sent over every red headed army guy they can find, so the poor pale skinned possums are running around looking like lobsters at the moment. Ann nudged my elbow as we approached a road block the other day and said ‘I don’t fancy yours much!’ This had us giggling as we approached two bewildered looking gun clad Kiwis. When asked if we were carrying any weapons, I told them about my dive knife, but when Ann informed them it was bright pink, they didn’t take it seriously as an offensive weapon.
Today as Wayne and I passed through the roadblock at Hera, the Kiwi boys told us that they would only let us back through if we bought them back some seafood as their ration food was dire. According to one Australian Embassy staff, the troops are not allowed to eat anything but their rations. That’s why we are seeing them in every supermarket then! Apparently, the rule was made back in 2001, when half the Navy went down with food poisoning after eating the local food. That sounds like a bit of an urban legend though!
There are a few people in Dili that are making a killing in these times, the hotels, the car hire companies and Flips Pizza Delivery! Instead of the usual address of 123 The High Street in 20 minutes, it’s, rendezvous at 1800 hours behind the portaloos next to the big tree! Covert pizza delivery! Jim has also been asked to hold a lock-in, where the boys will enter through the back door after their shift without their boss seeing them. This is not for an illicit drinking session though; this is for 6 rounds of bacon and egg and mugs of tea.
More and more clients from the past are turning up. My next open water course could consist of GNR (Portuguese Police). Their boss learned to dive with us the last time he was in East Timor back in 2001 so of course recommended us. Apparently, Army and Police are easy to teach as they are used to taking orders.
Sometimes you hear a song and it takes you straight back to a place and time as if it was yesterday. Well, here’s a few that will always remind me of East Timor:
Talking about a revolution – Tracy Chapman
We’ve got to get out of this place – The Animals
The Boys are back in Town – Thin Lizzy
More and more people are on the streets of Dili now, the military presence is everywhere although there are still many refugee camps. Phone cards are now down to $11 for a $10 card instead of $15. Market stalls are springing up again with an abundance of vegetables and fish and the whole place has a better feel to it.
It’s reported that the majority want the Prime Minister Mari Alkitiri to step down, but he is sticking by his guns, literally! However, there will be the minority that want him in, and in most cases it’s the minority that cause the trouble and unrest. I don’t think it’s over just yet, there may be more to come once some political decisions are made. At the moment it’s a bit of calm before the storm.
ved a site he had discovered on an exploratory dive a couple of weeks before, but we hadn’t managed to get back out to it until now. I told Wayne at the end of the dive that he had ruined diving for me as all I look for now is nudibranch and critters, small, rare and unusual stuff. For the unordained, nudibranch are tiny sea slugs that are the Dolce & Gabana of the underwater world, stylish, unusually patterned and often very brightly coloured. Finding a nudibranch is like finding a Tiffany Egg. I saw five varieties on the dive today, three I had never seen before.To get to the dive site you need to pass through several road blocks. Ann and I decided that the tastiest troops in town were the Kiwis. Unfortunately Australia seem to have sent over every red headed army guy they can find, so the poor pale skinned possums are running around looking like lobsters at the moment. Ann nudged my elbow as we approached a road block the other day and said ‘I don’t fancy yours much!’ This had us giggling as we approached two bewildered looking gun clad Kiwis. When asked if we were carrying any weapons, I told them about my dive knife, but when Ann informed them it was bright pink, they didn’t take it seriously as an offensive weapon.
Today as Wayne and I passed through the roadblock at Hera, the Kiwi boys told us that they would only let us back through if we bought them back some seafood as their ration food was dire. According to one Australian Embassy staff, the troops are not allowed to eat anything but their rations. That’s why we are seeing them in every supermarket then! Apparently, the rule was made back in 2001, when half the Navy went down with food poisoning after eating the local food. That sounds like a bit of an urban legend though!
There are a few people in Dili that are making a killing in these times, the hotels, the car hire companies and Flips Pizza Delivery! Instead of the usual address of 123 The High Street in 20 minutes, it’s, rendezvous at 1800 hours behind the portaloos next to the big tree! Covert pizza delivery! Jim has also been asked to hold a lock-in, where the boys will enter through the back door after their shift without their boss seeing them. This is not for an illicit drinking session though; this is for 6 rounds of bacon and egg and mugs of tea.
More and more clients from the past are turning up. My next open water course could consist of GNR (Portuguese Police). Their boss learned to dive with us the last time he was in East Timor back in 2001 so of course recommended us. Apparently, Army and Police are easy to teach as they are used to taking orders.
Sometimes you hear a song and it takes you straight back to a place and time as if it was yesterday. Well, here’s a few that will always remind me of East Timor:
Talking about a revolution – Tracy Chapman
We’ve got to get out of this place – The Animals
The Boys are back in Town – Thin Lizzy
More and more people are on the streets of Dili now, the military presence is everywhere although there are still many refugee camps. Phone cards are now down to $11 for a $10 card instead of $15. Market stalls are springing up again with an abundance of vegetables and fish and the whole place has a better feel to it.
It’s reported that the majority want the Prime Minister Mari Alkitiri to step down, but he is sticking by his guns, literally! However, there will be the minority that want him in, and in most cases it’s the minority that cause the trouble and unrest. I don’t think it’s over just yet, there may be more to come once some political decisions are made. At the moment it’s a bit of calm before the storm.
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