WONDERFUL INDONESIA: EXPLORE FLORES - TIMOR ISLANDS 1.200 KILOMETERS IN 11 DAYS

Bena traditional house

Hello every one, how was your week days ? Hope every one enjoyed before weekend.
3 events took my attention and Indonesian too in this week days.

First, glorious welcomed of Olympic champion of badminton 1 gold and 2 silver medals of Rio de Jeneiro.
Second, honored from thousand of Batak community for President Jokowi & entourage in annual Toba festival in Lake Toba, North Sumatra.
Third, explored Flores - Timor islands by bikers

The tree events more glorious since link to Indonesian independence day, August 7, 2017.
This year is the 71th.

Explore Flores - Timor island 1.200 km.Where these 2 islands located ?
Fly 3 hours from Bali island to the East.
The journey start in Labuhan Bajo town, in the very West of Flores island.
Ended in Atambua town, bordered with Timor Leste country in Timor island.

I missed Labuan Bajo town and Atambua. I even been there before. I lived in Atambua for 3 years.
But never drive a bike in these islands.
The road was in good condition. But should be careful of steep curves and deep valley beside the road. Careless could be fatal.

The bikers faced two extreme climates, 10 degree in the mountain of 1.600 meters above the sea in Flores island and 42 degree in Timor island.
Road in Timor island less bending compare to road in Flores island.

But the landscape just like a rainbow, colorful, green mountain and beautiful that tempted you to take your family to visit again later.

You may entertain by tree color of Kelimutu lake, white beach at Maumere town, Catholic church in Larantuka town in the East of Flores island.

My dream that one day this this route would be passed by International Tour de Flores - Timor just like one in Sumatra. To attract tourist to come enjoy th traditional cultures.
Currently just explored by 50 bikers organized and sponsored by Kompas daily Jakarta and the big Bank Bank Mandiri.
The lone foreign biker have been explored Flores island before. I wrote it in my blog www.jingga-senja.blogspot.com

The explore were very hard, challenging and scary as well of hike up hill, steep down hill and deep ravine.
In the first etappe 135 kilometers, only 20 out of 70 bikers passed hike up hill until Ruteng town, the capital of Manggarai. Sharp hike for 20 kilometer endlessly very very exhausted. Some bikers legs cramp. One by one fall down exhausted.

The natural charm, green mountain background, hear birds singing lured the bikers mind and eyes. Adventure passed Arabica coffee plantation in 2 regions, Manggarai and Ngada. Spend a night at traditional houses of Bena village and celebrated independence day at Kelimutu color lake.