First up a big thank you to Michael and the crew a the La Hasienda Hotel. My stay could not have been better and everything was perfect. If you are ever in Kupang you really must stay there.
Today is my first experience of the highly organised and efficient Indonesian Ferry system. OK only joking.....absolute bloody shambles.
Got here at 8am as I was told to be here early, but the 12 noon boat is now the 2pm boat and they won't let me purchase a ticket till 1pm. Welcome to the world of hurry up and wait. I have to say I have been keep entertained by the loading and unloading as there is always 3 or 4 ferries in at one time. They call for vehicles to come forward to load only to change there mind as the now want to offload a couple of vehicles from a ferry, then everything has to back up to let them off. I kid you not, but this must have happen 10 times in the space of a couple of hours.
Lots of people getting the ferries as it's so close to Xmas and everyone is returning to the hometown to spend Xmas with the relatives. Not sure where I will be spending Xmas as yet, but I expect I will still be in Flores.
I started writing this report about 8 hours ago and things chance.....not always for the better.
When the ticket booth finally opened up everyone formed a neat line so they could purchase a ticket.....NOT. Had all the discipline of a mob. Everyone rushes the window trying to push their way towards the ticket seller. Well I did my best impression of a hungry Rugby Forward fighting for the ball in a ruck. The guy in front of me was happy as I used my weight to propel him ever closer to the window knowing that if I got him there I was next. It sort of worked, but then heavens opened up before I got there, but I could not back off now and ended up soaked to the skin.
Now the ferry is running about 2 hours late and then they finally call for the hoard of motorcycles to start loading. I got in the pack early, so I had maybe 60 bikes in front of me and a hundred or so behind me. After about an hour I find myself riding down the ferry ramp with about 5 bikes in front of me and then...... one of the Ferry staff steps out and tell us the "FERRY IS FULL".
I am just gutted, I have spent the whole day preparing for the Ferry trip only to be turned back at the last minute. So nothing for it and I am back at the Hotel La Hacienda and trying to make new plans. Unfortunately it looks like I wont get a ferry to anywhere either north or west of Kupang until at least xmas day.
Always said it not an adventure until something F$#ks up. Well now its an adventure.
Posted with Blogsy
No comments:
Post a Comment