There is no doubt I have been getting too serious here lately.  I haven’t even commented on my trip out east a week or so ago when I finally got to stay at the “Com Resort” at Com which is the only establishment in the country that uses the term “resort”.  And possibly after the Hotel Timor, the only accommodation with conference facilities.

I guess it is the closest thing to a resort.  It’s not bad but perhaps a shade expensive for what you get.  But on the other hand, it is a remote sort of place without electricity, apart from that generated by the resort generator.

We took a Supreme room, meaning it had air-con.  Technically, the small AC unit was probably too small to handle the luxuriously-sized room, but it worked during the prescribed generator operating times of 7pm to 9am.  There was no sign of life from the TV which showed a blue screen and none of the Indovision satellite I expected.  But we were not there to watch TV.

We had our snorkelling gear and were told the best places were at the point to the west of the resort or down at the port in the harbour.  After breakfast, we walked down to the port where 2 Thai fishing boats were docked.  Now, if you don’t snorkle but do want to see coral and fish and stuff like that, the wharf is the place to go (with your camera).  But it is not the place to go to get wet if fishing boats are there as I am sure it was a little bit more than bilge water scum on the surface.

Funny how on the walk back, 10 tais* vendors appeared and had their wares out.  Prices were a bit high so we didn’t partake.  There are probably about 3 or 4 guest houses on the shoreline and if you are prepared to forgo AC (next time) one or two look quite neat.  I love the one with the sign “cold beer, warm beer”.  I think that covers all possibilities.

Later on when the tide was right, we went the other way to the point about 1km west of the resort.   Pretty good to get a coral reef to yourself.  Clearly the other resort guests were not there to get wet.

The next day, we went to Jaco Island via Tutuala.  This is the most eastern point of the island of Timor.  We rented a boat to take us the 500m across to the island and snorkeled off the island just because we were there.  Again, a coral reef to yourself.  You could see a mile under the water which was just far enough to see a small shark, which on seeing us, disappeared as fast as a speeding bullet.  We returned to the mainland and had barbecued fish cooked by the fisherman who inhabit the shore.  The fish was excellent and cost 1/10th of Dili prices and was much better.

All in all a very pleasant trip with absolutely none of the security problems of Dili.

* tais is Timor’s unique woven cloth that at the end of the day, is probably the most likely souvenir purchase one will make.