A journey is about looking for another real paradise. A journey is about facing any new experiences, any unknown cultures, where all of them are so unpredictable. A journey is about me who always trying to find my own Personal Legend as The Alchemist said in Paul Coelho’s novel. After all, a journey is about letting everyone know that every place in this Earth is so beautiful without exception.
August is a perfect month to go to West Timor, Indonesia. It will always be if there is no drastic change in world climate. Low rainfall, bright and blue sky, turquoise sea, white sand, beautiful sunset; I dreamt of them so many times. So, I went to West Timor on first week of August 2010 with all my heart and with almost all my saving. A direct flight brought me away from Jakarta to Kupang, the capital of West Timor A.K.A Nusa Tenggara Timur (in Bahasa) before I felt Rote in my lung.
Yes, I’m an Indonesian as they are (West Timor people). But, obviously I’m look different than any local people there. My face, my skin color, the way I speak, automatically they greet me as a foreigner with Bahasa. Does it make me feel comfort? Yes, it does. But my traveling-teacher said, “There, in Rote, you’ll spend many smile than here. Friendly people there, indeed. But, please, be careful with your words, your speech-intonation, your behavior, and your temper. Some people there are still easily offended. Just enjoy everything you see in quite. Appreciate them deservedly.” Well, that’s ok. As long as I can find many beautiful scenes, I will put my focus only at my camera view-finder :)
Rote at that time was so hot. The dry savanna reminds me with Africa that I saw from television and magazine, very beautiful. But, in Oto that brought me to Nemberala from Ba’a, people really loved to hear loud music played. Thanks God, it's not disturb me. I still enjoyed my trip.
Things I’ll never forget from Rote are the blue sky and the dramatic sunset. Three days in Rote, God gave me three different sunsets. I love them all, I enjoyed them at Nemberala with my travel-mates and some foreigner from Australia, New Zealand, etc. FYI: Nemberala is one of famous beaches in Rote, the world surfers love this beach in certain months to practice or follow the surfing competition. But, if you just want to enjoy the beach, the white-sand, the turquoise water, you can have them all here at Nemberala, Fortunately, you can find some homestay near, so every night the sound waves will become a bedtime music for you. Don’t stop only at Nemberala, because amazing Rote Ndao will give you more amazing blue sky. Believe it or not, I could not find any clouds when I visited that island, only the pure blue sky contrasting with the color of the sea. My teacher absolutely right, I just need to enjoy Rote in quite. I’m speechless.
