TIMOR-LESTE REPTILE & AMPHIBIAN SURVEY
PHASE VII: DRIVING IN "THE DISTRICTS"

On the road north towards Maliana we encountered a two-wheel drive bus stuck on a muddy hill. We hung back along with most of the bus passengers while the driver fought to get to the top of the deceptively steep hill, assisted by 3-4 guys who were eagerly, and one would think pointlessly, pushing! But perseverance payed off, and with rocks under his wheels to stop him losing what he had gained he eventually made it to the top. Presumably he does this run often and knows what it takes.
We then breezed up in four-wheel drive.

Lunch on the road: sardines on crackers	The stuck bus

A little further on we came to a stretch of the road which had completely subsided into the valley below. The only way across was to drive slowly and carefully along the rim of the muddy ridge with the right-hand wheels inches from the edge. Looking back we realised that with one more good storm this road could disappear altogether. We wondered how the bus would make out on this section of the road, but did not stay to find out.

Don't look down - driving along the edge of a subsided road	Now you can look back - did we drive that?