A new walk trail in East Timor?
A new walk trail in East Timor?
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From 2001 to 2006 I spent quite a bit of time working and volunteering up in East Timor. Through this time, I was lucky enough to develop a bit of a network of friends and colleagues who are all doing great things in the country. Recently, I was invited as a guest of the East Timor government to help them assess the possibility of developing a new walk trail in the country.
The idea is to create a trail/s that follow the routes of both the East Timor resistance fighters as well as the Australian Sparrow Force soldiers from the Second World War.
There is some amazing history in the country as well as some spectacular hiking opportunities.
It is not certain at this point exactly where the trail will run, however it will definitely take in some of the mountainous countryside and possibly some of their great beaches. But I think one aspect of the trail that will most excite people, is the opportunity to walk through some very traditional villages. The majority of Timorese people still live in subsistence. They do not have many possession but they are a proud, friendly and welcoming people. Their country would really benefit from a trail such as that which has been proposed.
My trip to Timor coincided with a re-enactment of the first interview with former guerilla movement leader Xanana Gusmao, at his jungle hide out. In 1990 the ABC smuggled in Robert Domm who conducted the interview and brought news of the resistance to the world. This was a watershed moment for the East Timorese as their struggle for independence from Indonesia, largely ignored by the western media until then, suddenly became big news.
The Australian Broadcasting Commission filmed a story on the re-enactment while I was there. I was lucky enough to meet Xanana as well as the Prime Minister, Rui Maria de Araújo who was also a member of the resistance movement who smuggled in Robert Domm back in 1990.
We all hiked through the jungle up to the point where the resistance movement had their secret hide out. There, Xanana Gusmao was interviewed once again.
East Timor has some huge challenges. Poor roads, lack of infrastructure and poor employment opportunities just to name a few. However the prospect of a hiking trail in East Timor has some exciting possibilities. Walking as the Australian Sparrow Force commandos did back in 1942, possibly with a Timor pony carrying your luggage and a former East Timorese resistance soldier as your guide, would make for an unforgettable experience.
It will take a lot of work to get a trail like this off the ground, but hopefully we can get a team of people and make this a reality. We will update you again in due course.
If you would like to see the full Lateline story, click here.
Happy Trails,
Simon from Team Inspiration Outdoors
