Globe Gallivanting- motorbiking across the world

trying to get the bike working outside the port some small helpers... We were in Kupang, straight off the 20 hour ferry,  hurriedly trying to negotiate the repair of one defunct starter motor so we could cross the border before the visas ran out.  It was weekend.  The mechanics were all shut.  The mechanics themselves were no doubt out singing hymns in one of the makeshift churches someone had thoughtfully erected outside our room. We were stuck.  So we did what any good Brit does when stuck, and wandered off to find a pub... At the nearest bar, forty hefty lads from the Australian navy thwacked each other on the back and insulted each other's genitalia.  We got chatting to a young engine-repairer who decided we were Dutch.  They were on a secret reconaissance mission in Indonesian waters.  It was somewhat less secret after six Bintang beers.  We watched gleefully as their Captain got very involved with a young Indonesian ladyboy...

  Dili harbour, before the dengue... Hi Everyone, Sorry for the delay, we have both caught dengue...  There's heaps to tell but it will have to wait until we are better; try back Tuesday [23rd]! Cheers, Nicky

We hurtled and bounced, and bounced and hurtled.  In between the bounces we cursed the foolish optimistic Lonely Planet writer, who had deemed this particular bit of hell 'a decent road with some dodgy patches', that was 'easily manageable for a competent scooter rider'.  He failed completely to mention that said scooter rider would have to be sat comfily in the passenger seat of a 4wd truck, and preferably have a penchant for nasty cranial bruising.  Two hours later than expected, and following some hearty swearing and a 2km downhill hike for one of the party (ahem.), we arrived at the port.  The boat trip to Bali was pleasantly benign, and we sat and discussed our preferred despatch methods for Indonesia Lonely Planet writers. Bali, when it arrived, was radioactively bright.  It seared through the flesh on our eyeballs and they dropped out, leaving us with enormous gaping skull-holes.  That bit isn't quite true.  But it was very bright.  We a...