COMMUNITY DELEGATION TO AILEU

ITINERARY for our Community Delegation trip to Aileu in 2009

Applications are now closed and 6 delegates have been selected

Sunday September 20 Fly to Darwin Attend Mindl Beach market and stay overnight

Monday September 21 7 am Fly to Dili. Arrive Dili 8.15 am

Visit Alola Foundation Shop and the museum of East Timorese Resistance at Rua de Cidade de Lisboa before departing for Aileu by road (2 ½ hours drive).

Stop for picnic lunch at the Australian War Memorial Site at Dare

3.30 pm Arrive in Aileu and check in to Zery Guesthouse. Welcome from District Administrators. Inspect the nurses’ accommodation project. Walk around the town.

Tuesday September 22 and Wednesday September 23.

Do some work on the completed nurses’ accommodation in the cool of the morning In the afternoons visit the schools, clinic, disability workshop and the Aileu Resource and Training Centre. Teach some English. Conduct the official opening of the nurses' accommodation refurbishment.

Thursday September 24

In the early morning proceed further south to Maubisse, less than one hour away. The road, at about 2000m, swirls between the mountains, providing many places where you can enjoy the landscape and take photographs. Experience the colourful market and see some of the famous Timor ponies. Visit the huge cathedral and inspect Bendigo Maubisse Friendship group’s volunteer house.

Lunch at the beautiful poussada with its encircling views of mountains. Return to Aileu to spend some time with local youth in the evening.

Friday September 25

A very early start to the remote sub district of Lequidoe. Visit our Friendship Schools and inspect our solar power installations and the local administration offices. Return to Dili.
Stay overnight with the Carmellite sisters and enjoy some traditional music and dancing.

Saturday September 26

Visit Dili landmarks – the traditional tais market, Santa Cruz cemetery (site of a terrible massacre of young people. Film of this was smuggled out and helped garner the world’s support for East Timorese independence. Spend some time at the Xanana Gusmao reading room.

In the afternoon pack your bathers for a swim at the beautiful beach and a walk to the huge Christ statue that dominates Dili’s coastline. Farewell meal at one of the pretty beachfront restaurants.

Sunday September 27

Sleep in or attend Mass! Free day…..shopping, relaxing or fly to Darwin. Stay on for your own private travel!

NB Most flights out of Darwin depart at about midnight and arrive in Melbourne early morning. It’s a long haul.
NB Dates will depend on availability of flights to Dili on booking
This itinerary is a guide only and could change.
Each participant organizes their own travel arrangements to and from Dili.
Rhonda Sutton will not be accompanying participants to and from Dili but will meet them on arrival at the airport in Dili on Monday September 21.

CETAF recommends participants read DFAT travel warnings, particularly that on East Timor (here linked to the DFAT website) before embarking on this trip.

ESTIMATED COST $2520
(If 6 participants) NB Car hire and the above contribution will be higher if there are less people involved.
This figure allows for some variation in the value of the dollar and includes a contribution from each participant to cover the airfare of the tour leader, Rhonda Sutton, who will take responsibility for organizational details while in East Timor. If the value of the Australian dollar against the American dollar drops further quoted prices could rise.
Participants are responsible for their own immunizations, malaria medication, travel insurance and the cost of incidentals and travel at the conclusion of the official itinerary.

Download maps and relevant information from our blog - http://www.cetafweb.blogspot.com/