Ed: I wrote this post yesterday (Sunday evening) but fell asleep before I could post it. So cast your mind back a day, read, and enjoy.

Today started off early with Harrie waking myself and the Sprog at the crack of dawn. Well, it was before the crack to be precise, but the neighbourhood roosters had been on the crowing job for a while even by then, so it was close enough to dawn.

Despite the early start, I felt better as Harrie only woke once all night (a stark contrast to the 4 or so wakeups per night of recent nights). Also, I had found and unpacked the COFFEE MACHINE! I can’t tell you the joy of being able to brew my own coffee to my taste.

At 10.30, the Sprog and I were collected by our taxi driver and taken to the local church for English Mass. East Timorese are predominantly Catholic and the church was packed to the rafters. The driver sent his son and daughter in with me and the Sprog, and they were so well behaved compared to my little threenager.

When the church suffered a power cut about halfway through the Mass, I thought it was a good excuse to leave, as the Sprog’s increasing whinging (symptomatic of the stupid o’clock start no doubt) was driving me slowly insane.

This afternoon we went to a beach tucked out of the way on the west side of Dili. It wasn’t the most beautiful beach but it was lovely and breezy, with Atauro Island dancing through the haze offshore, like a whispery ghost.

Taking in some sights from the taxi

Dili streetscape

Sun heading towards the west

Coconut palms. Laden.

Sprog has made a friend

Digging on the beach. She was grumpy about something. Probably that she was woken at 5.30am.