It got cooler and cooler as I walked. Clouds swirled above and below. At times it showered. The views expanded until both sides of the island were visible. Eventually, I became the highest person in Timor-Leste as I stood on the peak of Mt Ramelau. I could see the hills through which I had ridden. I could look to the coastal sprawl of Dili, whence I came. On the way down I feasted on blueberries growing beside the walking track. At home I ate the bread roll and fried egg that constituted breakfast, then crawled back into bed. I took an evening walk through the village, past kids playing, past a man riding a small horse, past a house with Christmas lights and music blaring. The clouds continued to swirl and at times it showered.

Mt Ramelau is Timor-Leste’s tallest peak