Does anyone know if any shippers are now transporting cargo between Kupang and Darwin? Apparently flights have now resumed twice a week between Kupang and Darwin.

We are in Bali now and should be in Timor in a month. I am obviously concerned with the situation in East Timor where many have shipped their bikes from previously. I have contacted Perkins Shipping and they have said their operation continues between Dili and Darwin as normal. The flights still seem to be running also at normal schedules and prices.

Just looking for some options if things don't improve in East Timor. By the time we get to West Timor our visa will be running out and so will the options for shipping the bike.

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Dave McMillan
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/tstories/mcmillan/

There is another large shipping agent in Darwin, similar to perkins....a family owned outfit....and they ship to similar places as Perkins....but i cant remember their name....we used Perkins....or where they operate to and from. How much use am I you may well ask. Well just suggesting you look up the yellow pages on the internet to find out how to contact them. it couyd be that they go to Kupang. This answer is almost as bad as no answer....sorry!!!!!!

Good news folks! We are in Kupang, West Timor right now and tomorrow our bike gets loaded on a small cargo boat heading to Darwin and we fly separately.

Here is the deal. There is an Australian named Bob La Macchia who does a run between Kupang and Darwin whenever he gets enough cargo (mostly shrimp), which is generally once a month. He has plans to expand his business and is taking about maybe having a Bali to Darwin run sometime in the future too. He charges A$300 per bike and the journey takes 2-3 days. I contacted Bob about 4 weeks in advance and he was able to narrow down his schedule to about a week. Currently the border between West and East Timor is closed, so as of now this is the only shipping option from Timor.

Merpati flies to Darwin twice a week on Tuedays and Saturdays from Kupang for around $175 one way per person. You can also do the journey on Bob's boat, but he wanted A$300 to ride on the boat, which is more expensive than flying. It would surely be an adventure, but if you have come this far on ferries already, you will probably be tired of boats!

Contact info:
Bob La Macchia, Managing Director
Barttin's Marine Pty Ltd
Ph 61 8 8945 5587
Mob 61 421 935 283

I will do a full write up on the shipping experience after we arrive in Darwin.

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Dave McMillan
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/tstories/mcmillan/

5hit I wish I knew that a few weeks ago I just changed plans to ship out of Singapore to Darwin. Would not have matter none the less as the Police in the port town of Dumai would not let me ride my bike through Indonesia. I had all correct paper Int Drivers lic, Carnet etc etc. But they refused to let me continue telling me I had to prove the Carnet was vaild temporary registration. I will put a post on the particlars latter. Well done find that boat service I know a few people behind me who will be very happy to hear about it!
Have a good one
chris

We're heading that way and are facing similar problems... however we've a toyota land cruiser to contend with..! Do you have a contact for Bob La Macchia & is his boat capable of transfering a land cruiser?

any other suggestions from Indonesia to Australia as we're fnding it hard to get any info?

Thanks
Alex Towns
18month - 65,000km - 26 Country - Charity Drive..!!

ROUTE:
UK - FRANCE - ITALY - SLOVENIA - CROATIA - SERBIA & MONT - BULGARIA - TURKEY - SYRIA - JORDAN - EGYPT - IRAN - PAKISTAN - INDIA - NEPAL - CHINA - LAOS - THAILAND - PHILIPPINES - CAMBODIA - MALAYSIA - SINGAPORE - INDONESIA - PAPUA NEW GUINEA - AUSTRALIA - NEW ZEALAND
web: http://www.overland-underwater.com

The boat that took our bike was pretty small, there would be no way you could get a Land Cruiser on it. I would still call Bob at the phone number I listed in the previous post and he may know an alternative for you. If the border between West and East Timor opens up, Dili would be the best option (you can ship with Perkins), but the border may still be closed.

Actually, from what I heard from some other motorcycle travellers, the border was not really closed, but the Indonesian military refused to let them enter the border area. They could not convince them to allow passage across the border.

Bob should have some suggestions for you, give him a ring.

Good luck!

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Dave McMillan
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/tstories/mcmillan/

Just to update.

There is no boat from Kupand to Australia. I spent a lot of time to look for any and what I found is that they are not allowed to go there anymore. They shipping daily to Surabaya, where from you can organise ship or Plane to OZ. I don't have details to any agency there.

Also there is not flights from Kupang to Dili or Darwin. To go anywhere abroad you have to fly to Bali, Surabaya or Jakarta and change.

Also no ferry to Dili.

Sorry but the only option is to cross border by land with authorisation letter in hand.

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