Shacking Up - Where to Stay in Com

OK, so there wasn't any shacking up going on. It's just a play
on words....without . the . "play", I guess. We arrived in Com,
which is on the northern coast (same as Dili), east of Baucau.
About as far east as you can go actually, along the (northern)
coast. Anyhow, we got dropped off at the Com Beach Resort
hotel, which has neat yet somehow cell-like rooms for $24.95
(US) a night. (Yes, this is one of the poorest countries in the
world, but you wouldn't guess it by the prices. It somehow
manages to be both poor and expensive at the same time. Ya
gotta love it.) After checking in (and paying), we took a walk
to the road into the 'town', and almost the first place we came
to in town was this cute little - guesthouse. Right on the beach,
with a little, low bamboo fence around it... $15 a night, plus
$3.50 for a fish dinner (fish, rice and vegetables). We said yes
to the dinner and high-tailed it back to the "resort" to see if
we could salvage any of our money. OK, I exagerate slightly.
And it was Sonju who suggested moving. But she was right -
it was nicer. I don't remember the name, but if anyone is
reading this looking for a place to stay, it's the first place
after the Com beach resort, on the left (on the beach).
It has two little buildings (6 rooms?) and a little fence
around it. I recommend it. Sonju thought the fish was the
best she's had in Timor, which is a pretty big compliment.
And it was good. For $3.50 you can't go very wrong, but it
was good. We had fish for dinner and fish for breakfast
and they prepared it differently each time.

About the swimming....they (meaning some guy on the street)
said to swim on the other side of the pier....which may be fine
....but Sonju and I walked further (to where the big black rocks
are) and Sonju almost tripped over a crocodile. OK, I exagerrate
more than slightly. It was pretty far from her. But I saw it
going into the water, and I have to say I won't be doing any
swimming in Com in the near future. Or the far future. Not
to mention that the Timorese think only sinners get attacked
by crocodiles. (Just the attitude you want as you're hauling
your mangled self into the emergency room. Yes! OK, I
confess! I have sinned!) Those sneaky crocodiles....
they're everywhere. Apparently they are everywhere.
I was regaling some folks in Los Palos with our view of
the jaws of mortality, and they said 'Crocodiles? Why, if
you wanna see some more you can just take a walk down
to the little creek behind here - there are four of them that
live there.' This was just outside of Los Palos - miles, and
I mean miles from the sea. Ugh. Near a nunnery, tho, so
presumably they're pretty hard up. Either there are lots
of sinning pigs and chickens around or - you wanna watch
your back.

A little serious advice - apparently crocodiles like rocky
beaches (better camoflauge), not white sand beaches.
The beach we saw one on was smooth white sand with
big black (like thigh-high) rocks on it, so I guess that
counts too. Of course if they're already in the water I'm
not sure how much camoflauge.....eeeeuuuuuwwww!
I'm outta here! Enough!