3 out of 3 ain’t bad

(written 31/08/09, posted 13/10/09)

After 2 days diving with C and various other Divemasters along for our dives, I’m put with B ‘for a change around’. After our first dive the instructor with the newbies tells us he’s spotted a Black Tip Reef Shark. He adds the newbies didn’t notice anything he was pointing out as they were playing around with their masks and trying to get their buoyancy right. I tell B I’ve only seen a Leopard Shark so far here and can he find me a Black Tip and an Octopus. He promises me he will and I’m sceptical.

We get the opportunity to swim over to Phi Phi Lei (see pic) and walk to Maya Bay where The Beach was filmed. It’s stunning but sadly filled with tourists. On the second dive of the day, not long in, B points out a Leopard Shark lying on the sandy sea bed. They don’t seem to be bothered at all by divers. We’re later told it’s only if you get in front of them that they spot you and will swim away. They are much more frightened of us than we are of them. Another ten minutes or so into the dive and a Black Tip Reef Shark swims past just off the reef in the distance. It’s a great spot as they are so quick they’ve usually gone by the time someone spots one. I can see why the one I saw last year was a baby Reef Shark now as this one is much bigger and the colouring different.

So with about 20 minutes to go I’m thinking 2 out of 3 ain’t bad, according to Meatloaf anyway. I’m willing an Octopus to appear from the rocks but I haven’t seen one yet so I’m sceptical. I enjoy the surge that we’re diving in as it pulls us in one direction towards the reef under the cliff and pushes us out again with each surge. It’s a different experience to any I’ve had diving before although the girlfriend of an experienced diver with us is not liking it at all. As a consequence of struggling to fight the current she runs out of air much quicker and the couple are told to surface by B. Once he’s checked they’re on the boat safely he comes to join me and my buddy who have been waiting for him about 8m underwater watching the reefs intently for signs of anything unusual. The third group of five divers doing their Rescue Diver qualification are near us too and we have about ten minutes until the end of our dive. Suddenly we hear a tank-rapper from one of them and we swim over. And there it is...a beautiful big Octopus, undulating and twisting its way over the rocks on the sea bed and investigating the sea bed with its tentacles. I clap B and signal my excitement to him and my buddy. All 8 of us do our safety stop at 5m watching the Octopus slowly move away. It’s definitely the best finish to a dive I’ve had so far.

After a brilliant day, I’m back to the dive shop again at 6pm for my first night dive. I’m nervous but hold it together. It’s a completely different experience and really enjoyable. There is much more light than I’m expecting, perhaps because there are four of us and we’re not very deep. My favourite bit is when we find a sandy patch on the sea bed, empty our vests of air so we kneel on the sand. I swam in phosphorescence algae in Vietnam a few times but nothing that compares to this. Torches against our thighs so they don’t give off light we wave our other hands through the water and everything around us sparkles. It’s brilliant and I can feel my mask leak as I’m grinning so much. What an amazing end to another great day diving.

Circus Sunrise

(written 15/08/09, posted 03/10/09)

As you can see from the picture, yes I took some photos and became part of the circus that is sunrise at Angkor Wat. No mobile or shouting at the top of my voice though. And not like one group of tourists holding hands and running together through the temple grounds. I felt auras of sacredness for about 5 minutes between the chaos.

Total shame. Yes, the Cambodian government needs money (but do they use it in the right way?). Yes, Cambodian people need an influx of tourists. Yes, this is part of the world's history and people should see it. Does it have to be like this though? It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Who protects it? Neither Halong Bay in Vietnam or Angkor Wat feels looked after.

Perhaps I'm just a bit ill today and grumpy. Seem to be coming down with some kind of flu. This is surprising as I've made it through 6 weeks of Asia with only very minor stomach problems but I guess if it's going to happen anywhere it would be here. Feeling very sorry for myself and the world today. Cor melodrama much!

So Long Halong

(written on 31/07/09, posted on 28/09/09)

So three days in the beautiful Halong Bay and here I am back again and saying goodbye to Hanoi.

Three days of being a tourist and floating around on boats. This is the trip everyone seems to do when they first get to Hanoi and it's worth it. Someone told me it's a bit like being herded around and they were right in a sense. But when you get to your junk there's only a handful of boats near you in this UNESCO site. The only depressing thing is seeing litter float past your canoe and seeing the cooks chuck things into the water. There doesn't seem to be much respect for keeping the site clean and perhaps a bit more education is needed to the boat staff.

The limestone cliffs will blow you away though and if you get a chance get in a canoe to see the caves. The bay is riddled with Jellyfish. Only one person got stung on our boat which is apparently usual. Loads of great people on board which made it for me, a few of which I made good friends with. So a Happy Drunken Birthday was had by T and we were all entertained by a group of hilarious Irish lads. Especially J who had an eye tattooed on each ahem cheek. I cried with laughter when I saw it.

On the second night a group of us who had paid extra were whisked off to our private beach (view from the beach at dusk above). We got there around midday and were looked after by a crew of locals and two British lads who were clearly picked for their ability to get tourists drunk. A and E, two British girls just out of Uni did their best to keep up whilst the rest of us enjoyed watching them. Some of the lads got all caveman and built a beach fire from Bamboo. One of the crew told us it has a habit of exploding in fires due to air bubbles that get trapped inside. It was such a nice chilled out evening. As soon as someone told me there was phosphorescent algae in the water, a group of us got changed and jumped in the sea. It was amazing, swimming along with these gold sparkles travelling up your arms. It was definitely the scene of much drunken hilarity but this doesn't take away the astounding beauty of the whole place.