My moments of introspection are few and far between and are often dispelled by my even stronger feelings of content. It dawned on me the other day that I am coming up to six months of being away and that is something that surprised me. Six. Months. Much like how my GCSE’s felt like an eternity away when I was twelve years old, this is a milestone that I never imagined I would reach with such consistent and persistent happiness.
I can’t remember who it was that I was talking to the other day, but it is the people I have met along the way who have made this trip so wonderful for me. They range from the ever changing family that I have here at Liquid (yeah I know I go on about the ‘family’ here a lot but it is uniquely special. Deal with it. Jealousy is not a virtue!!) through to Aran, the ANCIENT Iban head man from Murudi, Sarawak. Aran and I did not share a common language in that he only spoke Iban and I spoke a smattering of English and even less Bahasa Melayu (Malaysian). I think the only way you could find out his age would be to cut him in half and count the rings although I’d estimate him to be between two and three hundred years old. This is a picture of Aran not me.
This week has been filled with rescue, rescue, rescue and much as I anticipated I have LOVED every second PLUS, it has been a fun physical and mental challenge. Gui has been an excellent instructor and Tim has offered up a great deal of insightful and useful information, so it is with this in mind that I stupidly highly recommend doing your Rescue Diver certification… HERE. We have covered everything from the physiology of diving related accidents through to the psychology of being rescued interspersed with various people drowning or going missing in a variety of wonderfully imaginative places. Thanks to all those who took part in jangling my nerves for this week… including JUST before dinner. SEE! Saniya still finding time to smile for the camera!
Today, as I sit here and write this, I am still basking in the glow of two things. The first is not really worthy of basking but I am basking by proxy. Saniya and I successfully passed our Rescue diver exams, me with 47 out of 50 and Saniya, a native Russian speaking girl from Kazakhstan, passed with 48 out of 50. Will I ever live this down? No. Oh AND the second. I found somewhere in town that sold HUNGARIAN sausage with fried egg and rice for breakfast. Not only was it an actual sausage with meat in it BUT it tasted like it had been made with Hungarian influences. The meat content statement relates to the Philippine love of flourescent ‘hot dogs’ often served with marshmallows. My Hungarian sausage comment relates to my Greco-Hungarian origins. Dad. It tasted good.
So. Marshmallows with hot dogs. Yeah. Seriously. It’s a Phillipino birthday treat. It was Jaako and Saniya’s birthday so we celebrated with a rescue scenario, meat with sweets and barbequed fish. Drinks were drunk. Candles were blown out and merriment was made. It, as usual, was a great evening and the food was a TREAT. Peddy and Ginalyn did themselves proud.
The kids have been hanging around a lot which has been a lot of fun BUT I do not think I am ready QUITE yet for little ones of my own. Don’t worry world, I will one day but I am fairy sure you will know all about it. For now, sunny days with copious amounts of swimming, eating and drinking are just the ticket. I will happily go swimming with Solymar and watch cartoons with Kai Kai any time they want. If this was an equation for life then the solution would be Life is good. Tatty bye now!
Disclaimer: The cheesiness of that final paragraph is not my fault. I think the sun must be getting to me or something else that absolves me from blame.
