Week two has been and gone. Time appears to be accelerating. There must be a few holes in the space/time continuum AND the flux capacitor is on the blink. THIS could get messy. If I start writing about future events using the past tense then contact Marty McFly, the Time Bandits and Dr Who…
I have started writing this whilst atop my perch as barkeep for the evening. For those of you who have known me a little while, will know that this can go one of a few ways: either EVERYONE will get hammered or just I will get hammered. I will attempt to keep this civil… Turns out, I was remarkably sober for most of the evening and Dan passed his snorkel test = a little-lot bit tipsy. Check out the photos on Facebook. I especially like the before and after.
I have been learning much from Yosha – Ukrainian filmmaker and zen-like diving instructor extraordinaire. We discuss the finer points of breathing and buoyancy on a regular basis. Gio, our resident Frenchman and “booteure” enthusiast has arrived. Dan is now DiveMaster Dan and Saniya and I are slowly slowly becoming better and better, happier and happier divers.
With regard to diving progress, I am now an ADVANCED diver with a few more dives under my belt. I will reiterate my closing words for my last missive – breath slow and take it easy. THIS is something I gently whisper to myself during most of my times underwater. I am fairly sure, and forgive my lack of jargon, there is a LOT but I think I might be becoming a dive-hippy type. I cannot stress enough how magical the underwater world is. I might not yet know all the varieties of nudibranchs or the difference between an ornate and a ghost pipefish (yet) so I spend most of my time underwater playing whilst concentrating on breathing air NOT water.
Playing mainly involves trying to see how little air I can use over the period of a dive. This basically translates to varying breathing between shallow but slightly faster cycles or SLLLOOOOWWWW deep breaths. Something I had not considered in the real world was how breathing or a breath affects you while underwater. Turns out if you breath IN you float more and if you breath out you sink. (ish).
Tatiana and Slav took this photo of me while diving the wall at Kanu Panan. I love it. More games. Wondering around on my back although I prefer to hover upside down – feet up head down – often imagining I am a cameraman for the BBC natural department. It might be a little bit vain but I am very curious what I look like underwater. I am not know for being graceful so maybe, just maybe I am a tiny bit elegant underwater. Hopefully more photos of my underwater exploits to come.
Have you ever pondered how you quantify making it? Gold plated Rolls Royce or mink lined underwear? How about a heated toilet? Somehow my life now has a fully functioning heated toilet… I already had the mink underwear. Lickie D’s (still trying to see if there is a way of shortening Liquid Dumaguete) main water source is a natural, volcanic hot spring so all the water is hot. No, sorry. It is H.O.T. So whenever the need takes you, you sit atop a pre-warmed throne. Does life get much better?
There is also the enigma commonly referred to as Keith or Lolo. This is a gentleman (I use the term loosely) who appears to have lived at least three lifetimes worth of anecdotes. Never short of a word. Always ready with an opinion, rarely without a smile. I have and will continue to look forward to many sundowners while highlighting the world’s problems. We tend to highlight but not fix the problems.
Export quality semi dried mango. This stuff is DEElightful. You can imagine the rest especially if eaten with hot and spicy peanuts.
Having spent the last few months in the jungle and remote rural areas, I have become accustomed to the morning call from the cockerel. I was not mentally prepared for the alarm-cow. I can only imagine that there is a bovine prankster who assumes it is HILARIOUS to come pass my home and MOO very loudly at around 6am. Ok, I admit that I should be awake by then but I DO NOT need a cow to tell me so although I like the quirkiness.
The sun has risen and set 13/14 times since I first arrived here. With every day that passes I feel happier, stronger and more excitable about life. I am surrounded by a brilliantly eclectic group of people and continually engulfed by nature’s beauty both above and below the surface; to be training to make this a profession on top of all that? C’moooon. I am probably one of the luckiest people alive at the moment.
Until the next time people. Remember, upside down is the new right way up!
Love,
Ads
