Its been a marathon diving session but tomorrow morning we have our last 2 dives before we leave this mekka for the fin-footed and alcohol dependant. Ive totally lost track how long weve been here but ill wager its around 10 days now. When we arrived we had already signed up on the last island for our Padi Open Water Diving and Advanced Diving courses here on this island. We arrived and were driven to our cabin, its huge, which we have the luxury of living in completely free. Some daft system that means Jo gets 50% off the bill for advanced booking, and i also get 50% off, means were left with nothing to pay for but our food and drink, and its hard to actually spend anything on either here. We had set aside 14,000 for our Padi course ,as we were quoted two years ago, only to find that we would only have to pay 7500, so we signed up for the advanced immediately, bringing the price up the the originally expected sum. Day one and i had to confess to having ticked a "yes" box on the medical. This made me very instantly unpopular. In a cab and off to the docs to get a certificate to say that the ear which i had surgery on a year ago was in good enough nick to dive. I was sure id get a pass and if i didnt id buy one. This place isnt crooked but im fairly sure everything is for sale, without exception. This proved unneccesary however, as he said i was fine having checked my good ear and hummed and haahed and cleared me for diving. Then i confessed hed checked the wrong ear and after a fleeting glance at the bad one i was on my way with my certificate. Lovely. 2 days diving in the pool and a load of paperwork later and we were heading out to sea for our first dive to 12 meters. Then we did one to 18. Then the day after we went to 24. And 18. Then the day after we went to 30. And 18. Then a night dive to what felt like several thousand leagues under the sea but turned out to be about 12 meters. There was an insane current and one meters visibility and we were armed with pen lights, but this gave us a good chance to see the amazing bioluminescence. It was like standing too close to a night bonfire in the wind, but without the heat. Then another day, another 2 dives, to 30 and 24 meters respectively. After all this diving we were hooked and decided that we would spend the money we saved on accomodation on the next course wed been considering ; Deep Diving With Nitrox. After tomorrow, the last day of this course, well be qualified to go to 40 meters and breathe a gas with a greater percentage of oxygen, allowing us more time in the water. This course cost a little over 10,000. Thats under 200 pounds. Bargain.
In a couple of days were gonna move down the country to Phuket and dive some more, work on the tans that we havent had a moment to cultivate above water, and read books like proper holiday makers. Due to the amound of diving theres been precious little drinking here so well see if we cant manage a hangover or two when we get there. This is probably best avoided however, as during the 3 weeks in China and one week in Thailand pre diving, ive managed to go up two trouser sizes purely because of the sauce. Damned beer, why must it taste soo good. The worst part is that nearly everyone else here, with the exception of the English, seems to be carved out of wood. A deep mahagony, well varnished and polished with a finish that suggests obsession on the part of the cleaner.
Im off to the gym. (and very probably, the bar)
