Bloob-blub-blubloob

Diving, that is. I dived twice during my Whitsundays trip, and I loved it, loved it, loved it.

It's so much fun, and so much easier than I expected. Here go the basics:
1. Keep breathing. Remember Darth Vader*? If you sound just like him, you're doing it right.
2. When your ears are in pain, pinch your nose and blow air into them.
3. If you don't move, you sink.
4. Keep your legs straight when you swim. Pedaling doesn't get you anywhere.

And that's it, you're ready to go down there, to fly over the corals, through the caves, if the throngs of colorful fish let you through.

A few of the things I saw:


Yes, it was great. But going in with a group is, still, a pain in the arse. More so when the other members of your group are clumsier than a koala on roller skates and have the same swimming ability as a 300kg block of lard. Diving certification goes on my to-do list.

* Star Wars. Dude in black, oversized helmet, shortage of facial expression. Can't miss him.

Whitsundays

After the recent weather and events, I was expecting to label this post either "Shitsundays" of "Wetsundays". But against all forecast, I had great weather almost all the time.

So I sailed. And I ab-so-lute-ly loved it. All through this trip I've been rediscovering that I love being at sea, and this has been the final confirmation. I didn't get seasick (though one night I did get goon-sick*) and I loved the bobbing, the waves and the wind.



And so I dived. And I ab-so-lute-ly loved it. More on diving in a future post. And I snorkeled, and I swam, and I hiked in the forest and walked the white sands.



And I stood on deck, while I cruised over the waves, through the wind, under the burning sun, watching the rugged green hills rise from a sea of colours.

I keep saying "I", but all this time, of course, I was not alone. That was perhaps the worst part of the trip: the company. Mostly couples, and a few Paddies* who drank all day and spoke with the heaviest accent I've ever heard. Except for two of them who were nice guys, I spent most of the trip in undesirable company. I don't mind being alone, I'm fine with that, but I hate being alone with people around me. And it's difficult to get away on a boat, you can't get farther than a very few meters.

In a nutshell, I love the sea, I hate organized trips, I want my own boat.

* goon=Cheapest alcoholic beverage in Australia. Apparently a sort of box wine, with fish and eggs somehere in the manufacturing process. Guaranteed to get you badly pissed in no time, and to give you a serious headache and hangover the next morning.
* Paddy=person from Ireland