Under The Sea

 The problem with travelling with two boys is their insane obsession with sports. This of course started with the diving. Yesterday, we all set out to sea with the two Catherines, and while we girls enjoyed the sunshine on the boat and took photos of eachother posing in front of the gorgeous landscape - the boys were on hand to snap us back to reality and remind us that our BCD's weren't fitted in the correct way.

I was very nervous about the first dive at a site called 'Japanease Gardens'. Having previously been diving in the Red Sea in Egypt, I found I had problems with the pressure in my left ear. However, I was first to take the plunge into the sea and was keen to get started. The sea was an exotic 30 degrees and felt like a bath. As I paddled around (trying not to think about what might be lurking beneath me) the others fell into the water beside me. When we were all ready, we swam to the front of the boat and decended into the water following the mooring line, guiding us to the bottom of the seabed. From the moment my head went underwater, it was breathtaking. Angel fish watched us at a distance, while electric blue fish nibbled at my ankles. Just as I began to enjoy myself, my ears popped and I was in pain. Desperately trying to equalise, I ascended a few metres and tried again. When it was just about bearable, I rejoined the group and swam ariund the coral surrounding us.

After the first dive, I was worried that my ears were going to cause a problem throughout the dives. While Marcus and Gordon bickered about who saw the most impressive fish, I felt slightly sad that I had been too preoccupied to enjoy it. However, luckily, on the second dive my ears were fine. I managed to equalise successfully and was able to enjoy this new world. A particular highlight was seeing a shoal of baraccuda surround us, each beady eye looking at us from the side!

The next morning, we set off for two more dives to 'Black Pinacle' and 'Green Rock' - two incredible dive sights. We reached depths of 20 metres and saw eels, trigger fish, angel fish, parrot fish and many more incredible creatures....but unfortunately no whale shark! (although we did come close to seeing one!) After all of these dives, I feel exhausted. The waves today were choppy and it was a struggle to stay afloat on top of the sea. I had an incredible time and am so pleased to be a qualified Open Water Diver!!

My evenings have been extremely peaceful. While Gordon and Marcus haeve insisted on heading to a bar inland to watch the Grand Prix (something I don't understand when on such a beautiful island) I have been relaxing by the beach and exloring the sights with the two Catherine's. We found the best pancake man on the island and sipped cocktails on the sand... Bliss!! We later found Marcus and Gordon further down the beach, one clutching his iphone and the other clutching the latest copyof the Economist. With the backdrop of rolling hills, windy shores and exotic trees, this image just doesn't quite fit with me! I urge them to 'disconnect' while they tell us girls to stop taking photos of eachother and enjoy the scenery..... It's each to their own I suppose!! Although, with the rugby world cup having just started, I dred to think how much time they'll be spending in front of a TV.

It is what we make it. xxx