Well, Honduras is in a very interesting state right now. It's quite exciting, and I'm rather enjoying seeing how it evolves from within. I kind of like being in the middle of the action (sorry Mom and Dad, I know you don't appreciate that). In any case, as I understand, the ex-President wanted to make the country communist, he's currently in Nicaragua, and the Honduran-Nicaraguan border is closed to keep one country's military from storming into the other.
I was going to travel across Honduras, but now that there's a country-wide curfew of 9:00 pm and a bunch of roads have been blocked, that seems like more trouble than it's worth. So I'm thinking of darting up to Guatemala ASAP (tomorrow), and spending at least the next month out of Honduras. However, is it possible for me to cross that border or not? I can find no information about it online, and everyone seems to have a different opinion. I already purchased my boat ticket to leave Utila tomorrow morning, but I have no idea if I'm going to be able to go anywhere once I leave. Of course, it's also not possible to do much of anything on the island with the curfew. So... wish me luck in going to Guatemala tomorrow?
No other news here (I think that's about enough!). The mosquitoes have returned, so I'm ridiculously chewed up. I had forgotten how much more annoying they are than sand flies. Going to the Iguana Station and looking at the swamp lizards also didn't exactly help. Well, off I go to investigate the border situation. Aaaahhhh!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
A Less-Stable Honduras
So many days in a row I find myself in an internet cafe. At least it's much cooler today AND the air conditioning in this place has been fixed. Yesterday I just sat here mopping up my sweat for an hour.
Nothing new to report in my life, but Honduras certainly has a lot going on. I had a couple of lovely dives this morning, took a long nap this afternoon, and now I'm here checking up on the news about Honduras. Yes, there's been a military coup that the UN, the EU, and many countries disagree with. And yes, this certainly leaves room for riots. My intention is still to travel across Honduras, but I promise to be wary, to keep up with current affairs, and to change my plans as necessary. I intend to go only to small, out-of-the-way places, and nowhere near Tegucigalpa. No worries!
Time for me to plan how I'm going to get off this island, and where to stay at the Lago de Yojoa. I think birdwatching is next on my list... Birds don't have riots, do they?
Nothing new to report in my life, but Honduras certainly has a lot going on. I had a couple of lovely dives this morning, took a long nap this afternoon, and now I'm here checking up on the news about Honduras. Yes, there's been a military coup that the UN, the EU, and many countries disagree with. And yes, this certainly leaves room for riots. My intention is still to travel across Honduras, but I promise to be wary, to keep up with current affairs, and to change my plans as necessary. I intend to go only to small, out-of-the-way places, and nowhere near Tegucigalpa. No worries!
Time for me to plan how I'm going to get off this island, and where to stay at the Lago de Yojoa. I think birdwatching is next on my list... Birds don't have riots, do they?
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Status quo
It hasn't been long at all since my last post, but since I'm on the internet I figure I should write something more. I have done just about nothing since my last post. Honestly. I went for a bike ride as far as I could around the island (there's a big canal you can't get over, so really it's not that far), ate some food, had a pain in my stomach (presumably from eating too fast), took a nap, went to the weekly UDC barbeque to watch some snorkel tests, went to sleep, and woke up with a very bad stomach. Boo. After a day of convalescing, drinking pepto bismol, and somehow dragging myself out for a golf-cart tour of the island (Sara rented one), I'm now good as new. I don't really know what it was all about, just that many people here have been complaining of stomach cramps lately, so it seems something is going around. Alas, it's over with now.
I rode my bike to the other end of town to meet Sara yesterday, and then left it locked up on the side of the road when we took off in the golf cart. So this afternoon I wandered through town finally taking pictures of the place, and retrieved my bike. Picture taking has finally commenced! I know you would all love for me to add pictures to my blog, but I'm afraid I can never remember to bring the patch cord with me when I use the internet. Perhaps I'll get it right sometime soon. In the meanwhile, know that I'm taking pictures (even if I'm not in enough of them).
My plan was to leave Utila and head straight for Belize on either June 30 or July 1. However, the ferry to Belize runs only on Mondays, and I'm not prepared to leave the island tomorrow in order to catch it. So I think I'll be heading through Honduras over to Gracias and Celaque National Park first, and then probably doubling back to catch the ferry to Belize on the following Monday. Otherwise I'll just wander into Guatemala from Honduras and see about Belize later. I promise that whatever I do, you'll all be posted.
Lynn Anne, I miss your well-thought-out itineraries. I will manage on my own, as I have done in the past, but travelling with you really was such a pleasure. It takes me forever to figure out an itinerary for myself. I just want to have someone to bounce ideas off of, but no one else could care less about which way I circle Central America (understandably).
I'm off now to continue mopping up my sweat, and work my last shift at the UDC bar. All the best, and keep in touch.
I rode my bike to the other end of town to meet Sara yesterday, and then left it locked up on the side of the road when we took off in the golf cart. So this afternoon I wandered through town finally taking pictures of the place, and retrieved my bike. Picture taking has finally commenced! I know you would all love for me to add pictures to my blog, but I'm afraid I can never remember to bring the patch cord with me when I use the internet. Perhaps I'll get it right sometime soon. In the meanwhile, know that I'm taking pictures (even if I'm not in enough of them).
My plan was to leave Utila and head straight for Belize on either June 30 or July 1. However, the ferry to Belize runs only on Mondays, and I'm not prepared to leave the island tomorrow in order to catch it. So I think I'll be heading through Honduras over to Gracias and Celaque National Park first, and then probably doubling back to catch the ferry to Belize on the following Monday. Otherwise I'll just wander into Guatemala from Honduras and see about Belize later. I promise that whatever I do, you'll all be posted.
Lynn Anne, I miss your well-thought-out itineraries. I will manage on my own, as I have done in the past, but travelling with you really was such a pleasure. It takes me forever to figure out an itinerary for myself. I just want to have someone to bounce ideas off of, but no one else could care less about which way I circle Central America (understandably).
I'm off now to continue mopping up my sweat, and work my last shift at the UDC bar. All the best, and keep in touch.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Two Right Feet?
I discovered a strange thing last night. I've been through a few pairs of flip-flops since I got here. The ones that I brought with me (all the way from Malaysia!) eventually deteriorated and fell apart. After a few busy and barefoot days, I bought myself a new fabric-covered pair. They were lovely, but not meant to get wet, and quickly fell apart. Not surprisingly, they actually got caught on my bicycle when I was trying to dismount one day last week, and that's when one of them ripped in two. Uninterested in walking barefoot again, I discovered an open store while walking [barefoot] to dinner, and bought myself new rubber flip-flops. This was about a week ago.
I was pleased with the new flip-flops, but my left foot was getting badly rubbed by the strap and was pretty nicely ripped open by the next day. In an effort to let my foot heal, I gave up wearing any shoes for the following week. I would just carry them around with me in case I should feel the need to wear them at some point. Last night, I felt my scabs had turned into nice enough calluses that I should be ready to wear the sandals. They were alright for a while, but eventually started rubbing on my foot a bit, so I kicked them off at the bar. My roommates were there, and Gord asked, "What, are you going to try wearing them on the opposite feet to see if they fit better?" Not a bad idea!
So I slipped the uncomfortable left flip-flop onto my right foot, and discovered that the strap fit perfectly. Naturally, the sandal is cut to the shape of the left foot, but the strap is meant for a right foot. So my sandals are 3/4 right and 1/4 left. Brilliant. Only in a developing country would you get stuck with flip-flops like these. I did go back to the store today to hint around about asking for a new shoe, but the woman working there wasn't going to budge. She pretty much just barked at me. Alas, I will survive until I get to the mainland, and then I will find myself a properly comfortable pair.
Off now for a bike ride. Take care!
I was pleased with the new flip-flops, but my left foot was getting badly rubbed by the strap and was pretty nicely ripped open by the next day. In an effort to let my foot heal, I gave up wearing any shoes for the following week. I would just carry them around with me in case I should feel the need to wear them at some point. Last night, I felt my scabs had turned into nice enough calluses that I should be ready to wear the sandals. They were alright for a while, but eventually started rubbing on my foot a bit, so I kicked them off at the bar. My roommates were there, and Gord asked, "What, are you going to try wearing them on the opposite feet to see if they fit better?" Not a bad idea!
So I slipped the uncomfortable left flip-flop onto my right foot, and discovered that the strap fit perfectly. Naturally, the sandal is cut to the shape of the left foot, but the strap is meant for a right foot. So my sandals are 3/4 right and 1/4 left. Brilliant. Only in a developing country would you get stuck with flip-flops like these. I did go back to the store today to hint around about asking for a new shoe, but the woman working there wasn't going to budge. She pretty much just barked at me. Alas, I will survive until I get to the mainland, and then I will find myself a properly comfortable pair.
Off now for a bike ride. Take care!
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Celebrating the 100th Dive
Today I went on my 100th dive. Divers in tropical climates have a particular way of celebrating this event. It is done naked. (Cold-water divers drink champagne after every hundredth dive.) So, I strapped on my fins, weight belt, scuba unit, and mask, and hopped in the water in my bikini. After descending, I went to a sandy patch, slipped out of my bikini under all the gear as gracefully as I could, and stuffed the swimsuit in my pocket. I must say, it was very liberating to dive in the nude, and about as chilly as expected. Swimming over the bubbles of other divers wasn't too bad either...
At the end of the dive, I went back to my sandy patch, slipped into my bikini bottoms, and removed my scuba unit in an attempt to tie my top back on without tying any hoses to myself. However, when I removed the unit, I had just breathed out and my regulator got twisted out of my mouth. I had a little scramble, retrieved the reg, and proceded to try and figure out how to get my suit back on with a tank that was trying to float away. Thankfully, Melanie (my fully-clad partner in crime) came to the rescue and held my tank so I could tie my top back on. All in all, it was a lovely dive, and I fortunately did not run into any divers who didn't know what I was up to.
Other news from here, not so much. And to be honest, I'm beginning to wonder if I should keep sharing since none of you will tell me what you're up to or let me know you're still alive. Are you ousting me for wanting to leave [safe?] Utila and go backpacking? Is silence your way of telling me not to do that? If so, it isn't working. And anyway, I'll have much better stories when I'm on the road. You all want that, don't you? Siobhan climbing volcanoes, Siobhan visiting Mayan ruins, Siobhan horseback riding or white-water rafting?
Well, planning for my upcoming travels is going along well. I've gotten lots of help with places I should visit, but I'm still trying to figure out a rough itinerary. Anyone who knows how I travel knows I'm essentially incapable of creating an itinerary. But good or bad, I'm trying. The question is, do I go from here into Guatemala, head south, and see the sights I want to see in Honduras on the way back? Or do I cover Honduras first to make sure I see what I know I want to see and then continue on? I'll be here until the end of June, so I still have a while to figure it out.
Now I'm off to the Iguana Station, unless I fall asleep first. There are lots of iguanas here on Utila, and that's a centre to learn more about them. People say it's fairly basic, but I like lizards so I'm quite excited to check it out. Actually, no one here can believe how excited I get every time I see an iguana. Lynn Anne would understand though. ¡Adios!
At the end of the dive, I went back to my sandy patch, slipped into my bikini bottoms, and removed my scuba unit in an attempt to tie my top back on without tying any hoses to myself. However, when I removed the unit, I had just breathed out and my regulator got twisted out of my mouth. I had a little scramble, retrieved the reg, and proceded to try and figure out how to get my suit back on with a tank that was trying to float away. Thankfully, Melanie (my fully-clad partner in crime) came to the rescue and held my tank so I could tie my top back on. All in all, it was a lovely dive, and I fortunately did not run into any divers who didn't know what I was up to.
Other news from here, not so much. And to be honest, I'm beginning to wonder if I should keep sharing since none of you will tell me what you're up to or let me know you're still alive. Are you ousting me for wanting to leave [safe?] Utila and go backpacking? Is silence your way of telling me not to do that? If so, it isn't working. And anyway, I'll have much better stories when I'm on the road. You all want that, don't you? Siobhan climbing volcanoes, Siobhan visiting Mayan ruins, Siobhan horseback riding or white-water rafting?
Well, planning for my upcoming travels is going along well. I've gotten lots of help with places I should visit, but I'm still trying to figure out a rough itinerary. Anyone who knows how I travel knows I'm essentially incapable of creating an itinerary. But good or bad, I'm trying. The question is, do I go from here into Guatemala, head south, and see the sights I want to see in Honduras on the way back? Or do I cover Honduras first to make sure I see what I know I want to see and then continue on? I'll be here until the end of June, so I still have a while to figure it out.
Now I'm off to the Iguana Station, unless I fall asleep first. There are lots of iguanas here on Utila, and that's a centre to learn more about them. People say it's fairly basic, but I like lizards so I'm quite excited to check it out. Actually, no one here can believe how excited I get every time I see an iguana. Lynn Anne would understand though. ¡Adios!
Monday, June 22, 2009
Deep Sea Exploring
Okay, well, that's what it felt like anyway. Last night there was a staff night dive to the wreck. There's a cargo ship that was intentionally sunk just outside the Utila bay, and that was my first time seeing it at night. It's a deep dive (30 metres), so almost no one goes to it after dark. We were given free reign to do whatever we felt like exploring this wreck last night. It was super fun, I got to take a look inside parts of it that I wouldn't normally get to see during the day, and it felt like I was at a wreck so deep in the sea that the sun couldn't shine there. I also saw this crazy little critter that looked JUST like a piece of coral, but was crawling around like a crab or something. Once I figure out who pointed that out to me in the dark, I'll find out more about it.
A couple of days ago we took a trip to Cayos Cochinos, the Hog Islands. This is a marine reserve close to the mainland, and it was super fun. Marine life was, naturally, pretty similiar to that on Utila, but it was super fun to explore some new sites. For once, I managed to find eels all by myself, and I was also shown an octopus who had squashed himself down into the coral. One of the sites we dove was a plane wreck from a drug plane that went down some time ago. You've got to love the fact that that happens so often here. Anyway, our trip to Cayos Cochinos was lovely. We did one dive, visited a small island of locals, had lunch, did a second dive, relaxed on another island, and made our way back to Utila. Of course, by this time the sea was getting quite rough, so our amazing Captain Errol was basically surfing the waves with the boat the whole way. It took a while, but it was an incredibly smooth ride considering the size of the swells.
I have now fully run out of partying steam, so I slink off to my apartment in the evening and try to disappear before anyone forces me out for the evening. I've been successful in this the past couple of nights, but don't know for how much longer I'll be able to manage. Leading up to my leaving Utila, there will be plenty of need for dinners out and nights on the town, so I might just have to accept that I'll rest up when I continue on my travels.
You might find evidence on facebook of something from the other night. Here in Utila, it is traditional for divemasters to have to pass one last test before it is considered official. Perhaps this is just the normal case of UDC holding higher training standards than PADI requires, or perhaps it's an excuse for mad partying. Anyway, it's called the Snorkel Test. Once all other tasks have been completed for divemaster training, the trainee is subjected to this test. It is done at a bar, and it involves a scuba mask, a snorkel with a funnel on it, and a lot of beer, rum, and soda mixed together. In my case, I asked for them to go light on the alcohol because I take antidepressants and didn't want them to be messed with. So I was fed about a litre of coke and two drops of rum. Normally, the subject of this test winds up so wasted they are eventually carried home. I, however, drank less than usual before the snorkel test so I would start out neither sober nor drunk, was given virtually no alcohol during the test, and had one more weak drink afterwards. What I find hilarious is that my snorkel test was done at the weekly UDC barbeque which is an all-you-can-drink event, so everyone ELSE got trashed, while I effectively remained sober. The next day I felt fine, but everyone else on the island seemed to be hurting. Like I said before, I don't fit in here (though it is fun).
Now, I am off. I'd love to hear from you guys back home... You know, I'm just saying... In the meantime, I'll be trying to figure out why the bank machines are not giving me any money. Oh my...
A couple of days ago we took a trip to Cayos Cochinos, the Hog Islands. This is a marine reserve close to the mainland, and it was super fun. Marine life was, naturally, pretty similiar to that on Utila, but it was super fun to explore some new sites. For once, I managed to find eels all by myself, and I was also shown an octopus who had squashed himself down into the coral. One of the sites we dove was a plane wreck from a drug plane that went down some time ago. You've got to love the fact that that happens so often here. Anyway, our trip to Cayos Cochinos was lovely. We did one dive, visited a small island of locals, had lunch, did a second dive, relaxed on another island, and made our way back to Utila. Of course, by this time the sea was getting quite rough, so our amazing Captain Errol was basically surfing the waves with the boat the whole way. It took a while, but it was an incredibly smooth ride considering the size of the swells.
I have now fully run out of partying steam, so I slink off to my apartment in the evening and try to disappear before anyone forces me out for the evening. I've been successful in this the past couple of nights, but don't know for how much longer I'll be able to manage. Leading up to my leaving Utila, there will be plenty of need for dinners out and nights on the town, so I might just have to accept that I'll rest up when I continue on my travels.
You might find evidence on facebook of something from the other night. Here in Utila, it is traditional for divemasters to have to pass one last test before it is considered official. Perhaps this is just the normal case of UDC holding higher training standards than PADI requires, or perhaps it's an excuse for mad partying. Anyway, it's called the Snorkel Test. Once all other tasks have been completed for divemaster training, the trainee is subjected to this test. It is done at a bar, and it involves a scuba mask, a snorkel with a funnel on it, and a lot of beer, rum, and soda mixed together. In my case, I asked for them to go light on the alcohol because I take antidepressants and didn't want them to be messed with. So I was fed about a litre of coke and two drops of rum. Normally, the subject of this test winds up so wasted they are eventually carried home. I, however, drank less than usual before the snorkel test so I would start out neither sober nor drunk, was given virtually no alcohol during the test, and had one more weak drink afterwards. What I find hilarious is that my snorkel test was done at the weekly UDC barbeque which is an all-you-can-drink event, so everyone ELSE got trashed, while I effectively remained sober. The next day I felt fine, but everyone else on the island seemed to be hurting. Like I said before, I don't fit in here (though it is fun).
Now, I am off. I'd love to hear from you guys back home... You know, I'm just saying... In the meantime, I'll be trying to figure out why the bank machines are not giving me any money. Oh my...
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Stay Away, Jellyfish!
I haven't had all that many jellyfish stings, and I've never had a particularly bad one, but they itch for so long afterward that I'm just growing tired of them. Yesterday, yet again, I was out diving, felt a quick sting on my leg, looked below me, and saw a few jellies. Quite often diving you might feel a little sting or a fish pecking at your leg, so you just forget about this. However, I woke up this morning, could hardly stop scratching my leg, and finally noticed that I had a nice strip of bumps across the back of it. Damn those jellyfish!
In other news, let's see... Not so much. Utila continues to exist in the time warp it is in. Time doesn't pass here; it's the weirdest thing. No one can ever quite figure out what day of the week it is, because they're all the same. Every day people come, people leave, people dive, people party. As a person who is not a natural partier (but getting known for taking over the dance floor), and has had enough of the dive shop's petty politics, this is not a place I feel like staying for too much longer. Family, I know you're concerned for my well being, but I'm afraid I'm getting excited about the notion of traveling the surrounding area. I have to make a decision because my roommates will need to find a replacement for me, so I think I might take off June 30 or July 1. We'll see. Backpackers in Central America tend to happily join forces and travel together for days or weeks at a time, so it should be fun.
My dives yesterday were amazing. Still no whale sharks, but I've pretty much given up hope of seeing one of those since it's the off-season. I saw a huge tarpon, midnight parrotfish, a sea turtle feeding on turtle grass and going to the surface for breath, sea horse, pipefish, squid, flounder, and lots more. It was very exciting to see so much cool stuff and two dive sites I had never seen before. Naturally, I also had my jellyfish run-in there, and I'm terrified of shop wetsuits because of impetigo, but the good outweighed the bad.
Now it's time to eat a mango and relax before another night of partying. Maybe I just feel lonely here because people don't know how to socialize in any way that doesn't involve drinking. I'll go lie in a hammock and ponder that thought.
In other news, let's see... Not so much. Utila continues to exist in the time warp it is in. Time doesn't pass here; it's the weirdest thing. No one can ever quite figure out what day of the week it is, because they're all the same. Every day people come, people leave, people dive, people party. As a person who is not a natural partier (but getting known for taking over the dance floor), and has had enough of the dive shop's petty politics, this is not a place I feel like staying for too much longer. Family, I know you're concerned for my well being, but I'm afraid I'm getting excited about the notion of traveling the surrounding area. I have to make a decision because my roommates will need to find a replacement for me, so I think I might take off June 30 or July 1. We'll see. Backpackers in Central America tend to happily join forces and travel together for days or weeks at a time, so it should be fun.
My dives yesterday were amazing. Still no whale sharks, but I've pretty much given up hope of seeing one of those since it's the off-season. I saw a huge tarpon, midnight parrotfish, a sea turtle feeding on turtle grass and going to the surface for breath, sea horse, pipefish, squid, flounder, and lots more. It was very exciting to see so much cool stuff and two dive sites I had never seen before. Naturally, I also had my jellyfish run-in there, and I'm terrified of shop wetsuits because of impetigo, but the good outweighed the bad.
Now it's time to eat a mango and relax before another night of partying. Maybe I just feel lonely here because people don't know how to socialize in any way that doesn't involve drinking. I'll go lie in a hammock and ponder that thought.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Impetigo? Gross!!!
So, my last post was only a day ago, and I really have nothing new to report. I've now reached the stage on this island where I'm feeling a little bit bored and a little bit blah. I think I'm just in need of a change of scenery. Perhaps this means I should leave on the first of July; but do I have enough money and enthusiasm to handle two months of backpacking alone? Right now, I have no idea.
Thanks to using rental equipment at the dive shop, it seems I have a mild case of impetigo on my knee. I've just looked this up and discovered it is most common in 2-6 year olds. Now I'm horrified at the idea of wearing a rental wetsuit, but I get too cold diving in just a swimsuit, and I have no interest in buying a wetsuit of my own at this point. I will probably only be diving for another three weeks maximum, so I might just have to suck it up. But really, impetigo? I don't think I've ever had a contagious skin infection like this. Ew! (Side note: Just found out while writing this post that my coworker in Halifax has lots of extra wetsuits and probably could have given me one before I left. Impetigo that could have been avoided! This is worse!)
I'd love to hear some feedback from you guys. I'm feeling a bit lonely here right now. I'm in diving limbo because my divemaster training is over, people whom I've gotten to know since arriving keep leaving, and the majority of new arrivals to the island will be gone in a week anyway. There are all kinds of great people still here, but Utila is beginning to feel a little stale to me. For now, it's time to shower, try to cure my impetigo, meet my divemaster mentor to get signed off once and for all, and write my nitrox exam. ¡Hasta luego!
Thanks to using rental equipment at the dive shop, it seems I have a mild case of impetigo on my knee. I've just looked this up and discovered it is most common in 2-6 year olds. Now I'm horrified at the idea of wearing a rental wetsuit, but I get too cold diving in just a swimsuit, and I have no interest in buying a wetsuit of my own at this point. I will probably only be diving for another three weeks maximum, so I might just have to suck it up. But really, impetigo? I don't think I've ever had a contagious skin infection like this. Ew! (Side note: Just found out while writing this post that my coworker in Halifax has lots of extra wetsuits and probably could have given me one before I left. Impetigo that could have been avoided! This is worse!)
I'd love to hear some feedback from you guys. I'm feeling a bit lonely here right now. I'm in diving limbo because my divemaster training is over, people whom I've gotten to know since arriving keep leaving, and the majority of new arrivals to the island will be gone in a week anyway. There are all kinds of great people still here, but Utila is beginning to feel a little stale to me. For now, it's time to shower, try to cure my impetigo, meet my divemaster mentor to get signed off once and for all, and write my nitrox exam. ¡Hasta luego!
Monday, June 15, 2009
Begging Lizards
One begging iguana, anyway. Life is good here on Utila, and I'm always busy. Since most internet places close at 8:00pm, I find I just don't have the chance to get on the internet anymore. I've been busy finishing up my divemaster training (just need to get signed off tonight, and I'm pro!), partying (this IS Utila), sleeping, eating, working, and trying to ride a bicycle without killing myself.
I bought a bicycle last week for about $40. I should be able to sell it for the same amount when I leave, providing it doesn't get stolen. My bike does have a lock, so it should be alright; but stolen bikes on this island are very common. At least that is practically the worst crime around here--drug trafficking aside. Having a bike makes getting around town SO much easier, and I look forward to exploring more of the island in the coming days. Naturally, I've already fallen off the bike and bruised my foot and ripped it open a bit on the pedal. What can I say? Graceful as always. This accident happened as I left my friend Sara's house. I got on my bike, pedalled about once, and toppled over into the ditch. At least my pathetic accidents happen at low speeds... I've almost healed already.
Working is something else I've taken up. I work at the bar at Utila Dive Center, serving beer and snacks for the most part. There is virtually no preparation on my part, which is good because people keep making fun of my ineptitude in cooking. I make a whopping $1.60 Canadian per hour, and get to keep my tips as well. Really, it's just a nice way to keep myself busy, socialize, and earn enough money for food for the day. If I wanted real cash, I would work at a restaurant for double the salary and extra tips (but then I'd actually have to work...).
The last part of divemaster training I had to complete was mapping a dive site. Sara and I did this together. We went to a site called Laguna Beach a couple of times, collected all the necessary information, and spent yesterday drawing up the map. We met for breakfast at a restaurant with an iguana garden out back. When we first sat down, I noticed there was one iguana up the hill basking in the sun. Over the three hours we spent there eating breakfast and working on our map, the iguana wandered about slowly eating leaves, wandered down the hill, and started eyeing us up. After this quiet begging from a distance went on for some time, our server fed the iguana some lettuce leaves, and we threw it some leftover fruit salad. Once the iguana had its fill, it wandered back up the hill, and took up its original position in the sun. I can't say I've ever had an iguana beg for food from me before.
Plans for the rest of the summer are now occupying my mind. I'm trying to figure out where else in Central America I wish to visit before returning home. Naturally, this all depends on how much money I have, and how much time I have available. I would definitely like to visit at lease a little bit of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Nicaragua, and I'm considering a trip into Belize for visa reasons (otherwise I'll just have to pay to renew mine when it runs out on July 27). I think I might stick around here in Utila until early-mid July, and then spend the rest of my time travelling. Since I'm already in Central America, I can't really see going home without exploring it. Also, for those of you who don't know yet, I'll be in St. John's from September 2-9. Actually, a few of those days will be spent out of town at a wedding, but I expect to see you all there in early September.
Now I should go. The hose at the dive shop was disconnected when I got back from my dives this morning, so I didn't even managed to get the salt rinsed off of myself. Time to shower and finish some Enriched Air Diving homework. I'm doing a specialty course to learn to dive with higher than normal percentages of oxygen (this allows you more time at greater depths since there is less nitrogen to build up in your body, but doesn't make the entire dive time any longer than it would be on regular air because you still have the same volume to breathe).
And last, but not least, there continue to be tremors here. Nothing spectacular, just some interesting shakes from time to time. Apparently, there were two quakes this morning while we were underwater. One was 6.6 and the other 5.6. Can't say I noticed the quake though.
I bought a bicycle last week for about $40. I should be able to sell it for the same amount when I leave, providing it doesn't get stolen. My bike does have a lock, so it should be alright; but stolen bikes on this island are very common. At least that is practically the worst crime around here--drug trafficking aside. Having a bike makes getting around town SO much easier, and I look forward to exploring more of the island in the coming days. Naturally, I've already fallen off the bike and bruised my foot and ripped it open a bit on the pedal. What can I say? Graceful as always. This accident happened as I left my friend Sara's house. I got on my bike, pedalled about once, and toppled over into the ditch. At least my pathetic accidents happen at low speeds... I've almost healed already.
Working is something else I've taken up. I work at the bar at Utila Dive Center, serving beer and snacks for the most part. There is virtually no preparation on my part, which is good because people keep making fun of my ineptitude in cooking. I make a whopping $1.60 Canadian per hour, and get to keep my tips as well. Really, it's just a nice way to keep myself busy, socialize, and earn enough money for food for the day. If I wanted real cash, I would work at a restaurant for double the salary and extra tips (but then I'd actually have to work...).
The last part of divemaster training I had to complete was mapping a dive site. Sara and I did this together. We went to a site called Laguna Beach a couple of times, collected all the necessary information, and spent yesterday drawing up the map. We met for breakfast at a restaurant with an iguana garden out back. When we first sat down, I noticed there was one iguana up the hill basking in the sun. Over the three hours we spent there eating breakfast and working on our map, the iguana wandered about slowly eating leaves, wandered down the hill, and started eyeing us up. After this quiet begging from a distance went on for some time, our server fed the iguana some lettuce leaves, and we threw it some leftover fruit salad. Once the iguana had its fill, it wandered back up the hill, and took up its original position in the sun. I can't say I've ever had an iguana beg for food from me before.
Plans for the rest of the summer are now occupying my mind. I'm trying to figure out where else in Central America I wish to visit before returning home. Naturally, this all depends on how much money I have, and how much time I have available. I would definitely like to visit at lease a little bit of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Nicaragua, and I'm considering a trip into Belize for visa reasons (otherwise I'll just have to pay to renew mine when it runs out on July 27). I think I might stick around here in Utila until early-mid July, and then spend the rest of my time travelling. Since I'm already in Central America, I can't really see going home without exploring it. Also, for those of you who don't know yet, I'll be in St. John's from September 2-9. Actually, a few of those days will be spent out of town at a wedding, but I expect to see you all there in early September.
Now I should go. The hose at the dive shop was disconnected when I got back from my dives this morning, so I didn't even managed to get the salt rinsed off of myself. Time to shower and finish some Enriched Air Diving homework. I'm doing a specialty course to learn to dive with higher than normal percentages of oxygen (this allows you more time at greater depths since there is less nitrogen to build up in your body, but doesn't make the entire dive time any longer than it would be on regular air because you still have the same volume to breathe).
And last, but not least, there continue to be tremors here. Nothing spectacular, just some interesting shakes from time to time. Apparently, there were two quakes this morning while we were underwater. One was 6.6 and the other 5.6. Can't say I noticed the quake though.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Good Deals and Bad Deals
Alright, now for a little more about myself. Things have been going really well here. I'm just about finished my divemaster training. At this stage I have to lead certified divers on a dive, map a dive site, and do up an emergency assistance plan. Honestly, all of this could easily be done in one day, but I'll probably drag it out over a week. Once that's done, I'll be a certified divemaster.
Since you do have to be careful in diving with timing your dives, paying attention to depth, knowing which pressure group you're in, and making sure you don't pass any no decompression limits, I've been wanting to buy myself a dive computer. These usually range from $300-$700 and above, so I was considering getting myself a basic bottom-line computer. As it turns out, the day before I was going to go pick one up, a guy walked up to me and asked, "Know anyone who wants to buy a dive computer?" Uh, yes. The computer is quite basic, and it only calculates regular air (it's possible to dive with other mixtures, with a higher percentage of oxygen, for example), but it works just fine. I bought it for $50. Not bad, huh?
In less awesome deals, my apartment building ran out of water yet again a couple of days ago. There are new tenants in the building, when the water ran out they didn't bother getting in touch with the landlords themselves, and by the time I found out about it, it was too late for us to get more water that day. The landlord did make a point of calling the water guy and bribing him, and the water probably was actually delivered that night, but still it failed to flow through our pipes. Presently, I know nothing about water pumps, so I didn't know how to fix it myself, and I was stuck walking to the other end of town yet again to tell the landlords we still had no working water. Being without water for a day is not serious (because it's only cleaning water, not drinking water), but it is annoying. But why would you not do anything about getting more water for hours after you've run out? It's not going to arrive magically on its own.
I really don't have much else to report at the moment. Still no whaleshark sightings, but I don't think anyone has had any. It's not actually the season, and the sea got rough again. I'm still hoping though. I have seen a spotted eagle ray, which was incredible. And I keep discovering new and cool fish. Recently, I got to see hogfish and toadfish for the first time. Today, it was a whitespotted filefish.
In closing I must say, lounging on a tropical island and going diving as much as I feel like is a pretty rough way to live...
Since you do have to be careful in diving with timing your dives, paying attention to depth, knowing which pressure group you're in, and making sure you don't pass any no decompression limits, I've been wanting to buy myself a dive computer. These usually range from $300-$700 and above, so I was considering getting myself a basic bottom-line computer. As it turns out, the day before I was going to go pick one up, a guy walked up to me and asked, "Know anyone who wants to buy a dive computer?" Uh, yes. The computer is quite basic, and it only calculates regular air (it's possible to dive with other mixtures, with a higher percentage of oxygen, for example), but it works just fine. I bought it for $50. Not bad, huh?
In less awesome deals, my apartment building ran out of water yet again a couple of days ago. There are new tenants in the building, when the water ran out they didn't bother getting in touch with the landlords themselves, and by the time I found out about it, it was too late for us to get more water that day. The landlord did make a point of calling the water guy and bribing him, and the water probably was actually delivered that night, but still it failed to flow through our pipes. Presently, I know nothing about water pumps, so I didn't know how to fix it myself, and I was stuck walking to the other end of town yet again to tell the landlords we still had no working water. Being without water for a day is not serious (because it's only cleaning water, not drinking water), but it is annoying. But why would you not do anything about getting more water for hours after you've run out? It's not going to arrive magically on its own.
I really don't have much else to report at the moment. Still no whaleshark sightings, but I don't think anyone has had any. It's not actually the season, and the sea got rough again. I'm still hoping though. I have seen a spotted eagle ray, which was incredible. And I keep discovering new and cool fish. Recently, I got to see hogfish and toadfish for the first time. Today, it was a whitespotted filefish.
In closing I must say, lounging on a tropical island and going diving as much as I feel like is a pretty rough way to live...
The Mysterious Dismembered Roach
Roaches yet again. It seems to be what my life revolves around at the moment. Actually, my roommates have gone to the mainland for the weekend on a whitewater rafting tour. I thought, "This will be lovely. I'll have the apartment to myself for a few days." I've lived alone before, and I'm not the type to get lonely from sleeping in an apartment by myself. However, the day my roommates left, I went home at night and felt utterly alone. I was outnumbered by roaches, and wished I had someone else to join in the battle.
The cockroach situation here isn't as bad as it sounds. It's just typical of a tropical island. You'll find a few roaches in the bathroom and kitchen every night, but never in the bedrooms. But this night I was all alone, spraying everything that moved with the black can of death, and dreading disposing of the corpses. Eventually, I managed to kill everything that was moving, and went to bed.
In the morning, I woke up, walked out into the kitchen, and discovered another dead roach. This one was different from the others. I didn't spray any and leave them dead in the middle of the floor, and this one was crushed, dismembered, and smeared into the floor. Now, my roommates are away, so they couldn't have stepped on it. I don't sleepwalk, and I checked my feet for roach guts just in case, but there were none there. So what killed it? What smeared this roach into my kitchen floor?
It could be true that I'm a bit of a pig. When I have no one else to be considerate of and clean for, I tend not to bother. So, there's a dead roach in the middle of my kitchen, and I just kind of walk around it for a day. Last night, I went to bed with the roach in exactly the same place it was when I woke up. This morning, it was further dismembered and eaten (or something). Now I really want to know what's killing roaches and tearing them apart in my kitchen at night!
I don't think one roach would have the power to smear another into the floor. I guess it's possible there's a mouse or a rat, but I see no other evidence of those. Most geckos around here are pretty small, but I guess there could be one freakishly big one lurking around. Finally, there are lots of big iguanas in the area. I'm not sure how anything large enough to destroy a cockroach could be getting into the apartment, but something must be. Ideas, anyone?
The cockroach situation here isn't as bad as it sounds. It's just typical of a tropical island. You'll find a few roaches in the bathroom and kitchen every night, but never in the bedrooms. But this night I was all alone, spraying everything that moved with the black can of death, and dreading disposing of the corpses. Eventually, I managed to kill everything that was moving, and went to bed.
In the morning, I woke up, walked out into the kitchen, and discovered another dead roach. This one was different from the others. I didn't spray any and leave them dead in the middle of the floor, and this one was crushed, dismembered, and smeared into the floor. Now, my roommates are away, so they couldn't have stepped on it. I don't sleepwalk, and I checked my feet for roach guts just in case, but there were none there. So what killed it? What smeared this roach into my kitchen floor?
It could be true that I'm a bit of a pig. When I have no one else to be considerate of and clean for, I tend not to bother. So, there's a dead roach in the middle of my kitchen, and I just kind of walk around it for a day. Last night, I went to bed with the roach in exactly the same place it was when I woke up. This morning, it was further dismembered and eaten (or something). Now I really want to know what's killing roaches and tearing them apart in my kitchen at night!
I don't think one roach would have the power to smear another into the floor. I guess it's possible there's a mouse or a rat, but I see no other evidence of those. Most geckos around here are pretty small, but I guess there could be one freakishly big one lurking around. Finally, there are lots of big iguanas in the area. I'm not sure how anything large enough to destroy a cockroach could be getting into the apartment, but something must be. Ideas, anyone?
Monday, June 1, 2009
Diving with Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum
This actually happened a while ago, but I went diving at the same site today and was reminded of it. On the day of the staff party to the Cays, I elected to go on a dive with Damian and two fun divers. Fun as it might be to drink free beer all afternoon on an overloaded boat packed with dive staff, I just wasn't in the mood. I hadn't been out diving for fun for a while, so I jumped at the opportunity.
The fun divers didn't know each other before the dive. One was a Spanish man from I have no idea what country, and the other an older man from New York State who is fairly new to diving and has antiquated gear. They were both very nice men.
As we pulled up to the buoy at Airport Caves, Tweedle-Dee fell off the boat. It seems he decided to clean his mask off before the boat stopped, lost his balance, and tumbled into the water. When he called out, I asked the captain to stop the boat, and he swam to the boat with his mask on upside down (nosepiece on the forehead). I could hardly stop laughing.
Next, Tweedle-Dum, in his outdated scuba equipment, did the most interesting little hop into the water. There are two basic ways to enter the water from a dive boat. You can do a giant stride entry off the back (big step, enter the water upright), or a backroll off the side of the boat (if the boat is low enough). Tweedle-Dum walked to the back of the boat, turned around backwards, and did a little spring into the water, landing on his back. Poor Damian, the Divemaster, didn't have enough time to get Tweedle-Dum to stop before he was flapping about in the water.
During the dive, I think Damian had it easy. He lead the dive, followed by this interesting pair, and me in the rear. My job back there was to make sure no one got lost. Normally, this is an easy task, but it was remarkably difficult with Tweedle-Dee the photographer and Tweedle-Dum the naturalist. Damian would swim off out of my sight, while one stared at coral, the other wandered after a fish, and I was left floating, trying to figure out where everyone was.
It wasn't all bad though. Tweedle-Dee had a very good eye for spotting fish, and he pointed out all kinds of awesome things to me. Also, the boat was incredibly peaceful with only four divers on it; usually, there are up to 16. Basically, I ended up regularly getting water in my mask because I couldn't stop laughing at this most interesting pair underwater.
Nothing new to report from here. Things have settled down after the earthquake, and I finally bought myself new sandals yesterday. The dock and the bridge both get too hot, and I couldn't handle burning my feet walking around barefoot anymore. Hope you're all well!
The fun divers didn't know each other before the dive. One was a Spanish man from I have no idea what country, and the other an older man from New York State who is fairly new to diving and has antiquated gear. They were both very nice men.
As we pulled up to the buoy at Airport Caves, Tweedle-Dee fell off the boat. It seems he decided to clean his mask off before the boat stopped, lost his balance, and tumbled into the water. When he called out, I asked the captain to stop the boat, and he swam to the boat with his mask on upside down (nosepiece on the forehead). I could hardly stop laughing.
Next, Tweedle-Dum, in his outdated scuba equipment, did the most interesting little hop into the water. There are two basic ways to enter the water from a dive boat. You can do a giant stride entry off the back (big step, enter the water upright), or a backroll off the side of the boat (if the boat is low enough). Tweedle-Dum walked to the back of the boat, turned around backwards, and did a little spring into the water, landing on his back. Poor Damian, the Divemaster, didn't have enough time to get Tweedle-Dum to stop before he was flapping about in the water.
During the dive, I think Damian had it easy. He lead the dive, followed by this interesting pair, and me in the rear. My job back there was to make sure no one got lost. Normally, this is an easy task, but it was remarkably difficult with Tweedle-Dee the photographer and Tweedle-Dum the naturalist. Damian would swim off out of my sight, while one stared at coral, the other wandered after a fish, and I was left floating, trying to figure out where everyone was.
It wasn't all bad though. Tweedle-Dee had a very good eye for spotting fish, and he pointed out all kinds of awesome things to me. Also, the boat was incredibly peaceful with only four divers on it; usually, there are up to 16. Basically, I ended up regularly getting water in my mask because I couldn't stop laughing at this most interesting pair underwater.
Nothing new to report from here. Things have settled down after the earthquake, and I finally bought myself new sandals yesterday. The dock and the bridge both get too hot, and I couldn't handle burning my feet walking around barefoot anymore. Hope you're all well!
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