Ikaz Hotel Male

... basic services had we made a pilgrimage from Europe (as most guests at the resort had) but since we were just stopping by and had not spent much money getting to the Maldives-and we had gotten a real deal on the package-we certainly found everything adequate and most things to our actual liking. After 7 days in paradise, we caught a night speedboat back to the airport and boarded our flight to Colombo and then on to Kuala Lumpur.

... den och jag fick se min första haj på riktigt nära håll. Fast guiden var lite för ivrig och envis eftersom han ville att alla skulle se, så hajen ilsknade till och blev helt vild och bet honom i benet. Jag låg och glodde på det hela en halvmeter ifrån och undrade hur i helvete man backar med simfenor. Jag fick i alla fall klappa en haj och även om jag förstår att han blev ilsk på den tokiga maldiviern så var jag helt lyrisk hela båtresan hem. Sista fredagen deltog vi i ...

... just fine with both of us. We read some more books, laid around at the beach and the pool, went to just about every 6-o'clock fish feeding (at Nandita's insistence - and I'm sure she'll write more about it), actually watched a couple of movies. Overall, a fantastic end to an even more fantastic trip - which assured that we got back to Atlanta/Germany well rested and ready to go back to work (yeah, right...)

... rattling past, looking out into complete blackness everywhere except where your torch was shining. We managed to see a turtle on our very first dive, a huge hawksbill turtle ...

... the beautiful islands! :) Well, the friendly young girl at the hotel has been super sweet letting me sit at her reception desk and type this... instead of sweating to a pulp looking for another Internet spot. I leave to get a ferry back to the other island to meet Andy and Nicky at 5:30pm. I really have no idea if we are going to tool around Maldives (which I so hope we are as I haven't seen a thing here yet of the beautiful stuff outside of the capital Male) or whether we set ...

... then all went out to 2 lovely stores where Mom kindly bought Mike and I 2 elephant paintings done on camel bone....they are lovely and it was very generous of her. We also managed to get a few other things and also at a silver shop.....this country has unbelievable shopping. That afternoon, Ellie and I got manicures (Ellie's first and she was soooo excited) Then we went back to our room and the three ladies got our hands hennaed ...

A ver si esto me sirve para seguir comunicado, tomar notas, y explicar lo que hago/veo cuando ando de viajes (lo hago pa' poder compartir con la familia y los amigos cercanos no ma'). Por ahora estoy en Male' la capital de las Maldivas, luego de haber pasado 3 días en casa al regreso de Chennai. Ese viaje merecía un inicio de blog... me tocó estar durante las festividades del Divali, una de las más importantes fiestas de la India. Todos me han dicho que ...

... Fewer still have had hot, or even warm water. Our first night in Kerala was a stay at a filthy hotel where we were disturbed by a bogus wake-up call to try and sell us extra drinks. Once awake, a member of the reception staff knocked on our door asking for change of a high bank note. We left some toiletries behind at another guest house. On returning to retrieve them half were missing and the bag had been searched. It took ...

... where there are no resorts. What is their lifestyle, their income and what are the issues they are dealing with including those created by the Tsunami in December 2004 which affected the southern islands. Most men fish in Maldives, naturally, but I've yet to learn more about this aspect of life. We might be able to travel with Doug this week to an island in the northern part of the atoll - we have to get permission from the project ...

... too bad this time :-) . Like usually on the Maldives, I try to sleep outside at the shore under a palm tree, but today I was not able to find a mattress for the sunbed... this has to change. My favourite activity before going to sleep late: Walking around with my Ipod, loud music in my ears and dancing by myself on the magical sandbank... Mesh, Depeche Mode, NIN, Type O Negative, Ajnabee, Diorama, Klee, Human League, Bhangra, Desi, Arab pop... I just can't stop listening and moving...