Island Pearl West Bay

... claiming they knew me. I was like a bunny in headlights, nothing was computing, I was sure I hadn’t met them together anywhere and then one said El Tunco and I looked at the other and thought I didn’t meet you in El Tunco. Then Scott said, “Hey remember me, you met Josie and I in Finca Tatin.” And it all fell into place. I hadn’t met them together, I’d met Scott in Guatemala and Richie in El Tunco ...

... br>








The next day, Friday, June 5, we had our two Fun Dives, included by Alton’s as part of the course. Water conditions had been bad ever since the big earthquake so trips to the north side of the island – where Whale Sharks had been spotted on dive trips the week before – had been postponed. This day, however, conditions were deemed acceptable, and we headed north in search of the Whale Shark.

Utila, Bay Islands, Honduras cc_world_tour

... beach. Should be sweet!!

In the morning we are leaving on the 7am ferry (fingers crossed all goes well) for La Ceiba on the mainland. I am going to be so sad to leave here, it feels like home now! The place is so small, that we already know where almost everything is and every time you walk down the street you see someone you know. Despite the mystery bites (two of which have turned into massive bruises on my legs), I am going to miss it here! I am pretty sure I will be back one day!!!

... another wall with a series of coral channels that create a maze. Rikki and I were doing the dive together and were worried about getting lost-which isn't a big deal, you just surface to find the boat- but we were fine. As long as you know which direction the wall is, you're fine. Unfortunately we missed the turtle at Airport Caves but we did see a big trigger fish at Labyrinth. It didn't matter though because that afternoon we were going to ...

... the thing that really got me was how rocky the hour ride to the island was. The seas had looked calm enough but that was far from the case once we picked up speed and travelled further away from the cost. The passengers on the boat, ourselves included, went from being quite chatty initially to now being silent as every one tried to deal with this ordeal in their own way. Even though we were cowering in the sheltered section of the boat we were still ...

... Beer is ridiculously cheap! $1.50 for a Salva Vida lager. And we found a great value dinner place (Dave´s Island Cafe) for only $6.50 a plate - yummy pork chops, salad and buttery mash potatoes! Mmmmm... One night, I got excited over a fish special that was priced at $7.50, but Mark thought that was too expensive... ah, the difference of having spent a month as a backpacker versus coming straight from Manhattan where a fish ...

... in the sun and knocking on every possible hostel-hotel I finally found accomodation in the cutest little barnyardlike hotel. After my sweaty ordeal I jumped immediately in the clear blue waters of Utila! At nighttime I met up with the dutch girls and I found out that the festivities start with the pre-pre party, pre party, the actual party and the afterparty. Well if I must than there is no other choice! The ...

... digital camera for our dives today. I love taking pictures so I was in charge of the camera for the first dive and my partner, Katie, was in charge of the second. During the second dive we came across a sea turtle like the one in Finding Nemo! It was as big as a dog and it was perfectly fine hanging out with us for 10 or 15 minutes underwater. It was eating corral and swimming around. It was so beautiful! Seeing the turtle was the highlight of all my dives.

... scuba diving, but it is nonetheless stunningly beautiful. White sandy beaches fringed with palm trees, crystal clear water and amazing coral reefs. We could have satyed here a lot longer, except that it is very expensive and we have too little time to do everything else we want to do!

... water dives were great! We saw a few octopuses, many beautiful and colourful fish, heaps of sea urchins, a few turtles... I went from being a little apprehensive of diving to being absolutely in love with it!!! And after we got our certificates we went on a NIGHT DIVE! The moon was nearly full and we could see it through the water from the bottom (20 meters down). OK....Need to rush off now...but will finish later!