Water Babies (Part One)
Trip Start
Dec 17, 2005
1
3
13
Trip End
Jan 09, 2006
Patong,
Thailand
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
I had a bad time trying to get to sleep last night. After saying we were going to have an early night we couldn't sleep for awhile because of the music coming from a bar opposite from our guesthouse. Also the place has one of these open hallways and there was a fluorescent light on all night - have now figured out how to turn the damn thing off so hopefully won't be a problem tonight. And am going to buy some earplugs (there is a Boots in town :)).
Today we started our PADI Open Water course (Dora - was going to surprise you :)) The jeep came to pick us up at 8.30 SHARP so we hurried out having just a snack for breakfast. The morning we spent in the classroom, watching PADI instruction videos and doing quizzes, learning about dive tables and how long you can theoretically spend in the water etc., before taking a final exam. I scored 96% - much better at the theory than the practical aspect which came afterwards (as usual, those who know me would probably comment) :( Mike scored a measly 90%.
After getting kitted out in scuba gear (wetsuit, scuba tank, mask, fins, weight belt etc.) the jeep took us to the open air pool in the centre of town - shared by a few dive shops. (It was a bit on the cold side :(, but have been assured the sea where we are going tomorrow is warmer.) In our group were two other guys from the U.K., and our instructor is from the U.K. too. We were taught skills such as breathing through our regulators (quite important!), how to clear our masks of water, how to achieve "neutral buoyancy" - floating underwater, breathing with another person's regulator, hand signals for communicating underwater, and taking off and putting on our weight belts and bcd tanks underwater. Mike is the more natural water baby out of the two of us and didn't seem to have any problems at all. I had a couple of nervous moments (mostly connected to trying to clear my mask of water and getting water up my nose), but managed to survive and have some fun. We finished at about 5 and now we're off for something to eat, probably Mexican as we've already had a lot of Thai food and fancy a change.
Off on the boat tomorrow! :)
Comments
Congratulations !
Welcome to the weird and wonderful underwater realm. Am soooo pleased for both of you that you are taking the plunge. Taking the mask off is the scary bit but just
keep your eyes closed and breathe and meditate to stay calm - the rest is weightless bliss in paradise.
Enjoy ! I am proud of you two.
Your mermaid friend
DoraX