A New Avenue for Adventure-Seeking
At 5PM today—after four long days of watching cheesy instructional videos, reading a textbook, completing four quizzes and one final exam, scaring hotel guests as I sat in full scuba gear at the bottom of their pool, and going on four amazing dives along Zanzibar’s western coast—I officially became (drumroll please!) a card-carrying PADI Open Water Diver.The dive center also gave me a dive log, which I can present to other dive centers around the world as proof of my experience. The log requires stamps, and reminds me of my passport pages—I’ve become addicted to getting visa stamps on my passport, and now, given that diving has been one of the most incredible experiences I’ve had, I imagine that I’m probably going to become a dive stamp collector as well. My brain is filled with plans to go to the best dive sites around the world—and my next stop will most definitely be Egypt’s Red Sea!Under the water, I’ve seen gorgeous coral reefs, tiny shiny fish, big triangular fish, huge fish whose eyes look like googly cartoon eyes, blue starfish, sea urchins with long spikes that frightened me as I hovered above them, sticky anemones, and so many other things living in an entirely different world of their own. (Happy sigh.) I can’t wait to see more.For the last four days, I’ve even been consumed by thoughts of the water on dry land. Such intensive training really messes with your head. Whenever I close my eyes to sleep, I begin to feel as if I am descending into the water. When I sit still, I imagine the rocking of a boat. Above water, I’m aware of each breath I take, and have been breathing slower and deeper than normal, because below the water that simple action dominates my thoughts.So now I find myself busy conquering land and sea. Maybe I’ll learn to fly next…I’ve got to keep things interesting, right?
Tags: Diving, RTW 07/08, Tanzania, Zanzibar
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Good for you! Since Jaws came out in the seventies, I have been scared to death of what lies beneath. No matter how many times I have snorkeled and seen for myself the wonders that tease me in the beautiful wide aquatic world, I can’t get the image of Jaws attaching himself to my left leg and shaking me violently to my bloody death.
But you have fun!
Love,
Aunt Stacey 😉