Had my first pool dive today!

FISHY!!!!!

The clownfish is certainly one of my favourite fishes ever, as I'm sure is the same for many who have watched the Disney classic, Finding Nemo.

I had my first pool dive today (hence the fish video), after what seemed like an eternity of theory classes!

Unfortunately, I'm too tired to write a full post on how it turned out. But if I were to describe the day in one word, it would be: A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!

That's right, I had my first breath underwater and boy were my friends right...I don't think I'll ever forget that first breath...It felt like magic.

For now, I need some rest but I'll write more soon!

Trigger fish bite while diving

I received bad news from Z today, who told me that B had been attacked by a trigger fish while out diving in Mabul.

Apparently, he was wearing shorts, so that made it worse I guess. Z sent over a photo of B's swollen leg, which is pretty shocking.

Here it is:

Get well soon, Mr B!!!

I cringed at the sight of the gaping hole in his leg, which Z says has gotten worse over the past few days. Hopefully B will make a full and speedy recovery! He's been to the doctor, who said that he will be fine, so that's not too bad, I guess.

Anyway, I'm still looking forward to my own trip to Mabul - I'll just be extra careful :)

Today, I got another step closer to obtaining my diving license as we completed yet another theory session. I must say that I think I'm getting the hang of it. The calculations look complex but are not too difficult afterall.

Next week we'll have our first pool session! Can't wait!! More pictures then!

Z & B in Sabah, ugh!

So, I've just gotten off the phone with Z & B, who have just left Kota Kinabalu and are now on their way to Semporna, a small town near the southeastern coast of Sabah, North Borneo. Can't believe they're there right now!

They are headed to Mabul and Sipadan, my dream destinations! I'm not sure if they'll be putting up the night in Semporna or heading directly to Mabul, but whatever it is, I wish I was there :(

As to why Mabul and Sipadan are my dream destinations, let me fill you in with a little story of mine. One of my earliest memories dates back to when I was about 9 years old. At the time, our family was staying in Brunei, so Sabah and Sarawak were nearby. Dad was stationed in Sabah and frequently made trips to the islands off Semporna's coast, especially Mabul.

He would always bring back seashells and delicious purple seaweed. When I asked him where they came from, he'd show me photos of the place and each time my jaws would drop in awe at the sheer beauty of Mabul.

From then on, I decided that I had to visit the place one day and not just for a short holiday, but for at least 2 weeks to a month so that I may soak in the atmosphere and properly relax. Rushed holidays are certainly not for me.

Anyway, here's another update on my diving classes. Had my first theory session a couple of days ago and I've got to say that getting a diving license is not easy!

We watched some videos and answered some questions from the manual, some of which were pretty technical. Apparently, there are quite a lot of 'skills' to master such as clearing water off your mask if it gets flooded or finding your regulator if you accidentally knock it lose underwater.

I'm certainly looking forward to that... can't wait to take my first breath underwater... friends keep telling me that you never forget that experience!

Will update again when I hear from Z & B!