November 6, 2013: Fact. The proportion of wildly attractive to average men who scuba dive is appreciable. Especially when they speak with an Australian accent.
Fact. Even an average man is attractive in dive gear.
In light of this, today was another good day! We started the day with breakfast poolside. We still have no idea of the footprint of this establishment. It is my goal to set foot in each of the pools here, but first we must find them. Our room overlooks a pool that has lights that sparkle like diamonds in the night. I’m not sure it’s open after dusk, but hell, I just went topless on our lanai. We’re in Thailand, so rules are pretty sketchy.
On the way to our first dive site near Phi Phi Island, I got to see my first flying fish! They look similar to a sparrow, skimming just above the surface of the water. My sister had her own personal dive master, Neung, while I got to be rather independent as a snorkeler. I made a new friend from Moscow, and we paddled around the cove, looking at a kaleidoscope of fish, coral, sea stars, and urchins. The water here is a vibrant emerald green, about 84 degrees, and is as clear as glass. Our second site was even better. We swam through schools of tropical fish, and hung out with a couple of sea turtles. It was like swimming in the world’s largest tropical fish tank. The third site was limited to divers, because the current was too strong on the surface. Boss man told me I would be swept straight out to sea. I wasn’t really a fan of that, so I complied.
We enjoyed a fabulous sunset on the ride home. I must say, one of my favorite things on this trip so far is meeting people from all over the world and hearing their stories. The Scottish woman who spent the last month exploring Singapore, Dubai, Bali, Borneo, and countless other exotic locales. We’ve met Russians, Aussies, French, Chinese, Brits, Scots, and, of course, our gracious Thai hosts. It’s a different world here. Neung, my sister’s dive master, appears to be this innocent, fragile, beautiful young woman. Her appearance, however, contradicts her backstory. Orphaned at ten, pregnant at fifteen, her five-year old son takes care of himself while she works to support him. They have good neighbors, she told us. If he gets scared, he can go visit them. Unheard of for us, but a way of life for her. I’m counting my blessings tonight …
Dinner was a bottle of red wine on our lanai and room service. After our long day on the water, we were jonesing for something simple. A steak sandwich fit the bill quite nicely. Medium for me, medium rare for Susan. When it arrived, we asked our server which was which. This caused a great deal of confusion, as he looked from tray to tray. He finally said, in his heavy Thai accent, “I do not know.” Well, alrighty, then! Next time, let’s select a Thai dish.
Tomorrow, we’re off to Phang Nga Bay and James Bond Island. Until then …