Monday, January 29, 2007

50th Dive

I just realized that I have done exactly fifty dives within a year of gaining my PADI Open Water!!! Wow!!!
I have never imagined that I could actually do it. I mean, it was not even in my mind to try out diving two Octobers ago. But now here I was making fifty dives in less than a year, I should probably give myself a good pat on my back!!! Ha ha!!!
Not that it was anything to babbled for many respectable, hard core divers, but it was a significant milestone for me.
Cheer, guys!!! I did fifty dives in ten months!!! Ha ha!!!

Diving in a Cave

A few of us went diving in a cave somewhere in the area of Bau, Kuching the day before. Yes, we dived in a cave. A high-ceilinged cave, with a small body of water from the entrance halfway into the cave. This was no cave diving in the normal perception.
It was raining heavily in the morning before we went up to the cave in four vehicles. Some were worried about the weather, some were worried about the darkness underwater, some were worried about the cold water, but mostly, at least for me, I was more worried about the mountain rush of flood that was known to sweep people away.
The rain stopped when we reached the cave, which was situated off road, some distance away into the bushes. There was a trail for a single car to pass through, which was both rocky and muddy. Trees and underbushes had overgrown over the track, hitting the windscreen everytime we passed. I drove my Pajero as slow as I could, while CS and Angel chatted. Angel was all bubbly with excitement. It had been a while since I last saw her this elated.
We parked in a small clearing just outside the cave. Then, we changed and got our gears ready. I was a little slow and unorganized. It had been two months since I last dived. You get a little rusty after a while.
The cave was a lime-stoned cave, with high-rising walls that reached about eight metres in height. The walls were rough and red, with different rock formation. When light was shine upon them, it glittered with gold colours. It was once a gold mine.
The water was right at the entrance. When disturbed, the sediments at the bottom would muddied it. The sediment particles were red, like the walls. They were not exactly mud, nor sand, or even silt. I would just call them red sendiments for the time being.
With our fins and torch in hand, we wadded into the cold water. David was our guide, and he brought us in. Everyone was rather disorganised in the first place. It was dark, and the visibility rather bad. Everybody tried to stick together, which in the end caused us all to bump together, like a school of big fish.
The water was swallow, 4 to 5 metres deep at most. Thus, it was important that we keep ourselves buoyant and not disturbed the sediment bed. Lights were shining everywhere from torches and camera flashes (we brought underwater cameras). There was nothing much on the bottom except for rocks and sediments and a few near transparent fishes. These fishes were so small and thin, that it made you think of those who were never fed enough. The fishes were non-responsive when the lights were shone on them. They were either not used to having to run from danger, or they were just too starved tired to give you a damn.
It was not long before we came to the end of the water body in the cave. From the shore up it was another long passageway deep into the darkness. We could still see light from where we entered the water. There was a bend halfway down the cave, but it was not so steep that it blocked out the light.
The few of us took a few pictures at the end of the water body before we submerged again and dived our way back. We were getting colder by the minute. At one point, my light went out. It was not just mine. A few of us suffered the same fate underwater. The light would come again when we surfaced, and off a little while later underwater. We were guessing that it was the cold that turned the lights off.
This was not exactly cave diving. But it was really a unique experience, and a good introduction if one was interested in cave diving. I won't mind trying another cave dive, but not this cave anymore.

Monday, January 15, 2007

Filler Post, Again...

My internet connection have been compromised with some problems with my computer back home. Therefore I was not able to update my blog as often. Furthermore all my pictures of Sipadan are in my PC back home. So, for Sipadan updates, no known date yet.
Life is still pretty much the same, except for the part that I will have to wait until at least March to start diving again. Working, eating, sleeping, hanging out with friends... that is pretty much it. My life.
One thing to note though, my sister just came back for holidays two days ago. She looked the same, although slightly tired. All the traces of late nights and hectic schedule, exposing themselves on her features.
Me, I'm at work now. And have to stop here. There is this one guy who likes to talk a lot and he's bugging me with all his TALK!!! Hey, I'm trying to concentrate here!!!
Oh boy, that's all for now.

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Filler Post

It has been a while since I last updated. Life has been busy, what with my work and my family. I guess being busy means that it was time-fulfilling, yet that should not be the reason to neglect some of the things important in life, like your family and friends.
I was in Johor Bahru for a day and three nights. Imagine that.
It had been almost four months since I last went there. The last time that I was here, I received a shock that made me more wary about making friends round and about. Things that you just cannot predict from a person, they are crazy and they make you crazy. However, having said that, I am pretty much a crazy person too. I make a lot of people go crazy. Haha!!!
Well, that's update for now.
Sipadan update will be coming soon.

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

Happy New Year!!!

I got myself wasted on Christmas eve, so I decided to go sober on New Year's eve.
But heck!!! I still managed a few drinks!!!
I mean, com'mon, it's new year's eve!!!
The place that I went to was absolutely crowded. It was barely 10 p.m. and the pub was filled!!!
But I was getting bored. I mean, the place and crowd were alright. My friends were there, and there were familiar faces from the front to the back. No, the place was right. The crowd my crowd.
It was the waiting that brought me down. But that was not truly the main reason why. I was already bored even before I went to the pub.
What happened during the celebration on Christmas eve was very downheartening, and I just hated it when things got complicated, especially when it came to having fun.
Fun is a simple thing. If it complicates things, then I would rather not have it at all.
Call me boring, and call me extreme, I would rather stay away from all that.
So, I kept my crowd simple on new year's eve. A few close friends, and a familiar place. I want a trouble-free night of celebration!!!
So I did.
Thanks, guys, all of you, for being that good and fun bunch!!! I really appreciate it, and was happy and relaxed. I knew that I did not exactly get my head all in for the fun, but it was so much better than my Chirstmas eve.
So, once again, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! I'm glad that I get to welcome the new year with you all. May you all have a wonderous, blessed and fruitful year ahead!!!
Cheers!!!