Logistics To South Africa
With a flight off Bali, a lay over in Singapore, a quick stop in Phuket and finally landing in Bangkok, Thailand. I am now setting up for the next round of crazy. I took a motorcycle taxi straight to the Nepal Embassy and turned in my paper work. Last time I did this I had to pick it up the next day. When I handed it through the window the woman said, ‘Please wait five minutes.’ I take it not many are heading to Nepal. Fine. With a few days of writing and research I’d still have time to do a few friends a few shopping favors. Luckily I know Bangkok and the location of an electrical/computer/gadget center called Pantip Plaza just up the street from the Indonesian Embassy and not too far from Sukhumvit Road under the sky train tracks. Wandering in a strange town with a goal is always fun.
I flew from Bangkok to Istanbul, Turkey, waiting it out for 8 hours and carrying on to Durban, South Africa, another 10 hour flight. The good part of the flight was that it was Turkish Airlines. Wow, what service! And the meals are edible! They give guests blankets, headphones, Wifi, and a toiletry kit to go. The movies and music are up to date.
When I got off the plane I walked into a rather vacant international airport that was built previous to the World Cup back in 2010. A driver awaited with a sign and off we went to the Blue Marlin Hotel overlooking the ocean. Due to my time clock being ‘off’ I thought a couple beers and a nap might put me on the proper clock. I sat out by the pool bar with Enok, the bartender and watched surfers finish their day. Beyond the surfers whale blows could be seeing in between the 2-meter swell. The fresh chilled air was a welcome change from the humid heat of South East Asia. The rainy season has commenced in Thailand covering 2/3 of the country in rain. The temperature here is about the same as San Francisco in the foggy summer while watching the swell and surfers wrap around Fort Point under the Golden Gate Bridge into the calm deep bay.
While I sat there waiting for my nap to sway my steps, three dive guides joined me for introductions and we had a good long chat about the ocean, sharks, and travel. I decided to do an introductory dive the next day. We sorted out my gear and had one for the road. I went to bed listening to the waves crash on the rocks below my open window. My alarm went off at 7 but it was really 2 in the morning and got ready to go. When I got to reception I looked up at the clock and realized my phone was still set for Thailand. Back to bed until 6 when I woke up and had a cup of tea before we set off for a dive on the local Shoal a couple kilometers out in front of the Blue Marlin. The swell remained at about two and one half meters high and choppy. The surge underwater was back and forth with no real current. Visibility was about 15 meters and not really a photo opportunity but nice to get in the water. That was an interesting dive.
Most of the group showed up through out the night and we were set for two dives the next day. The two dives with Crystal Divers in the Blue Marlin Hotel were an amazing introduction. We went to the same Shoal but it’s a big shoal, made of an old sand dune that soft coral and small Nudibranch has found purchase in an otherwise un-hospitable location or just the opposite. Crystal Divers took us out through the surf bouncing, jumping, and crashing through white water in a ‘skiff’ with a pair of 85’s on back and ended up diving back on the Shoal at a place called Raggie Cave. A few Raggie Tooth Sharks were there to greet us and we got a photo full in no time. I just wanted to let you know I made it. Logistics are not that easy pulling this off but it is worth it.
Oh yes; and another book is coming rather quickly, I’m thinking with in three months it will be at the editor. You can find already existing books at the http://spbrabooks.com/davidcdagley/ site below.
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