S.E.Asia Travel log 4-5

Subject: Travel log 5?
Hello all. We are safe on dry land again. We have just spent four days on a liveaboard (a diving boat in which you "live a board" instead of going out and back into land). It was called "The Junk". Not because it was an ugly ship or anything, it was a chinese junk that had been restored and is now used as a diving boat. It was awesome. I am like a graceful manatee under the ocean surface. It is like watching an amazing ballet show when I dive. We rented an underwater camera, so later I will have to send around some photos of my underwater majesty. I am seriously considering a run at the 2008 Olympics as a syncrhonized swimmer. We had a pretty serious routine while aboard the boat. Wake up at 7 am, eat a piece of toast and coffee during the dive briefing, gear up and be in the water by 8am. We would dive for about 30 to 60 minutes, return to the boat, eat breakfast, then take about an hour nap. We would then wake up for the next dive briefing and quickly gear up and be back in the water. This would be ended after about 30 to 60 minutes and return to the boat for lunch, followed by an hour nap. Wake up, dive briefing, gear up, in water, eat dinner, go to bed. Diving can really wear you out. It does not seem like you are doing much but floating in the current, but we slept a lot. It was very relaxing and an amazing experience. We saw a sea turtle! I could have just left it at that, but we did see many moray eels, a small octopus, loads of clown fish (nemo), a few sea snakes, and even several leopard sharks. Luckily the leopard sharks are very docile and only cause problems if you startle them or get too close. Luckily for Chad that is. My plan was to thrust Chad into the sharks mouth so I could make a quick get a way. After the first few days we started diving with some irritating people from Scotland, so the pressure was off Chad and onto their annoying son. He was almost shark food even without a shark attack. I would have done it, but I heard it is not good for shark diets to eat humans. I always think of myself as an environmentalist, so I refrained.
I will have to report, before Chad can, I vomitted quite proficiently the first night on the boat. We did not have to meet the boat until 7pm, so Chad and myself killed time by sitting in an Irish pub and drinking beer and watching bad music videos. Excessive alcohol + Land lover + choppy waters = vomit. I think that equation should be emblazoned on posters and tshirts with the likes of E=mc2. Einstein had to get his first big discovery somewhere, and this one is mine. The only thing worse than the first night on choppy waters in a boat, is apparently the first night OFF choppy water on land. I can't take a step without trying to over compensate for a shift in the land under me. I feel like the landscape should keep rocking back and forth. I have not had a single beer since that first night we ventured onto the sea, but with practice and Chad's love and support, I should be back to my usual self in no time.
We are spending a few more nights in Phuket just enjoying the night life and having nothing planned for the rest of our remaining five weeks. We are heading south towards Malaysia and Singapore next, but we have no plans as to getting there or that sort of thing. That is how we like it, and I find it makes the trip more exciting. Hopefully the next email will come from some small village in Malaysia, but if we just decide to keep lazy, it might just all come from this same internet cafe in Phuket. KEEPING IT REAL!
Certified Scuba Diver
and
Future Olympic Gold Medalist
Michael