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Leaving Uncle Tans i took the bus to Lahan Datu and onto Semporna, first impressions - o my GOD - this place is much worse than everyone said, its a complete and utter dump! But when you get into the main street where the dive shops are and hostels its just a dump and not as bad. Checking in to Scuba Junkie backpackers they had lost my booking but by the time i headed over to fill out the paperwork for my dive it was all organised i and checked into my room. There are loads of local cheap cafe's and a very good western cafe attached to the hostel, for the first night i headed to the cheap cafes. And after been at Uncle Tans for three days where there are no showers had an amazing shower.
I then completed my three day PADI open water course with Scuba Junkie, its was amazing. The first day we completed all of the theory, a long day watching vidoes, reading information and doing quizes with our final exam at the end, but at least that meant we could spend the next two days diving. For dinner it was western food, for the
first time in weeks : )
Starting at 750am the next two mornings we spent the whole day diving. The first day we spent at Sibuan and the second at Mabul where i then spent the night. We learnt loads of diving skills like swimming without a mask on and how that should be easy but is surprisingly very difficult, what to do when you run out of oxygen, water in your mask, buoyancy (i cant master it) etc. We had loads of fun spotting the fish inc lion fish, turtles, crocodile fish, scorpian fish, jack fish and so many more. It was hard work when the current was strong though and when your oxygen tank got lower i never had the weight to stay down which was annoying but a fun challange. We dove six times in total, two skills dives and four fun dives.
I then spent a night at Mabul Island staying at the longhouse. The last day of our course was so hot but the whole day i spent on Mabul Island was cloudy and rainy! It rained so bad during the night it felt like the longhouse whch was on stilts in the water was
going to blow away. I wanted to do some snorkelling but the current was so strong i spent the day reading and having a walk around the small island, there are so many children there. But it is a beautiful island with some amazing snorkelling and diving opportunities and the locals are really friendly. There is also quite a large sea gypsy communitie there, their boats dont even look like they should be floating nevermind be lived on. Its quite amazing how these little fishing boats can have families sleeping, cooking and living on them full time.
After getting back from our first day diving Holly, Karen, Sharon and myself went to a seafood restaurant but all felt too guilty to eat seafood when we were told there was only live available to instead ate chicken and venison, not really the reason you go to a seafood restaurant but. Luckly it was after i had eaten the rats started running around the top of the open restaurant because i dont think i would have eaten if it had been before!
Overall Semporna isnt that bad there is a party vibe here created by the dive shops that have nothing else
to do other than drink in the evenings, the locals are friendly and the dive schools employ the locals to keep the beaches and water clean of plactic bags etc. Today its off to Sulawasi via Nunukan and Tawau for three days of travelling fingeres crossed all the connections will work.
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