Diving Done!

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No, I haven't been eaten by a whale shark... I've just been away from the computer for a while saving my money and taking the Open Water diving course. The diving has been amazing here. I had four dives and already I saw 5 sea turtles, a rare eagle ray, lots of colorful fish and corals.
I took the course with 3 German teens visiting their older sister, one of the Spice dive instructors. Every time we went underwater it was like a circus and we spent more time trying to clear our masks after laughing so hard than we did doing the practice drills.
To be honest the whole diving theory was a complete bore to me. I just don't have a lot of interest in the equipment or whole concept of diving. But taking the course gave me something productive and social to do. Plus I learned some new skills and had the chance to meet loads of new people! It's been a little hazy here the past few days from the fires in Sumatra. We all thought it was just another foggy day here until Tasha saw the news and told us. Don't worry. People aren't wearing masks or anything here yet. I just thank God I didn't decide to come into KL a week later than I did! I hear the airport was closed and school was cancelled.
Things here were peachy until a few days ago. Mazlin got sick and Tasha had to take him to the hospital on the mainland. They were gone 5 days and they just came back today. We are all hoping Maz gets to feeling better soon. And it's so nice to finally have Tash back.
Well, just when I was being to relax and forget about the madness I left behind in Japan, it seems to have caught up with me. Following me like some ugly black cloud. It's just my luck! The car I sold to my successor is all wrapped up in bureaucratic red tape. Apparently transferring the ownership of the car is not as easy an one would imagine. So, I am scrambling around the island trying to get that mess sorted out. And there is a possibility I will have to cut my vacation here short and head to the nearest US consulate to settle things. Uuuugh! Japan!! I continue to have such bitter-sweet feelings about that country...
My time on the net is running out fast. THANK YOU to everyone who has sent me messages! I have me smiling like an idiot reading them all. I'll try and post pictures as soon as I'm brave enough to throw down another $15 for ONE hour of internet. Oh, how I love this island life of inflated prices...

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