Tuesday 14th April Perhentian Islands

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Tuesday 14th April
So I consoled Mary about our first day of separation since we’ve left and I headed down to Quiver dive school at about 10am. Turned out I was the only one starting a PADI course that day so was going to get private tuition with Tom from Leeds which was class. Spent the morning going through books quizzes and DVD and then hit the shallow water in the morning for a few skills with all the gear on. Was getting a bit freaked out when I had to take my mask off and you feel the regulator blowing millions of bubbles up my nose but got through it and we headed for dive at the coral that is just about 100m from the school. Water was pretty clear and saw some incredible stuff, the place is teeming with tropical fish, found Nemo after about 2 minutes, don’t know what all the fuss was for when he went missing, literally hundreds of him here, they are a pretty cool fish, you can get right up top them. All sort of other things there from Sting ray to angle fish to Moray eels. Went down to about 10m, mad they just let you straight in the water to that depth really, it was great just being the only one out with the instructor he was pointing out loads of things and you knew you wouldn’t have to go looking for him if you got in trouble. Really enjoyed my first dive, well glad chose here to do it, because we have more or less decided not to go to Tioman now and spend an extra few days here and head straight to Singapore on an overnight bus. Ate in one of the little restaurants on the beach and had barbequed fresh fish, the food is delicious and so fresh here. You have to buy you r beers from this other guy sitting in the middle of the beach with an ice box since this is supposed to be a dry island, but there are no real laws here really, since there are no police on either of the Perhentian islands! The night was a lot cooler too so got to sleep fine but was woken at 4 by a huge storm and the rain beating down on our roof. Sounded like we were away in courttown for the week stuck in a caravan in the rain.

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