STILL ALIVE!
More than 10 months has passed by. Wow. Time here really flies. Anyways, I'm in that point again that I feel like writing a blog, maybe it's just this one post, or maybe for longer time, WHO KNOWS.
Location at this moment is my 2nd home, Perhentian Kecil island on the east coast in Malaysia, where I've been working and living for these last three months. Some of my friends remember that I was here last year as well, working in a restaurant. This year I'm working here as a divemaster which became my master plan last year when I did my PADI Open water course on this island :)
Okay, so what has happened in these 10 months I'll quickly go through all important things and stuff
;)
After I had the most miserable time in Cambodia I was about to fly back home, but luckily I didn't. I went back to my favorite island in Thailand, KOH TAO, where I reunited with people I had met during my travels and had great time diving, partying and just exploring the island.
And, I took my first tattoo which says; Home is where your heart is. Actually got the idea when I was listening a song: Gabrielle Aplin - Home
Tattoo just reminds me that I don't have to be in my home country to call where I live as home. Where ever I go and stay I can call that my home, temporary home ;) Tattoo - which reminds me of my travels for the rest of the life :)
I met this nice swedish guy Andreas who I spent lot of time with on the island and later also in Indonesia :)
Finally went to Koh Phangan and had my first Full Moon Party experience! There were thousands of people partying on the beach. Went to the party as a big group and in a few minutes I was alone, but that didn't stop me having fun. I did expect a lot more than what it was. I could do it again but wouldn't travel there just because of that.
After Thailand I had one week to spend in Malaysia before my flight to Philippines, so I went to Langkawi, again. Gave another chance cause last time didn't really like it, probably because it was bad weather and my phone got stolen. This time, I actually really enjoyed being there and it was amazing weather the whole week when I was there. I also met some familiar faces and ofc new faces! Here is a picture from a coffee shop where I spent 5 days just making bracelets and learning new ways to make them with a Finnish girl Hanna.
When it was time to leave Langkawi, I didn't really think about it that much.. Of course it was a Chinese new year and all the bus tickets were fully booked for the next 4 days or so. I started to have a slight panic attack cause I really had to be in Kuala Lumpur the next day to catch up my flight to Philippines where I was supposed to meet up my friend Cindy who came there all the way from Finland. In the end I found a place which sold me the 'last' ticket to the bus. Well, this was only a beginning.. I had a taxi ride organized to the Jetty which came like 30 minutes late. Then we got stuck in a traffic jam and I thought I missed the ferry. Well in the end the ferry was delayed for an hour and I counted that I would still make it to my bus if everything goes well.. WELL of course nothing went well.. Just when we the ferry was arriving to Kuala Perlis where my bus was waiting it got some problems.. We waited for 2 hours in the ferry and I knew that I missed my bus. I was desperate. Luckily I met the nicest gay couple ever who were calling to the bus companies and terminals to let them know that I was on my way to the bus. Well, the numbers didn't work, but they offered to gave me a ride to Kuala Lumpur the next day which was 8 hours away from Kuala Perlis! I was so happy! When we finally got to the ferry terminal, one of their mom was waiting for us and took my hand and said: FOLLOW ME! We ran together with all my massive bags to the bus terminal just to see if they had any buses to KL and luckily MY BUS was still there, waiting for ONLY ME! The gay couple, their mom and me were all jumping and hugging each other. I felt like I was the happiest and luckiest girl in the world when I sat down in the bus. PHILIPPINES HERE I COME!
Some breathtaking (and not so breathtaking) pictures from Philippines.
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| Fiesta on Siquijor island |
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| Beautiful beach in Moalboal, Cebu, Philippines |
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| Moalboal, Cebu, Philippines |
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| Moalboal, Cebu, Philippines |
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| Apo Island, Philippines |
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| Siquijor island, Philippines |
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| Siquijor island, Philippines |
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| The most beautiful sunrise I've ever seen on Malapascua, Philippines |
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| Manta Ray, Malapascua, Philippines |
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| The beach on Malapascua, Philippines |
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| Extra Strong Red Horse Beer, Malapascua, Philippines |
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| Fiesta on Malapascua, Philippines |
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| Diving in Apo Island, Philippines |
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| Siquijor, Philippines |
I finally met my lovely friend Cindy from home and we traveled together in Philippines for three weeks. We started from Cebu island, visited Moalboal, went to Dumaguete, Siquijor, Bohol and last but not the least to Malapascua. Philippines is probably the most beautiful country, surrounded by the crystal clear sea, with its amazing local people who speak perfect english and aren't trying to rip you off. Only minus thing is the food which is mostly just fast food restaurants, McDonalds and Jollibee, which is their own local fast-food chain. I did a lot of diving which was great. Good visibility, nice reefs and some new marine life I haven't seen before. Saw my first Ghost pipefish, frogfish, thresher shark and a manta ray! Not bad at all :) And prices are affordable! Good thing is that there's not that many tourists and backpackers yet. We visited beautiful waterfalls and beaches where were no people at all. Bad thing about not having that many backpackers around yet is to find a cheap place to stay, but I guess this won't be like this for too long. Overall Philippines is really cheap country, especially traveling there doesn't cost anything! Definitely going back some day!
After Philippines we flew to KL with Cindy only for one day to catch our flight to BALI.
We spent some time in Bali and continued to the Gili Islands.
My plan was to start my divemaster training on Gili Trawangan and so I did. I chose Gili Divers because I knew the manager there, he taught me my Advanced course and I had heard that Gili Divers is great place to do it. It was so much fun. Diving everyday, partying and learning new things. I also noticed that I lost weight during my DMT without even doing anything special! That was great.
To become a divemaster you need to have at least 40 logged dives and Open water, Advaced, EFR and Rescue courses done. Depending on the place where you do it the course costs around 1200 dollars including everything. Don't forget the unlimited diving. I did around 100 dives during my divemaster training. You can do it fastest in 4 weeks up to 8 weeks or longer.
The course consists of some theory lessons, assisting courses and fun dives, selling, working in the shop, swim tests, underwater skills, guiding and the final exam.
Here is an awesome video of our divemaster training (hopefully it works): FLOWAVE FILMS
In the end of the course, some diveshops organize a snorkel test ( the final test ) for you. This is not official but many places do it. It means that you usually wear something stupid or funny. You have to play some games and drink shots and in the end there's a blind folded mask and a snorkel you have to wear and someone poors around liter alcohol through it and after that you can call yourself a DIVEMASTER ;) Here is some pictures of mine and my friends India's (Aladdin) snorkel test.
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| Our new dive site. |
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| Still alive.. another 15 minutes only tho... |
After my divemaster training I needed some time off so we went travel around Bali with Andreas. Did some surfing, which isn't my thing.. I nearly drowned :D
Celebrated Easter.
After Indonesia, I traveled back home for three weeks to see my family and friends and renew my insurance and stuff.. It was nice being home but it was also nice to come back. I spent a month in Thailand. Tried to get some work as a divemaster but it was pretty hard cause it was a low season so I decided to go back to Perhentian island where I knew some people and I knew that I have a quite good chance to get a job there.
I got to the island mid June and 30 minutes later I already got a job as a divemaster. Very lucky :) I started the next day and since that I've been nearly diving everyday 3 times a day and earned some good experience. I've learnt so much in these last three months and I have improved my divemaster skills and had some great dives.
Before getting to this island I applied a job as a divemaster from a Finnish diveshop in Thailand. I got a Skype interview appointment and managed to get a job for the next season as a diving instructor! Which means I have to do my instructor course before that. I signed up for the course which starts in the end of next month in Phuket, Thailand, and i'm so excited, also stressed at the same time.
But yeah, everyone is very welcome to come diving with me from the beginning of November till late March on Racha Yai (also called Raya Yai) island, south of Phuket, Thailand.
More information: Raya Divers
Atm I'm out of the water, because I'm suffering of a weird skin infection so this is great time to start studying for my instructor course ( or not ) :D
ANYWAYS I'm happy to tell more if you have any questions! Leave a comment!
I made a video of my travels :) Enjoy!
