We travelled from Copan to a small beach town called Tela it was nice, we stayed in a hostel/hotel right on the beach and did the shopping that I was hoping for in Copan. We only stayed one night I got my fix of crappy TV having one in our room, it was great. The only problem was when we tried to leave Tela.
As always Stu had the Map (if it was me with that thing I´m not sure what country we would be in right now) and he lead us to the bus termanal we needed. We asked the nice man when the bus was leaving and he said that it wasn´t. Oh no, we thought we must have just not understood him the bus must be leaving ¨the book¨ had told us it went from here so it must do. We asked the¨nice¨man again and the answer was just no.
As always Stu had the Map (if it was me with that thing I´m not sure what country we would be in right now) and he lead us to the bus termanal we needed. We asked the nice man when the bus was leaving and he said that it wasn´t. Oh no, we thought we must have just not understood him the bus must be leaving ¨the book¨ had told us it went from here so it must do. We asked the¨nice¨man again and the answer was just no.
We later found out from some other bemused travellers that there was a strike on and that they didn´t know when it was going to end. Maybe that day maybe a week later. Great another night in Tela, we decided to take a seat in the cafe accross the road from the bus and wait. (I secretly hoped I could go back to the Hotel and watch more Gilmore Girls.) We took over half the Cafe and ordered some drinks, they loved us there. After about 1/2 an hour there was a great commotion as the bus guys ran over to us telling us to jump on the bus now that it was going. We crammed in the back, no time to put the bags on the roof and off we went.
We were heading to the ferry terminal to get over to Utila in the Bay Islands to do a bit of diving. As soon as we were off the boat, a crossing that was really annoying as a really fat woman was lying beside me and digging her bag in my leg, we were beset by staff from dive shops touting for business. I using my logical head picked the hostel with a pool. Nice. We weren´t sure if Stu was going to be able to dive or if he would have to take the open water course agan. For those of you who haven´t heard the story - Stu did his Open Water in Indonisia, to process the dive licence they send it to Australia, as Stu was going there himself he decided to take all the paper work and post it himself. Which of course he never did and so has no proof that he did his course.
When we arrived on the Island we were told that Utilia was not only the cheapest place to learn but also the most strict and that with out a licence you can not dive. So off to Open Water school for Stu, pool side for me (told you I was thinking). I did a few fun dives which were great. We both loved being back in the water.
We were heading to the ferry terminal to get over to Utila in the Bay Islands to do a bit of diving. As soon as we were off the boat, a crossing that was really annoying as a really fat woman was lying beside me and digging her bag in my leg, we were beset by staff from dive shops touting for business. I using my logical head picked the hostel with a pool. Nice. We weren´t sure if Stu was going to be able to dive or if he would have to take the open water course agan. For those of you who haven´t heard the story - Stu did his Open Water in Indonisia, to process the dive licence they send it to Australia, as Stu was going there himself he decided to take all the paper work and post it himself. Which of course he never did and so has no proof that he did his course.
When we arrived on the Island we were told that Utilia was not only the cheapest place to learn but also the most strict and that with out a licence you can not dive. So off to Open Water school for Stu, pool side for me (told you I was thinking). I did a few fun dives which were great. We both loved being back in the water.
We had great debate about the next step in the diving ladder Advanced Open Water. Could we afford it both with time and money, was there any point in doing it if we weren´t going to continue on to Dive Master. After a few beers watching the Euro 08 finals Stu suggested staying and becoming Dive Masters thinking that he would come up against some resistance from me. I jumped at the chance. We signed up for our Advanced class then and there. Planning to stay on the Island for 2 months become Dive Masters and look for work. It seemed like a great plan and it would cost us about as much as travelling for that amount of time as well so we thought why the hell not.
Our Advance course was 5 more specilised dives. The best 2 were the deep dive to 30 meters down to a huge ship wreck, and the night dive. I was really nervous about the noight dive. I think I have both a healthy respect and an irrational fear of the sea (every thime I am out i can´t stop myself from singing da dum da dum da da da da and thinking about that film where the suba divers are forgotten) so mix that with pitch black and you have shit scared. But it was really cool. Unfortunatly Stu was having problems with preasure behind his eyes when he surfaced and getting really bad indigestion from breathing the dry air. So the decision to become Dive Masters was taken out of our hands. There was no point doing something that we loved but that was uncomfortable for Stu.
I don´t think we would have survived on the island for 2 months,
all that was going on was diving and drinking. Good for a while but the fear of getting sick into my regulator was always in the back of my head. We did learn a great new driking game that we will have to modify and bring back home with us it is called "Nails". Basically you get a plank of wood and a nail for each person, the aim is not to be the first or the last person to put the nail in the wood or you have to buy half the round. We had a very expensive 2 games Stu lost first and then I did. We sat it out after that!!!
So getting off the Island that was fun. We had heard through the grape vine that the boat was not working and that it may be a week before it would be fixed, oh god we might have to stay. We have now learned not to blindly trust what we are told over here and went down to the port, and low and behold there was a boat. We had and hour to pack and get things ready and we were off the Island.
It was a grat place and we met people there that were lovely the only bad thing out it is that there is not alot of marine life left in Utila. It is a viscious circle, the tourists come to dive and see the fish but the locals catch the fish to feed the tourists!!!! Oh well such is life no matter how much we try not to crap everything up it still happens. My advice get out there and see what you can before it is all gone.
Our Advance course was 5 more specilised dives. The best 2 were the deep dive to 30 meters down to a huge ship wreck, and the night dive. I was really nervous about the noight dive. I think I have both a healthy respect and an irrational fear of the sea (every thime I am out i can´t stop myself from singing da dum da dum da da da da and thinking about that film where the suba divers are forgotten) so mix that with pitch black and you have shit scared. But it was really cool. Unfortunatly Stu was having problems with preasure behind his eyes when he surfaced and getting really bad indigestion from breathing the dry air. So the decision to become Dive Masters was taken out of our hands. There was no point doing something that we loved but that was uncomfortable for Stu.
I don´t think we would have survived on the island for 2 months,
all that was going on was diving and drinking. Good for a while but the fear of getting sick into my regulator was always in the back of my head. We did learn a great new driking game that we will have to modify and bring back home with us it is called "Nails". Basically you get a plank of wood and a nail for each person, the aim is not to be the first or the last person to put the nail in the wood or you have to buy half the round. We had a very expensive 2 games Stu lost first and then I did. We sat it out after that!!!So getting off the Island that was fun. We had heard through the grape vine that the boat was not working and that it may be a week before it would be fixed, oh god we might have to stay. We have now learned not to blindly trust what we are told over here and went down to the port, and low and behold there was a boat. We had and hour to pack and get things ready and we were off the Island.
It was a grat place and we met people there that were lovely the only bad thing out it is that there is not alot of marine life left in Utila. It is a viscious circle, the tourists come to dive and see the fish but the locals catch the fish to feed the tourists!!!! Oh well such is life no matter how much we try not to crap everything up it still happens. My advice get out there and see what you can before it is all gone.
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