Thank YOU !
New year and memories of old one are keeping me smiling inside. I have looked at the photos and some messages and realized that I was blessed. Blessing may come in various ways, sometimes as family inheritance, what some people might use differently but for me, it helped me to fulfill my dream to travel over the world. I have seen some of the most beautiful places, meet some most beautiful people, who I’m grateful can call friends and hopefully they will do me the honor to call me friend too. It is amazing, what a bit of solitude or as famous word lockdown do to you, in relation to appreciation. Travelling is the greatest way of knowing the world, yourself and people, cultures and there is no substitute for the knowledge gained on such travels. Very long time ago I was saying that everyone should go travelling after completing college for year and then choose the university or what sort of life they want to live. It took me some time to complete this myself but I did.
I have experienced generosity of strangers on the road. The sheer happiness and friendly energy emerging from those strangers together with curiosity was something I will remember forever. Morocco I have met Dave Marzano from US and boy, was he nothing at all as the stereotype American we all know. Not to forget Shannon who’s friendship I value highly and WidWId8 surfer in heart and kind as well. Mauritius and my second family, as I was treated by Rajiv and his family, friends and relatives as if I was one of them, even with a bit whiter shade of skin tone but still family. Thank you for all the wonderful time and I’m honored that I was invited to wedding and be part of such special experience as one of you. Jordan was real treat as well as previously Lebanon, since I’m drawn to middle east, with abundance of history and friendliness, which we in West should learn from them. Petra was something else, even the night at Petra by candle light sitting front of the “Temple Of Doom” as it was called in Indiana Jones movie listening to traditional singing and music while sipping the hot sweet tea ahh wonderful just wonderful. Wadi Rum hmmm wadi Rum is place where I would love to return and spend there more time. As much as I’m ocean creature the red sand has some mesmerizing effect on me. Also the local tribes who are living there for millennia, could teach me and all of us a lot about being environmentally friendly and live in line with mother earth. I have to admit that even my time in Italy will bring me warm memories and as much as it started unexpectedly and ended the same way, I’m very grateful for those moments and I will cherish the memories gathered in such beautiful part of Europe. Egypt was on my list of countries to visit on top place and it did not disappoint me. When you say history the Egypt and middle East will pop into my mind almost instantly. Those temples what I read about in book by Vojtech Zamarovsky, now stood front of me and I was able to see them in person. Again some fellow travelers make my stay easier but the local café owner at Luxor made it unforgettable. His gentle politeness “those who were in Egypt, knows what I mean, as sales to tourist is main job / hassle there” made my stay unique. Sailing felucca on the Nile into sunset just two of us, me and captain / owner sipping hot sweet tea was as it good as it gets. Food cooked at home and delivered for me by café owner sister who cooked his lunch too, which we ate together in the shade of big tree watching the waves of Nile calmly touching the river bank and chatting about everything. Egypt itself was amazing and the Siwa Oasis was defo worth that 24 hours train / bus ride there. I could go on and on but Dahab was the start of my new life as scuba diver as I fell in love there. Not with female but with ocean and as much as no one believed me there, I still carry on the desire to live as scuba diver instructor and hopefully help future generations to understand the need of marine protection. Thank you Mohamed and ORCA Dive Dahab, you gave me the best base start in diving, Not to forget friend I-Ping who we dove together as dive buddies and kept our friendship till present time. Also I was please to see beautiful island of Taiwan and dive there again with I-Ping, her boyfriend and friends and again people friendliness is so wonderful and uplifting. Even the total strangers, when trying to order food in Chinese. What an Island and the gorgeous hikes I have made in Taroko Gorge , where funny enough I’ve met an Irish gal. Thank you I-Ping and Sean and the gang. When booking diving in Okinawa at Yonaguni monument I was not sure what to expect but Shotaro from Sou Wes diving shop at Yonaguni and Ando-san made my time there so great, even the evenings at Izakaya. After nearly week of diving, I had company on dives. Dave and Alisha, thanks for all the time and talks. Japanese food is my favorite and when on such small island your options are not so wide but the few Izakaya there were well worth visit. Japan is another place to visit again. After I left Naha I heard that amazing historical Shurijo Castle burned down. What a sad news after I seen how beautiful is the Japanese craftsmanship of carpentry is. Malapascua ahh Malapascua, the best time ever with some of the greatest dive/ party buddies I’ve met. We dove a lot, seen the Thresher Sharks and others and had a blast on day boat trip to the amazing places. Not to forget mention the nights at The Shack playing pool, drinking Rum& Coke or G&T and playing our music until the wee hours. ACDC Thunderstruck is the theme song. Cheers to all Sharkies. Great diving with my friend in Belize and the famous blue hole and day trip to Caye Caulker. California and especially San Diego is one place from the US I could imagine to live in if I could afford it. BORDER X beer garden and jazz night, what a blast, what a music impromptu session. Pure magic ! Thank you Marcela for taking me there. Balboa Park, Julian and the apple pie, pecan pie. Torrey Pines and walk on the beach, even if not as warm but still beautiful and people who smile and say hello on the street. Carlos and his FLOAT SANCTUARY floating center got me hooked up to the floating. Hope you are doing well amigo. And the HOME, Big Island and Mauna Kea. Words cannot describe the feeling of belongness, calm and peace of mind, when I was just waling the streets or just sat at terrace of Pineapple Hostel and looked down to ocean through lush green. I wish to call it my home one day and live there for rest of my days. The view from Mauna Kea, breathtaking literally and metamorphically speaking. Thank you Paul for driving and talking afterwards at dinner and drinks of Japanese whiskey. Diving at Big Island is something else, lava tubes, Manta rays, and especially dolphins and night pelagic dive. If you have seen the movie ABYSS then you will know what I mean of transparent flashing creatures not bigger than your thumb. Great Christmas at Waikiki beach to listen to Bossa nova live SAMBALOA ‘they are on FB’, since the Brazilians had picnic in the park and played for family, friends and bystanders. Palau a diver paradise with diving like in the aquarium and the best food ever on the boat of Aggressor fleet I have tasted, thanks to chef Melo, wizard in kitchen. Again some new friends and great times. Indonesia hmmm special place for diver and on par with Palau probably, the life, the currents, the marine life. Also great dive team and new friends. Shivaan and Elliot what great dives we had ad Komodo and Raja Ampat and the tasty food, sunrise watching ‘me only’ and all of us for sunset. Three days on the boat safari sleeping in home stay and meeting the most graceful and amazing ocean dweller Oceanic Manta few times including blue whale. Just pure speechless awe !!!! Bali and Ubud and Mount Burat were only few of the nice places I saw and the annual sprit chase away too. Hong Kong for a day on transfer to Honduras was defo interesting place to see and maybe worth three days. Thank you Leslie for the tour guide. Utila for short time but good time. Rene and Ivana, Eva and Anisai, Chad and the rest of great people of Bay Islands College of Diving, thank you for great time, even If short dive time due the madness that came in February to the world.
Last not least the Koh Tao and friends of Koh Tao, Scuba Club and NAVA Dive schools, thank you for the wonderful times, memories and the diving !!! Jordan thank you for teaching me all the skills and giving me hard time when training me for DM.
Thank you Mom, Dad for enabling me to fulfill this dream, for meeting those fabulous people and for seeing those amazing places ? Thank you Divine, God, Universe, Budha, Jesus, Alah , Angels and all the others divine bodies to look after me on my travels thorough continents in past and in the future.
New year started and plans are formed and getting defined every day a bit more for return on the road again. Hope to see you soon my friends at least some of you 😊
