One of my resolutions this year is to blog every day. I have three blogs - this one (my travel blog), a review blog, and my mermaid/conservation/marine life blog. So, if I blog every day that doesn't mean that this blog will have a new post every day, but I will try to post more regularly on here and update ya'll on finishing my Maldives stories and some of my other 2021 travels. So please bear with me. Thanks
Okay so going back to finishing Maldives since that's where I left ya'll off on... I ended with the manta visiting our boat and the beach party. To be honest I don't remember what order things happened on so I'll be using my Google Photos to keep things in order and keep me on track, but as you know Maldives was all the way back in September 2021 so don't expect as much detail as if I did keep up as it was happening as I am supposed to do. Maybe this year.
Next up on my Google Photos after the beach party night is a picture of my bed glowing green underneath because I thought that was cool so I guess I spent more time listening to music while the boat moved from one location to the other.
There are also more dive videos but nothing out of the ordinary. While I traded some spa for more dives, I was still there to mermaid so I went on about 2 dives a day and 1 mermaid excursion a day. The next mermaid we did took us to another private beach, but we did underwater shots this time, woo hoo. I've swam literally all over the world and man, that had to be the saltiest water I've ever swam in. I couldn't last very long due to my eyes burning so bad! However, I did bring 2 outfits, my mermaid tail obviously as well as a Christmas outfit I really wanted shot underwater and would have gladly sacrificed my eyes for but they didn't give me another opportunity. I was disappointed about that but at least I got to swim at the beach.
After the photoshoot the divers came to join us as well and we had a cocktail party on the beach. It was a fun time. The palm tree and drinks made the sunset (honestly I think southeastern US sunsets are prettier but the Germans made it seem like this was the best sunset they've ever seen). The crew also relaxed and that was the most they've talked to us I think. It was dark/late when we got back so after dinner I just went to bed.
The next day we did another shark dive. There were tons of silvertip reef sharks, a few sleeping baby nurse sharks, and some grey sharks. I love sharks so it was great! I'm not sure if this was Fish Head or if the shark dive I already told you about was Fish Head, but I just reread what I wrote for the other main shark dive and I didn't mention Fish Head and I feel like I would have if that was it so I'm going to explain it now and we'll say it was for this dive. So Fish Head is where years ago, fisherman would go to fish (duh they're fishermen) but when they'd reel in the line, all that would be left is the fish's head because sharks would have eaten the body before they got it back to the boat. Now that I've typed it all out, I remember that Fish Head was actually a place that had sharks in the past so it wasn't one of our shark dives but anyways whichever dive we did at Fish Head I was like "cool so that means there'll be shark teeth from all the previous sharks" and I found 2 shark teeth during that dive which was super exciting and made my week. Yeah, pretty sure I do remember already telling ya'll about that but whatever.
Anyways same day, not sure if it was the same dive or the next dive, we had to perform an emergency rescue. Jens the videographer is a big boy so he has large lungs that use a lot of air, plus carrying the video equipment causes him to use even more air as well. He was at 70 bar so we were already on our way back when our guide ran into the guide of the other group, so he sped off super quick to go show the other group a ghost pipe fish. Then Jens's air was suddenly only at 20 bar so our guide gave Jens his octo and our entire group started to make our way up but we kept swimming while ascending so we could still see things and did our safety stop because there was enough air left. Additionally I barely use any air so Lydia and I were prepared to give Mizzy and Jens our octos if Mizzy's ran out as well. Ariane took Jens's camera equipment, Lydia deployed the SMB, and I was prepared to offer my air hose to whomever needed it next (like I said I was still almost completely full). We made it back up to the boat safe and sound with no real problems and the guide said it was the smoothest rescue he's ever done, go team.
That night was our last night aboard the Scubaspa, so we had a celebratory party onboard where they gave us a free drink woo hoo! They also had sushi and dumplings for dinner and it was the best dinner of the entire week.
The next day my flight wasn't until late so the took us to Hluhlue Resort to spend the day because due to the rona, no one was allowed into the city. Which is unfortunate because that's why I booked such a late flight so I could explore Male on the way back, but oh whale.
So we get off the boat and there is a shuttle to the hotel but Europeans like to walk and they're like "it's right there we can see it" so for some insane reason we walk to the hotel??? I'm mad about it tbh. & I tell them I'm taking the shuttle back to the hotel. So eventually we make it even tho we're all sweaty and gross and they give us a hotel room in pairs (I shared with Emma) and a coupon for a free drink and 20 minute spa massage. So we go refresh in the room then head down to the pool and beach. We end up going in the pool and it's a bit cold but oh whale.
After the pool we go to get lunch in the restaurant because I'm starving. I get a steak sandwich and it is amazing, much better than 99% of the food we had on the Scubaspa. Once lunch is finished, we go to the spa to redeem our coupons. The drink is the same ginger tea they had onboard but cold instead of hot or hot instead of cold I forget which was which but they were both basically straight ginger so I couldn't drink either because it literally burned my throat. But whatever it was free. After our 20 minute head/neck massage I go to the beach and Emma goes back to the room for a nap. The beach is pretty packed because the entire football team of I forget which country is also at the hotel due to the no exploring the city rule. I think Sri Lanka? Anyways so I go back to the pool where I meet up with Kat and the gang. Then they start doing cheer stunts and don't include me on them despite me being a cheerleader as well so I go back to the room to take a warm shower and have a lie down.
When we are ready to leave, the whole gang is there to give us a grand goodbye as we board the shuttle to the airport for our flights.
I get to Doha and I am exhausted and do not want to spend another 10 hours in the airport for my layover. It takes going back and forth to several different desks, being sent literally all over the airport, but I finally get switched to the flight that leaves within the next hour. It cost $200 and I didn't get a row to myself but it was worth it to get home literally an entire day earlier. I'd go to Maldives again, but after being so many other places in the world I do think Maldives is overrated. We saw whale sharks, mantas, and lots of other sharks so that's all great and it's definitely the best place I've been for mantas but in terms of overall I preferred South Africa and French Polynesia.
Until next time,
xoxo,
Tasha
