Boats, BCD's and Blowing the Budget

So the South African has gone, apparently we were not the first to complain, although it seems we were the last and he has been given his marching orders. He was due to finish in a few weeks but Big Blue Divers have decided to let him go early......we couldn't say we are disappointed and the change is certainly noticeable. Not only do we have a dive plan and safety instructions but the boat team seem to be breathing a sigh of relief. Randy, Rasta and Jerome ( the boat team) have been all smiles and all the diving clients have seemed relaxed and enjoying themselves as opposed to sporting the hallowed look of people joining the Poseidon.

The boat has been filled with German and French families, and a return from our Italian friend Paulo with the conversation all flowing in English, always a bonus when it's your mother tongue, although shameful that those aged 11 (French) and 13 (German) have a far better grasp of our grammar than us!!

We have completed well run dives at the Lighthouse (drifting through a rocky outcrop), a coral garden dive and finally a visit onto two sunken barges. For the last we were the only ones remaining, all other divers having finished after their second dive. The visibility was poor, and sat in mid water on a 3 minute safety stop at 5m in waters home to bull and tiger sharks, without being able to see, means time passes painfully slowly, whilst the boat line rubbing on your fins feels remarkably like a shark attack when your heart is beating out of your chest and you are literally counting down the seconds to surface. Perhaps it is about time I get a handle on my imagination in these situations!! 

Once gain we have eaten well for €4 euro each with curried beef and rice served for lunch, although by mistaking the chilli sauce on the side for some sort of mayonnaise, I cannot actually tell you if it tasted nice as I spent the afternoon sporting the pout of Lesley Ash at her worst due to its burning effects! 

Having seen a restaurant on our self inflicted round island drive in a small town called Galcis, 5 minutes drive from Beau Vallon, it was decreed that, in the interests of investigation for those not on a shoestring, we must visit. It is beautiful, all low lighting and carved Buddhas set on the cliff edge with waves crashing beneath, although we were the only clients and the bench like seats sit precariously at 45 degrees leaning backwards towards the sea. Fillet steak with green food coloured mash potatoes (or at least I think that's what it was as we couldn't actually see due to the ambient lighting) with drinks is not cheap at £80 for two and blew the top off the daily budget. The same in mainland Asia would probably be about £30, however I hasten to add that the importation costs must be huge as we haven't actually seen any cows!