BrrZZZhhhhKKSHSSSHHHHHHHH [Sound of Static]

BHJJJSHSJFFFFGGGG .... Someone .... BSSHHHJGGGJJJJ ... send a technician!... BHGHHHHHHHHHDJSSAASSSHSHSGSGSGS

Ladies and gentlemen,

My computer... has died. Despite the First Aid and CPR I performed on it, I have not been able to bring it back from the other side.

Now I really am finding myself alone.

You'd say, "Well, at least you have your eBook". And I'd reply, "Well, you see, the issue is that... I CAN ONLY CHARGE IT THROUGH MY COMPUTER."

Dave has offered to charge it from his, but that means I'll have to give it to him for the evening every now and then, which leaves me without anything to do.

I'm getting a bit scared now.

Furthermore, I haven't had electricity in my room for 4 days now.

On another note, I'm now a certified Rescue Diver (YAY), and today being Friday, Insha'Allah, I'll be having biryani and chai for dinner.

I gotta go now. Mostly because I'm getting tired of standing here in front of this awful computer typing in this terrible keyboard. 

Wish me luck, and, if you are religious, dedicate a couple prayers to my computer.

I won't be able to update the blog much unless I find a solution to my technological problems. Apologies for that.

Farewell, my people.

Layla - Wynton Marsalis & Eric Clapton (Live at Lincoln Center)

Episode X - The Rescuer

Canción del día: Contigo - Joaquín Sabina (Yo, Mi, Me, Contigo)

With all due honesty, I'm only writing this post as an excuse to share the previous song. I could very comfortably wait until tomorrow to be able to provide a more complete and interesting story, but I'll do what I can.

Actually, I barely have anything to tell. But let's get it done.


In spite of the cold I've been suffering from, I decided to take the risk and get on the boat. I knew anyways that today I was going to practice rescuing skills, which occur mostly on the surface. Indeed, I have learned how to surface, provide rescue breaths and carry an unresponsive diver out of the water, following all the right steps. It's just a bit tricky, but after a couple scenarios I could perform it without a mistake.

We needed to descend at least three meters for some skills, and so Dave taught me an interesting technique to clear out my ear and sine conducts: snorting salt water. It works wonders, and it burns pleasantly.

So now I'm almost out of that cold. We did another exploration dive, this time going West from The Shire. While geographically inaccurate, in my inside I named the new site Rohan, for its sandy plains and golden coral hills. There was even a forest of acropora, which deliciously corresponds to Fangorn.

A forest of acropora.

And so, this is what today's dive was all about. Sadly, I didn't find any new marine life worth mentioning, but hopefully tomorrow there'll be more.

Back in Semporna, we (the instructors and I) had dinner together - probably the tastiest burger I've ever had. Or perhaps it's just that I haven't eaten any beef in the past two weeks. But, let me say, it was great. 

AND I GOT 38 MOVIES!

All coming from Dave's hard drive - I'm glad I'll have some entertainment, because I've already finished four books in a week and a half, which is a bit of an unsustainable rate.

Otra canción para vuestras mercedes: 19 Días y 500 Noches - Joaquín Sabina (19 Días y 500 Noches)

You all should already know about my nostalgia for my country, so please forgive these short episodes of Spanish music. Soon I'll be back with more international music, but meanwhile, if you really wish to know my soul, give a listen to this, and perhaps try to find a translation for the lyrics. Sabina, more than a musician, is a poet, and a very cunning one. He has found the formula to distill the spirit of my España and shape it into music.

Ave, sailors of life. That's all from me. Keep your homes in your hearts and your aims in your sight.

Episode IX - El capitán resfriado

Canción del día: A mis Cuarenta y Diez - Joaquín Sabina (19 Días y 500 Noches)

Although I am desperately tempted to write this post using my beloved Spanish language, I shall abide the rules of political correctness and employ Shakespeare's speech. 

This young man, captain of no army, has no great news. Suffering of a mild cold, I could not afford to spend this day diving, so I have stayed and reviewed all the theory for my Rescue Diver Course. Needless to say it is a tiresome quarrel, and extensively tedious, but it concerns important knowledge. Now you are safe to come diving with me: nobody will drown on my watch. 

A sun cycle ago we went diving at Sibuan island again. This time was definitely the best. 

As good Christians, on Sunday morning we went to Church Reef. Dave brought a bag of crisps with us, to show the effect of pressure at 25 meters depth. Interestingly, the air becomes totally compressed, and the bag wrinkly. Then we opened it and tried eating them chips, but they were buoyant and would float up very quickly - I wasted half of my air tank struggling to catch some while laughing my ass off. Apart from that, we found some nice creatures both there and around Frogfish Corner - just another dive site.

There were four of these together.
One of them gave a few runs around my hand!

Very adequately, this one's named
Orangutan Crab.

It's not a squid! It's a cuttlefish  

Yes, that is a fish. Two frogfish, actually.

The one in the video is a juvenile harlequin sweetlips. They are born with natural buoyancy, so they have to swim frantically to avoid shooting up to the surface!

Our next dive would be a new challenge: we ventured into the sea, and dropped at an unexplored spot. As we finned through the reef's valleys and hills, admiring its virginal beauty, I though of a name to give it. Later, when I presented it to the rest of the group, it was unanimously decided: we'd call this dive site The Shire.

But unfortunately, there is no Eastfarthing Pipe Weed around these parts to alleviate my sickness, so I've had to give up diving for today, as you already know. And the rest is history.

May your dreams be placid and warm. I shall go and get lost in an oneiric world of guitars, fish and sunny islands.

PS: My most sincere congratulations to a very brave woman who, after six long years of fighting and struggling, is now enjoying a new-found freedom!

PSS: ¡Y una ferviente felicitación a todos mis compatriotas españoles, por habernos librado de una de las arpías más insolentes de nuestro decadente Gobierno!

Episode VIII - The Healer

Song of the day: Saturday Night Blues - Kenny Burrell (Midnight Blue)

My dearest ladies and gentlemen, let me present before you my deepest apologies. For not adding the usual hyperlink to today's song, which is due to the absolute impossibility of accessing YouTube with this @#$%& connection; and for not having updated this blog for three days, which has occurred for three reasons: nothing worth mentioning happened on the first day of the loss of communication lines, the second night was Friday, Holy Day in this Muslim Semporna and time for "partying" (more on that later), and tonight's late time update can be attributed to the Internet access. 

For reasons that may be familiar to you, I won't be posting any images on this entry - I'm afraid I shall be obliged to transmit my story with my writing only.

Three days back on this foul adventure ---- actually, not foul at all ---- I earned, with sweat and blood, the first title that certifies me as a Field Medic, nowadays referred to as a First Aider. Such licence is a requirement for the forthcoming Rescue Diver Certification, on which I am working at the moment. As a reminder of the awesomeness of my instructor I shall introduce you with the last test he imposed on me. 

It is happening. Some call it Armageddon, few Ragnarok, many Apocalypse, but mostly, the Rise of the Zombies. 

On an unexpected turn of events, my companion, Annie, falls victim of an unknown succession of acts. All I'm aware of is that, as I cautiously walked into the living room of our headquarters, she is laying on the floor, flat on her back, with a butcher knife in her hand and a blood-spurting wound on her chest. It is my duty, as a Resistance Army Field Medic and companion, to ensure Annie's survival until heavily equipped doctors arrive.

And so my abilities and skills on cardiopulmonary resuscitation, automated external defibrillator and oxygen supply provision were tested, paired with serious bleeding management and, of course, personal survival from the army of zombies rapidly approaching from a breach in our walls.

I should write a book.

Gift song: Sexy Sadie - The Beatles (The White Album)

Yesterday I was again destined to Sibuan Island as a Divemaster, as I have been today - to Mataking Island though. The diving is, well, just as it always is. Beautiful. Countless turtles (seriously, 10+ in 45 minutes), and many other beings I shall introduce when I get access to images.

In the evening I met with two awesomely chill German guitar players, a hippie Australian and a Spanish Physics/Engineering student, being my compatriot the only female. Had dinner and beer at Arthur Bar, our Coral Monitoring Team chilling spot - the friendly sir serving his amazing seafood barbecue is still there several nights a week. As a Friday night, there should have been live music in Scuba Junkie, but they were on Mabul Island and will be playing here tomorrow instead. I'll come and introduce myself - hopefully they'll welcome another guitar player, even if just for some jamming. 

Today's pack consisted on four Malaysian young women in appearance, teenagers in spirit. God knows they wouldn't shut their mouths until forced to breath from the regulator or drowned in the Sea of the Celebes. Despite the exhaustion of dealing with them - a bunch of chickens atop a boat - they were friendly and lively, injecting some of their good mood into the rest of us, our semblants shaded by the cold, cloudy weather. One of them was trying too hard to get my attention - a hopeless enterprise I must say. Still, she made more than one smile arise on that boat. She still reminds me of one of the lovely people I met through my travels - Sunheira Fuad, native of Dhaka, capital of the beautiful Bangladesh.

Now I'm, once again, sitting as a hermit on this open air lounge. In less than a week I have finished three and a half books. Tomorrow Dave shall bring his computer and provide me with games, TV shows and movies. Entertainment is crucial to withstand this lonely existence. 

May your hearts be delighted with this, the last song I offer on this day. 

Pride (In The Name Of Love) - Soweto Gospel Choir (In The Name Of Love: Africa Celebrates U2)

May the Stars shine your way, and the Winds blow from your back.

Episode VII - The Padawan becomes a Master

Song of the day: Tangled Up In You - Staind (Illusion of Progress)

Internet. What a great invention. If only it would work a little bit better in this forsaken town. It's frustrating to an extreme to try to keep a normal conversation through Skype chat, or check Facebook, having to wait minutes for any change to appear on your screen. I venture it took me some five straight minutes to get into Blogger and start typing this in. 

Apart from this excruciating delay in my daily Interwebz surfing, it's been a nice, though tiring, day. This here youth ye all can see, he's got some responsibility on his shoulders on this very day. As I commented yesterday, a bunch of people have just arrived. They've swarmed us, overrun us. So us, the Resistance, had to use every card in our deck. And so, I was destined to guide a patrol of no less than four people through the depths of our seas, spotting for the invader forces.

Well, it was not exactly that epic, but still flippin' awesome. I got my first Divemaster experience today, because we hadn't enough instructors for all the people that came, and so I was assigned a role as pack leader. Not that we really use such expression, but I like it.

Fuck you too, internet. I'm trying to find a cool image to amenize this post, and this is how I'm rewarded for my good intentions, it takes damned ages. This is it. Goodbye, open air lounge. I'm going downstairs.

It's not any better here. At least the aircon chills my boiling blood down a little.

Finally, the picture. I'm the dun one,
making sure my lands are safe for my pack.

Sorry about that. So where was I? Oh yes, I guided four people through the dive sites around Mataking island. That calls for another image.

What's this place? Where do I go? North-West? Mmmkay.

But it all worked fine. Despite the currents, we managed to successfully see four green turtles, a lobster, a couple sea slugs, a strange shrimp thingy (I still need to figure out its name) and a Garden of Eden made of coral. I need to get an underwater camera, seriously.

Yes, that thing is an animal!

I was invited to a night dive with the instructors as well, but I was just too tired to join them. Next time, perhaps, but for now I'd rather not stretch myself too much. 

Amados hispanohablantes, recomiendo fervientemente la lectura de la saga Aventuras del Capitán Alatriste. Muy ameno, pero invadido de poesía y lírica con un lenguaje adecuado para la España Imperial, muy bien escrito en todos los sentidos. Se acaba cada volumen con una sensación de quiero más, y alimenta la imaginación de manera muy agradable.

That was a book recommendation. It's kind of exclusive, sorry 'bout that. (I don't think the book's translated into English). That book has fueled my imagination once again.

Goodnight, dear family.

A white rose, bathed in moonlight.

Episode VI - The Beginning

Song of the day: Fuerteventura - Russian Red (Fuerteventura)

Last night I couldn't get around to write the pertinent post, so this one will serve for both days. Yesterday was meant to be a theory study day, and so I watched the whole First Aid DVD - only a couple of hours, but a bit boring, especially having already read the book. Anyway, we got a DVD player from the hotel reception and came to an outdoor lounge/balcony, where I have decided to settle and establish a base for my incursions into the Interwebz for its warm temperature, fast connection and power availability. 

Right after watching we were headed to the dive centre, to start the practical lessons, when Dave (my instructor, remember?) got an emergency call - he had to go to Tawau, some shipping company had a problem with a boat and needed a professional scuba diver, so he left at around 1pm - and as he told me today, didn't get back until 2am. I feel sorry for him, we spent the whole day on a boat today when he had barely slept!

So I had a day off, and took it easy. Spent the rest of the day studying a little, playing the guitar and reading.

... I felt like an actually healthy person with healthy habits. I even had a salad for dinner.

Mabul Café, a nice balcony restaurant where they serve
MASSIVE jugs of mango juice - right, Coral Monitors?

This morning I woke up to La Grange (ZZ Top) ready for some diving. People keep arriving everyday, today we had two Brits doing their Open Water course. [...] I should be having beers with them right now, instead of writing this blog. It was them who asked me to hang out!

It was their first time diving, so we did some skill development in confined waters - actually, at chest depth waters on the beach. The two following dives, although also including skills development, included some sight-seeing, but I still participated as an instructor assistant, to gain some experience. Not very entertaining I must admit, although I appreciate its value. 

On the third dive (last of the day) the seabed was at a too shallow depth, and we nearly got ran over by a speedboat - we all heard it coming and descended as fast as we could, and even though I was looking up I didn't manage to see the boat - I only noticed the track it left right above us! After that, Dave asked me to stay on the surface, in order to alert any other boats until we could find the drop-off and dive safely. No big deal.

This coral is called Acropora, and I must admit it's my
absolute favourite.

There and back again, I'm back at the lounge. But running out of things to talk about, which ain't cool. 

I confess the feeling of loneliness is slowly decreasing, not because I've supplied it, but because I'm getting accustomed to it. Books and The Sea are working wonders upon me. 

Oh, by the way, you know you can leave me a comment or something, don't you? ;)

Episode V - The Lookout

Song of the day: Riding with the King - Eric Clapton & B.B. King (Riding with the King)

Apparently I said I was going to start my training today? Well, NOPE. But it wasn't Chuck Testa. Dave (my instructor) is just too cool to do two things at a time, but still a very smart man. So, instead of training on rescue techniques and the like, he decided it was time to train my spotter's eyes. Thereby, he gave me directions on how to find the following little creatures:

Bubble Coral Shrimp. As its name indicates, it dwells within the shelter of bubble coral, these friendly guys may hop on board and perform a manicure if you offer them a hand!

Hairy Squat Lobster. Unfortunately, they're too tiny to be noticed in this detail underwater, but still cool! They inhabit the grooves of great barrel sea sponges, and feed on zooplankton.

Commensal Shrimp - I found a whole colony of these! They live in anemones, just as clownfish, and won't mind coming up to check you out.

Apart from these, I also spotted some very tiny nudibranches (less than a centimeter!), two morays and a sea snake, all in just three dives.  Absolutely amazing!

However, the panorama was not so good above the water - the sea was getting pretty rough, and the wind and rain shed no mercy. Truly, we were freezing, when the previous day we had all got sunburnt!
The Gods in Malaysia don't keep their rage to themselves.

We got back home quite early (we barely rested between dives, it was too cold!), so we each went our way. Nonetheless, I arranged with a Swiss guy to have dinner together - he's here alone too, though only for ten days. After the pertinent washing of the gear and debriefing, and enjoying a shower with too little water pressure, I went on to buy a mattress - it had become clear I needed something soft to put between my bones and the wooden plank. It's just a travel mattress and it's not the best either, but it plays its role. 

When we went out for dinner we found the not-so-friendly instructor, Sam. She's a strange person.  She's not open at all - I identify her with a stone wall. She's not unfriendly, neither mean, nor cold. But it's still hard to deal with her, she's the kind of person that doesn't seem to care about anything. Such behavior seems to me like a defense barrier, erected to hide weaknesses, but actually showing they exist. Perhaps it's just me. What becomes clear is that I shouldn't put too much effort on building a friendship with her, as it just won't work.

Anyways, after dinner the Swiss guy (we didn't even ask for each other's name) invited me to his room in view that I didn't really have a comfortable place to go and he has a TV, but as we were both exhausted, I simply went out to Skype Mum and Dad and told him he could go to sleep. It was a bit of an awkward situation, but that's what loneliness makes us do.