To spend a day at the beach, I fumbled around with buses for two to three hours total to sit in the sand for one hour. Not entirely worth it, but I got to see a town without foreign tourists. Back in Bergama I found kebabs and lahmucan for 1 and 2 Lyra for dinner, then a dessert tasting from one of the many sweet shops around.
I took a bus to Izmir station, then a minibus on to Selcuk and saw Ephesus in the afternoon. It was full of tourists, but it helped me picture what it would have been like with 200,000 Romans living there. The Great Theatre was a highlight. It held 25,000 people! Most of the buildings still had all four walls and I had a book with me that showed what they would have looked like in Roman times. It was all very impressive, except maybe for the public latrine. There were fountains, temples, gates, the library, agora, Church of Mary, gymnasium, and plenty of columns.
The restaurant next to my hostel has excellent food and a very friendly owner who booked a tour for me. The stuffed grape leaves and stuffed peppers were great. There's even a free shuttle to Ephesus in front of the restaurant. The BBQ on the rooftop terrace for dinner hit the spot after walking around all day.
I saw St. John's Cathedral, an old mosque, aquaducts, the museum and a fort on top of the hill. The frescoes in John's tomb were well-preserved and the basilica was huge. The museum was surprisingly good. They took the statues from Ephesus and put them on display there.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Pergamum
The bus ride to Bergama was pretty along the coast. I tried dondurma, thick Turkish ice cream. The chocolate was good. At the bus station 4 miles out of town, the taxi drivers give the bus company staff cigarettes, so they won't tell tourists about the free shuttle into town. The hostel owner said he has written to the city council about it, but it was still only $4 per person for the ride in. I met a couple of Australian guys and a father and son from the East Bay who had travelled North from Uganda by land and sea. They said Egypt is ridiculously cheap right now because there aren't any tourists who want to go there.
In the morning I hiked up the hill to the Acropolis at Pergamum and evaded the entrance gate to make it free. It followed the old (duh) Roman road through the gymnasium, which I had to myself before tourists got in my way. The site was what I hoped for: a whole recognizable city with buildings, columns, archways and roads. The amphitheater was especially impressive carved into a steep hillside to hold 10,000 people.
I saw the Asclepion, a famous medical center in Roman times, in the afternoon. Since I had to pay for it and it wasn't as big as the Acropolis, it didn't feel worth the money. The view down the road to the Acropolis a mile away was nice, then there were columns, arches, and a smaller amphitheater of 3,500 seats.
On the way back into town a kid ran up to me and said, "money, money!" When I asked "why?" which I'm sure he didn't understand, he threw stones at me! But he missed and a woman nearby yelled at him. I picked up a delicious dessert similar to doughnut holes dripping in corn syrup.
In the morning I hiked up the hill to the Acropolis at Pergamum and evaded the entrance gate to make it free. It followed the old (duh) Roman road through the gymnasium, which I had to myself before tourists got in my way. The site was what I hoped for: a whole recognizable city with buildings, columns, archways and roads. The amphitheater was especially impressive carved into a steep hillside to hold 10,000 people.
I saw the Asclepion, a famous medical center in Roman times, in the afternoon. Since I had to pay for it and it wasn't as big as the Acropolis, it didn't feel worth the money. The view down the road to the Acropolis a mile away was nice, then there were columns, arches, and a smaller amphitheater of 3,500 seats.
On the way back into town a kid ran up to me and said, "money, money!" When I asked "why?" which I'm sure he didn't understand, he threw stones at me! But he missed and a woman nearby yelled at him. I picked up a delicious dessert similar to doughnut holes dripping in corn syrup.
Friday, June 24, 2011
From Istanbul to Gallipoli
I found a brew pub with a decent pilsener and tried raki, the national liquor made like Greek ouzo and French pastis with strong Anise flavor. I wandered around the bazaar not finding what I was looking for and unfortunately the university is a closed campus. It makes sense that the students shouldn't have to deal with hundreds of tourists getting in their way.
A nice guy on the Metro train showed me to the correct bus office at the station and the trip was beautiful; low hills with farmland and forests. One guy was sitting outside his house just looking out over the hill to the Aegean Sea. Life seems slower and simpler away from Istanbul. The town I stayed in was pretty small, but that made it hard to get lost.
In the morning I went snorkelling over a WW1 shipwreck that was a transport ship sunk on purpose to break the waves coming in to shore. There were plants and fish swimming around the ship, but it was pretty decayed with only the frame still intact. I took a tour of some famous sites and memorials of the Galllipoli campaign of WW1 including the main landing sites of the Australian and New Zealand forces (ANZACs). I have a feeling my brother could give a more detailed tour than the one I got, but most people probably just want the basic facts.
Earlier today I went to see Troy. There's even a replica of the Trojan horse but with windows to see out of. The site was pretty dilapidated but there were plenty of signs to read to tell me what I was looking at. The original archaologist, Schliemann, destroyed quite a bit of the site when he first discovered it. But it was still good to see it. I ate a good $1.30 kebab, and found the bus I will take tomorrow to Bergama, which is the village next to the ancient site of Pergamum with the Asclepion (Medical Center) and Temple of Apollo.
A nice guy on the Metro train showed me to the correct bus office at the station and the trip was beautiful; low hills with farmland and forests. One guy was sitting outside his house just looking out over the hill to the Aegean Sea. Life seems slower and simpler away from Istanbul. The town I stayed in was pretty small, but that made it hard to get lost.
In the morning I went snorkelling over a WW1 shipwreck that was a transport ship sunk on purpose to break the waves coming in to shore. There were plants and fish swimming around the ship, but it was pretty decayed with only the frame still intact. I took a tour of some famous sites and memorials of the Galllipoli campaign of WW1 including the main landing sites of the Australian and New Zealand forces (ANZACs). I have a feeling my brother could give a more detailed tour than the one I got, but most people probably just want the basic facts.
Earlier today I went to see Troy. There's even a replica of the Trojan horse but with windows to see out of. The site was pretty dilapidated but there were plenty of signs to read to tell me what I was looking at. The original archaologist, Schliemann, destroyed quite a bit of the site when he first discovered it. But it was still good to see it. I ate a good $1.30 kebab, and found the bus I will take tomorrow to Bergama, which is the village next to the ancient site of Pergamum with the Asclepion (Medical Center) and Temple of Apollo.
Monday, June 20, 2011
A couple of cities
The cinema I went to had comfortable leather seats. "Hangover 2" was very funny and "Super 8" was another version of ET, but still good. I saw the impressive big bronze Buddha statue and the monastery with lots of gold and dragons next to it. I passed government buildings, the US Consulate, parks, and used the pedestrian walkways built over the streets and through buildings. One park had birds, monkeys, and orangutans on display. The Wan Chai area had a lot of bars and restaurants. I watched the light show from the opposite side of the harbor this time. I never felt lost or in danger while walking around. I found the Indonesian part of town for lunch, then went with a Chinese roommate for dinner near a big outdoor market and finished with a beer in an Irish pub.
My flights went well. Royal Jordanian Airlines was excellent mostly because the food was great. There were good movies and good service as well. I watched "Company Men," "Red," and "The Mecahnic." I didn't sleep much on the plane but I managed a bit on some of the most uncomfortable chairs I've ecperienced in the airport at Amman, Jordan. The landscape in Jordan was brown and flat with some valleys near the Dead Sea. I saw Cyprus out the window and Turkey looked brown and hilly.
Customs at Istanbul was the easiest I've seen. No one asked me any questions or checked my bags. I made it to my hostel on the packed tram. Dinner was a sandwich with pizza ingredients in it, then I walked around the Sultanahmet area.
I waded through hoards of tourists at Aya Sofya, The Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, and the Basilica Cistern.. All the sites were great but most of my photos have tourists in them. Aya Sofya took two hours to enjoy with its different paintings and mosaics. It was a church, then a mosque, now a museum. The architecture is impressive because the dome is so light it doesn't need massive pillars on the ground like the Blue Mosque does. Aya Sofya used hollow clay bricks and strong ribs as part of the dome to support it. The Blue Mosque was full of intricate designs, but the palace was incredible. The rooms were fabulously decorated, the tresury had golden and jewelled artifacts, they had Mohammed's and Moses' beard clippings and swords. I took a lot of photos. The cistern was nice and cool, being underground and the two Medusa columns were the other reason to see it.
I spent the evening with an American roommate. A friend recommended Palatium restaurant, which had great food, the local Efes beer, bean bags to sit in, and 3rd century ruins under the restaurant that we walked through after dinner. They were on a History Channel program once. A restaurant owner was curious about a hole in the wall, and he stumbled upon the ruins. Then we had some nargile (water pipe), Turkish coffee, and street vendor food that was questionable, but nothing bad happened.
Yesterday I saw Dolmabahce Palace which the sultans used in the 19th century after moving from Topkapi. Dolmabahce is very European in style and extremely extravangant with a 5 ton chandelier, crystal staircase, and lots of gold. The bus took me north along the water past some famous night clubs where I saw a Ferrari, a Bentley, and a Bugatti Veyron. Guys were jumping off the sidewalk into the water, then floating in the current back down to a staircase to get out of the water. I've been told the water is clean because the current is so strong despite all the ships passing through.
I stopped at a 15th century fort that was built in four months in preparation for the conquest of Constantinople. I climbed narrow stairs along the walls up the towers. There were great views, an amphitheater, a cistern at the bottom, and some cannons on display. It was a really great experience.
I had been warned about scams in Istanbul targeting tourists and a roommate got scammed into paying a several hundred dollar bar tab. He went to the police and they said they can go to the bar and make sure it doesn't happen again, but they couldn't get his money back. That doesn't sound very promising. But he probably should not have got into a stranger's car and allowed him to drive out of the city.
The military museum was closed today, but I walked down the main street from Taksim Square on the northern peninsula. it was very nice, although touristy, but the side streets had good-looking bars and cheap restaurants. I even saw a brew pub, so I'm planning to go back tonight. I tried a Turkish delight which was good with a bit of a strange flavor, then two delicious baklavas. They are pastries with flour, sugar, butter, and another ingredient such as chocolate, or walnut or pistachio. I'll work my way through the flavors while I'm here. This afternoon I'd like to wander around the bazaar and see the university, which was built in the 15th century.
My flights went well. Royal Jordanian Airlines was excellent mostly because the food was great. There were good movies and good service as well. I watched "Company Men," "Red," and "The Mecahnic." I didn't sleep much on the plane but I managed a bit on some of the most uncomfortable chairs I've ecperienced in the airport at Amman, Jordan. The landscape in Jordan was brown and flat with some valleys near the Dead Sea. I saw Cyprus out the window and Turkey looked brown and hilly.
Customs at Istanbul was the easiest I've seen. No one asked me any questions or checked my bags. I made it to my hostel on the packed tram. Dinner was a sandwich with pizza ingredients in it, then I walked around the Sultanahmet area.
I waded through hoards of tourists at Aya Sofya, The Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, and the Basilica Cistern.. All the sites were great but most of my photos have tourists in them. Aya Sofya took two hours to enjoy with its different paintings and mosaics. It was a church, then a mosque, now a museum. The architecture is impressive because the dome is so light it doesn't need massive pillars on the ground like the Blue Mosque does. Aya Sofya used hollow clay bricks and strong ribs as part of the dome to support it. The Blue Mosque was full of intricate designs, but the palace was incredible. The rooms were fabulously decorated, the tresury had golden and jewelled artifacts, they had Mohammed's and Moses' beard clippings and swords. I took a lot of photos. The cistern was nice and cool, being underground and the two Medusa columns were the other reason to see it.
I spent the evening with an American roommate. A friend recommended Palatium restaurant, which had great food, the local Efes beer, bean bags to sit in, and 3rd century ruins under the restaurant that we walked through after dinner. They were on a History Channel program once. A restaurant owner was curious about a hole in the wall, and he stumbled upon the ruins. Then we had some nargile (water pipe), Turkish coffee, and street vendor food that was questionable, but nothing bad happened.
Yesterday I saw Dolmabahce Palace which the sultans used in the 19th century after moving from Topkapi. Dolmabahce is very European in style and extremely extravangant with a 5 ton chandelier, crystal staircase, and lots of gold. The bus took me north along the water past some famous night clubs where I saw a Ferrari, a Bentley, and a Bugatti Veyron. Guys were jumping off the sidewalk into the water, then floating in the current back down to a staircase to get out of the water. I've been told the water is clean because the current is so strong despite all the ships passing through.
I stopped at a 15th century fort that was built in four months in preparation for the conquest of Constantinople. I climbed narrow stairs along the walls up the towers. There were great views, an amphitheater, a cistern at the bottom, and some cannons on display. It was a really great experience.
I had been warned about scams in Istanbul targeting tourists and a roommate got scammed into paying a several hundred dollar bar tab. He went to the police and they said they can go to the bar and make sure it doesn't happen again, but they couldn't get his money back. That doesn't sound very promising. But he probably should not have got into a stranger's car and allowed him to drive out of the city.
The military museum was closed today, but I walked down the main street from Taksim Square on the northern peninsula. it was very nice, although touristy, but the side streets had good-looking bars and cheap restaurants. I even saw a brew pub, so I'm planning to go back tonight. I tried a Turkish delight which was good with a bit of a strange flavor, then two delicious baklavas. They are pastries with flour, sugar, butter, and another ingredient such as chocolate, or walnut or pistachio. I'll work my way through the flavors while I'm here. This afternoon I'd like to wander around the bazaar and see the university, which was built in the 15th century.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Detour to Hong Kong
My last two nights in Nadi were fun. I had a burger, discovered a good Fijian lager, and spent a night drinking kava and listening to some locals sing songs.
My flight went well, especially because I sat in the emergency exit row. I saw "The Adjustment Bureau" with Matt Damon which was good, based on a short story by Philip K. Dick. When I got to the Hong Kong airport, I couldn't find my bag, so I delayed my flight to Turkey by five days because I wanted an excuse to stay in Hong Kong.
The city is very impressive with high rises surrounded by steep hills/mountains and a huge port with cranes lined up and all sorts of ships in the harbor. The building where I'm staying is called Chung King Mansion. It felt like a bazaar on the bottom floor with people trying to get me to buy their stuff, but a nice guy at the bus stop helped me find my way. My room was very clean, if small. It had a TV, computer with Internet, A/C, and my own bathroom and a space of 6' by 10'.
The next morning I moved to a dorm room which doesn't look twice the size and has 4 beds. The manager is very friendly and there's free wi-fi. I'm quite happy with the accommodation because all of Hong Kong is cramped, so I'll gladly pay $18 a night for the place. The Chung King Mansion feels a little bit like a Little India and I've had a surprisingly difficult time finding a good Chinese restaurant in my budget. I thought they would be everywhere, but this area is tourist central so there's a little of everything: Italian, British, McDonald's, Starbucks, Korean, Sushi, French. I found a great one last night though. It was just greasy enough and I managed to use chopsticks for the whole meal! But it is nice that the waitresses offer a fork when they see me pick up the chopsticks.
The Hong Kong Museum of History was great since I didn't know very much to begin with. I went to the harbor at night for a great view of Hong Kong Island because I am staying on the peninsula to the north in Kowloon.
I took a city tour today to explore Hong Kong Island. I took a sampan ride on Aberdeen harbor where a floating restaurant and houses are, wandered around a fancy harbor, visited a jewelry manufacturer, went up Victoria Peak for great views, and heard a lot of good information about the city from the guide. It was mostly about how expensive it is to live here. They also have an illegal immigrant problem with people from mainland China who want a better life in Hong Kong. I've heard the same story from Spain, Australia, and South Africa as well.
I've seen some very expensive cars around. On the street is mostly buses, taxis, and trucks to transport goods. There aren't very many cheap-looking cars. I assume it's expensive to drive and not very fun in the city, but the mountain roads were pretty curvy and steep. I noticed a Maserati, Bentley, Lamborghini, Lotus, and the usual BMWs and Mercedes. I'm going to watch The Hangover Two this evening and watch the light show on the harbor.
So far I'm very pleased with my stopover. I feel very safe on the streets since everything is very well lit with plently of tourists around. It looks like a very prosperous city with lights and shops everywhere on the street, then inside some buildings are huge malls with cinemas and all sorts of shops. It has developed very rapidly since the Second World War. I'd like to go see the largest bronze buddha tomorrow on a different insland.
My flight went well, especially because I sat in the emergency exit row. I saw "The Adjustment Bureau" with Matt Damon which was good, based on a short story by Philip K. Dick. When I got to the Hong Kong airport, I couldn't find my bag, so I delayed my flight to Turkey by five days because I wanted an excuse to stay in Hong Kong.
The city is very impressive with high rises surrounded by steep hills/mountains and a huge port with cranes lined up and all sorts of ships in the harbor. The building where I'm staying is called Chung King Mansion. It felt like a bazaar on the bottom floor with people trying to get me to buy their stuff, but a nice guy at the bus stop helped me find my way. My room was very clean, if small. It had a TV, computer with Internet, A/C, and my own bathroom and a space of 6' by 10'.
The next morning I moved to a dorm room which doesn't look twice the size and has 4 beds. The manager is very friendly and there's free wi-fi. I'm quite happy with the accommodation because all of Hong Kong is cramped, so I'll gladly pay $18 a night for the place. The Chung King Mansion feels a little bit like a Little India and I've had a surprisingly difficult time finding a good Chinese restaurant in my budget. I thought they would be everywhere, but this area is tourist central so there's a little of everything: Italian, British, McDonald's, Starbucks, Korean, Sushi, French. I found a great one last night though. It was just greasy enough and I managed to use chopsticks for the whole meal! But it is nice that the waitresses offer a fork when they see me pick up the chopsticks.
The Hong Kong Museum of History was great since I didn't know very much to begin with. I went to the harbor at night for a great view of Hong Kong Island because I am staying on the peninsula to the north in Kowloon.
I took a city tour today to explore Hong Kong Island. I took a sampan ride on Aberdeen harbor where a floating restaurant and houses are, wandered around a fancy harbor, visited a jewelry manufacturer, went up Victoria Peak for great views, and heard a lot of good information about the city from the guide. It was mostly about how expensive it is to live here. They also have an illegal immigrant problem with people from mainland China who want a better life in Hong Kong. I've heard the same story from Spain, Australia, and South Africa as well.
I've seen some very expensive cars around. On the street is mostly buses, taxis, and trucks to transport goods. There aren't very many cheap-looking cars. I assume it's expensive to drive and not very fun in the city, but the mountain roads were pretty curvy and steep. I noticed a Maserati, Bentley, Lamborghini, Lotus, and the usual BMWs and Mercedes. I'm going to watch The Hangover Two this evening and watch the light show on the harbor.
So far I'm very pleased with my stopover. I feel very safe on the streets since everything is very well lit with plently of tourists around. It looks like a very prosperous city with lights and shops everywhere on the street, then inside some buildings are huge malls with cinemas and all sorts of shops. It has developed very rapidly since the Second World War. I'd like to go see the largest bronze buddha tomorrow on a different insland.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
On the move
Wow, so much has happened since I last posted. Part of the reason is I was on the Yasawa Islands of Fiji and the Internet was hard to find and very expensive. But then, I didn't go there to be connected to the rest of the world.
I flew to Fiji with no problems. I decided to buy one bottle of duty free alcohol, then realized that everyone else around me had bought two. I guess I'm still new at this. In the town of Nadi I found a great Indian restaurant and had chicken fried rice for less than $3. There are quite a few Fijian Indians around Nadi. There are also a lot of different religious denominations including all kinds of Christians, Hindus, Muslims, and I'm sure some others. Everyone seems to get along very well because they are so relaxed and friendly. Things run on "Fiji time", which means a watch isn't always very helpful.
I saw a Polynesian dance and fire show at a hostel next to mine, then caught the ferry out to the farthest island the next morning. I met a nice Dutch guy on the boat and we went for a hike off the trail behind our resort. We fell into a lot of holes, he broke and repaired his flip-flop, it rained when we were in the beautiful forest, I broke open a coconut with a rock and drank the juice, saw huge spiders, and we stumbled into the village but made it back fine. The views were amazing, the backpacker resort was very nice and provided more than what I'm used to.
I went snorkeling and saw all sorts of colorful corals and fish. The squid looked strange because they were fried and in a bowl on the table. The water was warm and very clear. The next resort I stayed at wasn't as nice. It was in a sandy bay, but there was a 32-bed dorm and they turned the electricity off at 10pm. But I still had fun with a loud group of Germans. The next place was beautiful again but the bathroom was kind of gross, breakfast was at 7am, the beds were uncomfortable, and a rat ate my food. I went snorkeling with sharks, which was awesome. They were scary at first, but they were harmless. They were about three feet long and the guide caught one in his hand to show us. At night the Germans, the Dutch guy and I took a boat across to another resort on a different island 10 minutes away to visit some friends. The boat ride in the middle of the night with a flashlight at the front was fun.
I took the ferry north to a very small resort and got seasick along the way. The service was very personal since there were only five guests. I met a couple who live in Toulouse, France and we exchanged email addresses in case I make it to France this summer. We tried kava, the local drink, but it didn't affect me too much. People say it takes a lot to produce and effect. It comes from the root of a plant and numbs the mouth when drank. Later it feels similar to alcohol. In the morning we visited a school nearby, which was a great experience. Even though the children have so little, they still seem happy and friendly. I checked my email once and received a job offer from a winery in Hungary, assuming I can obtain a work permit.
I spent my last week at Coral View Resort to complete the PADI open water diving course. Fiji is a pretty cheap place to do it and the life in the water is amazing. It was one of the best things I've done. The resort was the biggest and had the nicest facilities, great buffet-style food, and I met a lot of nice people. A Irish guy, Jamie, completed the diving course with me. First we read and studied a textbook and took quizzes which felt way too much like school.
My first dive was a bit scary because we only went through some safety review briefly at the surface, then went down to 40 feet. The instructor picked up three beer bottles off the bottom and we had a cheers. I did manage to enjoy it even if a little scared. We completed confined water training (more safety) at the surface, then practiced the skills again at 40 feet and 60 feet. We saw a stone fish, a lion fish (both poisonous), a small shark, and I passed the exam to become a certified diver, allowing me to dive anywhere in the world. I have read that there is some diving in Turkey, so I'll have to find it. The last morning, we did two dives to 60 feet. The instructor touched a piece of coral, and it turned silver I guess as a defense mechanism. The second dive was for shark feeding. It was incredible. There was a row of divers holding onto a rope like at an aquarium while a dive master fed the fish and sharks. I never felt in danger with 10+ sharks nearby because they just acted like big fish. The biggest was a 12-foot lemon shark. We also saw a moray eel come out of some coral for a piece of food.
I took the ferry back to Nadi that afternoon and saw several people that I had met before. At the hostel I talked to a couple from Slovenia who, after five minutes of conversation, invited me to stay with them. I met a lot of nice people like that and exchanged emails with people from Austria, Denmark, Holland, France, Canada, and Ireland.
Yesterday I mailed my diving info to Australia so they can send me my official diving ID card. Two Scottish girls I had met said they were looking forward to having a burger when they got back, so I decided that was a good idea, then I saw them walk in and do the same. I also discovered Vonu lager, which was much better than the typical Fiji beer. Today I got my bag stitched up since it was coming apart in a couple of places, went back to the cheap Indian restaurant for the third time, and now I'm updating my blog. I fly to Istanbul tomorrow, so I definitely need a new name for the blog.
I flew to Fiji with no problems. I decided to buy one bottle of duty free alcohol, then realized that everyone else around me had bought two. I guess I'm still new at this. In the town of Nadi I found a great Indian restaurant and had chicken fried rice for less than $3. There are quite a few Fijian Indians around Nadi. There are also a lot of different religious denominations including all kinds of Christians, Hindus, Muslims, and I'm sure some others. Everyone seems to get along very well because they are so relaxed and friendly. Things run on "Fiji time", which means a watch isn't always very helpful.
I saw a Polynesian dance and fire show at a hostel next to mine, then caught the ferry out to the farthest island the next morning. I met a nice Dutch guy on the boat and we went for a hike off the trail behind our resort. We fell into a lot of holes, he broke and repaired his flip-flop, it rained when we were in the beautiful forest, I broke open a coconut with a rock and drank the juice, saw huge spiders, and we stumbled into the village but made it back fine. The views were amazing, the backpacker resort was very nice and provided more than what I'm used to.
I went snorkeling and saw all sorts of colorful corals and fish. The squid looked strange because they were fried and in a bowl on the table. The water was warm and very clear. The next resort I stayed at wasn't as nice. It was in a sandy bay, but there was a 32-bed dorm and they turned the electricity off at 10pm. But I still had fun with a loud group of Germans. The next place was beautiful again but the bathroom was kind of gross, breakfast was at 7am, the beds were uncomfortable, and a rat ate my food. I went snorkeling with sharks, which was awesome. They were scary at first, but they were harmless. They were about three feet long and the guide caught one in his hand to show us. At night the Germans, the Dutch guy and I took a boat across to another resort on a different island 10 minutes away to visit some friends. The boat ride in the middle of the night with a flashlight at the front was fun.
I took the ferry north to a very small resort and got seasick along the way. The service was very personal since there were only five guests. I met a couple who live in Toulouse, France and we exchanged email addresses in case I make it to France this summer. We tried kava, the local drink, but it didn't affect me too much. People say it takes a lot to produce and effect. It comes from the root of a plant and numbs the mouth when drank. Later it feels similar to alcohol. In the morning we visited a school nearby, which was a great experience. Even though the children have so little, they still seem happy and friendly. I checked my email once and received a job offer from a winery in Hungary, assuming I can obtain a work permit.
I spent my last week at Coral View Resort to complete the PADI open water diving course. Fiji is a pretty cheap place to do it and the life in the water is amazing. It was one of the best things I've done. The resort was the biggest and had the nicest facilities, great buffet-style food, and I met a lot of nice people. A Irish guy, Jamie, completed the diving course with me. First we read and studied a textbook and took quizzes which felt way too much like school.
My first dive was a bit scary because we only went through some safety review briefly at the surface, then went down to 40 feet. The instructor picked up three beer bottles off the bottom and we had a cheers. I did manage to enjoy it even if a little scared. We completed confined water training (more safety) at the surface, then practiced the skills again at 40 feet and 60 feet. We saw a stone fish, a lion fish (both poisonous), a small shark, and I passed the exam to become a certified diver, allowing me to dive anywhere in the world. I have read that there is some diving in Turkey, so I'll have to find it. The last morning, we did two dives to 60 feet. The instructor touched a piece of coral, and it turned silver I guess as a defense mechanism. The second dive was for shark feeding. It was incredible. There was a row of divers holding onto a rope like at an aquarium while a dive master fed the fish and sharks. I never felt in danger with 10+ sharks nearby because they just acted like big fish. The biggest was a 12-foot lemon shark. We also saw a moray eel come out of some coral for a piece of food.
I took the ferry back to Nadi that afternoon and saw several people that I had met before. At the hostel I talked to a couple from Slovenia who, after five minutes of conversation, invited me to stay with them. I met a lot of nice people like that and exchanged emails with people from Austria, Denmark, Holland, France, Canada, and Ireland.
Yesterday I mailed my diving info to Australia so they can send me my official diving ID card. Two Scottish girls I had met said they were looking forward to having a burger when they got back, so I decided that was a good idea, then I saw them walk in and do the same. I also discovered Vonu lager, which was much better than the typical Fiji beer. Today I got my bag stitched up since it was coming apart in a couple of places, went back to the cheap Indian restaurant for the third time, and now I'm updating my blog. I fly to Istanbul tomorrow, so I definitely need a new name for the blog.
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