Day 38: Darling it's better, Down where it's wetter

...Take it from us, under the sea is amazing. We woke up early so that Danny could catch his morning dive to Shark Point, properly named as he saw one reef shark and a plethora of turtles, lobsters, morey eels, and tropical fish. While Danny was diving, Ashwin decided to take the "Discover Scuba" intro class at the Manta Dive Shop, allowing him to dive to a maximum of 12 meters in the afternoon. Ashwin was a little nervous, as the last time he tried diving as part of his certification, he suffered ear drum damage due to the frigid waters of the San Luis Obispo harbor and was stuck snorkeling on our French Polynesian adventures 4 years ago. Danny reassured him by saying that only cold water gives him ear problems while diving. After a 2 hour briefing and pool session, Ashwin was ready for the open water. We grabbed lunch at a local hideway that was recommended by the divemaster, which served some of the most authentic and flavorful food we have had yet.

We assembled our scuba gear and set out to Manta Point (which is improperly named, as we didn't see a single ray). After a quick briefing on the boat, we geared up and James Bonded over the side of the boat into the water. Ashwin made a perfect descent with no ear discomfort at all, and Danny even thought he looked like a pro, especially compared to the few other first timers in the water who looked like fish out of water (no pun intended), and even his dad who usually takes several tries to clear his ears (sorry Michael). While the divemaster led the other first timers at the 12 meter level, Ashwin stuck with his designated buddy, Danny, and we both swam down the reef wall to 70 feet. Did you really think we were going to follow the rules? Plus, they're more like guidelines anyway (like a speed limit when Ashwin is driving a rental car in upstate New York). Like a true newbie, Ashwin didn't really realize how deep we were, until the 3rd time that Danny pointed to his depth gauge. Before this, Ashwin just thought Danny was asking how much air he had and would reply with the OK hand signal. When he did realize how deep he was, Ashwin put his hand out for a high-five to commemorate the 70 foot depth (which, mind you, is 10 feet below the limit for open water certified divers, and boasts pressures 3 times the atmospheric pressure on land).

It's like being on another planet under the sea and we were lucky to be exploring one of the most pristine reefs in the world. Brilliantly colored coral went on for as far as we could see (with nearly unheard of visibility of at least 40 meters, Danny says this almost rivals the diving in Tahiti) and we were lucky enough to get within a few feet of two giant hawksbill turtles feeding on the coral. Among the myriad fish swimming among the coral, we saw trigger fish, lion fish, dolphin fish (mahi mahi), trumpet fish, clown fish (straight out of Finding Nemo), tiger fish, and tons more that we don't remember the names of. There were even many schools of bright blue and gold fish that Danny termed "Cal fish".

With a full hour of bottom time, Ashwin outlasted all of the other beginners that had to return to the surface in the middle of the dive. He is now determined to complete his certification so that he'll never again miss the opportunity to dive in some of the best spots in the world, like he did in Tahiti four years ago nearly to the week (not to worry, he did enjoy the exquisite snorkelling there with Janet and Jeremey). May, let's go somewhere tropical and finish what we started. And Mike, let us know of any upcoming dive trips. On our return to shore, we got matching Manta Dive Shop shirts to commemorate this awesome experience. Danny says Ashwin is now a true "world traveller", as 70% of the Earth's surface is covered in water.

After resting and rehydrating (with some Bintang which went straight to our heads as the dry compressed air is quick to dehydrate), we moved to the restaurant next door to the one from last night, and had one of the most amazing meals of our lives. We know that we keep saying that everything we do is "the best ever", but it's actaully true as everything just keeps getting better. Yes, May, it is still paradise, but we don't want to beat a dead horse. Speaking of horses, the only form of transportation on the Gili Islands is horsedrawn wagons, bikes, or your own two feet. It is so nice to be free of the fumes of combustion engines (not that you would know about this, May). Back to dinner... Danny had a mouthwatering, perfectly seared Ahi tuna the size of a large American steak, and Ashwin had the most delectable Mahi Mahi imaginable, whose freshness could not be matched by even the most high end of restaurants in the States.

To end yet another perfect day, we lounged in a bamboo hookah cabana right on the beach with apple-mint flavored sheesha for 3 hours until we couldn't stay awake any longer. We're truly enjoying healthy doses of the hedonistic island life.