The Tide Has Turned

The tide has turned and swept me from the gritty backpacker world into chi-chi heaven. Its the 1st night of the Borneo portion of my trip that I had intended to do with awesome Peg but she had to cancel for health reasons. Sad about the cancel, sadder about the reason. I am going to try and channel her awesomeness in her absence!

I was practically dripping wet with salt water when I showed up at the Hyatt which is one star higher than previously booked. I had left my bags and some laundry to be done at the backpackers this morning after checkout - I picked it up, rearranged things and left a bag of biking gear in storage there. I'll have one more night at Step-in lodge before I head to Singapore. Anyhow I still had a bag-o-wet-neoprene and my scrubba-come-dry-bag dangling from my arm in the Hyatt lobby and was wearing my flashy floral mountain bike shorts and flip flops (thongs if you are Aussie) so I decided to pretend I was an eccentric rich person and just barrel my way through with a smile. I was thinking of Miranda Hart as the lobby staff greeted me as "hello sir" - such fun!

The lobby has enough mahogany, teak and marble to choke an army of sea horses. After we ascertained that I was not a man, I got my room card and grabbed my bag so I wouldn't have to tip the dudes on the door. I may not be a sir but I can pick up a heavy bag and carry it...as far as the elevator. 

Nice to stretch out on a comfy bed in a soft robe but it was hard work looking at stuff under water and I was hungry. As it happens Chilli Vanilla  was just one short block away!

I had a glass of white wine and a creamy chicken and broccoli pasta then was enticed by the "Hungarian meter" desert. A chocolate coated 1/2 log with a light cake and custard centre. Perfect with an espresso!

Today was another great dive day as I've come to expect. First dive brought us down to where a turtle was feeding and getting cleaned...

...then three more appeared. We saw the usual suspects along with some mackerel and squid feeding. I stared down another cuttlefish at the okay-coral and felt the earth move with another distant reef dynamiting.

The final dive was a shallow slow search for the elusive octopus. All I found was this...

...but we picked up a current around the reef and drifted the last 15 minutes and just took in the the cornucopia of colour. Beauteous way to end my time here.

My dive operator was fab - well organized, professional and personable. Such warmth and hospitality from a groups of young guys who love where they live and what they do. My instructor Strike was shaking his head in response to the Middle East conflicts in the headlines and said, what's the point? just come and dive, relax and enjoy nature!

Works for me ;-)