PADI Certified!



Mark looks like someone I know in Lindsay.....
Except that he has long blonde hair... guess who?



As you may have already read in a previous post, the first people I really met on the island were people that work at the fly 'n dive scuba center.  My first 4 days on the island were spent diving in pools, the ocean, and in a classroom doing bookwork to become open water certified as a PADI diver.   I have done 5 dives so far and they have all been unique in their own way... it has been a great new experience.

1. Mangel Halto-  Nothing too exciting on this dive… I saw a juvenile eel and a juvenile flounder… and was just learning a few skills and getting used to breathing under the water.  It is a lot like wearing an SCBA as a firefighter.

2. The Antilla - The Antilla is World War II shipwreck off the coast of Aruba that is a popular snorkeling and scuba diving destination.

When Germany invaded the Netherlands on May 10, 1940, the relationship between the two nations was obviously strained. As part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, this extended to Aruba. The Antilla was a German U-boat supply ship that was anchored off the coast of Aruba at the time. When a contingent of Dutch Marines told the Antilla to surrender, the captain asked for an extension, and the Dutch accepted and gave the ship 24 hours to surrender.

The Antilla was fairly new at the time, and rather than see her turned over to the enemy, the captain decided to scuttle the ship. After putting the crew ashore, he heated up the boilers, which were amidships, and opened the seacock. When the cold sea water hit the hot boilers, they exploded, ripping the ship in half. It sank in eight minutes.

At 400 feet long, the Antilla is one of the Caribbean’s largest shipwrecks. Only the cruise liners Bianca C and SS Antilles are bigger, at around 600 feet. It lies on its port side at a maximum depth of 55 feet, though it can readily be seen from the surface. (Wikipedia)

Arashi Airplane – This thing was waaay cool… I swam through the inside of the plane like a giant tunnel… and afterwards me and mark stood on top of the plane where the pilots sit and did muscleman and Zeus poses :D  Swimming through here reminded me of the tv show “Lost” when they find the airliner in the ocean.  J  Pictures do this place more justice than my words can.

4. Fingers- So as we are swimming around Mark is constantly making his fingers into a gun and acting like he’s shooting big fish.  Well I followed him through this little arch past what I thought was a beautiful purple plant.  It looked like it was kind of breathing… and I had seen other small plants that suck themselves into tubes when you get close.  Well I expected this “plant” to do the same.  Well Mark started signaling to me to get out of the way and be careful and then he signaled to the other divers to come over.  That purple thing I thought was a plant was really a lionfish!  The lionfish is one of the most venomous fish on the ocean floor. Lionfish have venomous dorsal spines that are used purely for defense. When threatened the fish often faces its attacker in an upside down posture which brings its spines to bear. However, a lionfish's sting is usually not fatal to humans. If a human is envenomed, that person will experience extreme pain, and possibly headaches, vomiting, and breathing difficulties. 

So I didn’t have any “extreme pain” but I had a terrible headache and I started barfing off the side of the boat afterwards.  Could have just been a coincedence I guess…. Who knows?

5. Sponge Reef-  Home of the soft coral ranging from the orange elephant ear sponges to purple and yellow tube sponges. Also lots of vase and small basket sponges.  What’s cool about diving is that the deeper you go colors start to disappear so the deeper you go the more and more blue things get.  That’s not the cool part because it would be cool to see things in full color.  But what is cool is you start to see the most amazing blue and purple things in colors of purple that seem unnatural.  Anyway… I’m loving diving… it’s great.

We saw 5 turtules and a Ray on one of our dives... it was cool being so close to them.

there were swarms of these fish.... it was amazing to see the way they all moved together.



This fish reminds me of Oprah for some reason....



Brain Coral



Aruba not Jamaica... but I'd still like to take ya ;)

It took me 12 hours to get to Aruba.  I flew from SLC, UT to New York the night of the 6th and had a layover and went to Aruba the morning of the 7th.  I was pretty excited about that because the pass ended the 6th so it’s like I got an extra day.

I met a nice girl on the plane... Single.... Recently divorced... I almost asked if she wanted to hang out but I decided that didn’t feel right for the adventure... She was going to a wedding.... Anyway.... I set out on foot.... I asked a bus driver where the nearest beach was.... He said "on foot?” Of course... Anyway... He told me to walk along the highway so I did.  A couple miles down the road I hit a place on the beach called fly n' dive.

I met a guy named john... He is the owner of the dive shop.  I wanted to ask him about a guest house... But I asked him about diving first.... I told him I'd love to dive but I needed to find a place to stay.  I told him my situation.... As far as traveling goes... He offered me a discount and then sent his nephew looking for a place for me.

So I sit on the beach like all day waiting to do this dive... Because they said I was going to.... I met this hotel owner and also another lady who owns a boat offered to let me sleep on her boat.... But I think she wasn’t just being nice so I said no... :)

So finally I go back to the shop and they tell me to start reading a book and to watch some movies.... So this is the cool kind of school :)  I have always done well at school if I applied myself… I feel like I can do pretty much anything if I apply myself…. Scuba is something I have always wanted to do…. So of course I am going to apply myself and pay attention :D  Plus I have this secret desire to be a James Bond type of secret agent… so I gotta know how to scuba right?  And learn some languages… stuff like that…

While I was watching the videos and reading this guy named Mark walks in and asks if I have found a place to stay yet.  I said no… and he told me I could sleep on his floor for the night and he would bring me back the next day to start diving.  A definite roof is always better than a possible roof…. Even if you have to sleep on the floor... so I said yes and we took off.

                                                                                                

When I slept that night Mark flicked a huuuge cockroach off his arm and it seriously flew 2 inches from my face before hitting the wall and scurrying off... haha

I dropped all my stuff off at his house and then we went to a local hangout/bar/mini mart to meet some of his friends.  So when we get there he introduces me to all of his friends and we get to talking and they are all Dutch.  It is crazy… I had no idea that there were a bunch of Dutch islands…. Anyway…. Long story short I meet this girl named Judith… She told Mark that she was going to Holland for 2 weeks and worried about her Dog because she didn’t really want her X boyfriend to take care of it… but that she felt like it was her only option.  Right then Mark tells her that I am looking for a place to stay and that I’ll take care of her dog.  She says she’ll think about it but the next day she said yes!  Woo hoo!!! Free place to crash at for two weeks in Aruba!  Are you kidding me??? I mean I know I have always had good luck… but wow this is just great!

So I went diving 3 days in a row, Friday 1 Dive, Saturday 2 dives, and Sunday 2 dives.  Aruba has some amazing things to see!  I guess I’m kind of spoiled because I’ve seen places where a lot of divers plan trips to go see… like the Antilla.  I’m going to write this blog about Aruba so far and my next will be about my 5 dives.

So far I have met a bunch of Dutch people and a couple of Arubans.  They speak 4 languages on this island.  English, Dutch, Spanish, and Papiamento (Aruban language).

One night I met Vera, Merleen, Janette, and Camilo….  Then next day Vera and Janette came diving (they had been previously) and Janette came Diving on Sunday.  Saturday night Vera and Marleen wanted to go out clubbing and can you believe I said no?  haha I was so tired and I knew I was diving the next day… and I had just got to my new apartment… so I stayed in….  last time I checked it’s not cool to go to a club in hiking boots or sandals :D  I was so tired because Mark kept me out till 3 AM the morning before bouncing from club to club…. And then we woke up at 7 the next day to go diving…. Yeah… I have to leave that whole part out to keep this family friendly… but just know that Mark is a wild man… and well… just make up your own ending and probably everything you think of happened…. Not necessarily involving me…  actually I was so tired of waiting for him to get done partying I eventually went and fell asleep in the car….  But the stories he told me the next day… yeah… crazy…

Yesterday (Sunday) at the beach after my swim two girls came by where I was sitting and just started putting on lotion… seemed like they wee hanging out for awhile so I started talking to them.  My philosophy is that when you are in a new area you need to make as many friends as possible…. Anyway… they added me on facebook... maybe we’ll hang out sometime… who knows?  Since I don’t have a phone here facebook has been my only way of communicating with anyone… sometimes I’ll find a wifi hot spot and I can use skype… so that’s nice.

Sorry I really can’t go into detail about what I think about the people I meet…. Because well I’m gonna see them again… and that might be weird if they read this and ask me about it…. Ultimately I would love for the people that I meet along the way as well as my other friends to read my blog and follow my travels.

I took the dog for a walk today… he’s scared of everything… every time a car drives by he jumps into the bushes… then I walked to the main touristy part of town to buy a cord for my camera so I could finish this blog…. Mark gave me a ride to the grocery store and then into town… time to finish the blog and relax! I walked just over 8 miles today… and I’m just pooped.. and my feet hurt from wearing flip flops….

Utah and Fam!

So I finally made it home to see the family.  The first couple days weren't that great for me cause it consisted of some pretty heavy guilt tripping / counseling from the padres about my life choices.  But after we made it through that everything seems to be going pretty well.















I played tennis with a friend kurt, fixed my dads car replacing the battery with him ( might sound easy... but on a chevy lumina.... its not!), played cribbage with mom and brother (she said she remembered it from when she was a kid but it had been ages since she played), saw some old mission companions, hung out with my 2 sisters (2 of 4) and extended fam, and went to the movies with my brother.  Nothing too exciting... just a lot of relaxing.  Its nice to go back home and eat home cooked meals and just be around your family..... for awhile :D

I went to cabellas for the first time ever... that was really cool... I got some cool stuff there too in the discount cave.  Most the clothes I am taking on this trip are the kind that dry quick.  I bought an extra pair of colombia pants cause I only had one pair.  I also got some hiking books and some new sandals since I lost my first pair in Guatemala and left another pair in seattle.  So... I found this hunters underwear... cause hunters don't shower for days and they STANKY!  so... these underwear have silver fibers in them... which are antibacterial.... normally $20 a piece... I got em for $5 a piece... which still seems expensive... but hey.... If I have to choose between bathing in a cold river... or wearing silver lined underwear......  haha... some days I might just be "the smelly bearded traveler"  is that gross?

So tonight I fly to new york and in the morning I fly to aruba.  This is officially the last flight of my jet blue pass.  I have a 1 way ticket to Aruba and I'll be back when I'm back!  Haha... this feels kind of crazy.  I will update my blog whenever I find a computer and have something to write about... but I am trying to pack light... Right now the plan is to go to Aruba for awhile (till I get sick of it I guess) then boat to Venezuela, over to Colombia, down to ecuador, peru, bolivia, Argentina and probably chile.... heck.. maybe I'll even see brazil, paraguay and uruguay while I'm there.... why not right?  but those last 4 aren't musts.... the first countries are....  Right now the plan is to do everything on foot... car... bus... train... u know?  Even getting back home... I am hoping to take a boat around panama... stay awhile in costa rica.... and then all the way up through central america Mexico and end up in san diego.....   but there is a possibility that the border patrol will contact me in 6 weeks and I'll have to find a way to fly home.... we'll see!

Wish me luck!  And for all of you who think I'm gonna die... I hope you're wrong!

Seattle and NAM MYOHO RENGE KYO

Seattle was great!!!!  Well I only spent a day in seattle and the rest of my time was spent in a place called Oak Harbor on Whidbey (would be) island.  I could live there forever.... by far the most beautiful place I have ever been.  It felt like Minnesota + Utah - Harsh Winters = Perfection.  Really I was disappointed that I only stayed 3 days.  Maybe I'll retire there :)

So I cleaned my house through the night and at 2 am I went over to Gary's house and he took me down to Longbeach for my 7 AM flight.  Corrie was at the airport in seattle to pick me up and we drove straight to pike place market.  We drove past a couple of professional sports stadiums and they were huuuge!  Everything was just so green and clean there.  So the main thing that I wanted to see at the pike place market was the guys throwing and catching the fish.  It wasn't as cool as on TV... but.... still really really cool!  There was a guy pulling on a fish tail and making the fish move while he barked and it scared the kids! Really funny!  We walked through the rest of the market which was really cool cause it was still nick knacks but they weren't the made in china stuff from every ramate.... this was like good handcrafted stuff!!!  

So the market ran right into a park where we took a picture by a totem pole... well this guy who was stoned out of his mind took our picture.... and was kinda mad that we ruined his buzz..... 

So after the market we went to the space needle!  Awesome!  Ok... I went to the empire state building this summer... and I think the ESB is taller... but I liked the space needle better... it has the most beautiful view!  So it's $18 to go to the observation deck.... or a $25 minimum in the restaurant and then you get to go to the observation deck free.... so that's a no brainer.... the food was expensive but if you think about it in that way..... it's not bad!  And the whole restaurant was revolving.... showing a panoramic view of the place..... wow... it was great!

So we drove to Oak Harbor and I fell asleep almost the whole way.   I woke up when we drove the car onto a ferry and it took us onto the island.  It is a huuuuge island... 45 miles long.... and the only place that has an island in the middle of the island... pretty cool huh?  So we stayed with Corries Aunt Carol's house that she had been visiting for the past  couple of months.  She had been there helping take care of her uncle Roy who passed away two weeks before I got there and then was there helping with the funeral and keeping her aunt company.  I also met Corrie's Cousin Robyn and her kids.  We played a lot of cribbage, had great dinners, and I even taught them a little ballroom dancing ( we learned the waltz).  Robyn's house is right by a cliff that has an amazing view of an outlet that cruise ships take out to the ocean.... beautiful sunsets!!!!  I loved playing with the dogs Annie and Jackie.... it's been a long time since I've played with a dog that actually knew how to fetch!!!  Anyway... I am so appreciative that they took me in for a couple days and made me feel like a part of the family.  They were an amazing family!  They don't know that if you're too nice to me I stick around or come back... kindof like a stray cat you feed.... ;D  I slept on a trundle bed that folded down out of what looked like an entertainment center... it was great!

One of Corries favorite thing to do with her uncle Roy was make expresso art.  She made some great ones for friends who stopped by and we tried to make hot chocolate art for me.... it didn't turn out so well..... expresso machines are really cool!!! but expensive... I want like.... a milk steamer to make hot chocolate with...  We went to this rocky beach and stacked and skipped rocks... tons of fun... even though I look bored in the pic :)   got into the water and it was freeeeeeezing!

So the title of this blog... pretty weird huh?  NAM MYOHO RENGE KYO .... let me tell you about it... because I think it applies.  When we decide not to follow the commandments of a higher power of course we are trusting more in the power of ourselves.  While I think that is the wrong thing to do... I still do it... and it's funny how life... or the universe... or the devil... or whoever you want to say is responsible sends things to re-enforce this and try to get us to only rely on ourselves.  While I was near seattle at a bridge over a place called "deception pass" ( :D great name huh?) anyway I was taking a picture with Corrie when we met a guy named Ivko.  We asked him to take a picture of us and then he got talking with us and asked if he could give us something.  Well he gave us both a bookmark with the words NAM MYOHO RENGE KYO on it.  From what I read about it it is the chant that people do to focus and center their thoughts and eventually attain "buddha hood"but when Ivko was explaining it to us he didn't mention buddha at all..... the way he was explaining it it sounded more like "the secret"  for anyone who has read that book....

Nam ="to devote oneself."

MYOHO=  the Mystic Law  myo.. being the essence of life and ho being a tangible form of it?

RENGE=  Talking about the lotus flower... cause and effect.... Karma

KYO=  the voice of a buddha?

Anyway.... I won't pretend to be an expert about something I know very little about but I know that meditation is a true principle that can help people focus themselves to attain those things which they most desire.  To what extreme I would take that is a whole other subject.  For me all religions contain at least some truth if there were a religion with no truth I find it hard to believe that anyone would want to be a part of it.  But I think the secret is not being scared of other organizations or religions because of what you have heard... but rather listen.... take the things which are true... and throw out the rest.  I think of prayer as a form of meditation.  It is also a form of communication.  It is a time when we align our will with the will of God.  That is the most effective way I know how to meditate.  And whether Ivko is right or wrong, the bottom line is he does those things he believes and there's something to be said about that.  I don't pray... I don't meditate.... not deeply at least... a lot of thinking but I'm usually doing something else while I think or reflect.  So if it's chanting NAM MYOHO RENGE KYO, or sitting in silence working out thoughts, or on my knees praying... I think a lesson I have learned from this last leg of the trip is that I need to put serious time and thought into my days.... so that they may have purpose and meaning.

Home Again Home Again Jiggity Jig.

So... I had to return home a little early from the Dominican Republic for a couple reasons.  One... I got sick.... and two I had to finish cleaning out my house.  It took me until the last day to sell my bedroom set and get everything cleaned out.

While I was home I saw some old friends and even went on a date.... it was good times!  Lucky for me I had some friends come and help me move all my stuff to storage or I never would have got everything done.  Then at 2 AM Gary drove me all the way down to long beach to catch my flight to Seattle!!! What a good friend....



Anyway... it was a short visit home and I'm out on the road again.