Woke up at about 7am and snoozed the alarm a few times until 8am as the restaurant didn't open until 8:30am We had breakfast then headed over to The Safari Dive center in Playa Chica. It's only about 10 mins in a taxi and about €4 so not even worth the walk.
I was lucky as I had a one to one course as there was only me doing. it so it was easier to go through stuff at my pace and not have to wait until 3 or 4 other people understood everything. We spent the first part of the day going through all the equipment and how to assemble and dissemble it all before and after each dive.
I am so glad I wasn't with other people when we first went into the water as I got a bit overwhelmed and had a bit of a panic attack. We hadn't even gone under the water but it all got a bit much. I had a really tight wetsuit on, the jacket with the different things in, a weight belt, snorkel mask, and respirator and was bobbing around on my back trying to put my fins on while the waves were splashing over me. I couldn't get used to breathing through the mouthpiece and felt like I wasn't getting enough air. For a split second, I thought to myself "I can't do this" and took my snorkel mask off. Anyway I got myself together and my instructor Andreas helped me get my fins on and we started to go underwater. Again at first, it all felt a bit much as it wasn't just like doing a dive, I had 24 different tasks to watch him do and then repeat. These ranged from basic things like letting your mask fill with water and then flush it out by breathing down your nose while tilting the mask at an angle. To more scare things like taking your respirator out of your mouth and letting it fall away, then reaching round for it and putting it back in and getting rid of any water that went in your mouth while performing all this.
The second dive didn't seem as bad as I kinda knew what to expect but I still struggled with the bloody fins. That's another incentive to lose weight when I get back because a) my fitness level is shite and b) when you have your gut in the way as well as all the other gear it's hard to bloody find your feet never mind reach them lol.
After the second dive Andreas said we'd have another rest and then go down again. This was about 4pm and I was already goosed and hungry (nobody likes me when Im hungry). So I asked if I could do the other dive tomorrow instead. He said that because we had flown through a lot of them today it should be okay. Phew!
Layla wasn't back from her boat dive so I went up to a restaurant along the marina and got myself some food. I had bread and Oili oili and what I thought was gonna be a small tapas dish of meatballs. It came with chips and was far too much for me, so I left some of it.
By the time I had finished Layla had completed her dive so walked up to meet me and got the bread and some garlic prawns. Now THAT would have done me. I'll try that tomorrow.
After a late lunch we headed back to the accommodation and had a dip in the pool. I actually learnt how to swim with my eyes open underwater for the first time. It;s much easier to do a length when you dont have to panice about hitting your head on the other side cos you can see it.
We then got showered and ready for dinner in the restaurant, which wasn't up to much to be fair, but we knew that from the reviews. I just had soup and a salad and Layla wasn't too hungry so just had a bit of soup.
The original plan was that we were going to have dinner and then go to bed as the first day is always the most tiring. After Laylas had a couple of red wine and cokes she was suddenly possessed with the spirit of Song and wanted to go to Karaoke cos she has '2 songs inside her". We got a cab to the one me and kirsty used to go to last time we came but it must have been too early cos it was just sports on the telly.
Notice the Tavern Polo shirt ;-)
After walking the whole length of the main strip we eventually found a Karaoke place but the woman wasn't there yet and wouldn't be set up until about 9:30pm. So we ordered a drink and waited. Sure enough she turned up and by 10pm Layla was up.
I did one in between and then she did her second one. Then came her third one and some guy tried to get up singing it with her since it's a duet (shallow). I knew this wouldn't go down well because Layla tends to sing songs in her own style and doesn't really follow the melody or the words to the letter. Anyway, after that song, she decided she was saying out, so I got a cab home. Don't get me wrong, on any normal holiday it would have been me you couldn't get to go home, but the purpose of my trip was to do my PADI course. The last thing I needed on top of all the anxiety I already had was to be tired and hungover. We only had €10 in the kitty so we had €5 each for a cab home. She assured me should only be an hour after me.
Famous last words.
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