I have scuba dived all over the world, from the Red Sea in both Jordan and Egypt, to South East Asia, Kenya, Fiji and beyond, however one diving destination will always capture my heart - Borneo.
A funny side note about this particular dive spot is that apart from a disastrous "fun dive" in Thailand (a little more on this later), this is where I first learned to scuba dive.
Travelling had been a lifetime ambition of mine perhaps from the age of six when I heard back from St Lucia's tourist board after sending a letter in a class project to understand the logistics of the mailing system (a lifetime ago), along with my parents insistence on taking me to every field, church and museum in no other country than France growing up (OK nowadays I would love these places, but back then all I wanted was Disney Land!)
With a fairly set in stone travel route planned since I was 13. Education out of the way and a friend to accompany me for the year ahead with only the small concession to my friend regarding my travel route being the addition of India to the start of the trip and I was on my way.
The adventure got off to a great start, with many a story to tell (which I will save for other blogs) from: a 2007/08 New Years eve party spent on a quiet street in Delhi with, barring new friends and some pretty potent alcohol, nothing but a few stray dogs and a wandering cow for entertainment; to getting lost on my own at night in the Thar desert mid camel trek; to hanging out in a bar with what I am pretty sure was the local mafioso and police officers together in Goa.
But I digress,
Full moon parties and Laos tubing adventures later, combined with intermittent bouts of (what felt like) dysentery and the occasional bit of culture along the way, we made it to Koh Phi Phi in Thailand - one of my favourite places on Earth. It was here I had my first scuba diving experience. It was something I had always wanted to try however my inherent fear of water or more accurately: what was in the water had thus far proved problematic to me.
I was never one to venture too far out to sea on a beach holiday, mainly only ever getting water up to my knees, but something in me pushed me to try scuba diving. After persuading my friend and a couple of our new Canadian travel buddies to come with me we looked for the first PADI certified centre we could find and before we knew it were at the local dive spot.
As mentioned it was a bit of a disaster, I was the first into the water (not even an instructor), just me and the open water and my fears of being dragged down by sharks surfaced to the forefront of my thoughts. After FINALLY everyone joining me in the water my next debacle was with my buoyancy aid - the key when starting to dive is understanding buoyancy - Something that did not come naturally to me. After being instructed to lightly press the inflator hose button, I let all of the air out and with the weights attached to me immediately sunk 7 meters to the sea bed with a piercing pain in my ears in tow. Remembering the need to have some air in I fully inflated it and before I knew it was back on the surface again - more pain in ears! This happened for the next 10 minutes before my instructor took over, and after seeing about 3 fish my friend was either so distressed with his own problems or laughing at my stupidity so much that he had ran out of air meaning out trip was over and our money spent feeling like a waste. "Next time spend it on beer" was the presumption.
It wasn't until a few countries of the trip later I was on my own in Borneo, and after visiting rain-forests, orangutans and climbing Mt Kinabalu did the desire re-emerge. I learnedat the dive location of Sibuan Island, which is probably most people's idea of paradise, and this time I have to say it came a lot more naturally to me. Four tough days later I was ready: Open Water certificate in hand I was off to Sipadan.
Even as a non-diver I had heard of this place, and was well versed in the fact that if I could handle the strong currents and the fact it sat on a shelf where on one side the distance to the bottom of the sea was 2 km I would be in for one of the best dive sites in the world.
It was magical, a scuba divers paradise - from Turtle Patch where an over eager German friend I had just met caught a ride on a nearby turtle's back, to caves 20 meters underwater around White Tip Avenue where many sharks roamed (not that scary after all!). My favourite was yet to come - A quick dive through The Drop Off, trying not to think that there was nothing below me for 2 km until we made it to Barracuda Point. Known as one of the highlights of the tiny island and regularly ranked in the top 5 sites in the world, it suitably gets its name from the shoal of Barracuda which are often seen in a tornado-like formation. We saw the tornado, we swam up to it and before we knew it, the tornado of Barracuda had enveloped us all. It measured around 30 ft high, and just wide enough for us to fit in, with arms outstretched on all sides we could touch the Barracuda - not that I wanted too! I was in a tunnel of swirling shimmery silver and blue with only the distant sun shining to let me know which way was up. We were in the middle of this shoal for 10 minutes and half way through the wall of the tornado parted and in came a turtle to join us curious of what all the fuss was about. It stayed with us for a minute or two before patiently waiting for the wall of the Barracudas to open before moving on.
Later that night, a few beers down I was discussing my excitement for my new passion with my new friends and instructors, who mentioned that perhaps I should have waited, perhaps other dive locations will not live up to my new lofty expectations.
I like to think that they were talking in jest, and it is true that further dives around the world have proved incredible to me and the bug is very much there and unlikely diminish. I am however still waiting for that first feeling I had, that excitement, that very real perception I had entered another world.
Perhaps this is true of anything new, but what I do know is I will be back there one day.
As a personal travel advisor, I love helping people choose where will be just as special for them
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