Here I Sit...

... one month on. Yes, one whole entire month ago. I arrived in the Cayman islands to pursue a dream that had remained elusive for far too long. Now, here I sit on the front porch of the house I live in, lovingly dubbed the Olive Garden, enjoying a stiff Rum and Coke. Dave Matthews is serenading me through my laptop speakers as I contemplate just how lucky I am. It's a daily occurrence. I stop, think about where I've been, where I'm going, and just smile.

   This house is called the Olive Garden for two things I guess - It's drab olive colour, and the "jungle" that grows thick around it could be misconstrued as a garden. I find it quite relaxing. I snapped this self portrait on the last days off I had.

   I love working here. I get up in the morning everyday, and though I may be tired, once I walk across the road to Ocean Frontiers, I am excited. Always looking forward to my first dive of the day. Meeting new and interesting people. Even when I am not diving, and I'm stuck on surface watch, looking out at the expanse of the Caribbean Sea knowing that below the boat the ocean floor drops to well below 6,000ft I am thrilled. There are mysteries down there, and new adventures waiting for me, new divers I train, or experienced divers. We get to live the dream together. It's just everything I've wanted.

   I work hard, long days, with sometimes 4 or even 5 dives a day, but what is the alternative? Shoveling and wheelbarrowing. Or being stuck in an office. Or a classroom. I'll take my long days on a tropical Island thanks!

   Last weekend I went to town with some coworkers in their Jeep. This vehicle is not like my jeep. It is a late 80's Jeep TJ that survived Hurricane Ivan, but would have been better off succumbing to the forces of nature. It does not have a roof. It has lots of rust. The rust though, allows the water deposited in the interior from storms, to just leak out the holes in the floor. It kind of makes sense... In a skewed tropical state of thinking. I enjoyed the sea breeze tussling my hair. Until it rained. Hard. We got very wet. I guess the upside is I was no longer as hot. Oh! And we went to the bar to get dry! That is where things took a turn for the worse.

   Very quickly, we got to the pub, ordered drink and wings (it being Wing Wednesday). We had both BBQ and Hot. The hot weren't too bad. All day they had been egging me on to try to "Suicide" Hot Wings. I though if the Hot weren't too bad, and the Suicide were only 2 notches up the heat scale, how bad could they be? And, if you eat all 6 you get them for free. Easy peasy.... I thought. First, the bartender scoffed. Then she brought out the Liability Release and Waiver. I was scared. When the wings arrived my strategy was to eat them as fast as possible. Only six little wings! One and a half later, I was done, finished, crying. Ready to Vomit. Or commit suicide to make the pain go away. The pain lasted well into the night. The boys got their laugh, and I paid for my wings.

   On a nicer note, I came home one night last week to a friendly little creature hanging out on my pillow -

Very brave, and much cuter than this lovely surprise I found in the hallway of the house on morning. Just one of the many joys of living here!

If you weren't able to gather from my last few paragraphs that I am blissfully happy, perhaps I need to practice the art of writing more often. I'm very comfortable here, and I fully believe that island life suits me. It's quiet, but one can still meet great people and have a great time. I do foresee in the far future needing a change, though. If I had one "complaint," it would be the lack of a true, discernible Caymanian culture. To me, it just seems to be a mixing-pot of English, American and Jamaican. I have yet to find any thing that stands out to me as unique. 

   In contrast, while in Thailand, you find the people have their own style of cooking. Their own language, beliefs. There is no other Thailand. I can't find anything in the cayman culture that stands out to me. I think, after my time here, if I am still looking to work within this industry or some aspect of it, I'd love to work somewhere in the South Pacific. While flying to and from Australia I had stop-overs in Fiji, and they as a country and culture, seemed unique! They were not a country that was just colonized and assimilated...

   Oh well, I'm sure I can last here a few years, with diving (and a career) this breathtaking... ;)

These photos and a few other new ones available here.

Speak Soon,

B

Okay,

So I'm shit at keeping this updated. But I just don;t care to write anymore... I'm too busy enjoying life. Sorry. How can I make it up to you? Photo's you say? Really? That's all? Okay - click here.

2 new albums - One of my afternoon diving yesterday. Photo's both above and below the water. The second is just snapshots of the area and bars!

Cheers,
Brock

A New Frontier

Ocean Frontiers. My current place of employment for the foreseeable future.

I arrived here ok, if not tired on Friday to stormy weather and a quick tour of the area and my accommodation. The house is nice, if not a bit dirty, but that's fine. I can live with the scenery - tropical plants, hammocks, and our household puppy Maryposita. She's a cutie! I have pictures for later when I can use the shop internet from the building itself. I'm currently across the road, up a drive way and behind a concrete wall. Oddly enough the connection isn't very good. I have a room to myself with one set of bunk beds, and no new staff for the next few weeks, so the room is all mine! There's a girl living next door in a room to herself, and one of the cleaning lady's lives in the other end of the house with her young daughter, who is such a sweetie. My favourite bit? We also have a kitten that live with us! He doesn't have a name yet, but we're quite fond of each other!

Saturday I sat around and watched some more tropical thunder storms and lighting while listening to thunder BOOM over head. Was pretty boring... I just wanted to get to work! I managed to snap a few pictures of our pets and the house... will get those up when internet picks up.

Had my first day of work today... Was long, tiring and hot, but not nearly as long tiring and hot as hard landscaping in the Shuswap! The diving is amazing, the people are nice, but it is the busiest week this place has ever seen, so I'm a bit lost. I just keep busy, keep asking for things to do... Will expand on the work later when i have the energy and a touch more Battery life left.

Ciao,
Brock

Salmon Arm,

I dedicate this video to you.

Warning: Language!

Beard...

...I bid you adieu. I say goodbye to you after near a year together. You kept my face warm. You made me look well beyond my 22 years. Well, I think you made me look gosh darn handsome if i do say so myself (I know at least one girl who would agree). Most importantly, having you around my chin allowed me to avoid my least favourite bit of morning routine: shaving. It's bittersweet, but I'm back with my razor... I'm sorry, I had to!

You see, I've gotten a new job that sounds absolutely wonderful. Having that job requires me to keep up a professional image, not to mention the fact that having a clean shaven face allows my dive mask to seal better. Important when spending hours in the water teaching others Scuba. Yes! The rumours are true. I've accepted a job in the Cayman Islands with Ocean Frontiers. There, I will be Dive Instructor/Boat Crew/Front Desk Guy. To say I'm excited is an understatement.

This is what I spent 6 months on the Great Barrier Reef and 7 months in Poo-Hole Pattaya training for. This is what I'm good at. This is my passion. I've taken a few detours over the past year and a half, but I'm finally within reach of my dream. Don't forget now, these dreams were but seeds in my head 3 years ago when I began my own Open Water training (learning to dive). Now here I am, embarking on a venture that may see me working and living in the Caribbean for possibly up to 7 years. No more Poo Hole. No more Detours. No more Beard. A new chapter.

As of this coming Thursday July 15th, I will once again be a true expatriate (for a while), and life will be be far more interesting to write about. So, I promise to keep this blog updated, regularly, with further tales of my escapades above and below the surface.

I guess I should go shave again - stuff grows in quick over 3 days!

B

I'll be back...

Okay, now that I'm back into my own apartment (a different one - more on that later) I'll get back to writing. I am slowly getting the urge again now that my laptop is back on a desk.

Lots to catch you all up on, but not enough time right now. Its bed time, as early rising for work in the a.m.!

Copper Island Diving

So, it's been a while again, I know. Things are just now starting to get interesting in this town. No longer do I work, go home, eat, read, sleep - with slight variations. Thursday night I joined the owner of Copper Island Diving, Paul, his girlfriend, and his full time instructor Sherri at the pool to practice cold water skills, and to brush up on some teaching.

Friday morning was a beautiful day to work. The sun was shining, and temperatures were supposed to reach 22 degrees Celsius! Our boss took us out for a big breakfast at 6am, as he does some Fridays, then we headed out to the farm where we were finishing up our job for the week. By 10am, I was done work and at home. I phoned the Dive shop to see if I could join them teaching a group of High School students in the pool. My assistance was welcomed with open arms, and I packed up my still wet dive kit, then hopped in the jeep and went down to the shop. We packed up 13 tanks and enough kit for 10 students, then made our way to the pool.

All the students had a classroom session on a Friday past, so we worked with them, helping them assemble their gear, kit up, and enter the water. Once in the shallow end of the pool, we did the usual "Try Dive," or "Discover Scuba Diving" skills, the mask clear and regulator remove/replace. We did a bit of buoyancy practice and confidence building swim in the shallow end, then we made our way to the deep end for a bit of a play. There's a was a bit of up and down, and some fins to the face, but everyone had a blast, and we spent  a good half hour just swimming around, watching the kids try and get their buoyancy down as they swam about and tossed the underwater frisbee around. It was so much fun, and great to be back into an Instructor position, as intermittent as it may be.

This coming Tuesday night an Open Water Diver Class is starting, and I'll be sitting in on that, seeing how SSI does things! It will basically be an orientation for the students, and a bit of an explanation of the equipment, before they get in the pool on Thursday. I'm looking forward to it! One step closer to being both a PADI and SSI Instructor. AND, at some point I may even be able to work at the shop on Saturdays, manning the front desk, doing sales, that kind of thing.

Check out the shop's new website here. The site is still under construction...

Will be Drysuit diving next weekend if all goes well!

Speak soon, Brock

Chatroulette

Not sure if any of you have heard of Chatroulette yet. It's an interesting concept, with limitless interactions available. I recommend reading this article at CNET.com to get a feeling of what the site is about, and to see a few videos of it in action. I think the whole idea is phenomenal. Random meetings with total strangers anywhere in the world. If you need a good laugh, watch both the YouTube Videos embedded in the article. So funny!

I'm too chicken to try it, are you?

Blindness

While I sit here tapping away at the keys of my laptop, I want you to know I am enjoying a piece of nearly the best cake I have ever tasted. This is not your usual Superstore frosted cake. You know the kind. Halfway through a piece you realize the frosting tastes like what you'd imagine Diabetes tasting like, and you start to scrape it off or pass it on to a young child. Preferably the child of someone else. This cake... the frosting is that fancy Fondant stuff they apply in sheets, and it has little flowers stamped on it. Its sweet, but not too sweet. The cake itself... Chocolate. Fluffy, moist, rich. I had a piece for breakfast, and surprising even myself, I saved this one for later. Later being now! The cake is from my Boss' wife's birthday party I attended last night.

The party was an uneventful one. Took place outside, around a wonderful fire. The alcohol flowed freely enough to let the conversation flow as freely. A variety of snacks were set out for the night, and the cake arrived with a tray of matching cupcakes. I had 2 of them. It was a nice little party, with a nice little hangover had by all this morning.

I spent my day on the couch watching a movie and reading a book. The movie was City of God, and I have been hearing mention of this movie for a while now. One of my friends even described it as the best film he had ever seen, and I nearly agree with him. City of God is now up there among my top favourite films. Not the top, but damn near close. It follows the rise of gangs in the slums of Rio de Janeiro from the 60's though the 80's, and we see the story unravel through the eyes of narrator Rocket. Rocket aspires to avoid the violence and crime around him to one day become a professional photographer. The whole film has a grittiness about, a roughness... One particular scene of excessive violence against a young "Runt," the children gangsters, was particularly intense. I highly recommend you see this movie now! ASAP


The book? Blindness, written by Jose Saramago. It was made into a film not too long ago, and I wanted to see it (ironically enough, the film was directed by the director of City of God!), but decided to read the book first. Its the tale of a wave of blindness, affecting a few citizens of a city. This blindness is apparently infectious, so all those affected are quarantined in an abandoned mental institution. As their numbers grow, with the army waiting at the gates to kill any of those attempting to leave, food running short, and tempers short, let the mayhem begin. So far, a good read.


We're working in Revelstoke for the first few days of this week. Its about an hour away, so my day is starting at 6am tomorrow. Fun. I do get paid for the drive there though... I'm looking forward to having a new guy working with us. He starts tomorrow, and from the sounds of it, he and I will be working on a few projects alone this week. He's my age, so will be a good change from working with 2 older family men! We'll see how he works out though. Our work is not for everyone. Matt has had guys walk off the job after 3 hours!


Okay, I need to get off here so I can get back to my book before I crawl into bed super early tonight. Up just after 5 tomorrow!


See you soon, B

It's about bloody time...

Actually, it's been ages. For the first time in my entire blogging career I actually procrastinated. That led to more procrastination, which brings me to this point - Trying to squeeze 2 weeks worth of stories into one writing session. It feels like homework now...

So in the past 2 weeks I have:

• Hung out with my little sister while she was here visiting. We took my Jeep out for a spin in the mud after I had it worked on again at the mechanic. She got to drive - 

• I've fully moved into my own Bachelor Pad. It. Is. Awesome. I've got it all set up how I like it, with my very own book case with all my own books out of their boxes. I've printed out an array of photos from my  various travels of the past 4 years, all mounted in some nice collage like frames. I'll take some pictures of the various rooms when I get a camera.
• I spent half of last week and the weekend with my mom, her boyfriend, my sister and her boyfriend in Sun Peaks while they worked a conference. I got to ski Friday and Saturday. I. Was. Awesome. If I'm never able to dive, I'll sell all my kit and buy some skis and go be a ski bum. It is so much fun, dodging trees, making fresh tracks in newly fallen Snow. 10cm worth. Its another lifestyle I could see myself gravitating towards. I also drank lots, and hung out with my Aunty Nette, who I have not seen in 6 years! Good week/weekend all around.

I think that's you all about caught up. Having my own place that lacks both Cable and Internet (still, leading to my procrastination) has allowed me to start catching up on some long overdue reading. Now, I've been a Dive Professional since late 2007 when I became an SSI Dive Control Specialist. In 2008, I became a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor. It's far too easy for someone of my age to feel near invincible in a sport where pushing limits is the norm, though frowned upon. Once becoming a "Pro," it was far too easy to believe I knew it all, and that I could handle any situation like many of my colleagues. Simple to forget that holding an Instructor Card, like a Driver's License, should only allow you to go out and gain experience.

All new dive professionals need to pick up this book, and read it through cover-to-cover - Diver Down: Real-World SCUBA Accidents and How to Avoid Them. I'm only half way through, but I have learned invaluable lessons on nearly every page. The author has a way of writing that makes even the most mundane bits of information (Cave Diver Certifications) an exciting read. The book is divided into short chapters, each dedicated to a single incident. As a pro, I was able to identify with each situation, some hitting too close to home and seeming all too familiar. Go get this book now, especially if you think you know all there is to know in the dive world.


Then, pick up this book - The Last Dive. I began this one a few weeks ago and finally finished it in Sun Peaks over the weekend. Though not nearly as well written as Diver Down, this book delves deep (bad pun) into the history and origins of the more extreme segments of our sport, cave diving and tech diving. Bernie Chowdhury has a habit of repeating himself every few chapters, as if the reader would have forgotten the science behind something, which I found annoying. He does offer an excellent story mixed with a mystery, leading to a terrible accident can't help but know is coming. It's his chapters dedicated to the accidents that truly bring the book alive, and any pro would be foolhardy not to read this book. Especially if you still feel invincible after reading Diver Down. Maybe not the best read for anyone interested in becoming a diver...


As is my usual, here is a song I love RIGHT NOW. The Artist, Phoenix. The song, 1901. It's from that super cool Cadillac Commercial. Enjoy -



See you soon, hope to write sooner, B

I'm workin' on it!

I'll write a full blog post soon. Really, I will! I've been super buys this week sorting out a place to live. I found a nice suite for $525 month, about a 5-10 minute walk from my Boss's house where I start work every morning. I've spent most of the week moving boxes over, setting things up, and trying to scrounge up some furniture with help from my family. Should be ready to move in this weekend, as I managed to get a queen size mattress, box spring, bed frame, desk, dresser and coffee table for $55 at the second hand store! I'll be buying myself a nice sheet set tomorrow and 2 more pillows, then I just need to do a grocery shop on Saturday.

Very much looking forward to having my own space for the first time, ever! Exhausted now and must sleep after a very tough (physically) week at work, and late nights getting my place ready.

Will right more soon, promise!
B

Crazy Cat Lady

Well, it has been a few buys days. I'm currently in the process of trying to find my own place, and it's been interesting to say the least. First place I checked out? Yes, Crazy Cat Lady. I kid you not. I should have backed right out of the driveway when I saw 2 cat-scratch posts in the window, and 2 hair covered cat beds sitting outside the front door. The house was nice, if not a bit messy. The stench of cat wee did hit my like a brick when I first walked in, and as soon as I was warned to keep my door shut to prevent one of the cats spraying on my belongings, I realized it probably wasn't for me. Oh! Crazy Cat Lady's 98 year old mother also lives in the basement. My kind of company! Partay!

   I checked out one nice guy's place, but he was a bit older and we'd have to share the kitchen and entryway. Very nice place, with lots of room to myself, but if I wanted to live with my dad, I'd stay here. The winner though, would have to be my visit to a brand new, two floor home, with huge bay windows looking down the length of Shushwap lake's Salmon Arm (the arm of the lake, not the city) with mountains framing the view. Beautiful home, but she was older than my Grandmother, and seemingly a whole lot stricter. Once again, not my thing! Today I went to Blind Bay, about 20 minutes away to see about a room to rent in a split level home. Very nice.  Two guys in their early 20's live there full time, and the homeowner is 30ish, and splits her time between Kamloops. I had the choice of a very small room for $375/month, or a Master Bedroom w/Ensuite, newly renovated for $575 a month. Newly Reno'd to the max. Stunning place. Almost a lake view from the huge deck with BBQ, and a large backyard. I think the single thing holding me back from jumping on it is the 20 minute drive, and the amount of fuel I'd end up paying for this summer for all the back 'n' forth. I've got a full 1 BDRM Suite to look at tomorrow not far from here (my Dad's house) and even closer to my Boss's house, where I start work each morning. Maybe that will end up being perfect? Cross your fingers for me!

   Feeling EXTREMELY Patriotic at the moment with all the GOLD our country has been winning lately. Our athletes have turned "Blown The Podium" back into the intended "Own The Podium!" We're currently one of 3 Nations to have ever won 13 Gold Medals in the Winter Olympics. Along with us are The Soviet Union in 1976 and Norway in 2002. Finger's crossed for tomorrow's Gold Medal game against the Yanks!

   Another quick note: My Windows 7 Release Candidate (RC) is about to expire, so I'll be wiping my computer clean and starting anew with an old version of Vista, then possibly upgrade to Windows 7 Full. I may be out of contact for a while if the copy of Vista I got fails to work!

   Okay, time to get back to my book. I've (slowly) started reading The Last Dive, by Bernie Chowdhury. It's been on my "Must Read" list for quite awhile, and I'm happy to be finally digging into it. Not exactly an uplifting story, but one with a great lesson. I'll let you know what I think of it as I get deeper into it.

   While reading my book, I plan to listen to my new favourite acoustic artist, Joe Purdy. I imagine most of you may have heard this song, either from the DAWN Soap Commercial, or an older episode of LOST. I leave you with Wash Away (Reprise), by Joe Purdy. Enjoy,

See you later, B

A little bit of Affirmative Thought

"The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it." - Moliere

   The wheels are turning... I'm thinking... Party. Memories. Friends. One night in June... Whitehorse, YT.

You in?

The Future Awaits

I, yes me, have spent the last 2 hours looking at... wait for it. Deep breath now... Oh the tension! University Courses. *GASP*

Yes. After 5 years of traveling the world, diving, working, living, I feel it's finally time to possibly, maybe, think about continuing my education. After a tough first week back at work, I had a few things to think about. Now, I love traveling, and losing the freedom to get up and leave at any point in my life to jet off to some distant tropical island scares me. But there are only so many times one can do that and return to what feels like a go nowhere job.

Don't get me wrong, my current position with Rampton Rockworks is okay. I make a great wage, get along with the people I work with, get fit, and receive 3 months off every winter. Sounds great, but for how long do I want to carry concrete blocks, dig, and generally wear my body out? It doesn't seem to provide much of a challenge, mentally, just being a labourer. My boss has been doing it for well over 16 years, and as far as I can see, he'll be doing it for that much longer. As long as his joints hold out. It'd be an excellent trade to learn, and I could work outside everyday - just like I promised myself I would do in my youth. I used to think I would do well in the trades too, I just feel... There has to be more. I want to know more about the world I love to explore.

Every trip, my book collection grows, and I want to devour more. I want to read all the classics, the books that have defined eras in their pages. Changed the way we look at humanity, the planet, the holocaust, ourselves. I want to know WHY. WHEN. WHO. Sadly, I get home from abroad and priorities change. The TV is on. The internet is readily available, distracting me for hours with articles on the latest DSLR's, films, or Olympic standings.

Thankfully tonight the blasted interweb took me on a path first to Okanagan College. What about some upgrading? But wait, I could do an Associate Arts Degree in English for 2 years in Kelowna, then transfer to a larger University for another 2 years. Sweet! In my excitement (1hr 45min ago) as I went to say Good Night to Dad and Colleen, I mention all this to them. Dad, the genius he is, recommended I look into UBC Okanagan. It looks like an even nicer school, and I could do a full Bachelor of Arts Majoring in English. School would provide me with the opportunity to discover all the things I want to unearth.

And I'm sure I'd still find the time to have a party or two, along with meeting new and interesting people...

I just have so many options available to me -

• Work for the summer in my physically demanding but well paying job, then go teach diving somewhere beautiful, but return in the spring to work another long season at the same physically demanding but well paying job to pay off incurred debt. Or, if I was lucky, move onto another beautiful locale and keep teaching diving.
• Work for the summer in said Job, then go to New Zealand on a Working Holiday Visa for a year, with a few side trips over to Australia (which I must visit again). Then, not sure. Maybe have to return to said Job.
• Work for the summer in damned Job, attend University in September for 4 years, then get a career. Perhaps as a writer, for an esteemed publication such as Scuba Diving Magazine, Sport Diver, DIVER or something in the travel/adventure vein. At the very least I'm sure I could secure myself a journalistic position with the Salmon Arm Observer.

The world is my oyster, and I have an abundant amount of serious thinking to do. The Future Awaits...

See you later, B
If you have any worldly advice that you think I may benefit from, please email me. DAMMIT! I was meant to start reading my new book tonight.

My Favourite Song Right Now

Fitting.

Work...

...is Work. A means to an end. The end being dive instructing once again in a beautiful, warm, tropical, sub-tropical, toasty, or otherwise non-frozen place. With little to no heavy lifting, digging, loud machinery (except compressors, compressors are ok), or the word Flip. It was fine last summer when I was dating a great girl who frowned upon the use of the most common curses, but we're men. Big strong, loud, mud covered frustrated men. And this year, if I'm frustrated, I want to let out my frustrations how I see fit, even if that means dropping the "F-bomb". The real "F-bomb", not FLIP!! Can you tell I had a bad day at work?

   I've finally decided on a name for my Jeep. I've been trying to think of one since I got it, but the only thing that has managed to stick in my head is Bullwinkle! The few photos my Dad Mike had of the Jeep had that name in the file, for whatever reason. So, I shall now impart upon you the first New Adventures of Brocky and Bullwinkle!! I know, I impress myself at times...

    I got off work early yesterday, thanks to a cough due to cold. Well, not really, despite my sad physical state, it was the continuous pouring rain that put an end to the fun of carrying paving stones. I came home, had a nice long hot shower, then promptly headed for the Walk-in clinic. Nearing 3 weeks with this cold, and I'd had enough. But that's not the interesting part of the day. After the doctor, I went and sourced/priced out a few parts for Bullwinkle. No luck. That was okay, because I knew of a great old logging road that went past a large gravel pit. Maybe, just maybe, there would be some mud there. Sure enough, farther up the road, I found some. Then I found a field with some trees, abandoned fire pits, old ammunition and wet grass. Some of the trees, the fire pits, and the ammunition are still there. I made the grass into mud! Honestly, it was just an opportunity to test out the 4x4! Bullwinkle got mighty covered in mud after many, many laps around the little Mud Track I made myself, as did I... and the interior, when I foolishly left the window open for a lap. No matter, the goofy grin plastered on my face stayed for many hours after! Plastered on like mud to a jeep... I'd take photos, but my camera managed to find the floor too many times.

Good news, I've reached a milestone for myself. I don't think I can say it any better than this kid -


See you soon, B (&B)

Home

Well, I'm going to make this quick as for the first time in 3 months, I must be up for work in the morning and it's getting on 10 o'clock. Definitely not too excited about that. I was making my lunch earlier this evening, and it finally hit me I'm back in the real world. It is great to be home though, and I have decided Salmon Arm is my home. It's a beautiful place... all of BC is. I drove my Jeep from Vancouver down the Coquihalla Highway to Salmon Arm and I was impressed by the scenery after every bend in the road.

   The Jeep. I love it. I spent about an hour in the driveway today just tinkering with it. It needs a few things fixed, here and there. A screw tightened, a screw replaced, ball joints replaced and a wheel alignment. All with time though. Extremely liberating to just be able to grab my own car keys and drive my own vehicle into town on my own schedule. I'm proud to be the owner of such a nice truck. My Mike Dad was telling me I could sell it in the fall before I went traveling again, but after 4 days with the thing, I do NOT want to let it go. It's such a good vehicle for me. I cannot wait to start tossing some dive gear in the back.

   Speaking of dive gear, my first day back in town I stopped into the Local Dive Shop (LDS), Copper Island Diving. I was inquiring about doing a crossover to become an SSI Instructor to go along with my PADI rating. Being dual certified would make me that much more employable next winter, and I'll be able to work with the LDS on weekends and evenings throughout the summer. I really need to stay active in the dive community as much as possible.

   All I need is some super warm wetsuits to keep me warm. A drysuit will just be too pricey! I'm sleepy, and it's going to be a loooooooooong day tomorrow,

See you later,
Brock M. Kelsch
OWSI# 496457

Three Things: Golden Retrievers, Karma, and Thanks.

Golden Retrievers? Huh? Yes, an odd thing to speak of in a blog intended to chart the path of my adventures, but please bear with me. Years ago (I'm terrible with the dates) our family lost one of it's dearest members. Pelly, our faithful Golden Retriever had to be put down, due to cancer. We had him oh... 9 years? A wonderful dog and it was devastating to lose him. This isn't about him though... I don't think.

   I'm not a religious man. Spirituality? Karma? Existentialism? I guess I have a "pick 'n' mix" take on that aspect of life. Well, I'm starting to believe that perhaps Pelly is looking out for me, or that he as least sending me a sign from time to time that I'm on the right path. I have not one, but two occurrences to back up my crack pot theory.

1. December (or November) 2008, Koh Samet, Rayong Province, Thailand. Tara and I were escaping the seediness and noise that was enveloping us in Pattaya. The trip was also meant as a nice romantic getaway for the both of us, as she had to return to England not long after. We were a new couple, and a few days on a secluded beach in a wooden bungalow away from various pollutions (noise, air, prostitute) was just what we needed. I was head over heels for this girl, and life was just... perfect. One day we forced ourselves off the beach and headed to the north end of the island. The National Park end. We hiked around, took some photos, watched some fishing boats. It was picturesque (honest, I have the pictures!). Out there, at the far end of the island, a dog appears.

Not your typical Thai flea bitten, scabies ridden, patchy, gross looking mutt you'd fear to touch with 39 1/2 ft. pole. This was a stunning Golden Retriever. Out in the backwoods, of some small Thai Island, here is a brilliant dog. Clean, happy, just looking around for something to eat in the rocks and grasses. In the moment of snapping this picture I thought of Pelly, and how he seemed to be saying to me, "This is a happy moment, don't forget it." Something along those lines...

2. January & February 2010, Pattaya, Chonburi Province, Thailand. The Bum hole of Thailand. You've all listened to me describe it many times over, and to be honest I'm running out of descriptors. If you don't know what Pattaya is about yet, read back through my posts. So, I'm in Pattaya, but still managing to have the time of my life. Great friends, okay diving, but I feel most importantly, a great outlook on life. I was, quite honestly, high on life. Over the course of a few weeks, going about my business (my business being teaching diving, drinking, and socializing), everything was grand. I had passed the mental hurdle of not only being shafted by the shop manager, but also being newly single. I had made a select few, great new friends (preciosa...), and I was soon on my way to Koh Chang. There he was again. Another beautiful immaculate Golden Retriever. I saw him in the morning on my way to work. I saw him at 3am in the morning outside a Beer Bar. I saw him wandering happily with a female companion. The universe/god/Pelly/my own overactive imagination just letting me know life was good, and the world's not such a terrible place. Crazy? I'm not a psychiatrist. I'll leave the diagnoses to Alison!

   A quick note on Karma - Walking Street, 3am-ish, all my friends lost. Getting money out of the ATM so I can have another drink or 2 and keep dancing in the club. Standing there outside 7-11 entering my PIN and a small boy comes up next to me and starts begging. So here I am, drunk Farang (foreigner) getting out 5,000Baht, and this cute starving kid with big eyes looking into my soul. I can give him the last 100Baht I have in my pocket, can't I? That's what, $3? $3 and a bus ride home. Nothing in the big scheme of things. So this little munchkin runs away 100Baht richer, and... the ATM won't give me my money. I'm stranded on walking street, chump change in my pocket, all my friends lost to the wind (or nudie bars) and no one answering my texts. Luckily, I have a drunken glow about me, a positive attitude and I'm feeling good about my good deed. Let's try the next ATM! I begin my trek up Walking St., hoping to stumble upon help or another bank's machine. Not 5 minutes up the road (that's not very far on walking st, with all the people and the state of me), I bump into my good friend Casey, on his way to catch a baht bus home. A ride home, and he pays for me! Totally worth 100baht. Wasn't much of a short note, eh?

   The Past Few Days - Not much has happened really, in the way of activities. We've explored some more book shops, watched a few movies. I've wrestled with my youngest brother Creighton. Little savage he is... I think his best move is when he grabs a finger, any finger, and snaps it backwards near it's breaking point. That one, or the pinching. I told him pinching is a girls move, but then he snapped my pointer finger back till it popped. Um... hmmm... anything else... Oh! YEAH! My Dad Mike just gave me a 1998 Jeep Cherokee! Needless to say I was speechless. I couldn't find the words...

   Perhaps through this medium I can try and better express my thanks. Thank you. The gift of a vehicle, any vehicle is above and beyond what a scummy backpacker such as myself would expect after 4 years of traveling the world and living in a basement, only making/spending enough money to fund his next trip. The gift of a vehicle that will allow me to have Adventures this summer... Diving, Camping, Hiking. I'm already plotting where to go and what to do. The independence I will gain from having my own set of wheels... it makes me so happy. Just as long as I don't spend too much on fuel! Once again, Dad, Thank you. I'll be sure to fill this blog with the tall tales of my experiences. Not unlike what I've done the past 3 months!

Thank you, See you later,
B

What to do...

Oh, Canada! Yes, I made it home. My mom picked me up at the airport with her boyfriend Bert and his two boys, then it was onward to his house for a bite to eat. After I was sufficiently fed and the boys were attached to their PlayStation 3, we headed to the local pub for a few drinks and a few more tales. I really enjoyed getting to know Bert that little bit more, as our meetings have been few and far between. A very interesting man, who really, really needs a new job! Upon returning to the house, Bert went to bed, and mom and I got comfortable on the couch and sat up talking until well near midnight. I slept like a log, then rolled myself out of bed at 9, hoping to avoid Jet Lag as best I could.

I'm at my dad, Mike's house in Richmond, now. Great to see not only him, but my two younger brothers as well. I don't see the little rascals near enough. Last night... In bed by 10, but awake by 3am. I tossed and turned, drifting in and out of sleep until 8am, when i dragged myself out of bed. So much for being in this time zone! Today we lazed around, then drove around scrounging around a few Used Book Shops. I scored a few old Diving Manuals. I get a kick out of them, and I'm slowly building up a little collection. I love seeing what equipment was top of the line in 1976, and how terrifying the seas were!

So I know I'll be struggling to find things to write about the next while. Technically, I'm still a Yukon Expatriate, so the basis for my blog hasn't changed. On the other hand, I am no longer (for the time being) traveling abroad. Those of you living vicariously through me may not be able to find what you came looking for. The others, those of you trying to stalk me on Facebook and not finding near enough information about my current affairs, will be pleased to know I will do my best to keep you updated here. Stalkers.

I miss my Hammock - (tried uploading a pic of me being very chilled out, but not working right now)

See you later, B

Home James...

The last week and a bit... has been something. It's what traveling is all about for me. Chance meetings of great people, nights of drunken revelry that, despite copious amounts of alcohol, stay in your memory forever, and moments/hours/days that take your breath away. A great deal of excitement went down, a whole load of chillaxin was done, and some sweet diving was dove(?).

Sadly, now I am off home. Currently, at this very moment, sat in a cafe in the Taipei Airport, Taiwan. Freezing my nads off as well. Why did i decide to travel in shorts and a t-shirt? Not really sure what to blog about... I know there's probably a furor of excitement awaiting photos and details of my time spent on Koh Chang. I need to... absorb it all. I was, more than once, on the edge of missing/changing/canceling my flight home just to stay there, be a beach bum, and actually get into teaching some diving. It's a brilliant place...

   Life, though... Thinking logically (without a certain Viking whispering certain ideas in my ear), I know the smart thing to do is go home, start work, get myself sorted, and, if I'm still wanting to teach diving in a few months time, go do it. But I'd do it properly. I'd get a JOB. No more Mermaids Dive Center. I've had enough of them. Why pay to work for them? Sounds ass-backwards to me. Sort myself out a nice bungalow... out on the boats everyday... *sigh* That was the dream just over a year ago. I need to remind myself every so often I only get to live this life once.

   A moment you realize you are truly alive: dancing like the world isn't watching, in a club at 4am, in Walking Street Pattaya, on top of a speaker the size of a SMART car, reminiscing about a months worth of great experiences, buzzed on Vodka Lipo, and managing to find the mental capacity to phone your mom and yell at her how awesome you are. Heck yes.

   Life isn't about how many breaths you take, but how many times life takes your breath away.

See you soon, B

Oh, my camera died. One too many drops onto a hard marble floor apparently... SD card is still good though, so no pictures lost! Speaking of LOST, I still have 4 hours untill my flight is supposed to board. Luckily I have downloaded the 1st 2 episodes of LOST Season 6!!! WOOOOOOOOO!