22 December. 2011. Thursday.
Thailand. Phucket. Phi Phi Island.
We took a boat from Patong to go o Phi Phi Island. I just wore harem pants, a tank top with a sweater. I had a top and a pair of jeans with me. That's it. i thought I would just get a little wet. I didn't even carry my swimming costume. We were enjoying ourselves on the boat. Then the boat stopped and the man announced something. I couldn't make out by his accent. So I went to my family. And my father said to me "You ready? we're going snorkeling." i was taken aback. I didn't expect that! I was shocked, excited and scared! And then everything happened so fast! We got out life jackets, masks (the goggles with the breathing straw attached). I checked for the paddle shoes, but none fit me perfectly. Then there I stood. At the edge of the boat. The snorkeling mask loosely on my head. I stared at the water below me for some solid five minutes. I saw many people diving in. They looked happy. So many strangers. So many strange languages. I barely understood what they were saying. too much commotion and too much noise. I could hear my mom, dad and aunt scream at me to dive in. I spotted my cousin in the water. I was not ready. Not at all. It seemed impossible and dangerous as hell. I wanted to back out, at that moment. but a little voice inside me spoke. "It's now or never, Zaina. This is what you want to do. You need adventure, thrill and adrenaline in order to survive. Jump." And unwillingly even before the small voice finished talking, my legs jumped. In a fraction of a second, it went from total riot to pin drop silence and peace. I felt relieved, and inspired. I was still underwater. I struggled to breathe and found my way up. I've drowned before and chocked on water. But this was different. I was in the wild, in the ocean, and it was salty sea water. I couldn't breathe. At all. I managed to make my mask off and gulped in tons of air. I was chocking, struggling to breathe and coughing at the same time. I couldn't have managed to float at that moment if it wasn't for the life jacket. I saw my uncle and a lot of other people clinging to the boat and the rope of the anchor. I started swimming towards them, hoping for aid. I saw my brothers there too. None of them were snorkeling- only struggling. "Zaina are you okay?" asked my uncle. I wanted to tell him that i wanted to back out, instead the words "Yeah, I'm fine." stumbled out of my mouth. I guess it was that little voice inside me that made me say it. I realize that the 'little voice' in me controls me totally. After a few minutes of floating, I put my mask on. I didn't go underwater, but it was still difficult to breathe. I did it again and again, to get some practice. Then I tried it with my head down in the water. WOW. Now that's beauty. I could see corals. But the beauty didn't last long. I couldn't breathe and came up. This was really getting difficult for me. I gave it another shot, and another, and another. I finally got a hang of it. I saw some girls at a distance enjoying a lot. I instantly missed my friends. But I decided to go back to my snorkeling. And this time, I aced it. It was mother nature at her best. I could feel every second. the moment reminded me of the deep sea diving scene in ZNMD. marine fish swam around. I could see people all around me, but I felt no one's presence. It was just me, nature (the water and the fish), my heartbeat(which I could hear), and my heavy breathing. Some fish swam by and I felt jealous. Oh, what a life they had! I counted every second and every second felt like an eternity. I wanted to do this much more often. What luck had i scored. I put my head out of the water and the scene totally revolved. the riot and the noise was back. i didn't like it. So after a few minutes, I went back inside. I enjoyed my 'blueish aqua tinted view' to the fullest. It just couldn't get better. i stayed still. And a school of fish (probably tangs) swam right past me. Usually, I would be very scared but now, I guess I was just living the moment. I saw a fish an inch away from my face. The beauty of it never ended. There were some tinier fish biting me all about, but I just ignored it. Snorkeling was just too good. We go out of the water and into the boat as our time was over. I took a shower and was full wet. I got a towel from somewhere and wiped my hair a little. I sat on a seat my father sad saved me. The wind blew past me and tried its best to dry me. I just sat there battling the wind, looking out to the water and archipelago and taking in the moment. Yes, I was living the life I wanted. I felt cold too, because the AC was on and it was windy and my wet clothes stuck to me. But I didn't let that bother me. I had been snorkeling. One thing off my checklist. i would sooo definitely recommend people to snorkel. It gives you a whole different view of life and the paradise god has gifted us- earth. I just fell in love with the moment. I wish I could do it again. And again. And again.
Thailand. Phucket. Phi Phi Island.
We took a boat from Patong to go o Phi Phi Island. I just wore harem pants, a tank top with a sweater. I had a top and a pair of jeans with me. That's it. i thought I would just get a little wet. I didn't even carry my swimming costume. We were enjoying ourselves on the boat. Then the boat stopped and the man announced something. I couldn't make out by his accent. So I went to my family. And my father said to me "You ready? we're going snorkeling." i was taken aback. I didn't expect that! I was shocked, excited and scared! And then everything happened so fast! We got out life jackets, masks (the goggles with the breathing straw attached). I checked for the paddle shoes, but none fit me perfectly. Then there I stood. At the edge of the boat. The snorkeling mask loosely on my head. I stared at the water below me for some solid five minutes. I saw many people diving in. They looked happy. So many strangers. So many strange languages. I barely understood what they were saying. too much commotion and too much noise. I could hear my mom, dad and aunt scream at me to dive in. I spotted my cousin in the water. I was not ready. Not at all. It seemed impossible and dangerous as hell. I wanted to back out, at that moment. but a little voice inside me spoke. "It's now or never, Zaina. This is what you want to do. You need adventure, thrill and adrenaline in order to survive. Jump." And unwillingly even before the small voice finished talking, my legs jumped. In a fraction of a second, it went from total riot to pin drop silence and peace. I felt relieved, and inspired. I was still underwater. I struggled to breathe and found my way up. I've drowned before and chocked on water. But this was different. I was in the wild, in the ocean, and it was salty sea water. I couldn't breathe. At all. I managed to make my mask off and gulped in tons of air. I was chocking, struggling to breathe and coughing at the same time. I couldn't have managed to float at that moment if it wasn't for the life jacket. I saw my uncle and a lot of other people clinging to the boat and the rope of the anchor. I started swimming towards them, hoping for aid. I saw my brothers there too. None of them were snorkeling- only struggling. "Zaina are you okay?" asked my uncle. I wanted to tell him that i wanted to back out, instead the words "Yeah, I'm fine." stumbled out of my mouth. I guess it was that little voice inside me that made me say it. I realize that the 'little voice' in me controls me totally. After a few minutes of floating, I put my mask on. I didn't go underwater, but it was still difficult to breathe. I did it again and again, to get some practice. Then I tried it with my head down in the water. WOW. Now that's beauty. I could see corals. But the beauty didn't last long. I couldn't breathe and came up. This was really getting difficult for me. I gave it another shot, and another, and another. I finally got a hang of it. I saw some girls at a distance enjoying a lot. I instantly missed my friends. But I decided to go back to my snorkeling. And this time, I aced it. It was mother nature at her best. I could feel every second. the moment reminded me of the deep sea diving scene in ZNMD. marine fish swam around. I could see people all around me, but I felt no one's presence. It was just me, nature (the water and the fish), my heartbeat(which I could hear), and my heavy breathing. Some fish swam by and I felt jealous. Oh, what a life they had! I counted every second and every second felt like an eternity. I wanted to do this much more often. What luck had i scored. I put my head out of the water and the scene totally revolved. the riot and the noise was back. i didn't like it. So after a few minutes, I went back inside. I enjoyed my 'blueish aqua tinted view' to the fullest. It just couldn't get better. i stayed still. And a school of fish (probably tangs) swam right past me. Usually, I would be very scared but now, I guess I was just living the moment. I saw a fish an inch away from my face. The beauty of it never ended. There were some tinier fish biting me all about, but I just ignored it. Snorkeling was just too good. We go out of the water and into the boat as our time was over. I took a shower and was full wet. I got a towel from somewhere and wiped my hair a little. I sat on a seat my father sad saved me. The wind blew past me and tried its best to dry me. I just sat there battling the wind, looking out to the water and archipelago and taking in the moment. Yes, I was living the life I wanted. I felt cold too, because the AC was on and it was windy and my wet clothes stuck to me. But I didn't let that bother me. I had been snorkeling. One thing off my checklist. i would sooo definitely recommend people to snorkel. It gives you a whole different view of life and the paradise god has gifted us- earth. I just fell in love with the moment. I wish I could do it again. And again. And again.
