Bubbles

It's our last full day here. Despite the fact that today is going to be an exciting one, there is a tinge of sadness as none of us want to go. Actually, last night I sent an email to the 24 hour help line asking if we could extend another week. 12 hours later and there is no reply and the chances of staying look remote.

Back to today and the oncoming adventure. 1030 hrs we are outside the hotel waiting for our lift. A Belgian driver turns up, yes we are off to CAT again, but this time for a SCUBA lesson. We all fit in the 4x4 and its a bit of a squeeze but Skala Prinos is only 5 minutes away. Which is lucky as I forgot to bring our snorkels and masks! OK, honestly that isn't quite as stupid as it sounds. J doesn't have a snorkel and mask so CAT were providing her with them, and I had assumed that they were providing them for all of us. What I hadn't realised was that Juniors was a better size for her than anything they had. So a quick journey back to the hotel and then we are ready.

Next to get kitted up. Junior is rapidly into her wet suit and looks resplendent. The two adults have a bit more of a struggle and I decide that, certainly for me, skin tight is not a good look. We put on the rest of the kit. I had forgotten how heavy this all is. Even though Junior has a small tank she is still finding it hard to stand. J is surprised that they need to load us up with extra weights, I am less surprised as I have a reasonable level of natural buoyancy aid!

This is supposed to be a two hour introduction into SCUBA. But owing to Juniors age they decide that first they will take us to a friends hotel so we can use their swimming pool for a practice. If squeezing in the car was difficult before, with all the kit we are almost bulging out the windows.

The residents at the hotel are somewhat shocked when four frogmen (frogpeople?) walk through their gate and descend into the swimming pool. It must be an amusing sight as we swim around practicing our flipper technique. Then to the deep end. We sink to the bottom, everyone managing to breath through the regulator. We then have to got through the safety techniques. Take the regulator out of the mouth, pit it back in and purge with a sharp exhale. Take the regulator out of the mouth, put it back in and purge with the air valve. Take the regulator out of the mouth, let go, lean right, windmill the right arm to find the regulator and replace in the mouth. Finally let water into the mask and then empty it by blowing out through the nose and tipping the head back.

Time to go back to Skala Prinos and out to sea.