So I left Thailand, was a bit surreal being back on Koh Tao and visiting Crystal Dive where it had all begun some 12 years ago, The part that saddened me was not leaving Koh Tao but the way I had been dealt with at Crystal Dive, I had been a customer for so long doing my zero to hero and so many specialities that going back was showing my loyalty, I was treated like a nothing and everything I wanted to do seemed like a hassle for the kids running the place. Since I did my training there I have free dives for life, sadly Crystal I would prefer not to dive at all.
So Thailand was now in my rear view mirror and the place known as “The land of smiles” ending up being the land of ”Thank god i’m leaving” and its back for a quick stop in Bali before my 2 flights to Jakarta and then Manado. I got to Jakarta quite late and had to really run for the gate, I felt like a bag man running through the terminal with bags and cameras hanging off me. I get to the gate just as they were boarding, I took a glimpse out the window at the plane and was immediately stopped in my tracks…..it was a complete vintage…now i’m trying to work out if the vintage look was done intentionally like some of the bigger airlines to commemorate certain things, or was this really a rust bucket….as I entered the plane it was clear it really was a vintage…oh my here we go…. To be fair the flight was really good and service was great, well done Garuda Air, but I would suggest a quick trip to the paint shop.
Landing in Manado was a bit like landing in a remote village where they have never seen large white bald man…..instantly the looks and the curiosity as I hang around arrivals wondering if my bags will make it.
Once out the airport, I had to then stare down the taxi drivers trying to work out what one won’t drive to the jungle and shoot me and then gives my clothes to the village…. I found one slightly built guy who I thought I could take if things got to it, the guy ended up being so sweet and took all my bags and somehow managed to get them all in the taxi.
So, I had not yet realized that Google have an audio translation app, that you speak into and it converts to any language you want……little did I know that the taxi driver has spent a week downloading this app……so here I am having a conversation with his phone and trying to work out the translation from google, to be fair we had a good chat and he showed me things on the way to the hotel…..at one point I was wondering if it might of been less painful to of been taken to the jungle and shot.
Hotel stay was ok and non eventful and I was picked up next day by Lembeh Resort for the 2 hour drive to the boat, Im still curious about this muck as the place looks lovely.
Once on the resort I was greeted by Morton, a danish national who escorted me to my room, I was taken to a newly built bungalow and I was immediately impressed with the professionalism of this place. I was then taken to the dive part of the resort called Critters@Lembeh and met with Bridget who was the manager. I watched a short video on dive techniques and was given an orientation, I was immediately at ease and looking forward to diving. I heard you could hire a private guide, little did I know that I could hire a private boat too so thats what I did. I had the boat and my own guide for 8 days, no waiting for anyone and being able to spend time on each subject underwater was just the best. Sandro was my guide and he was excellent, I cannot remember the boat crews name but they were all very attentive and looked after me well.
The diving, well to this day is still my most favourite place, the word muck soon became apparent was a branding and was indeed just black sand and silt, but not muck….of course there was some garbage in there but all what we have put in there as humans, so really it was a bit like swimming in our own shit, but i’m not referring to feces. The diving was amazing in every way, seeing alien like creatures using our garbage as a way too live and also the variation of species on every dive… I was lucky enough at the end to of photographed 8 different species of octopus and lucky for me 2 were quite rare in the blue ringed octopus and the Manoti octopus. I was fortunate enough to see a bobbit worm take its prey and just so many things, the funniest without a doubt was the coconut octopus….I have no words to describe how funny the interaction was. Every single dive was an experience and I was very sad to leave this place. The resort was of the highest grade, the dive operation was probably the best I have dived with and the diving itself for me so far is unparalleled. To explain the level of service I received…I was stupid enough to of left my holder for my diopter in Bali, I went to the photography hut to see if I could loan one, and what did they do? they said no problem mark give me an hour and I will print you one using our new 3D printer…im here in the arse end of nowhere and im having a diopter holder printed….it worked perfectly and i’m grateful for this. If I could give this place 6 stars I would….not a bad word I could of said except when I had to say goodbye..,…but as Arnie said… I’ll be back!!
During the evenings after dinner I had to chose between my knowledge reviews for my upcoming Tec Dive course in Bali or sifting through hundreds of photos from the days dive…. the photography won and I really was back in the old days of not doing my homework and the Tec learning was really catching up on me. So as I planned my departure I managed to get one last dive in and after I left with everything still soaking. I got off the dive boat and packed my stuff right there and then and on the boat to the mainland and back to the hotel before my flight to Bali the next day. In between all this I had managed to put a hole in my Halcyon BCD…..not sure they can 3d print a new Halcyon BCD. So its goodbye Lembeh and hello Bali.