Day 0.2

Major job finished with the help of a good friend. Huge back patio and front walkway was formed, poured and finished today. Excellent work without much help from me. It's a big load off my mind and nice to have it finished before I leave tomorrow to head to Honduras and then Utila. As far as I know

I am packed. Everything seems ready but I'll have to do one more "once over" tomorrow. Its like I have ADHD-Alzheimer's. I'll spend weeks organizing everything to a tee..... then walk off and forget my cameras and my passport.

Get my hair cut tomorrow and then retrieve my anti-malarials from wal-mart.

Having to get a prescription for anti-malarial medicine is silly to me. They are not going hurt you and you can't abuse them and there is absolutely NO reason to take them unless you believe you may become exposed to a source for malaria. Regardless, I have a prescription, so I guess I should pick them up even though I don't worry much about getting malaria in Utila. Noseeums (sand flies) will bite you if the wind dies down but a little deet will keep them away. Mosquitos ...not so much. Maybe in the mangroves but not on the shore. Thanks to Nursing school I have been vaccinated against A, B and C strands of Hepatitis, so no worries in that department.

So tomorrow I'll head to Ohio and then Friday my flight leaves for Atlanta from Columbus at 7:10 am.

Let's hope I don't forget something important.

Day 0.4

Was saddened to hear that Bar in the Bush had closed. I was used to the nightly ringing of the Treetanic bell telling everyone it was time to leave and head to the "Bush". Noise levels were pretty high to extreme and I wouldnt be surprised if sleepy residents had something to do with the closure. A new place on its own dock similar to CocoLoco and Tranquila HAS been opened by some American ex-pats I believe and seems like the new place to be. I'm not sure exactly where "Rehab" is located but....it's a small island.

Nice little map put out by Paradise Divers. I should spend most of my time between Cross Creek and Utila Dive Center. To help you gauge distance, it takes me about 30 minutes to leisurely walk from Cross Creek to Skid Row's. La Pirata and Captain Morgan's effectively mark the center of town

Off to try to find some extra O-rings for my dive computer.

3 more days.

Day 0.5

Went to the airport and checked my bags against weight limits and size restrictions. Amazingly I was well within. Surprising because no matter how I try to "under pack" I always end up "over packing".

"scuba and camera parts not counting a multi-tool, two wrenchs, two pairs of hemostats and two tiny screwdrivers...overkill much".

Anyway... I can relax because I'm not going to get some crazy baggage charge. Also ran to old navy to buy a semi decent hoodie. Sounds ridiculous in the tropics but after diving all day you lose a lot of heat and I have seen people shiver like they were wearing a bathing suit in a snow storm rather then 100° heat. My instructor Kevin said it would be wise to bring something warm so I bow to his expertise. I'm so caught up in the tropical weather that I never would have thought of it. So I just about finished my list...cheap tossable sunglasses: check, new iPad cord: check, batteries for dive computer: check, hoodie for the tropics: check, sliders @ chili's just cause: check.

My carry-on bag is full of just scuba gear!

Now I need to repack a couple of times and try to cull the unnecessary and go OCD about checking for things I may have forgotten. Like making sure I don't forget iPad accessories and new cord or I'll be out of communication

It's getting closer.

 

Day 0.6 almost Utila Bound

5 days until I leave for Utila! I've packed and repacked. A few minor errands to run, a few items to buy and I'll be off. I'm excited over the whole process...finding the right apartment, getting back in the water, learning the new skills required in a rescue and Divemaster environment, helping with classes and meeting tons of new people from across the globe. I have such a great time in Utila and the fact that I'm headed back in 5 days for a 2 month stint is surreal. A little dream like. I'll be happy to reconnect with some familiar faces that I enjoyed last time and walk those roads again.

Utila is so different, almost impossible to explain. It's like the Bermuda Triangle of islands, sucking up the salty pirates, divers, the artistic and creative and bundling them all together with the Utilian locals as an eclectic hodgepodge community from a Caribbean Twilight Zone episode.

So I'm excited, but for now I'm still here and I still have "home" type things to do, so I'm off to finish digging out my new sidewalk and a little housecleaning while there is still time.