Picked up at a respectable 7:30 on Sunday morning to go to Gatwick. Arrived in perfectly good time and the airport was not overly busy. However there seems to be a virtually universal inability to understand very simple instructions. Please remove all liquids from your hand luggage and put them in a separate transparent bag. Virtually every piece of hand luggage being scanned had to be diverted for hand searching because they contained liquids. To the extent that the main belt was backed up because there was no room on the hand search belt for more bags. Surprisingly my bag was not diverted in spite of containing a large lump of aluminium, my camera housing. But the tray with my shoes, I pad, phone, wallet and dive computers was diverted. Not really a problem except that it was now in a queue with all the bags belonging to the people who could not comply with simple instructions. My tray eventually reached the front of the queue and it took the agent about two nanoseconds to say ‘that’s a dive computer isn’t it’. When I enquired as to why it had been diverted I was told that the agent operating the X-ray scanner didn’t know what it was.
Put shoes, belt and watch on, repack hand luggage and eventually go to find some breakfast.
The plane departed on time and arrived at St Lucia early. Immigration took about a minute. Bags arrived in about ten minutes and customs took no time at all. As it was Sunday the journey from the airport to the resort, which can take an hour and a half only took just over an hour.
Monday was taken up getting kit organised, booking in for diving etc.
Tuesday would form the pattern for most of the next three weeks.
Wake early and download the newspaper. Fail to be surprised at the lack of good news. However it was interesting to note that we had dodged a bullet by getting away before a complete melt down of the air traffic control system.
Do the Telegraph crossword.
Make a cup of tea in bed for Sue. Because she’s worth it.
Down for an early breakfast to get to the dive centre at 8:00 for 8:20 departure. Couple of dives return to base, sort out kit, shower and then a late lunch. Maybe with a beverage or two. Write up logs, review photos and get a few zzzzzzs.
6:00pm it is time to go down to the bar for a preprandial beverage and make important decisions as to which restaurant to patronise this evening. 7:00pm go to restaurant and dine. Following dinner maybe return to the bar for one or two more but definitely early to bed for a good nights sleep for an early start the next day.
Repeat.
I will not send daily bulletins as they will all be very similar. After a couple of days diving the frog fish count is up to three but the turtle count is only one. Have lost count of the blennys.
