Blairgowrie

I woke up nice and early to come into my 2nd day at dive school. We got straight into it and got into our bathers. The wet suit hadn't dried properly yet so that was a killer but at least my togs were dry.

We assembled our gear and slapped it onto our backs. Today we had to practice skills in the tank which is a 5m deep concrete cylinder that apparently claustrophobic people get scared of. As I jumped in like a penguin, the cold water kissed my skin and I was instantly shivering.
My arms are too long... Everyone laughed at how dorky I looked with my little arms poking out so much. Everyone else's came to their wrists or longer :(

The pool temperature was NOTHING compared to the tank. We got reassured that the tank water would be nothing compared to the sea. I was not looking forward to that.

We had to show her that we were able to handle ourselves if our mask was to fall off or if our breathing apparatus came out.

We surfaced and let the boys have their go. So I went with Cait and Erin to grab a coffee, I was so exhausted that I decided to have a little mocha. I enjoyed that mocha so much, the guy was awesome at making coffee! I even complimented him dearly.

We packed up and all got into our individual cars to drive for about 2 hours to the Mornington Peninsula to dive in the ocean. I hopped in with Chris and we grabbed Maccas on the way.

We were adamant on avoiding toll roads so we got totally lost and confused and ended up being the last ones there.

We quickly got into gear and headed down the jetty. The first dive was just me and the girls, I gotta admit that the temperature was super dooper icy Snow Queen freezing! The view wasn't that spectacular either compared to the Great Barrier Reef so I was a little bored.

I did get to see an adorable puffer fish that looked like a chubby cherub of the sea. I also saw hermits, crabs, starfishes and sea urchins. And... that's about it.

The current was ebbing a little so it was difficult to swim against. At one point the sea just took me off and threw me straight into the jetty pole and my instructor. Hahahaha!

We then hopped out and I couldn't withstand the cold. The wind was coming at me in all directions and no shelter was helping me. I found the best thing to do was to lie down and just cop the wind in your face but keep your buttocks.

We waited for the boys to have their first dive then we all went back to the van to get bigger cylinders. I COULD NOT CARRY THIS CYLINDER AT ALL. It was way too heavy and big. Its not because I was lazy or couldn't be bothered, it was just not in my physical capacity to carry. I tried rolling it and etc. Nothing worked. Me and this other girl were left behind trying to carry our cylinder metre by metre as everyone got ready at the end of the pier.

Our instructor made us wait an hour as she decided whether the tide was too much for us to handle. She was on the phone for ages debating whether they should do it or not, and she was on her phone trying to read tidal charts. She decided we would just go and do it.

I ended up damaging my wrist from trying to carry that ghastly aluminum object. I finally got to the end, geared up and jumped in. The current was CRAZY by then. I tried to hold on but the current was slapping me against the jetty and it hurt!

Whack! Whack! Whack! It just kept on coming. One of my fins kept loosening up too so all these pressures started shooting trepidation down my spine. We all entered the water and held onto the track line. There was little visibility, and it made it worse that the person in front would just kick sand up into your vision. We got deeper and deeper and the current got stronger and stronger.

We all struggled to keep to our straight lines. Suddenly we had no visibility at all as the sunlight had left us and we were stuck in the sea of night. I never ever wanted to do night diving and this was worse as none of us had torches. As we headed back we all ended up surfacing as the current pushed us up and we were all stuck on the wrong side of the huge concrete barge. I was scared. I was so scared.

It was dark, the current was strong and people started fretting about. We had to go down again to get to the other side of the concrete wall because swimming around it would take forever.

As we surfaced up the conditions were getting worse and our energy was spent fighting the current. One of the older men started running out of breath and a girl couldn't stay afloat to breathe. It was getting scary.

By then my breathing was also feeling restrained and I was going into hyperventilation. We didn't have time to swim to the lower landing to get out safely so we had to climb the huge ladder. This was too difficult with the large cylinder that I couldn't physically carry.
This is the little cylinder I want to keep forever! Even the little one I still find hard to carry haha!

I had to get dragged up and thrown across the jetty floor. I felt like a whale out of water and I instantly unzipped all my clothing and buoyancy compensator vest to try and breathe in and out.

I attended to Alan who was cut short of breath. We finally all scrambled out. Chris carried my vest and I carried everyone's weights and fins. It was about 30kg worth of weights and I was suffering.

The instructor was in an annoyed and pissed off mood. We knew that she had put us in danger and she was reacting to worry. We had one more theory session that day but as we came up at 7pm - she just sent us home.

I drove the 2 hours home, and we grabbed Maccas for dinner too. Chris and I couldn't stop talking about how scary that was. I didn't even think about the cold as the current and night scared me more.

I gotta admit that as anxiety creeped up on me, I started thinking of scary things underwater.

I was scared for the third and last day, but I crashed to bed. AJ came home and just said WOAH when she saw how white and exhausted I was.

Never again!

Pool

I woke up at 5:30 and slept on my way back into town. I got to the Dive Centre at 7:30am and it was freezing.

I swear they said that the place would be heated but it was in this massive warehouse and there was definitely NO central heating at all.

So as we started our theory I sat there shivering my ass off and so did everyone else. There were about 5 other people in the class, Chris included. We finished off Theory Part 1 which was about the gear and all the scuba basics.

Then we had to change into togs (bathers) and get assigned to our wet suits. We complained and complained how cold it was BEFORE we even got into the water, and my golly if I only knew what I was going to go through in the next 3 days - I would've appreciated that very moment when I was dry.

We all put our equipment on and dunked ourselves into the pool. IT WAS FREEZING! But I shouldn't have complained about the pool because I had no idea that the tank would be even colder!

After we did some practical sessions in the pool, we hopped out to do theory part 2 and then the worst part was taking all your clothes off and sliding into wet gear to do practical session number 2. UGHHHGHHHGHHHHHHH!

I actually had to talk to myself and say, "Just do it Deena. You can do it!"
After my freezing cold pool session...

Afterwards we got to get all warm and snuggly and do theory part 3. It was a super long day. And it felt so good to have a hot shower.

I was mentally and physically drained, I came home with my face whiter than a ghost.

Torquay

I WOKE UP FROM THE MOST BEEEAUUUTIIIFULLL SLEEP! I hadn't had decent sleep in a long while so those 11 hours did wonders on my fragile body!

I woke up to have some bacon and toast. Then I fell asleep to nap again. Then I woke up and realised that I hadn't taken passport photos for my diving course which was tomorrow. So once again I made Michael set sail on a road trip in hunt for a place that did passport photos!

If you forgot, I was in an area of just beach and bush so the variety of shops were scarce. Luckily we found a chemist that did passport photos an hour away in Torquay!

The drive there was really beautiful. Something about the sky made the sea reflect a border of dark blue, then a sudden gradient of just baby grey azure. I didn't get to take a photo but it was a sight to take in and remember!

We got there and the lady snapped my photo with no warning so I looked like a grumpy bum! Then Michael and I got lunch at a pizza joint - there was SOO much packed onto the pizza but surprisingly it was pretty bland and okay. I think it needed some seasoning or sauce to kick all the flavours in.

We drove back (I took snapshots but by then it was so glum) and I gave Darren a head massage then Michael gave me an awesome massage hahaha. I watched two dancing movies, Stomp the Yard and You Got Served then had burnt carbonara for dinner.

Mum called me and we had a huge conversation about her wanting me to move back to Brisbane so she can take care of me and how she will be expecting me in August. I asked if she was disappointed in how lost I was and she was supportive but also hinted in disappointment.

We then just caught up on other things. I felt bad because I missed Leang's birthday cake and song but this was important to me. I sat outside for hours just talking to mum and then talking to Peter about my feelings and confusion. I don't know why I called Peter but I felt like I needed to talk to someone that was detached from everyone else.

Then I went to bed as I had to wake up super early the next day to start my diving course at 7:30am back in Melbourne.

In-House Barman

The bed was much better quality compared to my one at home on milk crates and the pillows were so soft! Regrettably, I booked my dive medical early at 9am so I had to wake up with only a couple of hours sleep and make Michael drive an hour and a bit to take me to the doctors.

She tested my lung capacity, eye sight, hearing, balance, blood pressure, neurological well being and my general health to make sure that I was all tip top to cope with the pressures of diving. I passed with ease!

We all decided to go on a little trek to see the waterfalls. Unfortunately, the weather was rainy so our shoes were caked in mud.

Afterwards we drove for a couple of hours up to Apollo Bay - to end up doing nothing but eat fish & chips then return back to the holiday house.

We came back and they started drinking which called for my bartending skills. I really couldn't be bothered drinking so I was happy staying behind the kitchen bar cutting up fruits and vegies to make miscellaneous cocktail carafes. I had fun too, because I got to experiment and at work I can't waste alcohol just experimenting.

As the night pulled over its dark blanket over the bright sky, the heavier drinks came about. Everyone started shooting tequila shots one after the other. I hung about the younger kids so I wouldn't get caught in the peer pressure hahaha!

Everyone's emotions cracked and they all started crying out of no where. It was so strange! I just went about fluttering my arms out to those crying and in total confusion. After everyone settled down and ate their chicken parmigiana, my short sleep hit my mind and my eyelids became heavy.

I helped Michael and Darren vomit their worries away, chucked them in the shower, had one myself then I crashed to bed. It was only 10pm.

Lorne

How I spent my days are so vague since they were over a week ago. So I apologise!! I only just got my laptop...

So let's time travel back to the 15/07/11...

*Blank*

*Blank*

I packed and went to work. After I finished work, Hollie and I decided to smash some tequilas down but I went a little too quickly and I started to feel it a little.

We had the RUDEST security guard telling us to get off stage. We weren't drunk. The stage isn't prohibited and other girls were dancing about with no class so we were so confused as to why we were singled out. We told him that we work here and we mean no harm but he swore at us to get off.

"GET THE F*** OFF THE F***ING STAGE. I DON'T F***KING CARE WHO THE F*** YOU ARE."

I was SO stunned so I said, "Look, you're talking to women here and it would be much more appreciated if you just kindly said, I'd like you to leave the stage rather than instantly yell at us when we gave you no attitude"

He responded with "I don't care if you're ladies or not I want you to F***ING get off now!"

The other security guard came up and told him off for being really rude to us. It was so strange! We were so confused, we didn't know what we did to piss him off. He gave me the rude finger as I walked off, so I flipped the lady bird back.
(This is an old picture but apparently this DJ left it as his display picture for AGES AND AGES making it out like we're his pimp ladies! HAHAHAHA)

The second time we tried to climb back on stage, we thought the security guards had rotated post. As we got to the stage, he turned around and both of us were like "SHIT. ITS HIM! HAHAHA"

Then he went on a crazy, aggressive rampage again! Telling us to get off! Meanwhile, other girls were clambering on stage to strut their moves... I asked him for a reason but he just continued swearing! I was so shocked.
I love tulips, they were at my work this morning!

Hollie and I got over it, so we just continued dancing elsewhere. It was then time for Michael, Darren and I to leave to head to Lorne (which is the coast) for their cousin's birthday getaway. I pretty much fell asleep in 2 hour drive there.

At one point I woke up to the car slamming the brakes as a kangaroo had stubbornly situated itself on the road. The air was super foggy too so the visibility was a factor in the slow reaction time.

I was super dooper tired so I crashed in my designated room at the holiday house. They gave me such a nice room with my own bathroom. I brought a sleeping bag thinking I'd be crashing on the couch or floor!

Illusionist

I went over to my boss' other business to have a meeting with him. He finally dubbed me as a bar manager and acknowledged that I had been doing the role for a while without the title now. YAY!

Well, I wasn't really that excited because the job still feels the same. Yawn. We discussed some issues then I decided that my little pay rise should be commended with a little shopping.

I bought myself some pretty underwear to add to my collection of only tomboy, cartoon or granny grundies - I thought I should grow up a little on the inside too. Hahahahha!

Anyway, I felt like James Bond in my outfit today, with a long jacket, loafer looking shoes and sunnies. I took this photo ONLY for you to understand how I was feeling, I do NOT wear sunnies in change rooms and shopping centres.

I came home with Subway and Kevin and AJ cooked barramundi chowder soup and pavlova for dessert. It was delicious!

I tried all my underwear on for AJ and she asked me why I don't go and own myself a push up bra! I didn't really see the need for them for me yet but I tried on one she had. AND HOLY SHIT, those things are illusionists! I looked like I was breastfeeding. It is a bewilderment and amazement to how fooling women are ;)


My laptop hinge has slowly been unhinging so I'm going to send it in tomorrow. They said I'll get it on Monday so I hope everyone has a merry weekend!

Dragonball

In the morning I went to the specialist to get checked out for the secret sickness I am fighting. They said I am all tip top except they're worried about a little area but right now its posing no threat.

As Michael did a huge favour taking work off to take me all the way to the specialist (I didn't ask him to!! I was perfectly happy transporting), I decided to shout him lunch. So we went and visited our friend's cafe. All of Michael's cousins were there and I ate fish and wedges and Michael ate souvlaki.

They wouldn't take my money but I was so adamant that after about 2 hours they accepted it.

I craved chocolate so I went to the grocery store and bought myself a packet. Uh oh that could only mean one thing maybe.... *cough* womanhood.

I decided that the golf ball/ping pong/pearl scale fish that I saw that very first day I bought fishies has been on my mind long enough so we went to a few pet aquariums in the area to try and find it. No one had it so we went back to the original place - it was posted at $30 and now I understand why, its pretty rare here.

I told the guy that his son said I could have it for $25 (that's the truth) and so I bought the healthiest but still a little plump looking one.

Here is one that has inflated to the point of no return and no movements. I feel sorry for him but he looks SO cute!


Anyway, I brought the plump ping pong ball home to join the gang, he's a little aggressive but maybe he just has to get used to my friendly home. Or maybe its because he's the biggest one now.. hmmm....
I named him dragonball because he looks like one...


Afterwards, we went to eat stone grill and it was SO DELICIOUS!!! They recently renovated and I have been craving it for ages. We also scored a free dish because they accidentally gave it to us instead of another table. The funny thing was they said that it was garfish (which is what we ordered).

We were eating it and we were like, this is so a quail! Why the hell would this be garfish!? Then the waitress came to tell us the mistake.
My eye fillet

I settled home, watched my fishies then an episode of Weeds.