Jean Michel Cousteau Resort, Vanua Levu, Fiji Islands
So first, I'm a little out of it today. That first, and then I'll cover diving.
The usual traveler's complaint. Let's not talk about it.
On the other hand, last night it started with a fever, and the fever brought with it a delightful dream featuring my dear friend Andie. And that was some good kissing, I tell you. Normally fever means nightmares for me, so this was a happy change. VERY happy.
So the night I arrived, I found there was a night dive scheduled. Now, normally I don't plan to dive the arrival day, and I don't plan to night dive as my first dive of a trip. But you know, I'm pretty good at this and figured, what the hell.
We dove a site named 'Golden Nuggets' (Which I keep wanting to make 'golden arches'), which was a beautiful place for a night dive, a couple of small pinnacles with a narrow canyon between. We say a number of lion fish and a smallish scorpion fish, and generally had a very nice dive. And yes, I had no trouble getting in the water even though it's been a year since my last dive. I was right, O do know how to do this. Ten years of diving will do that.
I think I managed to stay awake til 9pm. And that was a struggle.
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Next day. I've forgotten the dates. Whatever.
I woke up early with a headache. I'd planned not to dive this day, but conditions were right to dive Namena Island, a long-day trip. So when the dive shop guys came and found me and let me know, I decided to go.
I didn't feel right all day. I didn't really enjoy the dives but couldn't really say why; energy level was low, head kind of hurt even though I'd taken several ibuprophen. I didn't have a bad time but wasn't particularly happy. The dives were nice though, the crew incredibly professional, and the people I was diving with, even though several of them were raw beginners, were all good folks.
I normally feel a little ragged after a dive, but usually good and either caffeine or sleep fixes this. But I never broke out of the fatigue and grogginess; after dinner my stomach turned on me, the fever started, and I had rather an ugly night (aside from that dream about Andie (Andie baby, you were the high point in that day, no doubt!)