Drysuit not so...

Pool session with the new drysuit last night ended up with me getting a leetle bit wet. Hopefully it's because I didn't roll down the neck far enough/ well enough. Still, doesn't bode that well for the weekend!

Bill and the amazing technicolour drysuit

Well, the new drysuit has arrived and it's certainly distinctive! The idea was to use red and yellow on the upper half fof visibility in the water (red being of use when reflected sunline blots out the yellow). Having had a think about it I've decided it's fantastic, ideal for leading dives.

Alas, it's also brought home that I need to lose some weight! Only measured up for it a few weeks ago and I've piled on the pounds which is bleedin' ridiculous!

Still and all, good enough fit to dance in! Altogether now:

#A-a-a-ah, staying aaaalive...

Off diving next weekend, yay!

Ah, after the naughty mortgage people in my last post something nice and positive!

It's the first Orca UK dive trip of the year next week and we're off to the Farne Islands for a couple of days diving, weather depending of course (wind being the worry). Went on this trip last year and had a fantastic time, with the exception of the whole flooding the camera thing on the Sunday (late night + early start + bleary hungover head when putting the camera into the housing = nasty shock at 5 meters). Here's hoping the diving will be of the same standard this year: with any luck there will be photos!

And in preparation I've gone and got a new dry suit for the princely sum of £500. Still having palpitations on that, even more so when you add the cost of the undersuit in. Relax. Reeelaaaaaax. Breathe deeply and calmly. Breathe....... and relax..... it's only £655 in total... RELAX!
Seriously though, it's a custom made partly on account of me having chunky thighs from all the cycling. The colour choice was made for maximum visibility and boy does it stand out! Yellow arms, red on the chest, blue body. I'll be posting shots of it either as a standalone or as part of the Farne photos.

Oh, also might be helping at Orca carrying out Discover Scuba Diving (DSD) courses. First, got to sort out my Dive Master cert with PADI (For those not au fait with this sort of thing, in order to work as Dive Master I need to be a member of PADI in good standing, which basically involves paying my subscription for the year. And, thinking about it, ensuring my first aider status is up to date. And getting a replacement card for the one stolen in Tenerife. Sheesh, does it never end?). Secondly I need to sit in on 4 (or is it 5) DSDs before being allowed to conduct my own.
Still and all, I need to replace my card etcetera and when I do it'll be a fun thing to do!

****ing mortgage provider

And this is why I'm really unsure about timing and finances. Got a letter through from my mortgage company: looked at it and thought "Ah-ha, they've finally decided to pass on the quarter point interest cut! Nice one!".
Had they? Well what do you think? Of course not, they decided to actually raise the rate by 0.25% because they can (I paraphrase but not by much). Gits.

The blog is up and running again

I've decided it's time to restart the blog. Number of reasons for this, not least of which is my desire to head off on some travels again at some point in the future.

For those who are not already aware of these plans I've got a hankering to cycle overland to India. This has been a dream of mine for a good few years but with the way both the world and my life seems to be heading I've decided it's now or never! Of course when I say "now" I mean late winter/ early spring next year, not "now this minute, where's me passport". There are two main reasons for this, weather and money.

The weather factor WRT timing is predicated by when it's good to cross Baluchistan (Iran to Pakistan), which ranges, apparently, from boiling wasteland in summer to frozen wasteland in winter. After extensive research (i.e. posting on the Lonely Planet Thorn Tree bulletin board) it looks like either setting off this autumn and wintering in Egypt whilst waiting for the snow to clear or setting off next February/ March and passing through when it's hot but not at it's zenith and with a degree of acclimatization. Another option may be to set off in May/ June next year, boil all the way through Europe and Turkey then slide through the desert in autumn, although this involves waiting for at least a good year from now and I've itchy feet, metaphorically speaking (well, mostly metaphorical).

Money hinges mainly on what's to be done with the house, rent or sell. I'm minded to sell as both Helen and I want to relocate out of Manchester (darn sarf), though this may not be the ideal time given the housing market. The other option is to rent the house which is possible although that then means getting the cash together for a year on the road. Either way, it's liable to take longer than October to organise matters, hence March next year, with a view to May/June at a push.

Which leads nicely on to the plan, such as it is, to spend a year on the road. Four or five months getting to India, couple of months in India then over to SE Asia in order to take my IDC (Instructor Development Course) so as to become a fully fledged diving instructor with an eye to getting some work in the area. Simple really, what could possibly go wrong...

Well, let's see how it goes anyway! Many a slip and all that :)