I am now road legal

A peculiarity that I have discovered, since I arrived, is that if you are going to be driving in the BVI for more than a month you need a temporary driving licence. Well, that's been sorted. Popped into a car rental place, handed over my $10 and I now have a piece of paper which allows me to drive legally in the BVI for the length of my stay.

Interestingly, when I was being told how to get to the car rental place that issues them (I was told to avoid actually using the Traffic Department) the instructions went… "you know where the whore house is? Carry on until you reach the Courts and then take a right…" The assumption was that having just arrived in the BVI I would automatically know where the whore house was. What a sheltered life I lead.

Footnote… the whore house is (allegedly).. past the big roundabout, turn right at B Mobile shop, just before you get to the fire station… in case you were interested - You need to know where the big roundabout is :)

This blog may go off-line..

OK, one of the issues that I have had since I started here has been internet connectivity.  Originally I went for a wireless broadband card for the laptop which works over the GSM network.  Advertised as broadband, it hardly meets dial-up speeds so I am going to hand it in before my trial period runs out.

 

In the meantime I have applied for a landline and ADSL connection to the flat, but I understand that these take time, as this is a new flat, to set up so in the interim period you might not see updates to the Blog other than text posts.  I'll see if there is a way of getting photos up as well.

 

Anyway, let's see what transpires this week.

 

Please be patient!

Buildings & Shutters

Sorry but I have an affection for this type of photography!

 

Dive Day 2

Another superb day diving. Two dives today as well some of my theory and skills practicing. Managed to see eagle ray, barracuda, bar jack, four eye butterfly, turtles, lobsters, parrot & angel fish (of various kinds) and hundreds of other species, too numerous to mention. Including a shoal of massive tarpoon Water visibility was 15-20m so you can imagine!

So I am now half way down my PADI certificate, with luck I'll get certified next week!

Pictures above are taken from the dive boat. This time dived in Soldier's Bay and Angel Fish Reef

Dive Photo

That's me on the bottom right of the picture. Instructor to the left!

Photo by Wayne Atkinson

Dive Day 1

Had my first day of my Open Water Certification lessons today.  Great day!

 

For my confined water dive I was taken out to Pirates Bay on Norman Island (one of the outer islands of the BVI) as the water was very choppy near to Tortola.  Whilst the certified divers got on with their first dive I got to spend time with my instructor going through the first of my four skills (face mask clearing, regulator clearing, regulator recovery and  alternate air source breathing) which I got through with flying colours! Followed by a quick swim underwater back to the dive boat.

 

Weigh anchor and off to the dive site.  Three protruding rocks off Norman Island called the Indians (as it is supposed to look like an red Indian head dress- I think you need to be on some of Bomba's Tea to see that one!)

 

Anyway, certified divers get to dive with their guide on the rocks whilst I get the instructor to myself.  A 15m dive for 45 mins which I think is great!  Get to see yellow snapper, little blue fish, stone grouper and great corral formations.  Can't wait for day two!

 

Dangerous curves

Love this sign, come across it every day on my way to work, makes you feel like an F1 driver! Such an understatement :)