Weekend trip to Tioman, led by Lee Suat Choo, with Francis, Judy, Hui Keow, Beng Ai, and a couple Elsie and Don (an American).
Friday Sept 7, 2001, my 50th birthday
7pm: Meet at Kg Glamm Community Centre, Beng Ai, Judy and Hui Keow in my car, the couple in Suat Choo's.
11.45pm: Arrived Mersing town. Judy tripped and fell on road pavement, cut her gum, cheek, forehead. Stayed overnight at coffeeshop Embassy hotel, share room with Judy. She said I snored through the night.
Saturday Sept 8
7am: Breakfast, boarded the crowded ferry to Salang, Tioman. Checked into tiny, non-aircond hut, all to myself, the three bachelor girls have a spacious aircond chalet.
10.30am: 1st dive, 25m, tried out Canon Ixus 300 digital camera with underwater casing (up to 30m). Water not very clear, with sediments, visibility no more than 10m.
12.30pm: 2nd dive: Swam through various rock passages. Shot pictures of corals and clown fish among anemone.
Afternoon: No dive for me, have splitting headache. Slept in hot, stuffy hut, woke with nausea, vomitting, disgorged earlier Chinese lunch, felt like end of the world.
Evening: Dinner, chilled out in the girls' hut; learn that Hui Keow is trained psychologist, teaches autistic children in homes. Strolled through Salang village, bought snacks.
Sunday Sept 9
10am: No dive for me, didn't want to risk another headache -- not good for the long drive home. Watched the others dive. No dives during entire trip for poor Judy, still hurting from bruises.
Afternoon: Washed and dried all equipment under blazing sun, at Roger's place. Departed Salang Jetty for Mersing in overcrowded stuffy catamaran.
2am: Arrived home, finally. -- Francis Chin
