The Maldives - Resort Pictures

Just some pictures from the main island and the villa island. There's a bunch of those arrogant lizards strutting around the villa island, they're about a foot long and demand priority passage on the walking paths. The white topped hut thing is the fine dining restaurant on the main island. Had dinner there last night, the food was excellent, it was a choice of 5 different set menus. Had a great bottle of wildly overpriced 2002 Margaux.

The Maldives - Dive Day Two

Went on a more advanced dive this morning. Took the speedboat out about an hour from my island to an uninhabited island with a reef around it. The waves were breaking at the reef at least 15 feet high, haven't seen such huge waves since the north shore of Oahu. We went to just outside where the waves were swelling, diving in search of the giant mantra rays. The current was very, very strong, sometimes you just couldn't fight it and had to go where it wanted you to, you just had to make sure it wasn't pulling you up so as to avoid the bends. We caught sight of one giant manta right as we went down to about 25 meters, but that was it. Saw several sea turtles poking around the bottom of the reef, and an absolutely massive fish, at least 10 feet long, just hanging out. I asked what kind of fish it was after the dive, but my japanese dive master had too strong an accent for me to make out what she said. She was hot though, so I forgave her.

The Maldives

Arrived at The Maldives yesterday midday. The islands I'm staying at are in the North Male Atoll, about a 45 minute speedboat ride from Male where you fly in.
The resort is a paradise. The Maldives is a couples place, no doubt, but the place I'm staying at is a private beach per water villa. I'll post some pics of it later. Americans are very rare here, considering its a 30 hour flight from the states, so everyone is very interested in talking about the US. Strangely, while many here haven't met an American, all transactions are in US dollars. They have their own currency here, its just not used on the resort islands.
I had my small spare camera out on the dive boat today so took a few pictures. Went on two dives today, haven't dived in years so was a bit rusty but it all came back fast. Met a pleasant British doctor whose wife doesn't dive so we are diving together while she spends the day at the spa.
The reefs here are astounding, its clear why The Maldives are considered one of the best dive sites in the world. The visibility goes on forever, the water is as clear as glass, and warm and comfortable. The dives here are all not too deep. I'm certified to 130', but the max depth of the dives here is 90'. Thats cool though, as more shallow dives last longer, and are more colorful, as color starts to go away as you get deeper. The divemasters here are super friendly and helpful. One thing I hadn't read about diving here before coming was that the waters are friggin shark infested. Saw three sharks on the first dive, one on the second. The don't care about you at all though. Also saw a sea turtle, some absolutely massive yellow tails, probably 5 feet long, moray eels, schools of barracuda. Its like a diving dream. Going out on the boat all day tomorrow too.

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Bangalore - Lamb of God Concert

Oh, look what I found on my spare camera from May 15, a few pictures of a Lamb of God, a US death metal concert at the Palace Grounds in Bangalore. It was very hot, very loud (but not quite loud enough), and interestingly, very much like a US heavy metal concert. Not a saree to be found.

Dubai - From the Burj Kalifa Observation Deck

Its costs about a $100 US to go up to the observation deck. You wait in a fairly slow moving line as only two express elevators go directly from the basement entrance straight to the observation deck, which is about 2/3 of the way up the tower. The sides of the deck are glassed in, the top is open, and the wind is loud and blustering all the way up there.