For most people this port was just a party island for everyone, most decided to get a catamaran which is just a big sail boat, a booze cruise. I was having none of that! Not only was this a really cool island but we were only here for one day and I was going to make the most of it! So a few friends and myself decided to go cannoning.
We got off the boat, late as usual….. security was having trouble clearing people, one of the computers shut down. It was a messed up process and we just went with the flow of things. However, I don’t think I will ever understand why id numbers 600 to 900 (meaning myself and Stephanie, I’'m number 724) had to go through face to face clearance but no one else did. Anyway, we got off the boat in clusters, met on the dock, found our bus and started driving. Well none of us knew that Carnival was in for 3 days and that everyone was making pilgrimages to the center of the city. So after we sit in 2 hours of traffic our guide from the cannoning place runs to us and starts directing traffic and us around it. So we finally get to our desired location but we are a little short on time now and can’'t go to the beach or the second water fall but it’s okay because we belayed down a 40 meter water fall!!! So amazing! We weren'’t allowed to get to close because there have been fatal accidents of people slipping off! Not the Ideal situation to say the least!
Walking up to the actual belaying spot is the most nerve racking out of all of it! You'’re walking sideways on this cliff with just a little piece of metal attaching to a rope that’s attached to a waterfall by another piece of metal…. Yeah! But it was awesome you go down and it barely takes any time to go down at all, the anticipation is what kills you! But I got down in one piece and then made my way over and cliff jumped, we jumped about 40 ft in to this giant pool that was the runoff from the water fall. Next we zip lined 120 feet into water which was also amazing.
The whole day was a success after all the traffic, which was a little annoying but it did allow me a chance to see this amazing Shiva temple that had crazy architecture and probably every color you could possibly conceive of!
On The Boat
So the other day the captain came on to the loud speaker in the morning before global studies (the worst class ever) and told us a few things. The only one you would care about is that we would be making an unexpected stop as a few passengers were really sick and we needed to get them better medical attention. Sad yes I know but there is a cool part that came out of it. We stopped for them at Diego Garcia which is a top secret CIA jail base… and military fort! No civilian has ever been on land… until now. Those 2 students and 1 crew member were the only civilians to ever be on that island since it became a base in the 60s.
Now what’s cool about this for me is that not only have those 3 people now been to Diego Garcia but technically I have been there now to. No one has even been in the lagoon here… - actually no one is allowed within 20 miles of this island or they would be approached with military force. So we are actually the first civilians ever to get this close to the island.. PRETTY COOL RIGHT!!!!..... THE THINGS YOU SEE ON SEMESTER AT SEA!
Next is India!!!!! Hope we can all keep up these next few countries there is max 3 days in between!
No comments:
Post a Comment