I'm a 35 year old (as at April 2008) Singaporean.
I did my PADI Open Water Certification at Tioman in March 2005 with Living Seas Singapore.
I did my PADI Advanced Open Water Certification in Aur in May 2005 with Living Seas Singapore.
I did my Nitrox II / Enriched air diver certification in Maldives in July 2005 with Sea-Explorer (Ellaidhoo).
Why not?
My parents call me Princess, Madam, and One and Only Precious Daughter. I always assumed that turn-down service, fluffy towels and bathroom floor mats were a given in all hotels.
Obviously, and through diving in particular, I have found out that the world is not all turn-down service. And I found out that I can actually live with this stunning revelation.
So, if I can do it, so can you.
Why would an easily-scared girl with not-very-high self-confidence take up diving?
I worry easily. Before the course, these thoughts were running inside my head:
- the instructor will think I'm stupid
- I'll hold my buddy back
- I'll make a fool of myself
- the instructor will get irritated with me
- the other students won't like me
- I'll make stupid mistakes
- I look fat
- I'll fail
But my husband (sweetheart that he is) had faith in me, so he and I got our open water certification.
After going through the course - and passing thank you very much - I felt a tremendous boost in self-esteem because I realised that I could do things I was so sure I couldn't. Take my advice - go diving. You will not regret it.
More about my initial diving apprehensions, advice and tips here.
Family home page - remember to click on the blue teddy bear at the bottom
My Brother (also a diver)
My family comprises my husband, my mum, my dad, an older brother, my in-laws, 3 nephews (including a pair of identical twins!), and two dogs. Bambi & Thumper (the two dogs) own my husband and me. Rawls (the cat) sadly passed away in June 2006. Our gentle family lab Ranger also passed away on 21 Feb 2006, at the age of 13 (or thereabouts). I love my dogs. If they could dive, my life would be complete.
Quite a few people have asked me why I don't have a blog. The reason is because I'm actually quite old-fashioned - I keep a real diary (with pages) and I write in it, you know, with a pen. I'd rather showcase the blogs, websites and photo galleries of some of my friends and people I've met on diving trips. Here are some of my favourite ones:
Keeva's underwater videos from Bali:
Kelly and Jeremy's Diving Blog - Read the May and March 2005 archives
Friends can also look me up on Facebook if you want to see the frivolous things I get up to.
Me and my favourite buddy of all time - my husband (photo by Phua Boon Wah, Aur 2005)
Raymond (dive instructor from Living Seas) going through the SMB procedures with me during my Advanced Open Water Course
Totally Irrelevant Note: say, is that the beginning of a double chin on me?
My Trims Through the Ages
My first time diving with my new equipment in May 2005 (I was also doing my Advanced Open Water). Trim all salah.
After 50 dives - much better (ahem ahem)
After 70 dives. Raymond, you like? Not bad lah hor, for someone not DIRF-certified?