1 of 5 of the happiest moments in my life #spreadalittlehappiness

This is my entree for the ‘Spread a little happiness’ linky over at The Reading Residence Blog.

One of the happiest moments in my life and my camera had just died. But it was a blessing, I soaked up the moment, I felt so peaceful, without any distracting thoughts but truly mesmerised by the event. I felt completely emerged in nature, part of it all and I could very happily have died right there and then without fear. I felt in heaven already!

In september 2010 I went backpacking on my own in Borneo and my main stop was getting my Padi diving license in Mabul.

Pulau Sibuan, where I did my Padi training

Pulau Sibuan

Pulau Sibuan – Padi training

Ever since I was young I wanted to dive, but was never able to afford it. So this was on my life’s to do list. I had been longing so long to learn to dive! I never regret learning actually doing the PADI course abroad as 1 while staying in a hostel it was cheaper then doing it at home in a pool. And how can one persist making through the flooded mask tasks in clear blue water, surrounded by sea turtles and gorgeous star fish.

Pulau Sibuan Padi Training

Pulau Sibuan

Pulau Sibuan  Heaven

On one of my last days of diving I booked a trip to Sipadan, one of the worlds top 10 diving places. I had rented a camera for the day, but for the last, third dive the battery had died.  Backrolling into the water with our tanks, the surface hit me and I last my tooth implant (I had a big accident and lots of face surgery when I was 18). I was shouting “I lost my implant!” I lost my implant! And everyone started staring at my boops…. We think some air might have been trapped in the implant, and changes in air pressure must have made it loose so that when hitting the water it just fell out. I dove anyway.

Hereby some shots from earlier that day diving at Pulau Sipadan

We dove in strong current, very strong current, we even had to hold on to rocks not to get to exhausted from swimming while looking around. At one point all divers were holding on to rocks when a school of Barracuda’s were swimming by. I managed to get one shot only with the camera.

I had no idea we had a chance of seeing them, but my instant reaction was to go for it and try to see up close. The other divers kept holding on and my instructor signalled better not to do it. I have no idea what came over me, but I swam right into the school of Barracuda’s. Not having dome my research prior to the trip or the actual dive ( I was working to much for that ), I was surprised to see these Barracuda’s were about 60cm long and have fierce teeth. The school I swam into must have been at least 6 times larger that the image below (taken from National Geographic free Wallpaper).  The barracuda’s started circling me, but at no point I felt fear. I was in a state of complete inner peace and happiness. Forgot about the fellow divers, not worried about strong currents, just watching and feeling intense happiness.

The instructor must have helped me surface, and while climbing on the boat I remained in the same state of happiness. The next two days I still felt the current affecting my body. I was dizzy when walking for 2 days, but my smile was bigger then anything else. I swore to myself I would take a diving trip yearly, little did I know I was going to be pregnant 3 months later. I have not been diving since and my partner has no interest in such. If there are any mums out there who have childcare solutions options to go diving with some mums and taking turns on watching the children, let me know so I can start saving!