I used to associate the Indian Ocean to Camp Justice — an American naval military installation in Diego Garcia, which is an atoll in the middle of the Indian Ocean and a British colony. I grew up in and around military families, so it was not the first time I heard of the beauty of the Indian Ocean. However, it was not until I relocated to England that I heard of the Republic of Maldives: an archipelagic country consisting a chain of twenty-six atolls dispersed across the Indian Ocean. It became a British protectorate in 1887 and declared independence from the United Kingdom in 1965.

The prospect of traveling to Maldives and experiencing what the Indian Ocean has to offer was intriguing to me. Soon enough, I booked a flight with a no-frills airline for the journey — after all, a Maldivian holiday does not come cheap. True to the airlines’ advert, no-frills meant no free meals, no free drinks, and hardly any legroom on the plane. It was a welcome consolation that, at least, you could purchase the first two while on board. The tight legroom, though, was tough to endure. I had never flown on a plane where passengers on aisle seats, mostly of European descent and a great deal taller than I, had to stretch and stick their legs out on the aisle because of the lack of legroom! Flight attendants, either looking like children playing hopscotch or superstitious individuals trying to avoid stepping on cracks, navigated their way up and down the aisle, barely missing stepping or tripping on passengers' legs and feet. What an utterly rubbish airline!

After quite a while, the plane made its descent. The sight of the clear turquoise waters was a dead giveaway that we were flying over the Indian Ocean as we neared our destination. As our plane made its final approach, it was easy to spot the Maldivian capital Malé. It was a sight to behold! After alighting at Malé’s airport, I boarded a boat which took me and other tourists to the resort we have booked. The water was a little choppy and the temperature was a tad hot as the boat made its way. We went past other resorts — some luxurious, some quaint. Eventually, we reached our resort’s pier. It was a long walk to the main building, but on the way there, the clear waters surrounding us stopped me at my tracks —it was so clear that sea creatures were visible to the naked eye all the way through to the bottom.

Just like with most resorts, you book one thing and you are offered an upgrade. Upon checking in for my beach villa reservation, I was offered a water bungalow upgrade for almost nothing. How can one refuse such an offer!

Scuba Diving and Snorkeling

Maldives is a prime destination for scuba divers as it offers a wide array of corals and sea life. My plan was to become a certified diver before my holiday was over.

For someone who is a tad afraid of ocean depths, I find scuba diving an exhilarating and at the same time a terrifying experience! I had only gone to one fun dive in the past, but this one was more of a proper dive and deeper than my first. Sadly, my plan of getting certified by my second dive did not quite come to fruition.

The diving lesson started with classroom-like instructions followed by hands-on training. I felt it was a bit of a rushed session and there were quite a number of us who signed up for the class. Soon, all the learners suited up — back mount on, BC (buoyancy compensator) on, tanks checked, weight belt on, fins on, mask on.

I set out with a group of tourist divers to explore the breathtaking turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean. I was one of the last few people who back-flipped out of the boat into the ocean — no sweat. I find it more difficult to step out of the boat into the water than back-flipping when going for a dive. I started to swim to the bottom trying to reach the spot where the other amateur divers were. As I dived deeper, I was greeted by colourful corals and diverse sea creatures.

Upon reaching the bottom, I looked around to see what the other divers were up to. A few were taking snapshots of corals with their waterproof cameras. My friend took a few underwater shots of me. Shortly after, my mask started filling up with water. I adjusted the mask strap, but that did not help. So, I made a hand signal to my diving instructor, indicating I was surfacing (one of the few important lessons from moments ago that my brain retained along with how to avoid the bends) with the intent of properly adjusting my mask. After giving the signal, I swam to the surface and the instructor caught up with me. He initially tried to help me suss out the issue. However, we realized that the mask was actually too big for me, so he tightened it as best as he could and we dived back deep down below.

I managed to rejoin the group, but not for long — the problem with my mask continued. As an amateur diver, it was already a challenge to get used to breathing through my mouth, and to add the water drowning my nose in the mix, made me really uncomfortable and anxious. It was difficult to ignore it and, even more so, it was difficult to focus. I made another hand signal to the instructor indicating I wished to resurface, but instead of taking heed, he grabbed and dragged me by the arm further down and quite aggressively at that. By that time, my mask was full of water and I was getting really furious. So, I wrestled my arm free from his grasp and resurfaced. I swiftly swam back to the boat and searched for a spare mask that would fit me properly. There was none.

Meanwhile, my inconsiderate brute of an instructor whom I desperately wanted to punch, was bobbing on the water, his mask off and asked me what I was doing. I told him since there was no proper gear available, I was staying put. This decision was not only because there was no spare gear available, but I also did not wish to hold back the group underwater any longer. The diving instructor scowled at me then went back underwater. Unfortunately, I did not get my money back, but I did give him a negative review online!

Although my plan to become a certified scuba diver was scuppered, it did not spoil my spirits to enjoy the pristine waters of the Indian Ocean. I went snorkeling instead, and lost track of time until I noticed that I had gotten much darker than when I first set out! I went back to the water bungalow and took a cold shower.

The water bungalow had a shower room with a huge window overlooking the ocean. The floor was made of evenly spaced slats of bamboos which showed the ocean waters below. I rested for a bit and then took a leisurely stroll. There were plenty of things to do on the resort. I must have walked for quite a bit and happened upon a group of elderly, rambunctious Italian women basking in the sun: laughing, talking loudly, and completely ignoring and defying the red glaring signboard which read, “No topless sunbathing or swimming!”

The food was average and, to my surprise, there was not a good selection of fish or seafood to choose from. I was not sure of the reason for this. Perhaps booking an all-inclusive holiday was not a smart move on my part or I was misguided in choosing this particular resort. Nevertheless, the overall experience provided me with the long overdue R and R I needed.

Relaxing on a swing in Maldives

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For more photos of my holiday in Maldives, go to Captured Images - Maldives

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