Island Life

I have been here for a little over two weeks, and have deliberately waited for this interval before a writing a new update. Two weeks could still be considered ‘holiday’ time after all, even if my new boss has been working me like a dog. Ha. (wink)

The truth is that it has been much more difficult to settle in here than Thailand, indeed, I am still finding my feet and learning more each day about the subtle nuances of island culture and politics. The combination of a busy city, modern conveniences and a ready made mass of friends made my introduction to Thailand a sugar-smooth whirlwind experience, and one that cut my ambilical cord to England in such a way that I woke up one day 3 months into my internship wondering suddenly where all the time had gone. Here, when I am not busy diving the days become long balmy affairs; lazy afternoons in the office (if not out diving) stretch out into the heat-hazed distance, and activity is a minimum. Perhaps I am still so much the city girl, as I feel the time pass as tangibly as a traffic queue, and expect something dramatic to happen at any moment, feeling puzzled when it does not. In my previous fast lane life there wasn’t time to sit around and read a book, or to entertain melancholy thoughts about homesickness. Everything was, “WHAM! BAMN! YESTERDAY MAN!” Now it’s, “Tomorrow man, or whenever yeah.” Can you take the city out of the girl? Can this girl become Island material? Questions I am still wondering tonight as I sit here in the house on the hill and look out over to the other side of the bay. All the lights are on, and everybody is home. After all, where else is there to be? Canouan’s social possibilities for the enthusiastic young are limited slightly to happy hour at one location on Wednesday, BBQ at another on Thursday, Karaoke at a hotel bar on Friday, and drinks at the Sailing Club on Saturday.

Certainly a world away from Pattaya’s voracious no–holds-barred nightlife. If Pattaya exists on one side of the coin, then Canouan exists on the other, dramatically contrasting in almost every way, except for a similarity with climate and it’s tendency to be over-populated with stray dogs and cats!

Here the ocean is turquoise and pristine. Unlike some dive sites in Pattaya there is no danger of finding yourself face to face in the water with the widely-feared Floating-Brown-Poo fish. The customers here are cheerful affluent Americans for the most part, and indeed, considerably richer than ‘yaw’. They are without exception (so far) courteous to the Nth degree, exuberant and trigger happy when it comes to monetary tips. (Not complaining) When I compare these guys to some of the chumps we had to take diving in Pattaya, I shake my head in wonder and thank the heavens above! I can’t deny that diving here is a real treat, but can I cope with the silence after the work day is over? In fact what may be a more appropriate question is, can I cope with the noisy late night TV's and sound systems which regularly compete with each other in the hills, converging film soundtracks, soca, hiphop and reggae beats on the house like a sound tsunami?

Actually I don’t mind it. Especially not after a dosage of something strong and alcoholic. I find it vaguely comforting knowing there’s some party going on out there somewhere, even if I’m not invited yet! I'm sure it’s a matter of time.

Time. There it is again. So much time. Time that has passed and time that is passing. I just hope that I am spending mine with the care that it deserves.