Clothes day...kids in costumes

I had barely had time to drop my bag and change my clothes after I arrived on Naifaru when it was off to clothes day. A family festival where the kids get dressed up in all sorts of costumes.

Little red riding hood, tigers, princesses, mermaids, soldiers, fairies, robin hood, builders. you name it, they had a costume for it! The girls had their hair tied up in elaborate dos or hidden under long, flowing wigs. The boys have theirs slicked back into mohawks and spiky styles. The girls faces are made up with beautiful colours while boys sport aviator sunnies and act oh so suave.

There was even a catwalk for the kids to show off and strut their stuff with proud parents standing attentively at the end snapping photo after photo.

I have never seen so many cute kids in one place!

The next day, we saw the kids dressed up in their costumes at preschool. Some looked slightly disheveled as if they'd slept in their beautiful costumes all night. Others - like the tigers - appeared to have had their faces repainted and looked as fresh as ever.

Bikini day on Vayva Island

The one day of the week where we get to strip off all the layers and run around in a bikini (the girls that is!)

Juvenile has a dhoni and a few of the local boys come along to crew and keep an eye on us while we snorkel. The dhoni is started like you would a really old car...with a crank. Chey-lo jumped into the engine bay and cranked the handle a few times before the engine spluttered and roared to life.

Casting off and getting out of the harbour is an experience in itself. All the boats are lined up side by side, bows into the wharf. Ropes and anchors are tied off to the wharf, to neighbouring dhonis and criss-crossing over each other out the back. So to cast off and navigate the myriad of ropes is amusing to watch to say the least. Back and forwards, pulling on anchor ropes, pushing off other dhonis and Patchi jumping in with a mask and snorkel to free ropes from around the prop is all normal.

As we headed out of the harbour, a couple more ropes are stretched out for us to cross. No matter, Kale puts the boat in neutral, we glide across the ropes, the engine is put back in forward gear and we're off again. The hull has a smooth keel that begins at the bow and gradually gets deeper so the prop is protected. Ropes slide down the keel and out the back without getting stuck. Practical and simple.

Vavvaru Island is only about 20 minutes away so the boat ride was thankfully calmer than my last trip. As soon as we were out of close range, extra layers came off and I could enjoy the direct sunlight on my pale skin. 

We anchored in close to the island and jumped off into the calm aqua waters. Coral, coral and more coral! Heaps of different species stretching out in long reefs. It was only a metre or so deep, then as we neared the edge, it dropped off down into the murky depths. Patchi is a talented free-diver and disappeared from sight, finally reappearing after holding his breath for what seemed like minutes. I have a whole lot of practice ahead of me if I hope to be even half as good as him at this sport.

There is quite a lot of plankton in the water this time of year so  it's not crystal clear. Still, I could see a good 7-10 metres or so and could happily snap away  pics of all I saw. 

There are mostly hard corals around Vavvaru. We'll be doing coral surveys so I'm curious to see how many I can name by the end. There were a few small clams, their bright speckled blue inner flesh sticking out into the sea. Patchi pointed out the only anemone we came across, it's soft tentacles waving gracefully in the currents and orange nemo fish darting in and out.

The current was slow and swirled us around the island, allowing us to move along the reef and see how it changed. More sediment was covering the coral on the sheltered side of the island and the coral seemed more damaged here. There is also a lot of rubbish in the water. We came across nylon sacks (used for sandbags) stuck around the coral and had a delicate task of trying to untangle them without destroying the coral in the process.

There were small schools of time reef fish hanging around their favourite coral, with larger fish slithering under rocks and overhangs whenever I got near.

After an hour or more, we climbed out and wandered back along the beach. Orange hermit crabs peer out of their pure white shells and scuttle away or hide whenever I came near. If I waited, they would eventually stick their heads out and begin to move again. And more rubbish, rubbish, rubbish washed up on the shore.

Cara and Megan

Patchi

A 20 second walk got us to the other side of the island. I was greeted by a white sandy beach, no coral reefs in close and gentle waves. We spent the next hour or so just swimming, chatting and relaxing in the warm tropical water.

A wander along this stretch of beach revealed even larger piles of rubbish washed up on the shores. Plastic and glass bottles, jandles, string and rope, cigarette packets, thousands more nylon sacks and tins. All covering the beach above the high tide mark. It was sad to see such a beautiful island so smothered and it feels like an insurmountable problem. 

How do you stop people throwing rubbish into the ocean when that is the norm and has been for years? One of the goals of Atoll Volunteers is to try and change these behaviours and so regular beach clean-ups and educational talks are some of the other things I'll be getting involved in too.

My moya (crazy) speedboat ride to Naifaru

Ali picked me up from my Male hotel and took me on his motorbike to the boat. My large and cumbersome pack was wedged between his legs up front and I was perched on the back. No helmets, 30 km speed limit, lots of one way streets and judder bars. A couple of sets of lights but they don't work. And whoever gets to the intersection first has right of way... Maybe I should have been a bit apprehensive or worried. Was I? Not even a little bit. I get the impression everyone has been riding bikes since before they could walk and Ali was no exception. Quietly confident, outwardly capable. It was great!

The speedboat was about 10 metres long and sat 30.

Speed boat

This is one of the main forms of transport between islands and atolls. We took off out of the harbour and the captain put the hammers down. I reckon we were going about 30 knots out towards the open ocean. For the first 40 minutes, all was great. Sides open. A lovely breeze blowing in. Comfortable temperature. I was in the back of the boat facing forward so had a great view of all the islands that were coming up - and there were plenty.

Bye Male!

Resort island

Then conditions began to change. 

The sea got rougher. The sides were rolled down. It got stuffy and warmer. The boat kept up its pace. The next 40 minutes were OK. And then the conditions stepped up another level. It must have been blowing about 20 knots and the ocean swell, combined with a chop was making the ride less than enjoyable. I had to keep telling myself, you're ok, nearly there, you've been out in worse, they do this all the time... I was feeling really queasy by this stage and trying to figure out how to open the zippered side and get my head out to be sick without getting it over anyone else. 

Other forms of local transport

Just when I thought I couldn't take it anymore, a rogue wave came over the front of the boat and a flood of water surged in down the centre aisle. Thankfully, I was quick enough to grab my camera, the baby bag, someone's laptop and my backpack off the floor before they were swamped and all the electronics ruined. The crew calmly came down the back, pulled up the carpet to reveal drainage holes in the floor and the ankle deep water flowed out. 

We were near an island so the captain asked if we would like to stop there for a bit. A unanimous yes sealed the deal and I was able to recover and dry out for 45 minutes on dry land. 

We got going again and I started out feeling fine. But then all the water I had drunk started to slosh around and I knew it wasn't going to stay down. I didn't feel that bad after I'd been sick though. At least half the locals on the boat had also lost their lunch so I figured I was doing pretty good.

4 1/2 hours later we arrived at Naifaru to a crowd of family, friends and curious onlookers. Day 1 was over halfway through but there was still so much more to come. Home felt like a distant memory as I stepped ashore onto the island I will call home for the next 2 months.

Food, glorious food!

I didn't feel much like eating for the first 2 days on Naifaru, but that passed and thankfully so because the food here is simply divine.

Fish, rice, noodles and chicken are some of the main foods, flavoured to perfection with very finely chopped spring onion, chilli, curry leaves, ginger and garlic. I have always enjoyed slightly spicy foods, and I suspect my tolerance for hot foods is increasing!

And then there are the freshly squeezed fruit juices. Pineapple, mango, lime, apple, coconut and orange that taste like they have been made from fruit only just picked.

Breakfast is at 930 am. A traditional Maldivian breakfast is roshi masuni - baked beans heated with tuna, spring onions, ginger, coconut and lime juice with roshi (like poppadoms) to mop it up. Sounds ...different? It's scrummy! What makes breakfast best though is it is at a local family's home. Louisha and Ayesha are fab cooks and hosts and have been my main source for learning Dhevehi words and phrases.

Coffee is instant with milk powder out of a tin but still tastes quite creamy (no lattes or cappucinos in sight!) It took a while for me to get my head around that too...I haven't drunk instant coffee in years as I didn't like the taste much back home. Amazing what I'll put up with when there are no other options...

Aisha

We simply turn up at a local restaurant for lunch and dinner, order whatever we want off the menu and enjoy. Lovers Restaurant is a dinky little place near the harbour with a thatched roof and walls, open slots in the wall facing the water and dim, red lighting in the evening.

Most of the food is fried, with plain, boiled veges not seen on menus. I'm so used to eating a lot of fresh fruits and veges so have had to get used to this change in diet too. Still, the meals are tasty - lots of spicy flavours, fresh chicken, beef and tuna with rice, pasta or coleslaw salads - and all very filling.

The guys in Lovers speak very little English and we speak very little Dhevehi so they get us to write down our own meal orders. There's been a couple of times different meals have come out, I figure its a good way to try something different from the unchanging menu!

And as all food has to be imported to Naifaru so sometimes it's hit and miss if something is available. Again, it doesn't matter, it's just part of how life works here - although I have noticed the most popular foods are usually available the day the overnight ferry arrives so look out for my favourites then!

Maldivians love sugar and sweet things, and so all drinks come with (I suspect) several spoonfuls of sugar already mixed in. It didn't take me long to learn 'hakura nala' - no sugar!

There are shops that sell fresh papaya (about $1 USD each), also apples, bananas and oranges so I'm making sure I buy those often to try and balance out my diet!

And I have come across 3 zoos on the island. Perhaps not a zoo as you would see in NZ, these zoos have goats. The goats are kept for milk and meat, although I have yet to come across a goat curry to sample! 

The food here is really yummy and I am loving it. Having such limited choices available though, I now appreciate even more the huge variety and range of foods I can get back home!

Impressions of Male - capital of the Maldives

39 degrees Celsius at 1030 pm is not unbearable, even in long pants, trekking boots and a cotton t-shirt!

I could see blobs of lights as we were coming into land. It reminded me of seeing the lights of small country towns when flying at night. Blobs of bright lights separated by vast expanses of dark, only here the dark is water not land.

I'm sure my pack has gained weight on the flight over too...it took some serious huffing and puffing to pick it up!

The people in the Maldives are so friendly. This was apparent as soon as I walked out of the customs hall. The guides greeting people were all lined up - same as in any airport, but I'm sure the were twice as many guides as there were people on the plane. 

Ali, my guide, appeared from around a corner. This young, tall, lanky guy with a huge grin on his face. I found him instantly likeable - especially when he took the lump of lead off my back and offered to carry it!

The airport island was bigger than I expected, complete with golf carts and buggies to whisk tourists off to their speed boats and secluded islands quickly.

The dhoni (ferry boat) I took from the airport to Male was a long, narrow, wooden boat with a low roof, open sides and enough seating to make sardines feel cramped! A short 10 minute trip was all it took before I was back on dry land again. The dhonis simply nose into the concrete wharf and you step off the front onto dry land, no ramps, no hand rails, no worries! I did notice that the men often helped the women - taking bags or holding their hand for balance.

Local ferries 

MALE is an island of motorbikes and tall buildings. The roads are paved and uneven although in pretty good nick. Most roads are one way with bikes, cars and people all competing for space. There are no lanes as such, instead bikes swerve along looking for the best way through the crowds.

Homes and shops have no front yards - the brightly coloured, flaking, concrete buildings start right from the footpath. Most shops were still open too with clothes and coffee as popular here as back home.

Front door of a local home

A park next to my hotel was a coral-covered square. A climbing frame, some trees and deck chairs were all that was there. The deck chairs are these metal frames with woven rope nets strung around them. Simple but really effective.

The park next to my hotel...complete with budgies in a cage

The welcome I received at my hotel made me feel more like a guest in their home rather than being in a hotel. My room was small and basic yet had more character than any hotel room I am accustomed to back home. It felt more like a bedroom and less like a shop display stand and I felt at home instantly.

I crashed! After about 4 hours of broken sleep over 3 days, it's understandable. I was woken at 430am with what I assumed was the morning call to prayer being played over loud speakers. While I could clearly hear it, it wasn't as loud as the volunteer fire sirens you hear in small NZ towns like Coromandel!  Then a rooster started up about 515am as the first streaks of daylight appeared.

My first full day in the Maldives was beginning, and what a day it would be!

I did trust them enough to walk under the scaffolding

Speed boats and local ferries

Packed, Paid and Pumped!

Bags are packed, volunteer fees are paid and I am pumped!

My pages of to-do lists have gradually been whittled away to nothing.  All my bright and shiny worldly posessions are packed away into dull, non-descript cardboard boxes and shoved in a dark corner of my Dad's shed.  My fluffy, adventurous cat has settled in his new home (and taken over it by all accounts!).  And I've said my goodbyes (well, except for the one tonight at the airport - not sure I'm looking forward to that). 

I've already learned a few things about myself I didn't see before.  Probably the silliest thing I've realised is that I really like to have lots of options of clothes and shoes to wear each day.  So only being able to take the bare minimum of clothes has been really tough!  On the other hand, I've seen it as a fun challenge figuring out how I can try to wear something different every day...

But now the reality of 5+ months away is finally starting to sink in.

There's part of me that is sad to be saying goodbye to friends and family - I'll miss being able to see you every day or being able to pick up the phone to chat (thank goodness for facebook and skype!).  I'm a little nervous about stepping outside my familiar daily routines where I have a level of assurance of what to expect each day.  I've realised too that I am most comfortable when I have detailed plans for whatever project I'm facing rather than feeling like I might suddenly have to make something up!

But this trip is not about making detailed, daily plans and staying inside my comfort zone.  It is all about following a dream and a passion.  It is about discovering countries and cultures I've never known.  It is about expanding my circle of friends.  It is about experiencing new and different jobs.  It is about turning massive, scary dreams into reality and seeing what comes out of it.  It is about leaping into the unknown, seeing where I end up, learning to make it up as I go along and having a truck-load of laughs along the way.

I'm expecting to find out that my comfort zones are really not that set in stone.  That they are all just silly mindgames I play with myself.  And that by taking small, consistent steps every day, I will keep expanding them.

Can't wait!

Next post coming to you from the beautiful Maldives!!!

See you then