Hi Everyone,

Apologies ---again!! Internet access not as easy(have to borrow good friend's machine),plus doing two dives,at least,a day,plus being forced to drink beer most of the evening---not much time for sitting down and typing out the blog(not at my typing speed,anyway!).

Anyway,Ramadan has complicated my plans a little.I wanted to stay on until Wednesday(16th) to see a friend I hadn't seen since 2002(I think).Then when I checked the Airasia site for flight to Kota Kinabalu,Sabah(Borneo) they were 660 Ringitt on Thursday,Friday and Saturday---about 110 GB pounds.This is because this weekend sees the end of Ramadan (Hari Raya),so everyone wants to get back to loved ones for the celebrations.Finally settled on Tuesday 22nd (225 Ringitt!!--far more sensible for the 2 hour flight,Eh?).Trouble is that now I have found that Hari Raya tends to spill over to most of the week--so I may still have a few problems.I'll have to stay over in Johor Baru on Monday (very early flight to KK)---just hope the hotels aren't full!!

I've been offered a few nights stay in KK by some friends I met on a previous trip to Tioman (Thanks Terry and Tracy) and am looking forwards to reminiscing over a few cold Tigers.

Right--back to diving.Have had some terrific dives here---in particular,on Tiger Reef----like swimming in fish soup--we were even visited by a couple of Tuna--very impressive---and I managed a dive in a shoal of Barracuda(only Yellowfins,but barracuda just the same.They will allow you to swim right in the centre of the shoal,so wherever you look there are fish---brilliant!!

I've swum alongside a couple of turtles so far,and yesterday chased a black tipped reef shark---not much of a contest though---they are like rockets.

Had an outstanding night dive with Emmie,a lovely local Instructor--always smiling--and a good dive leader.We descended virtually onto a resting Bamboo Shark,whic was joined shortly by bright pink sponge crab--then it was onto an odd Snake Eel(they are usually buried in the sand with only their heads showing)--a few more unusual crabs,a huge porcupine fish and a very friendly puffer fish.We came up to five metres for the usual safety stop(to rid the body of dissolved Nitrogen) and there was a 2 metre Moray eel in the coral below us---a great dive.

For those of you(hopefully) that are Family,you will be pleased to know that Mum is out of Hospital,and back home.

Think that's about it---really must try and download some more piccies (although I always manage to forget the camera when it turns out to be a really interesting dive!!!)---

Hoping everybody is keeping well,

Alec