WK 19: The Sky is Falling

Giant clam

Days blur together like colors in some sort of twisted painting, deceiving my eyes with uncertain shades. Yesterday, tomorrow- words devoid of meaning as only the current fleeting moment is framed perception.

I strain to find an anchor in the whirlpool time spins, but for the life of me, all I see are life's ever shifting hues and changing tides. I want to sink below the layers of color, below the constant churning waves where the ticking of time fades. I yearn for life beyond the frame, beneath the chaos of colors where worldly prejudices dissipate and peace resides.

*****

Each passing week seems to go by quicker than the last, and week 19 maintained the trend. I was constantly amazed at the dates in the shop's log book, second guessing their accuracy (and my own literacy). I was just barely able to keep track of the time of day.

Lionfish

Despite time playing with my mind, I've continued to develop my skills as a diver. Now that leading has become second nature, I've been focusing on developing buoyancy control. This past week I freed myself from needing 3-2 kg to diving without weights- a feat accomplished while still wearing a full wetsuit! Simply utilizing proper breath control I've been able to maintain neutral buoyancy throughout my dives.The experience has been liberating in every sense of the word!

On the home front, life has been a a bit dodgy. The staff house has been under constant siege. Merciless fruit bats have been waging a decidedly one-sided war, their weapon of choice: mango-bombs. The usual nighttime solace has been shattered with explosions, constant cracks and rumblings of bombs impacting the tin roof like lightning strikes and roaring thunder. Every morning, the lawn has been riddled with debris from the previous night's battle: mangoes, half-chewed pits, and even branches.

Juvenile peppered/geometric moray eel

If living on a battle site weren't enough fun, swimming in one is an experience beyond measure. If it rains, it pours and if it pours the staff house leaks- in every single room. The ceiling is bloated with water, caving in at the seams, and waterfalls rage down the walls. Rooms look like a feng shui master went mad, furniture and buckets strewn around like an absurd obstacle course. One can't complain though, the incessant rain means that we have running water throughout the house (from leaks AND the tap, yay!).

Life is a vibrant living painting with watercolors being the medium of choice for this past week. The colors and experiences will settle in due time. With just a few weeks left on Mahe, I am curious to see what final experiences will imbue my picture of the Seychelles.