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Episode 16: One Year In

Published on November 27, 2019November 27, 2019 by Mobilis Divers

Last time on Mobilis Divers: Chris and Noelle took a road trip and pondered the prospect of pursuing their plans in the Possibly Perfect Place.

Well if you can believe it I’ve officially been in the PPP for one whole year now. Crazy! This time last year I gave you a summary of my thoughts after my first week, so I thought it fitting to elaborate on what a year here has taught me (and where we hope the next year will take us).

As a jumping off point, I thought I would start by briefly reflecting on 2018 Me’s sentiments to see if she had any sense of the place yet. So in answer to this post from last year, I will now give the floor to Present Me to give her two cents.

A Quick Reflection

It’s a new country: It’s still a new place with a lot to figure out (but what country has all its shit together? Certainly not my motherland!). Having a job in development now, I have been very lucky to see some of the incredible work people are doing at every level to push things forward, despite some very challenging circumstances. It is frustrating and difficult to know it will be a slow march, but it is also comforting to have seen so much improvement in only the year I have been here. I have a lot of hope for what the country and people are capable of. Go team!

No good Mexican food: It is usually possible to get tortillas and sometimes possible to get tortilla chips (at exceptionally high prices), but Mexican food options are thin on the ground. We have one Mexican restaurant, but as their nacho base is Cool Ranch Doritos I visit only in emergencies. I make Mexican at home as best I can, but with cilantro/coriander being terribly hard to come by, my fresh salsa is suffering (with mango season upon us, however, we have some new opportunities). We did try to grow our own coriander/cilantro but it was eaten by our landlord’s dog. We will try again when the wounds aren’t so fresh.

G&Ts: We still drink a fair number of G&Ts, although I have veered deeply into fresh coconut with rum territory the last few months. Some twists on the standard G&T this year have included: elder flower cordial, fresh passion fruit and orange juice. We shall continue to experiment.

It’s pretty isolated: People here talk about flights the way Brits talk about weather. It’s a solid way to start any conversation and it’s safe to bet that your listener will be equally opinionated about the current conditions. Since last November one route was closed and then reopened and another that was closed in 2018 also reopened. So now we have four whole options for getting out of the country (or for getting ya’ll in). It’s better than the two options we had for most of 2018 though, so progress! The outrageous prices for the one flight (which skyrocketed this time last year) have not come down, but we have more options for boycotting that asshole airline now, so that feels nice.

Connectivity: The internet is still not strong, but at least it’s expensive.

COLOR!: I still love the colors and can’t get enough of them. Flame trees and garishly painted buses and street art and shockingly bright outfits…bring them on.

Animal friends: We have traded in one large (and getting larger every time I see him) dog for four small (and getting larger every time I see them) cats. Long story short I adopted a mama cat that I had hoped would not be a mama but, well, that happened. She had four (four!) kittens and we now have all of them. We moved to a new house to be able to take them in (as the fat dog doesn’t like cats). Very sadly the mama died after surgery to fix her (so she could live a happy life without making babies every three months). I really miss her. She was a very sweet kitty. But because of her we now have a house that we really love and are very happy in, so at least we will always remember her for bringing us here. The little ones are now six months old and the two girls are going to be spayed in the next couple of weeks. I’m super nervous and I hate that we have to do it, but it for sure needs to be done because good Lord can cats make more cats quickly!

Piglets: In other small animal news, there are no more pigs in the city at the moment. A wave of African Swine Flu tore through the town a couple of months ago and killed almost everyone’s pigs. It was very sad. We miss our beach pigs. Hopefully they will start to come back soon.

Good friends, good times: We still love the social scene here. It is so lovely to be somewhere where we run into friends all the time and we know we have a huge network of people who have our backs if we run into any problems. We help each other all the time to navigate the crazy things that can happen here and knowing that we’re in it together infuses hope and optimism into even the hardest days.

…

Right! Thanks, Present Me! It seems 2018 Me wasn’t too terribly off in her one-week-in observations. She’s pretty clever though, so I suppose it’s not much of a surprise.

The last year has been one of the best I’ve (and we’ve) had in a long time, and I think that a big part of that is due to where we are and the people who are here with us. We’ve had a lot of fun with our friends (cribbage nights, birthday trips to fancy hotels, a million nights watching movies on the beach…) and as a newly married couple (choosing paint colors for our new house, nurturing seedlings into a mini forest in our sun room, jumping hand-in-hand into the frigid waters of a crystal clear river…).

We feel very relaxed and at home here. We love the pace of life and the fact that most of our decisions on evenings and weekends are about the optimal way to chill out (should we go to the pool or read in the hammock? Do we prefer pizza night out or movie night in – or maybe a little of both?)

That’s not to say that we don’t have shitty days or feel stressed out. We do. We really, really do. This week, in fact, has been a particularly hard one for Chris at work. In case you are on the brink of thinking that we are “living the dream”, I would also remind you that:

Our electricity can be frantic, fickle or downright lazy
The garbage situation here can feel pretty dire at times
Ditto for the sewage
We live with four young, curious, meant-to-live-outside-but-can’t-until-the-garden-is-finished-and-their-baby-factories-are-turned-off cats
There is no good Mexican food

But our lovely home, our friends and our enjoyment of the culture and way of life more than make up for all of the above.

So What’s Next?

Henry Wellcome once said “Never tell anyone what you propose to do until you have done it.” Having previously announced many plans that never materialized (but managed to cause me ample stress anyway), I tend to agree and try to live by this philosophy, so I hesitate to share our very tentative and undeveloped plans for the next year. Setting any kind of expectation can be a recipe for disappointment and/or unnecessary pressure (both mainly from myself). However, as you have been with us from the beginning and know that we do have some big hopes and dreams for our time here, it feels only fitting to whisper some secrets into your loyal and trustworthy ear (if you pinky promise not to tell anyone else).

So sidle up close, get cozy and lean on in (and maybe bring some tea and biscuits while you’re at it?)

All settled? Ok. So……*leans in closely, preparing her best secretive tone; clears throat* It’s starting to feel like we might be able to breathe some life into this little dive shop dream of ours in 2020. *covers your ear for a moment while she squeals; uncovers your ear again* In fact, we have already started dipping our toes in the water, so to speak. I’ve now taught a couple of Discovery Dives here (people trying diving for the very first time), while Chris has completed one Advanced Open Water course for some friends and is in the middle of an Open Water course for some others.

In that process, we’ve thought about what we need in order to do things more independently and professionally. For example, right now all of the money we receive goes to other shops where we rent our equipment *acknowledges your kind indignation at this state of affairs with a quiet, what-can-you-do shrug*. We’ve also thought about the angle we might want to take if we start running this as a for-real business. With that in mind, we have set a rough goal of when we would want to be up and running *faces you with an excited but slightly apologetic smile* Of course, I can’t tell you what the date is because that is far too much pressure (baby steps to the dive shop).

Ok, you look like you’re getting a neck ache from leaning in so long. Feel free to relax and have a sip of that tea. These secrets are all yours to keep now. What a weight off my shoulders!

This is pretty crazy territory for us. Terrifying, of course, but also really exciting. We know we want to take a crack at this and see where it goes. We know there are opportunities to succeed if we take it slowly and let it grow naturally. We know that it will be a big investment of time and energy and patience and money.

We also know we want to be here a while, that we love the diving and that we love getting other people excited about it. So why not do as much diving as we can while we have the chance and make a little dosh while sharing our ocean love with others?

With our new house and new cats and new garden and new plans, it feels like we have made the decision to stay here for a few more years at least. Who knows what the future will bring and how we will feel this time next year, but for now we’re happy here. We’re very happy here. I just wish there were better nachos.

Episode 13: Quick Catch Up

Published on February 15, 2019 by Noelle1 Comment

Last time on Mobilis Divers: I shared my initial impressions of the PPP while Chris and I prepared for our Christmas trip to New Zealand.

Today, I am writing to you from Chris’ laptop. Mine, sadly, is in America undergoing surgery. Yep, it managed to make it all the way through New Zealand (where Apple mechanics abound) only to die two days after we arrived back here (where the expert in town looked at it and advised that I “take it to America”, casually overlooking the fact it is 8,000+ miles away). Sigh. Considering the prices of flights at the moment, I’d be better off buying a new computer – except I can’t get it delivered here since there is no postal system. Double sigh.

After an initial meltdown at this state of affairs (more so the financial fear of fixing an Apple product), I assessed my available resources and took advantage of the fact that my parents were still here and could carry the sickly creature back to America for me. As we’re going back for our wedding in April, I will already be there to pick it up post-op, so it will get a free round-trip journey (if only we were all so lucky!).

And so it came to pass that we parted ways…

Dramatic Reenactment — Dramatic re-enactment: (this is not me, but this actress is clearly drawing from personal experience).

It’s been an inconvenience, but not the life-shattering loss it felt like it would be the day it stopped working. Most everything is backed up already, I just can’t access any of it for three months.

Much like the crap you don’t really use but can’t bear to get rid of (shoved in a drawer, under a bed or in your parents’ attic), I have lived fairly happily the last few weeks without most of the things on there. And while I was slightly devastated to lose access to ALL the movies and shows I downloaded prior to getting here (see Internet not strong in my last post), it has given us an opportunity to dig into Frasier, which we downloaded in its entirety over two years ago before getting sidetracked by other favorites (we have a fairly luxurious habit of watching with a bottle of Portugeuese wine, as the Crane boys would appreciate).

What I can say is that not having my laptop/workspace has made writing a lot harder. It’s silly really, but I had a system on that machine and I don’t on this one. On mine, I know where things are, I know how I organize (ha!) my process, and I don’t accidentally highlight and delete entire paragraphs mid-flow.

Nonetheless, I will use this beast to the best of my abilities and catch you up on all the happenings this side of the globe.

Last time we talked, I shared some of my initial thoughts on my new home. Two more months on the ground has taught me that I was right about some things and wrong about others. So let me quickly set the record straight on a couple things and update you on others:

I said there were no bugs… There are bugs. Once the rains came – and come they have! – the mozzies and flies and flying ants starting making regular appearances. They are still FAR fewer in number than I anticipated, but they are around. Good news for me though, Chris seems to have much more delicious blood, so as long as I stay near him they don’t bother me much. As for him, well, it’s a bummer.

I predicted there would come a day when I would want nachos – REAL nachos – and I would be sad when I couldn’t get them. That day has come, my friends. You can only deprive a Utahn of her Mexican food for so long! For those of you who know what true nachos look, feel and taste like, you may want to skip the next sentence lest you faint. We recently went to the Mexican restaurant in town and, while I admit the burritos will do in a pinch, the nachos are blasphemously Dorito-based (gasp! shock! horror!)! It looks like this does, however, give me an opportunity to unlock Life Skill Number 40 on my bucket list: learn how to make my own tortillas (then Life Skill Number 41: learn how to fry them into decent chips). I am currently recruiting for taste testers.

It is hot, but not as hot as it was in November. That was a little crazy. It’s still humid but totally bearable. It’s even been pleasantly cool a couple of evenings recently. Happy days! We’ve also had a couple previews of those dry-season sunsets Chris so rudely taunted me with last year.

20190208_191505

The flight price deadlock I mentioned last time is, annoyingly, still on. What was a $250 return ticket this time last year is now $700. Ouch. It’s getting ridiculous and the whole country is bored of it. No one can afford to leave and no one can afford to go. People are resorting to 12-hour bus journeys across the entire island and into another country so they can fly to a destination that is 1.5 hours by air from here. It’s craziness. I hope I can give you a happy update about this one someday soon.

I have not rescued any more piglets, but I did retrieve two chicks from an irrigation ditch, much to the amusement of the villagers watching/helping me.

Right! So that should set the record straight on a couple of things, at least. And now for new news!

Chris is really enjoying his new Senior Teacher role. It’s been a little busier than we might have imagined, but he loves some of the projects he is working on. I won’t bore you with the nerdy details, but let’s just say the student exams are looking pretty sparkly these days.

I have been looking for work and *may* (insh’allah) have a job lined up. It’s proving a little more complicated than I expected to get that started, but I hope I can share more about it officially with you soon. I had a lot of things fall apart last minute in Muscat, so it is hard not to feel a little concerned that it will do the same, but I suppose there isn’t much I can do about it. Fingers crossed!

While I wait for word on that, I have been doing my best to learn the local language. The job I *may* (insha’allah) have, asked that I learn either that or Portuguese, so I chose the former (aka much easier) option. I don’t know why, but speaking another language in an office setting just seems to me like the epitome of being a grown up. I would be pretty proud of myself if I was able to converse at that level in a second language. Chris has also been studying it the last year, so the not-so-grown-up part of me is excited to have a secret language we can speak outside of the country. It’s a win-win all around, really.

secret

I’ve also recently started attending a Tai Chi/Qigong class in the mornings, which has been really fun. It’s a lovely way to start the day and get out of the house for a little while. I’m constantly surprised to learn about the different classes/groups/events going on around town and am impressed by the breadth of options, considering the size of the city. The more I’m here, the more I feel lucky to have the opportunity. There seems to be a lot more to this city than meets the eye, and I find myself getting the feeling I did in London that I want to experience all it has to offer. I’m not sure I would walk all the streets, but I’ve been thinking of some ways I could document the experience a little more systematically. Watch this space!

Last but not least, although it seems a little backward to talk about our Christmas holidays in February, I have had a lot of people ask about our time in New Zealand. The trip has come and gone, as the best things do, but I would be remiss to throw up only a few photos and consider it enough to give you a taste of our adventure. Therefore, next time I shall briefly depart from tales of the Possibly Perfect Place and shift the focus instead to New Zealand, the Absolutely Perfect Place…

See you then!

Episode 12: First Impressions

Published on November 26, 2018November 26, 2018 by Mobilis Divers

Last time on Mobilis Divers: Chris was packing up and moving into the new flat while waiting for Noelle to arrive via London and Singapore.

I have officially been in the Possibly Perfect Place for a week now! A lot of people have been asking about my first impressions, so I figured I would jump right in and tell you some of my thoughts so far.

As a basic summary: this is a new country. A really new country. To put it in terms of those who aren’t super into history (such as I), imagine you are in America at a time when it is totally normal to see a retired George Washington hanging out at the local saloon. It’s that level of new. The man who led the resistance movement that brought about the country’s independence (it’s second independence, actually) and became its first President still lives in town and is often seen kicking about. So, that’s kind of bizarre and trippy.

Being in such a fresh-out-of-the-oven place feels both exciting and chaotic. As in the early days of America, they’re still trying to figure it all out. They’re constructing their foundational laws, their forms of government, their political parties, and their infrastructure. They have very little money to do this all with, so there is a lot of prioritizing going on. Is it more essential to have garbage collectors or teachers? Is it better to invest in agriculture or tourism? Even their driving system is in flux. A new one-way system was recently implemented, but the road markings haven’t changed as quickly, so you don’t always know if you are on a two-way street or a one-way street or which way the one-way goes. Couple that with driving on the left and you are in for quite an adventure!

All that to say, there are some significant challenges I have seen so far and certainly more to come. But there are also some pretty sweet rewards. I will enumerate a few below and let you decide to which category they belong.

Market limitations: This isn’t the type of place where you decide what you want to make for dinner then go get the things and make it. You go to the market, get what they have then put your imagination to the test. It makes for more creative cooking, that’s for sure. It’s kind of fun for now, though I can see there being a day when all I want is the perfect nacho and there are no tortilla chips in the whole country. That will be a sad day, but in the words of Aragorn, “it is not this day!” (I’m reading Lord of the Rings in preparation for our New Zealand trip and Hobbiton visit, obviously).

Regular G&Ts – Speaking of market limitations, a few weeks ago Chris tried to get tonic water for us to make gin and tonics, but no shops had it. The week after that it was back in stock, but you could only buy it by the flat. So we now have 24 cans we’re working our way through (using the very adorable bamboo straws he also acquired). Our first night here we also went to a beautiful beachside restaurant where we watched the sunset and drank our new signature drink. Bliss.

Airline Drama: The need for antitrust legislation came to light last week when an airline started essentially holding the country at ransom. There are three cities you can fly to from here, only one of which is really a useful connection for the majority of people. That route is served by two airlines across four flights a day. It is the country’s lifeline to the outside world in many ways. People use that for their visa runs, for long weekends, for buying things they can’t get here, and for going back to wherever they call home. Last week, one of those two airlines bought the other one and more than doubled the prices overnight. It’s a been a problem, to say the least.

It has affected us personally as my parents are trying to plan a trip to visit and now have to pay a hell of a lot more to get here. And it has had huge ramifications for NGOs who have to frequently fly people around and for tourist-based businesses who will see a massive drop in their clientele. As such a new country, however, there isn’t a lot of bargaining power to fix this with. The Ministry of Transportation is doing its best to stand up to the airline by imposing sanctions, or bringing in a new airline for the route, or increasing the national airline’s current routes from zero to one to fill the gap, but this could take a lot of time. Until then, no one can stop this company from charging extortionate prices with no consequence.

Internet not strong: Chris set my phone up with internet a couple of days after I got here and it’s sort of decent-ish (some things work and others have no prayer). It feels like we went back to the 90s a bit, but I am also kind of enjoying it. I have a lot more time to do things because I can’t be bothered to sit around waiting for pages to load. It makes banking pretty annoying (and I can’t imagine how long it would take to reset a password with all the emails and temporary codes and yada yada yada), but it means I don’t waste time with pointless crap online, so that’s nice.

Not many bugs: This one has surprised me a lot. I haven’t had one mosquito bite yet. I have seen one sort-of-chunky-but-by-no-means-huge cockroach, but nothing else gross in the house (or outside of the house for that matter). I really expected to have bites all over after a week and I don’t, so that’s a win!

Color!!!: They are not afraid of color here. There are gorgeous tropical flowers everywhere (long live bougainvillea!) and the local tapestry craft uses some incredibly bold and beautiful color palettes. I love it mucho.

Protests: A few protests took place this week over decisions made by Parliament and the police. This does belong somewhat in the “challenges” section as it causes minor concerns over safety, but it also feels like good thing. We recently lived in a place where this would simply never happen. I was hard pressed to find anyone there who said anything against the government in the privacy of their own home, let alone proclaim it on the streets with their feet and their voices and their signs. While I intend to steer well clear of these situations when they occur, the fact that they have the right to protest and to speak their minds publicly is quite significant to me. They are doing something right there, in my books.

It’s hot: It is only really in the high-80s F/ mid-20s C, but the 70-80% humidity really adds a whole new level of fun. It is not as hot as Arabia was, of course, but it’s more of a daily presence. In Muscat, if I wanted to run the AC all day every day, at the end of the month we’d have a bill of about $15 for electricity. Here, we have spent double that in a week with it on only some of the time. Because utilities are so much more expensive, we try to get by with a fan if we can, which means we are often pretty sweaty. It *is* the beginning of the rainy season, though, so I don’t think it will always be so muggy. On the bright side, my skin and hair are really feeling great!

Cold showers on hot days: In Muscat, our water tanks were on the roof, which meant that in the heat of the day (when you most wanted a cold shower) the water was scorching hot. Here they have quite cleverly put a roof over the water. Hot afternoon? Cold shower. Fantastic.

We’re social butterflies: In the week I’ve been here, I have already: attended a really lovely yoga class with our really lovely neighbour, gone on a splendid walk with a hiking group (then to a party with them that night where I met more new friends) and been to the beachside cinema where I made friends with a beach dog who can shake hands. In short, we’re very busy and important people, so do be sure to have your people reach out early if you want to schedule a time with us.

Kingboy: I’ve also made friends with the dog who lives at our house. His name is Kingboy, and he is, admittedly, pretty stupid. He likes to chew on rocks and plastic bowls and rags and arms and anything he can get his mouth around. I am in love with him already.

Piglet Rescue: Kingboy had an exciting moment this week when a piglet happened to wander through our gate accidentally. While he looked at it curiously to see if it was worth chewing (the mama pick snarling and cursing at him from the other side), I had the pleasure of distracting him long enough for the little one to get back to its (very angry) mama. It took all my strength not to try and cuddle it.

Chris is here: Last but not least, not only are Chris and I now on the same continent, we’re in the same country, same city and, if you can believe it, same house. We ride in the same car to shop at the same grocery store and watch the same movies on the same tv. In a couple of days we’ll go on the same boat to swim by each other on the same dive. It’s been delightful to simply share the same spaces without a screen between us.

So there you have it, a few observations from my first week in a brand new place. In the time it has taken me to write and post this (see: “internet not strong” section above), I have had even more interesting experiences and made more notes of more tales of woe and wonder to share with you soon. Can’t wait to see what the next week holds!

Episode 11: 5…4…3…2…1…

Published on November 14, 2018 by Noelle

Last time on Mobilis Divers: Noelle was a few days away from short-term retirement, while Chris was breaking in our new car, packing up for our new flat and getting ready to announce his other big news.

Since we talked last, quite a lot has happened! I quit my job, packed up my life, had a quick trip to Mexico (where I went diving in eerie caves, climbed crumbling ruins and laughed heartily with great friends) and flew to London, where I have spent the last two weeks catching up with more friends, family and favourite foods.

Diving in Angelita Cenote. It was as creepy as it looks.

A healthy sheen of jungle sweat on three lovely faces after we climbed to the top of the ruins in Coba.

The gorgeous courtyard at our guest house.

Matilda, the feisty kitty that let me harass her with endless cuddles and play sessions for a couple of days.

A perfect rainbow over the Dunstable Downs.

My favourite Tiffany. Another sassy cat I miss terribly when I am not in London.

Chris has also had some excitement in his life the last few weeks! We are finally free to share the big news I mentioned last time: he has officially been promoted to Senior Teacher, starting in January! He’s already begun doing some curriculum planning and other bigger picture duties for his new role and is genuinely loving it. He derives immense joy from designing good courses and materials for his students (nerds are the best), so it is a perfect position for him. It’s wonderfully uplifting to see him enjoying his work so much.

Although he’s been quite busy getting ready for his new job, he has managed to get in some good adventures too. Between his diving weekends and hiking days, he’s seen some gorgeous parts of the country lately. On his last trip across the channel, he saw a pod of 10 or so sperm whales and a super pod of 200+ dolphins!

The view from his home-away-from-home on the island. Hammock, beach, sunset…it’s been hard for him.

He also witnessed an event (sadly without a camera) that illustrates quite clearly how life will be much different in our new home. A restaurant recently opened about a ten-minute walk from our house, and every Friday they set up a big screen on the beach while the standard, wildly colourful sunset blooms across the sand and sky. After darkness falls, everyone sits around sipping beers, watching a movie together. It all sounds desperately romantic until I receive messages like this:

Five days from now, I’ll be setting foot in this strange, beautiful, messy, hilarious, romantic, chaotic place. It will be a relief to be with Chris again and a joy and pleasure to learn what makes the country tick. It is also certain to be frustrating and irritating at times, and I may have to dodge the occasionally charging pig or skittering scorpion. It’s a real place, with some real beauty and some real complexity. Only time will tell what our lives will look like there and how we will fit into the scene. All I know is that it will be delightful to finally be figuring it all out hand in hand with my favourite adventure buddy.

Grey Reef Shark/carcharrhinus Perezi

Episode 10: Let the Countdown Begin

Published on September 16, 2018September 16, 2018 by Mobilis Divers

Last time on Mobilis Divers: Chris was getting chased by pigs and stung by scorpions between sunset visits to the beach, while Noelle made some changes to our end-of-year schedule to accommodate our upcoming nuptials!

Hello again!

All kinds of exciting news to share this month. First and foremost, we have purchased my tickets, and I officially have 62 days until I land in the Possibly Perfect Place!!! Yay!!! I can’t wait to get there. I’m getting bored of Chris sending me amazing photos of beachside sunsets and telling me about all the fabulous nights out he’s having with friends without me being able to join him. I am quite ready to be there so I can start exploring our new home.

sunset in again

sunset on beach

Good news for me on that front: I only have 13 workings days left in Utah!

Now that I’ve officially given my notice at work I am feeling quite ready to be done and move on to our new adventures. I did have a few pangs of sadness when I turned in my notice, though. It’s been exactly the job I needed in a lot of ways; I’ve had a regular schedule (for the first time in about six years) and have been doing work that is relatively easy but still requires some mental with-it-ness. It’s helped me get back on my feet mentally and has introduced me to several really good new friends. And, my favorite part, it’s been stress-free enough that I don’t think about work for a second when I am not there. There’s a lot I have learned from this job the last few months, and some important skills and lessons I will take with me into the next phase of my life. Fare thee well, WGU!

My new job will be somewhere down in that pretty little city.

On my last day, I will be leaving the office with my backpack in tow and heading straight for the airport to start my Mexican diving adventure! I’m getting really excited about the cenotes and jungles and ruins and margaritas on the beach (or by the private pool of the villa I’m staying at with my wonderful friends). It is going to be fabulous. It’s been a year (a YEAR!) since I’ve been diving for real. My pool dives just haven’t aroused quite the same level of excitement these past few months. I can’t wait to get back out to play with my fishy friends and explore some new puddles.

Chris + frogfish. Can you see his little face? The frogfish, I mean.

In other diving holiday news, Chris recently had a week away as well, investigating an area where we are interested in setting up shop. I say a week away, but really it’s about an hour boat ride from our house. This island off the mainland is surrounded by some incredibly healthy reef full of creatures big and small. Chris was as excited about the pipefish as he was about the grey reef sharks. From the accounts I got of his time there (jealousy-inducing photos of his logbook), it sounds like a pretty special place.

A mushroom coral pipefish in soft coral. I love how its face looks like a little dragon

40257951_10160825372365013_4960845492129890304_o — A funky nudi (but aren’t they all?)

Not only is the diving fabulous there, but after his reccy, our dream is starting to feel like it might be a real possibility. The tourist industry is definitely still developing, but the whole time he was there it was full of visiting divers, which bodes well for an up-and-coming dive centre (the coolest up-and-coming dive centre, obviously). I definitely cannot wait to see it myself and do some exploratory dives with him. Who knows, maybe this time next year I’ll be writing to you from the comfort of our own beachfront property!

Here are a few more shots from his visit, for your viewing pleasure:

40051495_10160825372810013_47707852478873600_o — I didn’t know Ferrari did a line in boats!

40202764_10160825372725013_4518983560274640896_o — The island airport: Terminal in the distance, runway and a plane small enough it is almost hidden by bushes.

A couple of other developments this week: we have a new car! and a new flat! and some news we can’t yet reveal!*

New Car

Firstly, the car: Isn’t she cute?! From what it sounds like, she quite comfortably seats 3.5 people, which could lead to some interesting negotiations. We’re in the process of choosing her name, so bring on the suggestions!

Secondly, the flat: It happens to work out pretty splendidly that a 2-bedroom place is opening up in the same complex just as I am arriving with Chris’ mum for her visit. Chris will shuffle our stuff next door before we get there and I will put up all the decorations to make it nice and homey after I arrive. Teamwork!

Thirdly, the rest: We have another bit of good news that, unfortunately, is not public yet. You will be the first (in a series of people) to know once it is though!

While I can’t promise this level of excitement and good news in every update. I can say that as I get closer to arriving and am learning more and more about the PPP, I find so much more I want to tell you about. It’s a fascinating country with some really interesting things going on. I’ll do my best to share it all with you along the way!

pygmy seahorse

*Before you ask the question you’re thinking of there, consider Chris and my relative proximity and try again.

Episode 9: Pigs at Sunset

Published on July 11, 2018September 16, 2018 by Mobilis Divers1 Comment

Last time on Mobilis Divers: Noelle was anxiously awaiting Chris’ arrival in Utah, while the two of them cobbled together some exciting plans for the rest of the year.

Summer is officially here in Utah. Triple digits are a far cry from the weekly snowstorms we were getting last time I wrote! My parents chose to escape the heat with a multi-month road trip around the country and a quick nip over to the UK. In the meantime, I’ve been tending to our yard and our Airbnb guests. I’m proud to say that this week I harvested my first crop of tomatoes from the vine! Nothing beats the flavour of a sun-drenched tomato. With my basil plant flourishing as well, all I need is a free-range buffalo and I could have all the caprese my Italian-at-heart heart desires!

We’ve had a few notable changes on the agenda since our last update. Perhaps the most significant is that our diving trip over Chris’ winter holidays is now going to be our honeymoon! I’m happy to announce that we got engaged on our fabulous trip to Arches in April (two and a half months ago already, if you can believe it!). While I think a proposal at Delicate Arch would be quite special any time, we got particularly lucky and had the place all to ourselves for the better part of an hour. It was a pretty spectacular morning.

For those in the know, this is not taken at Delicate Arch. I don’t really get the whole selfie-during-an-intimate-life-changing-moment thing. That whole episode is just for the two of us.

In true Chris and Noelle fashion, we’ve chosen to eat our dessert first. We’re honeymooning this December, but not getting married until next April back in Utah. Due to some complicated bureaucratic requirements, we can’t get married in the UK, but we will have a party there next August. With all that accounted for, we wouldn’t have time for a honeymoon until December 2019. Far too long for impatient travellers!

Also, now that we’re adding one major event to the coming year, we’re removing another. I have decided not to take the diving Instructor course this year after all. Chris has attempted to do some teaching in the Possibly Perfect Place and the dive centres there charge a preposterous amount for access to their boats and gear. It doesn’t make much sense to pay for the course and license if I can’t do anything with it. We’ll wait to see when it makes more sense for our business plans for me to go ahead with it (more on that shortly).

Putting off the course until a more useful time also means I will get to settle into my new home with my new fiancé a little sooner than planned. I’m eager to be with Chris again, get a job and have a normal life there. Plus it looks pretty beautiful, right?

Before you assume the Possibly Perfect Place is the divine paradise those photos suggest, please note the following disclosures:

Behind the photo taker, a family of pigs is wandering around scavenging for dinner
Chris got charged by a (probably) different pig a couple of weeks ago while gathering his laundry. Said pig then charged the landlady (while the guard dog dove under the car for cover). She beat the beast off with an ironing board and climbed the tree to get away. Cleaning ladies there are badass.
Chris also rolled over one evening to find a crab staring him down from the hallway and was stung by a scorpion while packing up his bag this morning.

Still, they know how to do sunsets, eh?!

It’s definitely going to be an adventure there, to say the least. I must admit, despite all the animal encounters, the anxiety that has started bubbling up recently is mainly around not finding a job and being home bored and lonely again all day. I never understood the meaning of being “bored out of one’s mind” until I found myself having lengthy discussions with my potted plants in Muscat. Although I am sure the plants in the PPP are equally friendly and have many tales to tell, I’d rather they’re not my main source of company. While I can’t predict how the job hunt will go, I can say that Chris has got quite a cool group of friends around him already. Having a soft landing into an instant community of cool and caring people certainly eases some of my worries.

If I don’t find a job, however, perhaps it means it’s time for us to dive into this whole dive centre thing after all. We are starting to feel like we might be maybe at a point of perhaps thinking about getting this thing going…possibly…theoretically. It’s a big deal, guys! We’re totally freaked out but also really excited.

The first step will be getting the business registered. Chris’ boss has his own business on the side there, so it’s been really helpful to get a better idea of what is involved in that (Stamps, basically. Lots of stamps – as per usual). We’ll likely have to hire someone to help us get that going, and it’s a nice start to get recommendations from others who have gone before us on who to trust with that kind of thing.

Once the official stuff is out of the way, we’ve got some ideas for how we can start pretty small and run some dives or courses on the weekends when Chris isn’t working. It’ll be an investment, but not a fortune, and it will, hopefully, allow us to get a better idea of how viable the whole idea actually is.

When we start talking about our plans, we (I say “we”, but obviously I mean “I”) quickly go from the practical discussions of how many tanks and sets of gear we’ll need, to where we will hide all the nudis for everyone to find. I mean really, how cool would it be for guests to hunt for these around the shop??

In case you are as interested in buying these as I am, here’s the link!

Anyway. I digress. Sort of. It’s the little touches that make me most excited – like figuring out how to make cool starfish bean bags and how to best to stock the log book decorating supplies. I know those are a lower priority than getting a compressor, for example, but they’re also kind of not. Lots of people run dive centres and lots of them feel pretty much the same. I am excited about making ours a reflection of the things we love, particularly if that means it’s a cool, comfy place full of nerdy divers poring over fishy reference books to find the one obscure creature they found that morning. I sincerely hope you can come visit us there one day!

Episode 8: Looking Forward

Published on April 13, 2018May 26, 2018 by Mobilis Divers4 Comments

Last time on Mobilis Divers: Chris and Noelle tried to console each other from a distance over the loss of their sweet little kitten. It didn’t work very well. Noelle made a promise to appreciate life’s small joys in honor of her sun-basking, tree-scratching, bird-watching friend.

Only 9 days until Chris is here!

We’ve got a few things planned, but bringing him to southern Utah is probably the one I’m most excited about. I’ve made a list of all my favorite places to take him, and while most of them I’m keeping a secret (mostly to annoy him), I cannot hide the fact that I am so ready to share Delicate Arch with him. I spent so much of my childhood playing around this epic masterpiece. When I’m having a bad day, I often imagine myself there – basking in the sun, the red sandstone warming my back, lizards darting in and out of rocks nearby. I could really do with some of its restorative magic right about now. I can’t wait to get there. And I can’t wait for Chris to see it in person.

He is pretty ready for a break from his developing-nation life, too. This week’s Third World problem? He went to the store to buy some electricity (yeah, you read that right) and they told him, “No have electricity. Electricity finished. Tomorrow maybe electricity.” The power wasn’t out, mind you, they just did not have any electricity to sell. They also “no had” eggs, despite the fact that there are chickens literally all around you all the time. Oh Asia.

Good news though: this weekend, he’s moving out of the ghetto (with it’s yapping dogs, crowing roosters, screaming kids and booming music) and over to the other side of town, near the beach. It sounds like a great setup. He’s already got friends who live in the same complex, which is fabulous, and it’s a less hectic part of town. It’ll be a little more effort to get to the pubs and dive shops when he wants to, but it’ll be worth the tradeoff to have a place that feels a little more like a home.

Also he’ll be closer to this beach, which he’s been telling me about for years.

Speaking of moving…drum roll please…it looks likely I’ll be moving to the Possibly Perfect Place in January!! That’s right, folks. The next phase of Operation: Let’s Get This Party Started is just around the corner.

I’ve thought about joining him sooner (the more snow we get here, the more jealous I get of him being on a gorgeous, tropical island without me), but I’m really looking forward to spending the summer with my friends and family here. There’s nothing quite like BBQ season in America. Plus I’ve got art festivals and first birthdays and weekend visits out-of-state I’m very excited about. Once I’ve had my summer fun and the leaves and snow have started to fall, I’ll pack up my bags and head out for the next adventure. As per usual, however, with our silly way of doing things, I’ll have to make a few quick stops in Mexico, London, and Bali (and maybe New Zealand and Fiji, of course) along the way.

Why all the hopping around? Well, I’d really like to have the scuba diving Instructor course finished before I settle into the new place. I was originally thinking of doing it here in Utah, but it’s really expensive (nearly $4000!). We have friends at two shops in Bali where we know the instruction will be top-notch and they both have courses starting in mid-November for about a thousand dollars less. It’s the perfect time for me to get the course done before Chris’ winter break starts but before I potentially start working and have to worry about getting a month off to study (side note: we’ve been looking a lot at jobs for me there – too early, but still fun to do – and it looks like there’s some great potential! More on that as we get closer.)

As for his winter holidays, he has about a month off, so we’re thinking of hopping over to New Zealand to see Hobbiton, visit a friend, do some hiking and maybe meet my parents for Christmas as they’d already been planning to visit about that time. And, you know, with Fiji being so close by…well we’re definitely tempted, to say the least.

Before I leave the Americas, though, I’d really love to dive the cenotes in Mexico. It seems a shame to be so close and not get to them before I go. A few friends and I are trying to get a little trip together in October, which I’m really excited about. I’m looking forward to the Angelita cenote, in particular. It’s a strange place with fresh water on top, salt water below and a cloud of white sulphur between. Because of the color difference and the small island that peeks up just above the sulphur, it looks like an underwater lake.

It’s felt good to see our plans for the rest of the year slowly take shape. We’re excited about the fact that we might both be able to work, which would make starting our own place a lot less stressful financially. We’re excited about the new place Chris is moving to, which is likely to be our next home together. We’re excited about the store having more electricity to sell now, which means we can carry on Skyping. But mostly we’re excited for nine days from now when we’ll both be on the same continent!

Episode 7: My Kitten Caboodle

Published on March 28, 2018May 26, 2018 by Mobilis Divers1 Comment

Last time on Mobilis Divers: Chris and Noelle accepted the reality that there is no Perfect Place. They started to see some obstacles on the road ahead but remembered that even though living their dream might not be easy, the adventure will be worth it.

Four weeks from today, Chris will be in Utah. And not a moment too soon. It’s been a really hard week for us. Our sweet little kitty passed away in a heartbreaking accident a few days ago and it’s been impossibly difficult for me to deal with on my own. It’s been awful and shocking and insanely painful. He was my constant companion and playmate for the last couple of years. I miss him terribly. All I want to do was put my head on Chris’ shoulder and cry on the couch. Instead, we are forced to sit face to face, a glass wall between us, trying to console each other with words at a time where there aren’t any that matter at all. We do the best we can, but Skype hugs just aren’t the same as real hugs, and the distance has felt all too real.

I’ve seriously contemplated packing up my stuff, getting on a plane and fleeing from the constant reminders of my beautiful kitten that are still scattered around the house. But it’s better, I guess, to be in a place where we were together every day and where I loved him endlessly as I come to terms with my new reality. It’s still too raw for me to work through right now, and, to be honest, I am not particularly interested in getting over it at the moment. Getting over it feels like letting him slip from my memory, and that is my biggest fear of all. All I want to do is cry in the shower and hug his toys as if touching something he touched will let me feel him again.

It’s ironic really, I came home to heal. I came home to be surrounded by family and friends, to bask in their love and affection, to feel the joy of belonging, to regroup, recover and get ready for the next adventure. I did not expect to experience a fresh new pain. I suppose, though, there is no better place to be when you find yourself in the midst of a profound loss. My parents have been deeply comforting, allowing me to be messy and raw and snotty as much as I need to. My friends have surrounded me with love, consolation, kindness and photos of their babies being adorable to distract me, even if it’s just for a moment.

A couple of weeks ago, I was reminded of one of Carl Sagan’s philosophies: living creatures are made of the same matter as the universe and are, therefore, the cosmos way of experiencing itself. There’s no soul I know who took this purpose to heart more than my cat. The world was his playground and everything was his toy. He scratched every tree, chased every bird, watched every squirrel, basked in every ray of sun. If there was something to climb, he climbed it. If there was a door he could open, he opened it. If there was a yoga mat to shred, he shredded it. He lived so fully, so presently, all day every day. And he lapped up joy wherever he could find it, whether it was on a sun-drenched bed or in a cuddle under the blankets.

Although I don’t feel up to it right this moment – and I don’t think I will for a while – the only way I feel I can truly honor his spirit and the joy he brought to my life is to try to live like he did. To embody his constant playfulness. To embrace his shameless indulgence in life’s smallest pleasures. To be cautious but brave. To be curious and experimental. To be endlessly sweet and comforting. To be choosy about who I love, but to love the ones I do with all I’ve got. And to live every day with the sole purpose of experiencing the world as deeply and thoroughly as I can in the time I have.

HG Wells once said, “Losing your way on a journey is unfortunate. But losing your reason for the journey is a fate more cruel.” I came here to heal and get ready for our next adventure. It’s awful that I’ve had to take a step back in that process to grieve the loss of a companion I loved so deeply. But Chris will be here soon and we have all kinds of adventures planned. And this fall, I will quit my job and move across the world to explore a new country, meet new friends, hike up new mountains and dive into new waters. Along the way, I’ll be sure to roll in the grass, splash in the puddles and bask in the rays of sun, because that’s what my sweet kitty would have done.

Child Dugong Calm Baby Peaceful Mood Underwater Images Of Cute Animals — Mama Manatee and her playful pup

Episode 6: The Real World

Published on January 23, 2018January 21, 2018 by Mobilis Divers2 Comments

Last time on Mobilis Divers: On one hemisphere, Chris was looking forward to Bintangs on the beaches of Bali before flying to his brand new abode. On the other, Noelle was getting ready for the first day of her new job. Both were dreaming of fish.

dreaming of fish — Original art by Cyril Rolando

Now that I’ve finally got my head around what it means to have a full-time job again, and Chris and I have figured out the time zone calculations enough to be able to talk somewhat regularly, it’s time to share some updates!

As you’ve likely gathered, step one of our plan for world domination has officially taken place: Chris is now living in the Possibly Perfect Place (PPP). That’s right, things are starting to get real, my friends. We’ve learned quite a lot about life on the ground there already – the good, the bad and the origin story. It’s definitely an interesting place!

But first, the Utah news.

I officially worked a 5-day, 40-hour week for the first time in years (you can send your gold stars via post or sms). I’ve started settling into the routine of having a job again and, surprise, surprise, it takes up a lot of the free time I used to have in abundance. On the other hand, I am getting paid to sit at home and write this because it is already a bank holiday! Swings and roundabouts, I suppose.

I also had the opportunity to pop into the dive center where I did my little trial run last month and make some more definitive plans about what I want to do there. As it stands now, it looks like we’re aiming to get me on an instructor course near the end of the summer. Woot! I’m hoping to run as many DSD courses as possible before then (people trying diving for the very first time). It should teach me some good tricks of the trade before I work my way up to the next level (side note: If you happen to be in Utah and want to try it out, let me know! It’s always more fun for you and less intimidating for me to work with friends while I hone my skills).

*Hint*: If this photo looks perfectly fine to you, a DSD course might be enlightening.

On the other side of the world, Chris has also been settling into a new job while simultaneously experiencing the ups and downs of moving to a new country. After a less-relaxing-than-anticipated two days in Bali, he was relieved to finally land in the PPP. We happen to have a friend living there, so on his very first night he was already having drinks with a bunch of divers at the dive centre that also happened to be his hotel. What better entrance could you ask for?

For the first couple of days, he basked in the lush tropical greenery, the bright flowers in bloom, the pedestrian-friendly streets and the variety of dining options (there’s even Mexican!). He got excited about the eating, exploring, hiking and, of course, diving we would do there. That initial tourist perspective was pretty thrilling. I was ready to jump on a plane to go wander around with him. Then he tried to live there.

As it turns out, the Possibly Perfect Place is not just an idyllic wonderland we constructed in our minds, but an earthy, complex, full-bodied city. In other words: it’s a real place. We knew this, of course, but now that he’s on the ground we can no longer remain in our one-dimensional fantasy land. Like I said, things are starting to get real.

The biggest obstacle we can see for our business plans there is the cost. Although it’s a typical Asian country, the prices are very much not. A day of diving is more than double the rate of the surrounding areas, and we’re not entirely sure why. It’s the biggest mystery for us right now. For example, he can get a bottle of wine from Portugal (over 14,000 miles away) for about $8, but he can’t seem to find a saucepan (from probably less than 500 miles away) for less than $25. It’s bizarre.

His house hunt was also a little dispiriting. He thought he had a sweet little place lined up right by the beach with all the amenities you could hope for, but when he saw it in person the beach was not one you’d want to stroll down in the evenings after dinner. Sadly it was covered in plastic rubbish – like many beaches these days. Sigh. Unable to bear that, he ended up paying what feels like unnecessarily high rent to basically live in the ghetto.

Despite the bad stuff, though, there has definitely been some good. His ghetto is full of really friendly families who have warmly welcomed him into their neighbourhood. He’s already made friends with his co-workers and is going to BBQs and pub nights with them. He’s going for his first dive this weekend at one of the most highly acclaimed muck diving sites. And he’s met some people who are running their own businesses there – even one focused on sustainable tourism, which is truly exciting for us.

Through all the dirty beaches, burning plastic and corrugated tin huts, we are still intrigued by the potential of the PPP. When I was in Muscat, I met a few people who had been there a long time and were deeply in love with the city in a way that took me a long time to understand. Eventually, I figured it out though: they were there from the beginning.

They saw the country go from this…

…to this…

….in the time they lived there. They were a part of that. They taught in the schools, giving the new generation opportunities their grandparents never dreamed of. They built the roads and ports, giving more people access to better careers. And they started their own businesses, creating jobs for locals and contributing to the growth of a fledgeling nation.

The way we see it right now is this: we would feel immensely lucky to make a living doing what we love, but there’s a bigger picture for us too. While living in a brand new country may not always be ideal, or romantic, or easy, we’re fascinated by the thought of being there at the beginning, watching the country develop over the years and being part of that in whatever small way we can. It is a truly exhilarating thought for both of us, and the PPP might be our chance to do that. Only time will tell! Whale shark

Episode 3: Strange Dreams

Published on November 30, 2017January 21, 2018 by Mobilis Divers2 Comments

Last time on Mobilis Divers: The Possibly Perfect Place started to look like it could be a real thing, but with some challenges. Noelle got anxious about the challenges. We modified the plans. The universe ignored us completely.

“Some people get a strange dream, then that dream opens a new future or new life or new connections with other people” – Dalai Lama

So there we were, making plans to take a little breather in Utah before jumping head first into this strange dream of ours. I was busy selling things off, packing what was left and getting the cat ready to go. My friends and family at home were busy finding spare rooms for us to live in, looking for job opportunities, and planning holiday parties.

Then Chris got an email.

You see, the first day after we returned from our Summer of Three Places, we started talking to people about our interest in the Possibly Perfect Place. We wanted to get a feel for it from those who have actually spent time on the ground, so we reached out to people who live there and people who have travelled and dived there. In the process, one of Chris’s co-workers casually said, “You’ll never find a job there!”

The idea of either of us getting a job hadn’t really crossed our minds. We were always focused on the idea of starting our own business, not working for someone else. But the suggestion of it made Chris curious. It could help us out a lot with some of the challenges we felt like we were facing. For example, getting a job would mean earning money instead of spending it while we check the place out. It would also give us more time to explore it in depth: looking into the logistics of setting up the business, finding potential sites, making contacts and getting a really good lay of the land before we jump into anything.

Chris hopped online to see if his colleague was right about jobs being so rare, and what would you know but a position had been posted that day in exactly his area of expertise? We certainly didn’t expect that! In a mad dash, he updated his resume and sent off his application. Then we heard nothing. For weeks.

I can’t say I was totally heartbroken that they hadn’t replied. The opportunity sounded great and all (you can’t deny the freakishly good timing), but I was really looking forward to us having some time together for a few low-stress months, something I don’t know if we’ve ever really had before. I knew he was probably the most qualified person applying for the job, but as the weeks rolled by without a peep, I relaxed more and more into the reality of our Utah plans.

When he got the email requesting an interview. I was not wholly enthusiastic. To put it truthfully, I dissolved into a snotty, teary heap. It felt like once again the plans we made were being ripped up in front of our eyes. I knew I could not go with him, I just didn’t have it in me. I still needed rest and that still needed to be in Utah because it’s simply the easiest place for me to go. A small, annoyingly excited voice inside of me did keep twittering that, despite my anger and frustration over the timing, this job presented a really great opportunity for us and our future. I wanted to punch that voice, but I was forced to give it the stink eye it instead.

freaks-geeks-stink-eye

When he got the email offering him the job, I would like to say I was prepared and excited and ready to accept this crazy twist of fate. But no, I dissolved into a snotty, teary heap. Now that it was a real possibility, I started thinking about how our day-to-day lives would look, and I didn’t love it. The Possibly Perfect Place is far from Utah, so far it is actually nearly an antipode. With the time difference (if we’re both working typical hours) one will be working while the other is sleeping, which means we’ll probably only be able to talk to each other on the weekends. And knowing the American system, I was keenly aware that once I got a job I would not be able to go visit him because I simply would not have the time to. His job offer felt like the last nail in the coffin of our relaxing, refreshing time together. Because it was. And it totally sucked.

On the other hand, when the emotions subsided and I let that small, annoyingly excited voice actually say its piece, I couldn’t deny the coincidence. What are the chances that we would say “Let’s go check out this place in January” and a job in that exact place (a pretty remote and unknown one) at that exact time would magically appear? Although it will be really hard for us to be 8,000+ miles apart (for we don’t know how long), in terms of our big-picture hopes it certainly makes more sense for Chris to be there, checking out the possibilities, than in Utah spending his days doing crossword puzzles while I’m at work. Plus, every relationship needs a time where you have to communicate through long-form letters in lieu of face-to-face time, right?

Once we accepted the new state of affairs, things continued to slot into place without us doing much. We managed to sell off nearly all of the things in our house and one of our cars without actually trying. And Chris got a surprise week off, which he was able to use to go back to the UK to visit his family (he had planned to in January but wouldn’t be able to with the new job starting then). All too easy… It feels like, after so many years of trying to land somewhere and make things work, this opportunity is simply – and tenaciously – presenting itself to us on a silver platter.

I suppose the Dalai Lama is the renowned and respected man he is because he happens to understand how the world works. He simply accepts that strange dreams can lead to new futures, new lives and new people. We, on the other hand, didn’t have His Holiness’ wisdom to recognise that once we voiced our dream it might take on a life of its own and we’d just be along for the ride.