Ocean walk

Have you ever walked the ocean?

Well on the third day in Bali we signed up for a tour package to walk the ocean. After an hour's talk on the time-sharing scheme (an Italian guy spoke to us about it) we took our taxi to a sea sports center somewhere on the island of Bali.

Now before I tell you about the walk let me tell you about the talk. The time-sharing scheme allows you up to 7 days holiday a year lodging in a prestigious and 5-star accommodation in some of the major cities in the world. After the Italian guy failed to sell us the scheme an American guy came and spoke further on it. However we told them that as I was due to retire we could not afford the USD 30 a month, they did not press the issue further. That's what I like about this group of companies, the Anantara Vacation Club, they were very professional and not pushy at all!

Anyway back to the ocean. Well after changing into our swimming suits which was actually provided by the operator (a one-piece zipped up from neck to the thigh) we took a boat out to the sea. The sea was slightly choppy and greenish. We got off at a platoon where a few more guys in zipped up swimming trunks awaited us. They gave us a tutorial on hand signals while we were underwater. The most important signal was the hand signal for trouble. Nope it was not a gesture of cutting the throat but a thumbs down sign!

The amazing contraption for walking underwater consists of a round white helmet with an airspace for us to breath. Oxygen is then pumped into the round helmet (it looked like a spaced-out astronaut helmet when put over the head) and you breathe naturally through it.

I chickened out! When they began to put the helmet over me, I literally panicked and shouted No! I even had trouble hauling myself up to the platoon.

Of course the family was not happy with me. They said that going underwater was the best experience in Bali. I could not explain the sensation. It was like an attempt by someone to choke the life out of me!

Anyway they had a nice CD to remind them about their once in a lifetime adventure walk! When I looked at the CD it was indeed stunning. All the finding nemo-like looking fish swam amidst beautiful corals and allowed people to feed them with bread underwater. There was even a pathway built into the ocean floor for people to walk! Amazing but not for me....