the last few days down by the sea have almost become a blur but as my week of relaxation comes to a close i have time to reflect and although this was meant to be a time without hard work and harder situations that would make me question every fibre of humanity it has still brought some questions into my head particularly the story of the young man on the scooter

As we drove the final stretch to the well needed beach resort after 9 hours stuck in the back of a sweaty and very cramped van we were close although not completely certain as to were we were actually going we were still close we got along the final stretch too our thoughts too far along the final stretch so we signaled to the other cab that was loaded full of our luggage and two adolescent relatives to turn round and we could look along this road again sure we had already passed it tempers were beginning to be tested and boundaries of how long we could all stay crushed together so closely we being crossed. making for some very irritable travelers me and my father being to in particular but always have been like father like son. it was as we were turning i looked out the back window completely by chance and watched the other cab turn closely on our tail when out of no where comes a huge thud and the for a good 100 feet down the road there was sparks and all in one moment having seen this i heard the thud the sound of crushing metal and the scrape mixed with a 125 engine. I looked round to everyone and said "shit that guy just came of his scooter....and hard" there was a flurry in the back of the van and for the first time in the last four hours of the journey some movement and interest "he hit the mini cab" "he came out of no where no lights no nothing"
some of the phrases past around declaring the situation and everyone feeling they want to be part of it "thats slightly irrelevant should we not be worrying if he is okay he seems to be standing up"
the doctor who is studying and traveling with us gets out and grabs his bag for his first aid kit
he and Emma rush down to check whats going on as this happens they are met by 14 or so Filipino guys who run down and are claiming him as there friend sitting him down on the back of the mini cab they look to see his head is busted as is his knee and ankle also there is a strong smell of rum about him which could partly be the reason he wasn't screaming in agony about the fact his bare arms head and legs just ate a 100 foot of tarmac. His friends dont seem dangerous but you would not want to mess with them and they begin to get frustrated not sure what happened and making there own stories to protect there friend. my father and i go out to see if they need any help and to keep the angry friends at bay everyone then seems to wander out of the van which for some reason which is still a blur annoys them more. no more harm is done and eventually all parties agree to get him to the hospital we take thee luggage out the back of the mini cab and help him in. I usher the kids and my mum and cousins back into the van with the luggage crammed inside with them leaving my dad and uncle the doctor with the driver to wait for the guys family and take him to the hospital. one image that will stay in head and make me think this the hardest bastard i have seen in a while is the fact even though all of which just happened to this bloke he was just sitting in the cab perfectly silent texting with a slight smirk and whispered "hey joe."

we got to the hotel and they got him to the hospital which they said was fine and the general verdict that he was a legit tough guy. there was fear that he would try and milk us but pops said he was more than happy they had got him to the hospital feeling aware that his family may not be able to cover it they paid the hospital bill and left it at that which everyone seemed happy with.

they came back to the hotel within a time that would of put southend a&e to shame and so began our week of sun and swim.
with the most amazing two days of diving and my first two which are beyond words
but if i had to put it into 2
"windows screen-saver"
its been a surreal week of tarmac eating lion fish diving boat journeys along side turtles
and and a guy that came up to us on the street asking if we wanted to change money he pulled out a massive wad of peso's and showed a good conversion rate so very curious we agreed it went fine accept that he wouldn't accept a 20 pound note because the corner was ripped !
at fear that we were ripping him off
confused yeah
well i think this week has been only just the start of the bizzare stories to fill this page
and spill from my brain
now for my last night here at the beach then back to Baccolod
(with a 7 hour journey in between)

my one final thought
...........always use protection