I'm sorry for not having updated the blog in 4 weeks. But I have NOT been lazy - this program involved working for the diveshop (getting the gear ready for all the dive-students, getting the boat ready, etc), working through 3 books (had to take 8 exams, do 9 knowledge reviews, create an emergency plan), and a bunch of other stuff. I've been getting up at 6 every morning. Work starts at 6.15. Doesn't take you long to get ready though if all you need is swimming shorts and some sun-tan lotion.

So. Now I'm a divemaster. Finished yesterday. So the tradition on the island whenever someone finishes their divemaster, they have to do a snorkel-test: means that in the local "Treetanic"-bar, you instructor/mentor announces that you finished, puts you on a mask and a snorkel - with a water-bottle attached that is then being filled with some nasty alcohol mix. Then you have to drink the stuff through the snorkel, and to finish it all up they fill the mask with bear and you have to demonstrate a proper mask clearing. All went well, and the hangover is not too bad.

I don't recall exactly where the last blog ended. And I still don't have the last Mexico pictures.But here a quick synapses of the past 5 weeks: From Mexico city I took an overnight bus to Tapachula, a town on the border to Guatemala. There I got a ticket for a bus to Guatemala - which I then missed by an hour, since there is a 1-hour time difference in this place that noone had told me about. The lady at the bus terminal suggested taking a cab to the border - and maybe I could still catch the bus there. 2 minutes later I'm siting in a taxi, wondering if I should tell the cab driver to go faster. After 20 minutes we get close to the border. I have to get out and take a Tuc-Tuc - only they are allowed to go directly to the border. As we get close I see the bus - made it!!After a night in Guatemala city I took a 12hr bus to La Ceiba / Honduras, from where I took the Ferry the next morning to Utila. Since then it's all been diving, diving, and more diving.

Tomorrow afternoon I'm leaving the island, and fly to Atlanta on Monday. Actually looking forward to come back. From there I'll head to Knoxville, and then to Detroit where we'll celebrate my Dad's 60th next weekend. I really don't know yet what I'll do after that. I might go to Germany for the summer, and either I'll find a job I really like or I might go to southeast Asia for a while. We'll see.

I hope you enjoyed reading. If I'll head to Southeast Asia, there will be more to follow. Adios. 

Here some pics from Utila:
http://picasaweb.google.com/joegrass76/05fUtilaDMApril#