Jun 10, 2013 Posted by Alex

My Travel and Blogaversary: Year Two

Yesterday marked a very special anniversary for me: Two years of remote self-employment, two years blogging away here at Alex in Wanderland, and two years of living nomadically. It’s been a trip, in every sense of the word. From attempting drysuit diving in the frigid waters of Iceland to becoming a Divemaster in the warm seas of Indonesia, from throwing back $15 cocktails at a private VIP room in... read more

Jun 7, 2013 Posted by Alex

Diving in Malapascua

Idyllic Malapascua is just a teeny blip on the Philippine’s tourism radar in comparison to bigger stars like Boracay or Palawan — and that’s part of what makes it so alluring to those who do make the arduous journey to get there. Those that do are mainly in pursuit of diving experiences that are hard to replicate elsewhere, like spotting shy thresher sharks or getting up close and... read more

Jun 4, 2013 Posted by Alex

Consider My Mind Blown: Diving in Donsol

So far, Donsol had been a bit of a bust. It had been a mission to get there, and thus far the fireflies and whale sharks had been a disappointment. But we had one more creature left on our list to see — manta rays. We had arrived in the middle of peak season for the Manta Bowl, a famous bay for spotting those majestic pelagics that both Heather and I were lucky enough to swim with back in Hawaii in... read more

Apr 29, 2013 Posted by Alex

Photo of the Week 98

I laughed as I uploaded this week’s Photo of the Week candidates, which were taken with everything from an iPhone camera to a high-end point and shoot to a borrowed dSLR so expensive it would have wiped out my net worth had I accidentally dropped it. I’m behind on work, I’m feeling ill, I’m rushing to complete my Divemaster course — and I’ve never been happier. Maybe... read more

Apr 23, 2013 Posted by Alex

Photo of the Week 97

Where is the time going? I knew that my time in Gili Trawangan working towards my Divemaster would fly by, but yet the days are slipping through my fingers faster than I ever imagined possible. Let’s just say it is a very good thing that I have firm obligations waiting at home or I might be stuck on this island for quite some time… So at this moment I’m trying to console myself my making... read more

Apr 12, 2013 Posted by Alex

Go Deeper: Getting Advanced Open Water Certified

While back in Koh Tao for one more week of island fun, I tagged along on a few dives with Lindsay and MM, who were both getting their Advanced Open Water certification. I did my own advanced certification back when I was living in Cayman in 2010, and I was so excited for them to do the same! Conditions on the island weren’t great and I was pretty disappointed with my resulting photos. Since I... read more

Mar 1, 2013 Posted by Alex

Discovering Scuba Diving in Koh Tao

Discovering Scuba Diving on Koh Tao? I did that long ago! But when my lil’ sis was in Koh Tao, I knew I needed to get her underwater. Our first attempt a few years ago in Grand Cayman didn’t end so well — Olivia panicked and never made it below the surface. I was pretty anxious for things to go better this time, so I handed her over to Roctopus — my go-to dive school on Koh Tao.... read more

Feb 18, 2013 Posted by Alex

Some Days It’s Soup

As soon as I arrived in Koh Tao, I couldn’t wait to go diving. This is the place where I first breathed underwater, so it will always be a special scuba destination for me. Unfortunately, when I breathlessly asked my friends about the current conditions, they gave me some not so nice faces in response. The currents were strong, the visibility was murky, and the water was choppy. I got on the first... read more