Yay – back in the water I go :)!

This time a very different experience but it included tanks, dive gear, and a whole bunch of bubbles. 🙂

Since Sergey now works at Deep Dive Dubai, I was given a complementary dive into his new world…and wow what an experience.

Devoid of marine life and the usual currents, yet still a fun dive and definitely worth a visit. On Sunday I took my first ‘self-hailed’ taxi ride over to the DDD centre, which seemed to be placed in this obscure location in the middle of absolute nowhere…I realised it was all new developing area but it did feel like an endless drive through some desert pathways. I was amazed to find that in amongst the yellow dust we eventually came across a massive state-of-the-art looking facility (Kinda UFO looking structure 🛸)- nope that wasn’t the dive centre but we were getting pretty close. 🤔 Actually, just thinking again, what was that monstrosity? Almost like it disappeared from my thoughts as soon as I hit DDD but definitely worth knowing more about.

Anyway, we continued down the dusty roads and finally arrived at a security post, where a guard came out of his quarters, asked me my reason for being there, and let us pass through. The next 2-minutes of the drive were shrouded in green foliage and lush vegetation, quite an antithesis to the first 20-mins of the drive.

Sergey gave me explicit arrival instructions, which despite my state of excitement, I listened to well and I directed the taxi driver to the reception area. As I tapped my card for the taxi fare, I gazed out the window of the car to see cascading waterfalls and pools surrounding a futuristic looking building – I walked into the centre. It was awfully quiet and hospital like in cleanliness, it felt like I had just entered some space agency or had wound up in a setup for a sci-fi movie. Looking at the signs and spinning my head from right to left, I spotted a familiar face in the distant corner. One of Sergey’s colleagues whom I had met at Saska’s party on one of the first days I arrived in Dubai was at the reception desk. I waved and went over to meet him. He signed me in and Sergey came to meet me. Then began the tour of the sci-fi building….even the toilets were fascinating.

As I got the tour it felt like I should be wearing one of those spacesuits and instead of calmly walking, I should be bouncing around the corridors like astronaut with those heavy-looking helmets.

I was then taken to the fitting room, all the while glancing through the thick clear glass which separated the underwater city from the ‘space centre’. I couldn’t wait to take the plunge.

I was equipped with an extra small wetsuit and a pair of kids scuba pro fins and was set to go. Now to find the change room again??- another mission in itself, but I eventually donned on the swimming attire and was ready to be briefed on all the scuba gear. I was taken up to the main deck where Sergey awaited, he was thankfully my guide and videographer during this new adventure. He explained the use of the ‘wing’ apparatus and refreshed some of the basic skills I would need to perform upon entering the water.

And we were set to go. Now I will let the video reveal the rest of the show:

I emerged, a bit of a shivering over-excited mess, but thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

The highlight for was definitely the game of fooseball and playing some classics on the piano :)! Sergey also gave me some good laughs with a ‘bubble and cup’ trick which I could just not get right – video evidenced that.

After surfacing and removing all gear, I was cloaked in a big white bath robe…the shivers still vibrating every inch of my body. Sergey draped his gown on top of mine and tied me up like a ‘straight-jacket’ case!

After providing the safety team my details on air consumption etc. I made my way back to the change rooms and indulged in the warmest shower I’ve had in almost a month! It was absolute bliss!!! (Our apartment doesn’t have very good water heating…so showers are always a little too cold for my liking).

And that was the end of the ‘wild’ experience into an underwater city!

Being the end of Sergey’s work day we caught a taxi to the metro but before hopping on the metro we had to stop by the first ‘Saffa’ store we had seen in Dubai – Lekker Meat. They had a good stash of meat but I wouldn’t say the biltong and droerwors was very South African… it was ok but definitely not the genuine flavour.

I did find a store next door with all my fav food items though. Woolworths breakfast museli (I mean whaaat…did they know I was coming??), provitas and even my mix-drink??? How…I was so excited, but man the prices were ridiculous so the items stayed looking very pretty on the shelves. It’s just nice to know it’s there if I really want it…hehe.

By the time we reached home I was nice and relaxed….I forget how diving makes you feel! What a good end an out of this world experience.

Night night xxx