Friday, May 23, 2014

#NoFilter: Our Trip to the Maldives

A week ago, I was on a plane to paradise. This was the view:
#NoFilter

We arrived late last Thursday night, turquoise waters and white sandy beaches veiled for the time being under a sky of bright stars. Excitement and time change woke us up early enough the next morning to catch the sunrise (we were both pretty excited, but I'll let you guess which one of us really woke up the other). We spent the morning jumping into the water from our bungalow (yes!) and exploring the fish below. There were so many colorful ones right in our lagoon that excitement grew for scuba diving later in the day.

In the afternoon, Mike completed the first of four dives required for his certification. I joined him, and together with a guide, we dove 40 feet deep and swam through schools of fish, eyeing a sting ray and a giant clam.
Not a bad location for your first ocean dive (#NoFilter)

Saturday was dive day. We completed three dives, two of which I did alone with a guide while Mike's scuba skills were getting tested. The first dive was the highlight -- going down to 65 feet and exploring cliffs of coral where we spotted three (!) blacktip sharks, eels, and a sea turtle, the most magical creature of all. I was surprised at how easily scuba diving came back to me, and I quickly remembered why I had fallen in love with it in the first place. It's an amazing feeling to breathe under water and enter the ocean home of so many different species otherwise left alone and unseen.
On the dive boat

Sunday came way too quickly. It was our last day, but we weren't leaving until later that evening. We spent it swimming in the ocean and the pool, drinking out of coconuts, relaxing in hammocks, and frolicking around the resort. Not a bad way to spend your Sunday.
#NoFilter

The trip to the Maldives was incredible. I'm convinced that it's the most beautiful place on Earth, and I'm ruined for life because nowhere else can compare. I feel blessed to say that I've been even though now, it feels like it was all a dream.

For more photos of this paradise, check out my (#NoFilter) album on Flickr.

8 comments:

  1. drinking out of coconuts is the only way to drink stuff

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    1. Agreed. And I like your name. Now I'm hungry.

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  2. Love it! I will have to put Maldives on my list of places to go! Thanks for sharing. :-) you are beautiful! xxoo

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  3. which resort did you stay in? Do you recommend it?

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    1. Anantara Veli -- I'd highly recommend it! TripAdvisor review coming soon...

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  4. I told Geff to look at this for our honeymoon! :-)

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    1. It's the only place to go for your honeymoon.

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