November 9, 2006.

“Just got out of the surf……” I have been surfing nearly everyday give or take one or two due to lack of waves or exhaustion, today the waves were mediocre but a good chance to get out and try some new stuff like cutbacks and airs, ha ha, fat chance but fun to try and helps make the waves more fun.

Last Saturday I experienced my first Dhoni day. 10 am we met at the Jetty and about 10 of us charted a slow boat to surf some of the island breaks. We ended up at a break called Honkey's with Sultans another break on the opposite side of the island. I spent about 5 hours surfing with the rest of the crew smallish lefts, which gave us great rides. Good practice considering I can’t drop into a wave backside to save my life. Periodically someone would head to the boat to have a go at the guitar or partake in a beer or two. It was an amazing day and I am looking forward to more Dhoni days to come.

Oh just quickly I was offered the Red Cross job but turned it down because I would have had to dedicate 40 hours a week plus to the cause and I would only be making a great Maldivian wage of 5000- 10000 Rufiyaa a month. Roughly 4-8 hundred CND. It severely cut into my surfing, kiting and hanging out with Jesse time so I decided. I’ll stick with the “Employment Prohibited” plan.

Jess hasn’t talked to me since Monday, the reason being, I made it into the Left Seat of a twin otter before she did. Haha. I went on my first overnight with Jess to an island called Ranveli. Pretty fancy I thought but agreeable among the pilots one of the worst overnights so I have much to look forward to. While flying out Jess’ captain jumped out of the Left Seat and let me climb into the captains chair. It was amazing what a view coral atolls stretched across the horizon, thunderheads threading in the distance. Jess took the plane down to 1500 ft. for a scenic flight. The plane was empty, we were just flying bags out to the resort. Although we did have one Turkish tour guide who was petrified of flying in the twin otters because they were so small, I think all of the blood left his face when I switched spots with the Captain!!

Tomorrow, Jess, Dave Reid (kiteboarding pilot) and I are going to an island called Reheveli. It’s on the southern Male atoll and offers Kiting opportunities. This will hopefully be our first kiting adventure down here. This trip depends on availability of boats on Friday, which is up in the air due to the protest that is planned.

The MDP is staging a protest to call for the current president to step down and relinquish power. The majority of the people in Male are unhappy with the current government and the president since 1978 (Gayoom) is fighting to stay in power. Some say that this is the year that it will all go down! The protest coincides with the death of a high profile MDP leader in a detention centre on one of the local islands in 2001.

Tuesday I was sitting on the balcony reading when all of a sudden on the street below the traffic was at a stand still and horns were blaring. Initially I thought there was an accident but leaning off the balcony I could see police dressed in riot gear. Never actually seeing cops dressed in riot gear first hand I grabbed the video camera and headed out on the bike trying to get a closer look. The main street Magee Dee on which we live was blocked off at every intersection and people were starting to get aggravated. Ditching the bike I ventured closer and talked to a few people thinking I was with a newspaper or news channel as I had video camera. The cops or military, not too sure which, had a video camera and were filming the instigators of the protest most likely arresting them later as to damper the spirit of the protesters come Friday. Tensions have been rising all week and tomorrow will most likely prove very exciting.

Check out www.minivannews.com for more info on the revolution!!