Among Mental Giants

Today I met the dumbest fish in the ocean. This fish is so dumb (how dumb is it?) that it is an endangered species, in great part due to it’s sever lack of instinctual prowess to stay alive. The fish is a Napolean Wrasse and they are really cool looking, super friendly, and huge. They would make great friends. The one that I met today looked like a Lyle, mostly because I could see myself saying, “Don’t ya think so Lyle?” and him answering “yup Sean, hur, hur,” in really hicky, twangy voice.

I spent the day with Lyle and his other friends in the Great Barrier Reef. It is the most amazing place that I have ever seen. There are schools of fish that zip around, manta rays flow by in their smooth calm way, and sea turtles navigate their way through the water. The wildlife, the colors, and the sheer beauty of the place are out of a fairy tale. There is a whole world that is completely separate from the overland one that I am accustomed to, and it is simply staggering in it’s diversity and beauty.

I was planning on scuba diving the reef, but I ended up going a bit sooner than expected. As I was hanging out at my hostel last night a group of folks who were staying here came up asking if I was going to the reef. I said I was, and then they asked if I wanted to join their group, so I did. In total there was about nine of us. The group was a great bunch, and a lot of fun. Jack came with us. Jack is from England, and he likes to drink. I think it is starting to affect his brain, however. I met Jack five separate times today. Each time we met he would ask me where I was from, shake my hand, then say, “oh, shit mate, we’ve already met. I knew you looked familiar.” At first I thought he was joking, but then each time the same thing happened. It wasn’t until the third introduction t

hat I found what I think might be the culprit of his lack of a short term memory. Jack apparently was very drunk the night before and had not fully sobered up. I didn’t mind a bit about introducing myself, it was like Groundhog’s Day. Between Jack and Lyle I realized that I was not in the presence of mental giants, but it was good company nevertheless.

As I walked back to the hostel I kept thinking about the difference between Australia and India. One of the guys that was in the group from the hostel was in India not to long ago and we talked for awhile about how incredible it is and how there is no place like it. In India honking your horn is something you do all the time while driving. Tyler told me a great story that perfectly encapsulates the horn honking phenomenon. Tyler had hired a cab at the wee hours of the morning to take him to the airport. The roads were completely empty and out of the blue the driver taps the horn. After a few more minutes the driver gives the horn a few more taps. Tyler looked at him and asked, “Are you serious, man, there’s no one out here.” The driver looked at him and said, “I know, it is what I do.” I think they just like the sound it makes. They don’t honk they’re horns here in Oz. I don’t mind, but I must say that the silence can be deafening seeing as I was finally getting used to it. It is just funny how a 7 hour plane flight can transport you to another world, and a hop in the ocean can transport you to yet another completely different universe. We live in an incredible world.