STRANGE LOWS FOR MALDIVIAN POLITICS - SCUBA MEETING, MALDIVES

As if we really needed another reason to be utterly infatuated by the Maldives.
I will warn you that this is somewhat ancient news however upon reading about it I couldn’t pass up a blog post highlighting further evidence on just how bloody cool this place really is. 

Back in October 2009 a cabinet meeting was called with all state officials to discuss the impact global warming was (still is) making on the low level island nation of the Maldives. Whether you’ve been lucky to have visited the picturesque country or not I’m sure you’ve heard the fearful chatter of rising water levels and debates on just how many years before this luxury destination is completely swallowed by the surrounding crystal clear seas.

In an attempt to bring global attention to these very real concerns and in light of their impending Atlantis status, President Mohamed Nasheed along with fellow ministers reached a whole new political low. A six metre low to be exact.
On the 17^th October, 2009 the Maldivian president along with other state officials all squeezed into their wetsuits, strapped on their flippers & air tanks and proceeded to conduct the first ever official underwater cabinet meeting. [SO MUCH YES]. This fantastically fishy meeting took place at a specially structured table down on the sea bed roughly 20mins out from the island capital of Male. 

I mean really, why all Maldivian cabinet meetings aren’t held underwater I’ll never know. When you’re surrounded by such vast and thriving sea life who’d want to pass the time or be forced to make important decisions cooped up in tiny offices anyway.

President Nasheed was already an experienced diver and holds his advanced open water license and those who didn’t were trained by the Divers Association of Maldives in the weeks leading up to the event.
Each member was accompanied by a diving instructor along with military personnel on guard and a handful of snorkelling journalists lurking up above trying to capture the iconic event.
During the meeting attendees communicated with hand signals and marker boards while President Mohamed Nasheed signed a declaration calling for action on climate change which would go on to be presented at the UN climate change talks held in Copenhagen later that year.

The cherry on the cake? Or should I say the air in the tank? Okay, no. That was really lame. Moving on. All diving and scuba gear used during the meeting were later signed by officials and auctioned off to raise money in support of coral reef protection projects throughout the Maldives.

Now I don’t know about you but I’m thinking underwater meetings ought to be fast tracked to mandatory, worldwide. Great Barrier Reef? Queensland ministers? Here’s looking at you.

Still not convinced you need to visit? Take a look at this phenomenon of glow in the dark beaches! (Bioluminescent Plankton) Or tour the tiny island capital, Male.

Can't get enough of the Maldives picturesque views? Follow me on instagram for daily pics! 

PHOTO CREDIT: PRESIDENCY MALDIVES, Photographers: Mohamad Seeneen, Mauroof Khaleel
Follow the link to view the full set of photos from the day.

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10 LESSONS LEARNT WHILE LIVING IN HOLLAND

There is no such thing as bad weather; just inappropriate clothing.
I’d really like a little sign stating this so when I’m in Australia or the UK I can hold it up each time I hear a girl complain about how bad the weather is while trying to navigate through the snow in heels or wonder why she’s cold in the belt she’s passing for a skirt. Dress appropriately people and you will never be uncomfortable! ;)

Credit cards are a life choice not a necessity.
As the Dutch mantra goes; we don’t spend money we don’t have. Based on my credit history this is advice I really should have taken on a long time ago!

Santa lives in Spain. (Or Sinter Klaas as he's referred to in Holland)
Sinter Klaas graces the Dutch shores each year via boat mid November. After making his way through the country with his black faced sidekick-slave in toe. (Swarter Piet) In the weeks leading up to Christmas the streets are lined with the tiny shoes of blissful children eager to wake up in the morning and find them filled with papernoten (a small gingerbread like ball) and other sorts of sugary goodness. Also, forget coal. If you’re naughty this year kids you run the risk of being put in Swarter Piets bag, thrown onto his boat and taken back to Spain. Really the story of Sinter Klaas needs and deserves its own post so I'll leave the rest for another day!

Patat met mayo & pindasause. Enough said.

Biking is the best way to get anywhere.
However if you have to bike any further than 8-12minutes to get somewhere then it’s too far away. This made me giggle each time I heard someone argue or whine our destination was too far to bike to. I could drive to Belgium in less time than my daily commute has taken me back in Sydney. I felt lucky to even have the option to bike somewhere in Holland.

If you can move it with a car or a van you can move it with a bike.
Riding a two wheeled bike with a wooden carriage on front - packed full of five children, a dog, a sofa & carrying an umbrella to shield them all from the torrential rain is a perfectly normal way to start your day. Holland is known for the crazy rain and blow you over wind yet biking is still the no 1 mode of transport. You haven’t experienced Holland until you’ve battle-biked home with one hand on the bike trying to counter steer the wind, one hand up holding your hood in place as you’re half blinded by your hair, soaking wet and unsure if you’re crying from the sharp raindrops piercing through your eyeballs or it’s just another splash from the stream running down your nose.

Urinating in the middle of a busy plein is not only accepted but encouraged.
So you’re just biking along minding your own business when suddenly like something out of star wars a giant silver cylinder begins to erupt from beneath the pavements. Without warning the immerging robot startles you enough sending you toot-sweet off path and into a stack of parked bikes. What the eff just happened. What just happened was it’s coming into peak hour and one of the many pop up urinals has opened up (or popped up in this case) for business. You can find these open air urinals all over Holland joining the party during peak hours outside and around clubs or populated night life areas. An idea to free up some of the tiny bathrooms and discourage men from just going anywhere, anyway.

Albert Heijn is the answer to all things food.
Unlike Australia there is really only the one kind of supermarket. Other than the little corner stalls Albert Heijn has no competition & there’s basically one on every block. This makes sourcing out the awesome envy-inducing food in other peoples cupboards fantastically easy to acquire.

Open windows, no blinds. Because we have nothing to hide.
I knew Holland had changed me when I returned to Australia and couldn’t help but feel sneaky or a little shady each time I closed the blinds in my house. Majority of the homes in Holland boast large open glass windows that look straight into bedrooms, kitchens, lounge rooms or any other room for that matter. I must admit it feels pretty weird the first few times you’re sitting there having dinner or lazing around in your pjs watching TV in plain sight of any pedestrian or biker that happens to pass by.

It is not possible. Even when a little running around would make it so.
I’m going to use this excuse as the reason for my complete lack of attention to this blog lately.
Sorry, it just was not possible to post anything new recently. 

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