Diving and Deep Conversations
Journey Through Time 🕰️ Two Surprising Encounters in Cairns
There's something about world travel that causes the most interesting things to happen in complete surprise. This happened to me twice in Cairns. Neither of these things was in the original plan, but both taught me something. I'm not even sure exactly what, but I felt I had to write about it.
📍 Cairns, Australia | 19/07/2023
I Found Nemo!
I Dived into the Coral Reef and Met a Movie Star
Since I decided I was leaving, Cairns has actually been nice to me. I took advantage of the pleasant sunny day to go to the pool and thought how nice it is that there's a large, well-maintained pool in the middle of the city.
And then I realized — it's probably because there isn't a beach here. True, we're only a few kilometers from one of the most famous reefs in the world, but in the city itself, there's no beach.
Before I arrived here, I read on Facebook that there's a volleyball group that plays every Tuesday evening in a dedicated area. I decided — that's it, I'm going to play volleyball.
I arrived and saw lots of people practicing, and almost changed my mind at the last minute, simply because I sometimes get shy in situations like these. In the end, beyond the one-hour lesson that was really fun, I stayed to play for another two hours — until my arms were really hurting.
So I was reminded that I'm not the best at volleyball (the last time I played was back in Mexico), but it's a good warm-up to get back into things. And the sooner I return — the faster I'll improve.
The next day I went on a cruise to the famous Great Barrier Reef. While we were still in line at the marina to board the ship, a crew member passed among us and said that today there are stronger winds than usual, so the journey would be especially bumpy. Oh no. I remembered the terrible cruise in Thailand and how much I suffered from seasickness there.
On the ship they sold pills against seasickness for $3, you get two — one for the way there and one for the way back. Of course, I purchased them, hoping it would be okay. It's a cruise where you arrive at two reefs, everyone gets snorkeling equipment and can observe the life underwater.
In advance, I added money to dive with full diving equipment and an instructor, and despite there being many people on the ship — only myself and one other person dived with the diving instructor for a full dive, because we're certified for open water diving.
Some people did an introductory dive, but that means they can dive to a depth of about five meters, while we dived to a depth of 17 meters. It was the best decision — because only we saw the interesting things.
We did two dives, one at each reef, and saw four sharks (!) that were close to us — and calm. I was really scared because I understood that this big fish could attack me without any special reason, but the instructor explained that this isn't a violent and unpredictable species. They're just nice sharks overall.
We also saw really large sea turtles, a huge eel, stingrays, and another giant fish over a meter in length (!). It was wow! And we also saw the scene from the movie Finding Nemo — live!
In one part of the reef, there were two clownfish (Nemo's fish), one big and one small — father and son — peeking out from a pinkish coral with long strips, as they exit it and return backward into it again and again, exactly like in the movie!!!
Suddenly I realized that Nemo is really from Australia — after all, he drifted to Sydney! When I came out of the water, I researched the subject in depth, and discovered that indeed I really saw the real Nemo!!! On Pixar's website, it says that this is indeed Nemo and his friends' reef and that he made the route to southern Sydney — exactly the opposite of me.
I wonder if in the research for the movie they really observed the behavior of the fish and then invented a story to explain it. It amazes me every time I learn how creative people can be. Not exactly the way I expected to meet a movie star, but it was really exciting!
By the way — the pills definitely helped with the seasickness. I just hope I'll feel good on tomorrow's cruise too...
📍 Cairns, Australia | 23/07/2023
I'm Just the Messenger
On Religion and Deep Conversations with Strangers at the End of the World
Maybe this is too sensitive a topic, but remember that I'm just the messenger.
In the last two days in Cairns, I met very interesting people. One of them, the only one who dived with me on the first cruise out of hundreds of people, is, surprisingly, the one who helped develop an app for churches, which explains the principles of Christianity.
It started from the fact that on the cruise they served shrimp, and he asked why I wasn't eating. I explained that I grew up as a Jewish person and maybe that influenced my taste buds. We continued talking and I told him that I think in the end everyone believes in the same God — just each in their way.
He laughed and said it was cute, but if one group is right — then the others must be wrong. They can't all be right. He was very excited to share his presentation with me. Maybe I made him think I was a potential customer.
In his presentation, he explained about heaven and hell and asked where I would like to end up. In my mind, the thought crossed that I’d probably meet all my friends in hell, so there... but I politely nodded what he wanted to hear.
He explained that if we have sinned once in our lives (told a lie, stole, or even hated someone — because hating someone is like murdering them, apparently), then we have no place in heaven.
But all is not lost — because this is where Jesus enters the picture, in that when he was crucified he sacrificed himself for all of us and took our sins upon himself. How nice of him.
So now all God asks of us is two tiny things: One — to change our ways and not continue to sin, of course. And two — to surrender to Jesus.
It reminded me of the movie "This is Sodom" by Eretz Nehederet (The Israeli SNL), where God comes to sit with Jacob and offers him a subscription.
At the end of the presentation appeared the question: "What do you think about the presentation?"
I don't believe this
Maybe I'll think about it
I want to hear more
I surrender now to Jesus
Mom, don't worry — I don't intend to convert. I believe him exactly as much as I believe any other religion. I just never heard the sales pitch of Christianity. True, I knew they believed in heaven and hell — but I wasn't versed in the details.
In Thailand, I heard stories about Buddha, but never in a "sales" way. Anyway, the period when I worked in sales made me immune to any sales action. And it turns out that this is something that requires quite a bit of energy — and if you don't have it, you simply surrender.
The second guy, one from the group who dived with me on the second cruise, is a guy from Romania. For years he wanted to travel the world, but it wasn't financially possible for him. I asked how he managed despite everything, and he replied: in small steps. He progressed slowly, saved money — and now he works for a company that funds his accommodation and food in every place he arrives.
The day after the cruise we met at the public pool, and sat talking for five hours. I was amazed to discover that the sun was already disappearing, and we had to go. Time flew as if we had just arrived.
The conversation with him was fascinating. I told him my route, and we talked about our families, perspectives on life, on the world. As travelers, we experienced things that can only be experienced in this way — and it was wonderful to find someone just like me.
In things I said, he suddenly replied: "Interesting, I hadn't thought about it that way." And I think we were both meant to meet each other — and illuminate the path a little more.
I've already encountered so many people on this journey, but some simply etch themselves in memory. The Romanian guy with whom I talked for five hours without feeling how time passes, and the religious one who tried to convince me to surrender to Jesus.
Both were strangers and somehow I still felt that I was supposed to meet them. Maybe it's like diving beneath the water and discovering a whole world that was always there - we just don't always look.
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