111days: On the road to become Divemaster in Summer 2020 Covid times

Wednesday, June 17, 2020

On the road to become Divemaster in Summer 2020 Covid times

On 31. May 2020, I quit my office job for good, after 30 years in the industry and 22 years in the same company. I am 62 years old and hold a Master Diver Certification.

As this summer there is no traveling possible to South East Asia, due to Covid-19, I plan to do my Divemaster Course with Borgo Marina Diving in Imperia, Italy. They suggest I should also do the Assistant Instructor Course, just two more weeks. I agree.

I will travel on motorbike and spend two months there alone, fully focused on dive education, then Kate will follow with the car for another month. We will stay at the Camping Angolo di Sogno in Diano Marina again, just 20 minutes from the Dive Center. Booked a small bungalow for the first two months and the bigger Bungalow Mily for the month with Kate.

I will travel with my full diving equipment, computer, cameras, some underwear, t-shirts, pants long and short, etc. I sent a 2-kg-package with the rest to the Camping site 7 days ago.

Germany and Austria open their borders on 15. June, Italy has already opened on 3. June.

On Sunday, 14. June I start my 3-day-trip to Liguria on the bike, planning to stay overnight in Munich with Lotte, best friend of our daughter, then somewhere at Lake Garda, then arrive in Liguria.

The first day brings heavy rain starting after 2 hours, total travel time 10 hours for the 600 km, so 8 hours in permanent rain. Luckily Lotte has three bottles of bavarian beer Augustiner Helles ready for me, which I sip while chatting in the kitchen.

Next morning rain keeps pouring down, my gloves are not yet fully dry again, but I start at 9:30. I reach the Austrian border, buy the toll and fill the tank. At the moment it's not clear wether I am allowed to stop in Austria or if I have to go straight through, so better not take risks and just push through. After Innsbruck the rain becomes lighter. At the Brenner pass, border between Austria and Italy, the air temperature is 10 degrees Celsius, not the biggest of fun with wet gloves on a bike ;-) I can hardly put them off and on for smoking a cigarette after crossing the italian border.

As expected the rain stops south of the Pass and it gets warmer with every kilometer.

I reach Lake Garda at around 5 pm,my gloves are dry, I decide for the eastern cost and check into a hotel we found two or three years ago, La Fraderiana

Hotel Fraderiana, Lake Garda

First italian beer this year...

After checking in the rain starts again, but I am safe and dry now.

I pay 65 Euros for a single room, couple of beers, a great Pizza, and a full breakfast. Recommendable...

Tuesday 16. June, sun is shining, I leave at 10 am and have a beautiful bike day, though only autostrada, but ok, I want to make miles and reach my destination in the afternoon.

I reach Imperia earlier than expected, dry roads make faster traveling. As there is plenty of time, I decide to go to the dive center first.

I meet Alessandro and Matteo in front of Spinnaker Beach Resort, they are happy to see me again, in time as announced. We bring my equipment to the dive center, so I am set for the first dive tomorrow morning!

Stopover at U Teccu de Ma', my favorite beack kiosk between Imperia and Diano Marina, for a nice cold draft Nastro Azzuro, say Hi to Paola, the owner, and continue to the Camping site. Mily is there and hands me over to Anastacia at the reception. She shows me my bungalow, I can even park the bike directly in front of it.

Bungalow Nr. 9, has a "7" on the door. My home for the next 2 months.

And I move in, take off all the baggage, head to the Basko Supermarket in Diano, buy some basics for my stay, return to "home" and go for a beer at Cap Landen Beach Restaurant by the seaside.