​Welcome all to another round of Holiblog Logs. All started as intended with us leaving Barnard Manor at 2.30pm…just as well as the M25 was nose to tail. We exited our junction for the last 3 miles to Purple Parking. Southall is interesting and prepared us well for the mainly Muslim countries we were about to visit. 40 minutes and several mosques later we found the arse-end of Southall and the car park.

The flights were OK but we all arrived in Male a little out of sorts, not least because our booze purchased at Heathrow got “confiscated” upon arrival 😕 (Chairman’s note – The first major upset)

We met our dive guide and got herded onto a boat for 20 minute transfer to our home. As we rounded the marina, there was a plethora of gin palaces…how exciting….

Until we saw our boat anyone has seen the film Operation Petticoat……more potchine palace than gin me thinks.

 I must admit to a little embarrassment as it was clear that the other American dive groups on the transfer would be travelling in more style. Even the dive guide admitted that MV Atoll was the joke of the fleet!!! 
Compact and bijou though it is, our tub is all right and run like clock work. The curries Dixon our cook makes are to die for!!