Diving Britain - The South West

If you mention the South West of England to most people, they think of Devon and Cornwall, of rich cream teas, sparkling apple cider, hot Cornish pasties, surfing, old English pubs and a laid-back lifestyle associated with decades long gone by elsewhere in the world. Did you know that the South West is also home to some of the best dive sites in Europe?Enjoy my latest guest blog for The Scuba News at:http://www.thescubanews.com/2016/02/15/diving-britain-the-south-west

Dive Site: Beqa Lagoon, Fiji

Looking for a world class shark dive this year? Look no further than Beqa Lagoon, Fiji and enjoy my recent article for Scuba Diver Life.My heart pounded as the choppy ocean slapped me in the face repeatedly and my mask fogged up like a coastal winter’s day in Cornwall. I was kicking like crazy as the Fijian waves threatened to dislodge my regulator and sense of dignity while I, a grown woman, prepared to cry and bolt to the dive boat. This was not my happy place. I was about to descend in Beqa Lagoon, the world’s reputed No.1 shark dive, as rated by the legends of the underwater world Ron and Valerie Taylor, and I just wanted to go home.Beqa Lagoon, just off Fiji’s largest island of Viti Levu, is renowned for its world-class shark diving. It’s home to the Shark Reef Marine Reserve and a healthy population of bull sharks...Read more: http://scubadiverlife.com/2016/02/06/dive-site-beqa-lagoon-fiji/

Valentine's. Who is it really all about?

This Valentine's Day, fall in love. Not with the promise of adoration from somebody else and a box of chocolates (though that is always nice).Instead fall in love with LIFE. Go on the greatest journey of self-discovery and fall in love with YOU; spiky parts and all. The most important relationship you will ever have is with yourself. What better day to begin appreciating you uniqueness and the world around you than Valentine's.

Hello February

February is one of my favourite months of the year. In the Northern Hemisphere, where I used to live, the promise of spring is just around the corner and in the Southern Hemisphere, where I now live, it is summertime and life is in full bloom. Add to that the prospect of Valentine's Day and Shrove Tuesday (everybody loves a pancake) and what's not to love?January is the month when we're all high on the promise of New Year resolutions, we're tired and broke post-Christmas and slumping when we realise that maybe those resolutions haven't made their way to the fore yet. January kinda sucks let's face it.February though is far enough away from Christmas that it brings hope and more realistic new beginnings. It is a month of opportunity to choose the resolutions you want to stick with guilt-free and a chance to create new adventures.This month I will be focussing on wellness in my life. Here are some of the things I will be doing to keep my mind, spirit, body and soul ticking over:*Continuing my mindfulness meditation journey with HeadSpace. By dedicating just 10 minutes every other day to meditation I am already seeing an improvement in my emotional and mental wellbeing, which of course translates to physical health as well. The mind is where our entire experience of life occurs.*Getting to grips with Pilates for better spinal health, which I thoroughly recommend to anyone interested in improving their flexibility and core strength. Just 30 minutes twice a week is plenty.*Walking and breathing in nature for an hour every day. Not only is walking great for fitness but it also energises our minds as well and is a great way to process the day, reconnect with nature and unwind.*Getting creative! After a long break from writing and creativity whilst emigrating to New Zealand, it's time to step up the pace and focus on my true passion; writing. Creativity is pure soul food.*Reading. It allowa our minds the freedom to dream and rest, it gets the imagination fired up. Is there anything nicer than reading a book with a cuppa?Have a great month and remember to take time for your own journey.What will you do to for wellness this February?

Living on a remote island, Cambodia - what is it really like?

I have been thoroughly enjoying the past two weeks of staying on a remote island off the coast of Cambodia whilst volunteering and lecturing with Projects Abroad. The island we are staying on is called Koh Sdach and it is a small island with a population of approximately 3000 people and zero tourists. The village consists of stilted houses that sit above the turquoise waters and there is no mains electricity, sewerage or mains water. We are utterly reliant on rainwater for our shower and toilet needs and it is rustic at its finest!We are here for three weeks to educate the volunteers, staff and local school children about the plight of sharks and we are having a fantastic time. Admittedly, living in 30+C heat and high humidity without air conditioning is a challenge but being a part of this friendly community is a great opportunity. It saddens me that the island has no waste management system and that the majority of the waste generated ends up in the oceans. There is literally plastic everywhere...on local beaches and on the beaches of neighbouring uninhabited Islands. There are discarded fishing nets on the reefs that are killing corals and all manner of other waste to be found.But, this is the good part, Projects Abroad are working hard to tackle this with regular beach and reef cleans up, by educating locals and by hopefully introducing a waste management system in the future. The diving is incredible here and the project is making a very real difference to the health of the coral reefs and the marine creatures that inhabit them.I hope you enjoy my insight into a week living and volunteering on Koh Sdach, including an underwater discovery that had the volunteers smiling all day long:http://www.mytripblog.org/pg/blog/cambodia-social-manager/read/408119/a-week-in-koh-sdach-cambodia-by-kathryn-hodgson-friends-for-sharks

http://www.mytripblog.org/pg/blog/cambodia-social-manager/read/408119/a-week-in-koh-sdach-cambodia-by-kathryn-hodgson-friends-for-sharks

Deepavali Colour

The skies may be dark with thunder and the streets covered in deep puddles of rain, but the atmosphere today in Kuala Lumpur has been one of colour and light. As the city prepares for Deepavali, the Hindu Festival of Light, the Pavilion mall is being decorated with window displays and intricate artwork made from tiny, colourful beads. It was a beautiful sight to behold and Nicholas and I spent an afternoon exploring the artwork and two local temples in Chinatown.

Sadly my ancient iPhone didn't do either temple justice with its photographic ability (or lack thereof...) but hopefully the images give an impression of the colour that can to be found in Kuala Lumpur away from the main city hustle and bustle.  

Nesting in Kuala Lumpur

After a long and noodle soup-fuelled three days of flights I have made it from Fiji to Kuala Lumpur (via Melbourne, Auckland, Hong Kong and Singapore). I lost sight of which airport was which during the 18,000Km of flights but enjoyed exploring each airport during layovers and in a haze of sleepiness and hunger. Noodle soup and our colourful new travel cushions certainly kept us entertained.Kuala Lumpur is known to be a foodie heaven and it has already exceeded expectations with its endless variety of Asian foods from many countries, all at street food prices. I have enjoyed sushi lunches, more noodle soup than I can shake a chopstick at and avoided the pungent durians at all costs. A highlight so far has been our exploration of KL's China Town, which was typically decked out with giant red lanterns and a myriad of covered and open-air market stalls and alleys. The sights, sounds and smells of the alleys and bubbling Chinese pots of fish being stirred by ancient Chinese women were overwhelming at times and yet fascinating. Having already filled ourselves on local samosas we had little room for more food but will definitely return another day. We contented ourselves instead with exploring the bustling market stalls and admired local fruits, knock off goods, a street performer undertaking a very long headstand which turned his face purple and an endless array of flower bouquets containing teddy bears. An eclectic mix!As I am also approaching a move to New Zealand in mid-December I have taken to stocking up on some basic goods essential to a writer's life....my favourite pink Muji pens and a new journal. I have missed those simple items during my three years of being on the move and, as someone kindly pointed out, I am definitely 'nesting'. It feels great to be travelling and even better to be preparing to make a home. 

Bula from Fiji!

It has been a busy and exciting three weeks for me, as I have been working with Nicholas alongside the staff and volunteers at Projects Abroad shark conservation project in Viti Levu, Fiji. I had been looking forward to visiting Fiji and, despite the utter lack of sunshine, it has been a wonderful experience.The Fijians are kind, friendly and welcoming people who offer bright smiles and greetings whenever you see them, even in the cities such as Suva. The island itself is covered with lush jungle greenery and is of course fringed by beautiful tropical beaches and the coconut palms that Fiji is known for. The river banks are home to mangrove forests, which are a vital ecosystem for the health of the oceans and many species of animal. I was fascinated to learn about the importance of mangroves during my time on Fiji and thoroughly enjoyed a day of mangrove reforestation - during which we planted 7000 mangroves! 

 It is our final two days on Fiji now before we begin a long journey to Kuala Lumpur that will fly via Melbourne, Auckland, Hong Kong and Singapore. I can't say I am looking forward to that many flights in one go but it'll be worth it when we reach Kuala Lumpur, where we intend to enjoy a week of sampling the city that is known for its fantastic cuisine.

Writerly Wednesdays

What's not to love about a blog that promises Monster Mondays, Tips Tuesdays, Writerly Wednesdays, Thinky Thursdays, Fan Fridays, book review and more?! Welcome to the world of Tasha's Thinkings!Tasha Duncan-Drake is an author who also runs her own small publishing company Wittegenpress with her twin sister and she recently invited me to be interviewed about my biography No Damage. I really enjoyed discovering Tasha's website and answering her questions. Especially this great question:'Do you have any odd (writing) habits?' Read on to enjoy our interview and discover more about my one odd habit...the pink writing hat, ahem:http://tashasthinkings.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/interview-kathryn-hodgson.html

Author Interview: Pukah Works

It has been a busy and exciting few weeks since I last blogged and that time has seen me say farewell to New Zealand and hello to sunny Melbourne, where I am currently based as part of our Friends for Sharks world tour. I have really enjoyed our time in Melbourne so far and have been teaching at Kunyung School in Mount Eliza, Melbourne and completed our 80th shark conservation event with SEA LIFE Melbourne. That fantastic event was an evening with Friends for Sharks and included champagne, canapes, our lecture and a  Q&A session in front of the shark tank. We really enjoyed our evening and it was staggering to think we had come to the other side of the world to be there (via various countries and 79 other events since January 2015). What a milestone for us. [gallery link="file" ids="371,372,373,374,375,376,377,378,379,380"]

I'd like to take a moment away from my travels though to introduce you to my latest author interview, which is with the author K.Caffee from Pukah Works. The questions for this interview were great fun to answer and very thought provoking. Read on to find out how I balance my writing with other activities, how No Damage came about, the books that have inspired me through life and more:https://pukahworks.wordpress.com/2015/09/18/author-interview-kathryn-hodgson/