Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Sonthofen - Tulum
Door to door a 20h journey, leaving home around 7:40 to catch the 8 o'clock train (25€) to Munich's airport, arriving there three hours later as planned. Check-in, passport-control & security-check. Slightly delayed take-off and landing about 12h later, a little after 6pm local time in Cancun, after a rather long flight w/o personal entertainment system. Immigration stamp, luggage pick-up & customs control. Uneventful shared shuttle transfer (60$) to Tulum in about two hours.
Monday, March 5, 2012
Last day delivery
Twelve days ago I unexpectedly received two flat lens prototypes for trial, upon which I immediately ordered a second DiveBox (30€) for my CamOne infinity directly from ACME, these not being readily available yet in online shops. Today, less than 24h before departure, DPD delivered the box at last, together with a spare battery (25€).
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Bathtub trials
Just as GoPro's standard housing, CamOne's DiveBox suffers from blurry vision when used underwater. Unlike GoPro's HD HERO, it's supposedly possible to manually adjust the CamOne infinity's focus to get sharp underwater images using the original domed housing.
As there's nothing like trying it out one-self, I filled up the bathtub, pre-checked my DiveBox's waterproofness, put in the CamOne and gave both their first plunge together. For the record: with standard housing & factory-set focus, underwater footage is uselessly blurry indeed (screenshot from 1080p clip below to see for yourself).
Corrective action being required, I put on my reading glasses, got out a precision screwdriver, slightly unscrewed the two 1.5mm screws keeping the CamOne's optical element fixed in place and turned the lens counter-clockwise about 60°. Placed the camera snugly into the housing again and went for another dip. To my surprise that little twist already improved image quality quite noticeably, as in usable-if-need-be. Getting good enough focus, at least at close range, required several more twist-plunge-check cycles and, it being an overcast day, some more artificial light to reduce overall graininess.
In the end, I rotated the lens nearly 90° counter-clockwise* from the factory setting, i.e. a quarter turn, in order to obtain a relatively clear underwater image. Note that sharp below means blurry above!
So, definitely possible, but alas rather impractical on the go as this re-focusing involves fiddling with two tiny screws and requires some Fingerspitzengefühl. Whether in the middle of Yucatan's mosquito infested jungle after a sweaty hike, on a rocking salt sprayed boat before rolling back over into the sea, or, you get the picture, pretty anywhere near outdoor action, is not quite the right place nor time to open a housing and start screwing around with a camera. YMMV.
Meaning you have to decide beforehand whether to go for air or water footage, as shooting sharp in both mediums is not possible without giving the lens a spin. While acceptable for a dedicated above- or underwater cam, not being able to obtain mixed footage, not to mention one-take transitions, is IMO a very restrictive limitation.
As there's nothing like trying it out one-self, I filled up the bathtub, pre-checked my DiveBox's waterproofness, put in the CamOne and gave both their first plunge together. For the record: with standard housing & factory-set focus, underwater footage is uselessly blurry indeed (screenshot from 1080p clip below to see for yourself).
Corrective action being required, I put on my reading glasses, got out a precision screwdriver, slightly unscrewed the two 1.5mm screws keeping the CamOne's optical element fixed in place and turned the lens counter-clockwise about 60°. Placed the camera snugly into the housing again and went for another dip. To my surprise that little twist already improved image quality quite noticeably, as in usable-if-need-be. Getting good enough focus, at least at close range, required several more twist-plunge-check cycles and, it being an overcast day, some more artificial light to reduce overall graininess.
In the end, I rotated the lens nearly 90° counter-clockwise* from the factory setting, i.e. a quarter turn, in order to obtain a relatively clear underwater image. Note that sharp below means blurry above!
So, definitely possible, but alas rather impractical on the go as this re-focusing involves fiddling with two tiny screws and requires some Fingerspitzengefühl. Whether in the middle of Yucatan's mosquito infested jungle after a sweaty hike, on a rocking salt sprayed boat before rolling back over into the sea, or, you get the picture, pretty anywhere near outdoor action, is not quite the right place nor time to open a housing and start screwing around with a camera. YMMV.
Meaning you have to decide beforehand whether to go for air or water footage, as shooting sharp in both mediums is not possible without giving the lens a spin. While acceptable for a dedicated above- or underwater cam, not being able to obtain mixed footage, not to mention one-take transitions, is IMO a very restrictive limitation.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Enlightened caveman?
Worn in these pictures: stainless steel backplate, harness, pouch with spare mask (not visible), pouch with arrows & cookies, small knife, safety reel, primary light source (TillyTec LED 1000 + Goodman handle + umbilical + Green Force Flexi II NiMH battery pack), two backup torches (TillyTec MPL 500 & 1500) and my video lighting setup (TillyTec LED 2000 VIDEO ×2 + Y-umbilical + TillyTec TT 3 NiMH battery pack). All together about 10kg of gear.
To be added: wings, double tanks, regulators, backup knife, mask, fins, wetsuit, primary reel and housed camera with armed tray.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Steinbock Konstellation
In plain english: underwater camera lighting support constellation (codename "ibex") to be tried out & adjusted as needed on location.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Flat lens prototypes
In my mailbox this morning: an envelope sent by a friendly company with two flat lens prototypes for my CamOne's DiveBox.
To be assembled, tested & used at my own risk. Returnable after review if not wanted. Feedback appreciated. [ to be continued ]
To be assembled, tested & used at my own risk. Returnable after review if not wanted. Feedback appreciated. [ to be continued ]
Thursday, February 16, 2012
TillyTec MPL 500 & 1500 LED torches
After getting a TillyTec MPL 500 single LED torch as second backup at boot 2012 for my upcoming cave diving trip, I decided to trade in both my old Green Force Tristar Diamond head and TillyTec W30 backup light (plus some cash) for a new TillyTec MPL 1500 triple LED torch.
According to TillyTec the MPL 500/9010 has a 30W halogen equivalent 10° beam, delivering about 9000 Lux or 500>197* Lumen at 5500°K for about 3h at nearly 100% and up to 10h at diminishing output.
The larger MPL 1500/30010 has a 85W halogen equivalent 10° beam, delivering about 30000 Lux or 1500>370* Lumen at 5500°K for ca 1h.
Both torches are of course compatible and can be shortened in lenght from about 20cm (3x AA batteries) down to 12cm (1x 18650 cell).
The MPL 500 & 1500 are meant as hand-held torches, but an optional shaft clamp with velcro strap is available allowing Goodman-handle style finger-free use. And the MPL 1500's larger head actually fits into my TillyTec LED 1000 & 2000 flex-arm clamps, an interesting option especially for video using the 85° wide beam model, e.g. as short wireless version or together with a MPL-1 battery pack connected via umbilical cable for up to 4h of bright light.
According to TillyTec the MPL 500/9010 has a 30W halogen equivalent 10° beam, delivering about 9000 Lux or 500>197* Lumen at 5500°K for about 3h at nearly 100% and up to 10h at diminishing output.
The larger MPL 1500/30010 has a 85W halogen equivalent 10° beam, delivering about 30000 Lux or 1500>370* Lumen at 5500°K for ca 1h.
Both torches are of course compatible and can be shortened in lenght from about 20cm (3x AA batteries) down to 12cm (1x 18650 cell).
The MPL 500 & 1500 are meant as hand-held torches, but an optional shaft clamp with velcro strap is available allowing Goodman-handle style finger-free use. And the MPL 1500's larger head actually fits into my TillyTec LED 1000 & 2000 flex-arm clamps, an interesting option especially for video using the 85° wide beam model, e.g. as short wireless version or together with a MPL-1 battery pack connected via umbilical cable for up to 4h of bright light.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Camera specs: CamOne infinity
☆ CamOne infinity action cam —firmware 1.05—
* apparently the CamOne's no longer made in aluminum, but in plastic?
☆ CamOne DiveBox underwater housing
| Sensor |
| • 1/2.5" 5MP CMOS |
| • photo: 4:3 ratio , 2592 x 1944 pixel , ~3MB/picture |
| • video: Full HD @ 30fps | HD @ 30|60fps |
| • ISO: auto |
| • WB: auto |
| Lens |
| • glass with fixed focus from 60cm to infinity |
| • aperture: F2.8 |
| • FOV: 127° @ 1080p | 170° @ 720p |
| • replaceable & refocusable |
| Storage |
| • 2× microSDHC memory cards up to 32GB |
| Formats |
| • photo: JPEG |
| • video: MOV or MP4 (H.264 compression) |
| Special Functions |
| • photo bursts of 3|5 shots |
| • time-lapse photos every 3|5|10|30|60 seconds |
| • time-lapse video @ 1fps or 6|2|1fpm |
| • video loop |
| Features |
| • 1.5" TFT LCD |
| • built-in microphone (Mono, 48kHz) |
| • built-in LED light |
| • easy connectivity via micro USB & mini HDMI |
| • rechargeable 3.7V 800mAh LiPo battery |
| • 1/4"20 tripod mount |
| Size & Weight |
| • aluminum alloy * |
| • W:49 x D:34 x H:42mm |
| • 89g (incl. battery & 2 microSDHC cards) |
☆ CamOne DiveBox underwater housing
| Features |
| • access to all the camera's functions & settings |
| • clear view of the camera's LCD |
| • action mount* & 1/4"20 tripod mount |
| • rated to -30m according-to-spec-sheet* ⚠ focus adjustment or lens replacement required for sharp underwater images |
| Size & Weight |
| • polycarbonate |
| • W:75 x D:42 x H:74mm |
| • 63g (w/o camera) | 152g (with camera) |
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
HeKaSys - OneCam
Just ordered a CamOne infinity (224€*) from HeKaSys, enjoying an instant 10% discount as facebook friend :o) which I invested in two Sandisk Mobile Ultra microSDHC memory cards (8GB, Class 6, UHS-1).
UPDATE: Got my tiny new action cam delivered in less than 24h!
UPDATE: Got my tiny new action cam delivered in less than 24h!
Thursday, February 2, 2012
CamForPro - NoGo
GoPro coolness being priced well beyond reason and accessories not coming cheap, I asked several authorized dealers for an offer and got a good one from CamForPro which I accepted and paid for in advance.
• GoPro HD HERO2 Outdoor Edition
• GoPro LCD BacPac
• GoPro Battery BacPac
• GoPro Tripod Mount (×2)
• GoPro Grab Bag of Mounts
• SRP BlurFix Adapter
• XSories Hooded Silicone Cover
UPDATE: GoPro having unexpectedly released a firmware update finally enabling 3D with the HERO2, I've requested another offer including a second HERO2, 3D housing and some flat replacement lenses from aquapixs for sharp underwater footage in all dimensions.
• GoPro HD HERO2 Outdoor Edition
• GoPro LCD BacPac
• GoPro Battery BacPac
• GoPro Tripod Mount (×2)
• SRP BlurFix Adapter
• GoPro HD HERO2 Motorsport Edition
• GoPro 3D System
• aquapixs GoForPro flat glass lens (×2)
UPDATE: CamForPro suggests the Oculus solution for the 3D housing, which I shortly consider and reluctantly accept, it being 50€ cheaper.
UPDATE: After further investigating the aquapixs versus Oculus flat lens solutions, I re-iterate my desire to get aquapixs' glass lenses, only to be told that the new stock of GoPro cams has sold out again, with nothing coming in before March... upon which I cancel everything.
UPDATE: Having almost dropped 1310€ for a rather ambitious GoPro setup allowing single, dual and stereo camera takes both above & below the waves, including both BlurFix's flat lens port and Subspace's housing with domed port, besides aquapixs' flat lenses for the 3D housing, I'm now considering just getting one camera & housing, i.e. the CamOne infinity for 249€, which comes with built-in 1.5" LCD and supposedly has better handling. It's lens being manually re-focusable it should be possible to re-set the focus for either above or below water takes, without need for a scuba-specific housing. Considering the price difference that's an inconvenience I'm now more inclined to live with, besides accepting the arguably lesser IQ. That is, if aquapixs doesn't come out of the blue with a more practical flat lens solution for the CamOne's DiveBox allowing both above & below water shots...
• GoPro HD HERO2 Outdoor Edition
• GoPro LCD BacPac
• GoPro Battery BacPac
• GoPro Tripod Mount (×2)
• GoPro Grab Bag of Mounts
• SRP BlurFix Adapter
• XSories Hooded Silicone Cover
UPDATE: GoPro having unexpectedly released a firmware update finally enabling 3D with the HERO2, I've requested another offer including a second HERO2, 3D housing and some flat replacement lenses from aquapixs for sharp underwater footage in all dimensions.
• GoPro HD HERO2 Outdoor Edition
• GoPro LCD BacPac
• GoPro Battery BacPac
• GoPro Tripod Mount (×2)
• SRP BlurFix Adapter
• GoPro HD HERO2 Motorsport Edition
• GoPro 3D System
• aquapixs GoForPro flat glass lens (×2)
UPDATE: CamForPro suggests the Oculus solution for the 3D housing, which I shortly consider and reluctantly accept, it being 50€ cheaper.
UPDATE: After further investigating the aquapixs versus Oculus flat lens solutions, I re-iterate my desire to get aquapixs' glass lenses, only to be told that the new stock of GoPro cams has sold out again, with nothing coming in before March... upon which I cancel everything.
UPDATE: Having almost dropped 1310€ for a rather ambitious GoPro setup allowing single, dual and stereo camera takes both above & below the waves, including both BlurFix's flat lens port and Subspace's housing with domed port, besides aquapixs' flat lenses for the 3D housing, I'm now considering just getting one camera & housing, i.e. the CamOne infinity for 249€, which comes with built-in 1.5" LCD and supposedly has better handling. It's lens being manually re-focusable it should be possible to re-set the focus for either above or below water takes, without need for a scuba-specific housing. Considering the price difference that's an inconvenience I'm now more inclined to live with, besides accepting the arguably lesser IQ. That is, if aquapixs doesn't come out of the blue with a more practical flat lens solution for the CamOne's DiveBox allowing both above & below water shots...
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
boot 2012: GoPro
GoPro's represented at boot this year. With one underwater housing. Behind reflective glass. To be released soon. Expected retail price 60€. No HERO2 Diver Edition. That's it. Be cool. Don't ask questions.
Two diver mannequins were set-up with standard housings. Rather misleading if you ask me, considering these are blurry underwater.
Somehow I don't think GoPro takes divers seriously. Luckily, several 3rd party solutions have been available for a while as already posted.
What mostly disappointed me though, is that they had no 3D footage on display. Which I'd very much hoped for, so as to be able to check & discuss the possibilities and judge the image quality of such a setup. Supposedly the exposition hall's lighting's too bright for viewing 3D?
It didn't seem to bother any other 3D promotors. But hey, the new HERO2's are not 3D ready yet, so who cares. The required software update's supposedly due sometime soon. As most things GoPro. What's the hurry anyway, the competition's nowhere to be seen. Yet.
Two diver mannequins were set-up with standard housings. Rather misleading if you ask me, considering these are blurry underwater.
Somehow I don't think GoPro takes divers seriously. Luckily, several 3rd party solutions have been available for a while as already posted.
What mostly disappointed me though, is that they had no 3D footage on display. Which I'd very much hoped for, so as to be able to check & discuss the possibilities and judge the image quality of such a setup. Supposedly the exposition hall's lighting's too bright for viewing 3D?
It didn't seem to bother any other 3D promotors. But hey, the new HERO2's are not 3D ready yet, so who cares. The required software update's supposedly due sometime soon. As most things GoPro. What's the hurry anyway, the competition's nowhere to be seen. Yet.
boot 2012: TillyTec
Tilly's booth was well visited as always, but I managed to get some personal time with the man himself for a friendly chat before getting down to business and buying a TillyTec MPL 500/9010 (99€ incl. pouch & trigger-snap), that is, a small hand-held 1-LED torch, equivalent to a 30W halogen light, as mandatory second backup besides my W30.
UPDATE: Traded in both my Green Force Tristar Diamond head and TillyTec W30 backup for a TillyTec MPL 1500/30010 3-LED torch.
UPDATE: Traded in both my Green Force Tristar Diamond head and TillyTec W30 backup for a TillyTec MPL 1500/30010 3-LED torch.
boot 2012: Camaro
At Camaro's boot stand they were only showing off the new collection, but they kindly referred me to Atlantis Berlin where I got one of the last remaining hooded vests (89€) of last year's seamless production.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Gerda's Dive Shop
Day trip to Gerda's Dive Shop in Munich in order to have my Scubapro regulators checked, serviced & tested and get myself a new pair of Aqualung booties (40€) compatible with my Mares Plana Avanti fins.
By train it takes about 2h15 one way from Sonthofen to München HBF (21€ return with a Bayern Ticket, allowing day long use of any public transportation method). Quite a journey actually, but I like to see the people in person to whom I trust my life sustaining scuba gear.
UPDATE: Got an email from Gerda yesterday with a very detailed maintenance bill (238€) for servicing my regulators (two recreational sets, each consisting of one 1st stage, two 2nd stages, inflator hose & SPG; plus a third 1st stage with SPG). I paid immediately via online banking and today DHL promptly delivered everything at my door.
UPDATE: I'm in Mexico and my S550 second stage is not functioning!
UPDATE: Had my S550 checked by Marco from Scuba Price Tulum, who quickly found out that one of the two small O-rings on the white inner piston was damaged. Replacing it apparently solved the problem.
By train it takes about 2h15 one way from Sonthofen to München HBF (21€ return with a Bayern Ticket, allowing day long use of any public transportation method). Quite a journey actually, but I like to see the people in person to whom I trust my life sustaining scuba gear.
UPDATE: Got an email from Gerda yesterday with a very detailed maintenance bill (238€) for servicing my regulators (two recreational sets, each consisting of one 1st stage, two 2nd stages, inflator hose & SPG; plus a third 1st stage with SPG). I paid immediately via online banking and today DHL promptly delivered everything at my door.
UPDATE: I'm in Mexico and my S550 second stage is not functioning!
UPDATE: Had my S550 checked by Marco from Scuba Price Tulum, who quickly found out that one of the two small O-rings on the white inner piston was damaged. Replacing it apparently solved the problem.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
TillyTest
Having decided to journey to Düsseldorf for the annual boot fair, I thought I'd pre-check my lighting setup before visiting TillyTec again.
My TillyTec LED 1000 still got 3h15 out of my Flexi II battery and my two LED 2000's burned for 2h15 on my TT 3 pack. Which should be enough for an extended stage dive or two dives a day w/o recharging.
I actually interrupted both burn tests before the batteries ran out of juice so as not to drain them completely. I've got no means to measure the lights intensity, but though not 100% at the end, I'd say they delivered enough throughout for practical purposes. Vamos a ver.
Recharging the Flexi II (4.5Ah, 12V, NiMh, 1000g) took about 4 hours, the TT 3 (9.0Ah, 12V, NiMh, 1625g) remained plugged in overnight.
| Flexi II | TT 3 | |
| LED 1000 | >180' | |
| 2x LED 2000 | -NA- | >120' |
My TillyTec LED 1000 still got 3h15 out of my Flexi II battery and my two LED 2000's burned for 2h15 on my TT 3 pack. Which should be enough for an extended stage dive or two dives a day w/o recharging.
I actually interrupted both burn tests before the batteries ran out of juice so as not to drain them completely. I've got no means to measure the lights intensity, but though not 100% at the end, I'd say they delivered enough throughout for practical purposes. Vamos a ver.
Recharging the Flexi II (4.5Ah, 12V, NiMh, 1000g) took about 4 hours, the TT 3 (9.0Ah, 12V, NiMh, 1625g) remained plugged in overnight.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Action cams
For my upcoming trip to Mexico, I'm currently investigating various action cams, as these offer a relatively affordable solution for wide-angle underwater videography, compared to a housed system camera, where just a dome port would cost me more. Not to mention that I could use it as B-cam later on for action takes too risky for a compact system camera, which I'm still hoping to get in the near future...
At the moment, GoPro's new HD HERO2 (350€) is my #1 candidate. Some of the underwater clips I've seen so far on YouTube look quite decent and IMO better than ones taken with an old HERO or some other competing products. That is, if a third party solution is used for underwater footage, thus requiring an additional investment, besides the optional LCD BacPac (100€) needed for compositional framing.
Price-wise ActionPro's SD20F (269€) is without a doubt a much better deal, it coming with a clip-on LCD module, laser pointer, remote control and waterproof case (cam w/o LCD, -20m), with an optional SCUBA housing (cam + LCD, -40m, 30€) available as cheap accessory. Spec-wise it seems to be equivalent to GoPro's previous HERO.
Another interesting alternative is ACME's new CamOne infinity (249€), with built-in LCD and supposedly exchangeable & manually re-focusable optics. Unfortunately, though coming with a waterproof DiveBox, there's no practical SCUBA ready underwater solution yet.
GoPro's main advantage in my case is the availability of several practice-proven underwater solutions like BlurFix's flat lens port (with interchangeable 55mm filters, 80€), Subspace Pictures' adapted housing with dome port (for a true undistorted 127° FOV, 252 CHF), UK-Germany's flat lens aluminum housing (rated to -100m, 499€) and Eye Of Mine's flat lens double-housing (for stereoscopic 3D, 190€).
With a bit of luck I might actually get a closer look at some of these options at the boot 2012 fair in Düsseldorf end of this month, which I intend to visit in order to gear up for my next venture into darkness.
At the moment, GoPro's new HD HERO2 (350€) is my #1 candidate. Some of the underwater clips I've seen so far on YouTube look quite decent and IMO better than ones taken with an old HERO or some other competing products. That is, if a third party solution is used for underwater footage, thus requiring an additional investment, besides the optional LCD BacPac (100€) needed for compositional framing.
Price-wise ActionPro's SD20F (269€) is without a doubt a much better deal, it coming with a clip-on LCD module, laser pointer, remote control and waterproof case (cam w/o LCD, -20m), with an optional SCUBA housing (cam + LCD, -40m, 30€) available as cheap accessory. Spec-wise it seems to be equivalent to GoPro's previous HERO.
Another interesting alternative is ACME's new CamOne infinity (249€), with built-in LCD and supposedly exchangeable & manually re-focusable optics. Unfortunately, though coming with a waterproof DiveBox, there's no practical SCUBA ready underwater solution yet.
GoPro's main advantage in my case is the availability of several practice-proven underwater solutions like BlurFix's flat lens port (with interchangeable 55mm filters, 80€), Subspace Pictures' adapted housing with dome port (for a true undistorted 127° FOV, 252 CHF), UK-Germany's flat lens aluminum housing (rated to -100m, 499€) and Eye Of Mine's flat lens double-housing (for stereoscopic 3D, 190€).
With a bit of luck I might actually get a closer look at some of these options at the boot 2012 fair in Düsseldorf end of this month, which I intend to visit in order to gear up for my next venture into darkness.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Online flight reservation
Booked myself a flight from Munich to Cancun with airberlin (902€ return). Not as easy & stress-free an online formality as it should be, requiring an additional 15' phone call to clear an unexpected 40€ seat-reservation surcharge in my bill, despite this being a free service for "topbonus Service Card" members (79€/year) - which I applied for so as to be allowed an extra 32kg of dive luggage free of charge, besides 30kg of check-in and up to 8kg of carry-on, including laptop.
Flight details:
PS: A month ago I could have booked direct flights both ways for 965€ return, but today those same flights would have cost me 1435€!
UPDATE: Having received my "topbonus Service Card" by mail, I dutifully registered my dive bag & lights online as required, only to once again get an extra bill of 150€ despite this being a free service.
UPDATE: Finally got an email from airberlin apologizing for any inconveniences possibly caused and blaming a faulty registration. Supposedly the erroneously charged 40+150€ will be reimbursed.
UPDATE: Looks like both surcharges have been booked back.
Flight details:
| 06.03.2012 | AB7414 | 13:05 | München | Cancun | 18:05 |
| 02.04.2012 | AB7417 | 19:40 | Cancun | Düsseldorf | 12:25+1 |
| 03.04.2012 | AB6031 | 14:50 | Düsseldorf | München | 16:05 |
PS: A month ago I could have booked direct flights both ways for 965€ return, but today those same flights would have cost me 1435€!
UPDATE: Having received my "topbonus Service Card" by mail, I dutifully registered my dive bag & lights online as required, only to once again get an extra bill of 150€ despite this being a free service.
UPDATE: Finally got an email from airberlin apologizing for any inconveniences possibly caused and blaming a faulty registration. Supposedly the erroneously charged 40+150€ will be reimbursed.
UPDATE: Looks like both surcharges have been booked back.
Friday, December 23, 2011
Price quotes
It took a month to get all the info I requested via email, but now I have all the quotes needed to organize my next trip to Mexico.
Xibalba Dive Center replied quickly to my enquiry with an acceptable offer: 20 cave dives at 85 USD/dive when doing two a day or 110 USD when only doing one (including guide, transport & doubles filled with nitrox, but excluding cenote entrance fees).
→ Xibalba Dive Center
Xibalba now also has its own hotel, but it being priced over my budget as solo traveler, I tried, tried and tried again to contact Villa Matisse in order to check room availability & prices. Not getting any response whatsoever, I reluctantly googled my way through virtual space to some other decent looking guesthouses, the more affordable and well rated of which would cost me 70 USD/night when staying for at least 3 weeks... a bit too rich for my wallet.
→ Posada Luna del Sur
After several attempts getting connected to Villa Matisse, I finally managed to talk to Señora Lourdes, who promised to write me back, which she did several days later, with a pretty good deal: 2500 Pesos per week incl. breakfast, when staying for nearly a month. Currently, that's only about 140 EUR or 180 USD/week. Thereby bringing me back on track to realize my fifth trip to Tulum. That is, if I can still book an affordable flight from Munich to Cancun.
→ Villa Matisse
Xibalba Dive Center replied quickly to my enquiry with an acceptable offer: 20 cave dives at 85 USD/dive when doing two a day or 110 USD when only doing one (including guide, transport & doubles filled with nitrox, but excluding cenote entrance fees).
→ Xibalba Dive Center
Xibalba now also has its own hotel, but it being priced over my budget as solo traveler, I tried, tried and tried again to contact Villa Matisse in order to check room availability & prices. Not getting any response whatsoever, I reluctantly googled my way through virtual space to some other decent looking guesthouses, the more affordable and well rated of which would cost me 70 USD/night when staying for at least 3 weeks... a bit too rich for my wallet.
→ Posada Luna del Sur
After several attempts getting connected to Villa Matisse, I finally managed to talk to Señora Lourdes, who promised to write me back, which she did several days later, with a pretty good deal: 2500 Pesos per week incl. breakfast, when staying for nearly a month. Currently, that's only about 140 EUR or 180 USD/week. Thereby bringing me back on track to realize my fifth trip to Tulum. That is, if I can still book an affordable flight from Munich to Cancun.
→ Villa Matisse
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Medical checkup
Being over 40 and prone to ear troubles, I decided to have a full medical checkup (75€) before booking my next cave diving trip.
Luckily the doctor gave me the OK sign and associated paperwork after checking my hearing, blood pressure, lung function, heartbeat (electrocardiogram), throat, nose & sinuses (scan).
His advice being to put a drop or two of oil in my ears, half an hour or so before each dive, as preventive action against infections.
Luckily the doctor gave me the OK sign and associated paperwork after checking my hearing, blood pressure, lung function, heartbeat (electrocardiogram), throat, nose & sinuses (scan).
His advice being to put a drop or two of oil in my ears, half an hour or so before each dive, as preventive action against infections.
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