Traveling is a brutality. It forces you to trust strangers and to lose sight of all that familiar comfort of home and friends. You are constantly off balance. Nothing is yours except the essential things – air, sleep, dreams, the sea, the sky – all things tending towards the eternal or what we imagine of it.

Day 2 is travel day.

After breakfast we set off to our island resort. A speedboat transfer ranges from 150-250 USD while the seaplane costs 400-500 USD (even more) depending on the season, the distance and the kind of hotel you’re going to.

Sticking to our budget, we set forth to rub elbows with the locals and ride the public transports.

My husband gives me a hard time trying to make him smile so I will post this picture of him sneering. Haha.

Contrary to popular knowledge, Maldives is not a bikini haven because it’s a Muslim country. But don’t fret, one is allowed to wear skimpy swimwear in destination and hotel beaches.

Our speedboat express from Hulhumale’ to Male’ costs 25 Rufiyaa (1.7 USD) each.

The ferry costs lesser, 5 Rufiyaa, but we needed a faster transport to catch our connecting ride in Male’.

Me: Why did you bring your rubbershoes? We’re going to the beach, you should be in slippers.

Him: Silence.

He ignores my very wise counsel.

The staff from Ripple Beach Inn waiting with us.

I think there are more motorcycles in Maldives than people.

Our speedboat arrives.

They weren’t kidding when they said it can be a rough ride. I was holding on to dear life. But it was fun (if you have a husband to grasp), ’twas like sea-bashing!

We arrived in Male’, rode a taxi, made our way through narrow crowded streets and reached another port. We had a few minutes of confusion of where to go and what boat to ride.

Thankfully we found our ferry and paid 20 Rufiyaa (1.3 USD) each.

It was my first time to ride a public ferry.

I was interested in the navigational device.

The trip took almost 2 hours.
Thanks to my seatmate who entertained me by laughing while I play Angry Birds.
My husband was brave enough to climb the roof deck.

Spying on Anantara, our neighbor island.

A little boy spying on me from the roof.

Hello, Maafushi!

Our welcoming hunks!

The wheelbarrow man!

Arrival drinks!

My feet is hysterically eager to be sandy!