When my friend concluded her Peace Corps tour in Nepal, she journeyed through Australia on her return to the United States. Another friend and I managed to carve out 17 days of vacation to fly to Australia and join her on a whirlwind adventure.

This is how I found myself backpacking through Australia.

After securing transportation and hostel accommodations, our next priority was planning our itinerary.

Each of us suggested two or three activities we couldn't miss. From those suggestions, we crafted our schedule, with “scuba dive at the Great Barrier Reef” topping my list of essentials.

Though my friends weren't divers, they were willing to snorkel, so we consulted a travel agent (this was a while back) to figure out the best options for timing and travel logistics. Our hostel in Sydney was about 2,412.1 km (1,498.8 miles) away from the Great Barrier Reef.

After spending five days exploring Sydney, we hopped on a bus and spent a few days traveling up the coast, with just one half-way stop, until we arrived in Cairns.

Let me tell you, spending 48 hours on a bus is pure torture. I wouldn't recommend it unless you're in your twenties—and even then, it’s still not advisable.

Once we arrived in Cairns, we arranged for a ride, secured a private hostel room, and booked a dive boat that catered to both snorkelers and divers.

To safeguard the reef from untrained divers, a regulation mandates that a dive master must accompany all charter divers. The dive master is a seasoned diver who is well-versed in the reef's intricacies.

His primary instruction was crystal clear: DO NOT TOUCH any part of the reef unless he demonstrated that it was safe. He would indicate this by touching it first himself. This was the top rule. Not adhering to it could lead to serious consequences.

The second rule was to avoid being eaten by sharks—at least, that's how I interpreted it. In reality, it was my personal rule, as I had taken up scuba diving partly to confront my fear of sharks.

Thanks to "Jaws," which I watched at an age far too young. I was crammed into the front row of a packed theater, and my fear intensified as I waited in a long line to get in.

On the day of the film’s premiere, no one knew just how terrifying it would be.

However, I survived, confronted that fear, and became a scuba diver. Despite years of diving in Hawaii and California, I had yet to encounter a shark longer than three feet—none of them were intimidating. So, I was genuinely excited to finally face my fears, especially knowing that the Great Barrier Reef teems with large white tip and black tip reef sharks, among other creatures.

A quick note about Australia: it's home to the most dangerous animals, including four of the top ten deadliest creatures on Earth. And don't even get me started on the venomous snakes!

Most of the individuals on our dive boat were there to snorkel, leaving just the dive master, myself, and one other diver for the scuba diving.

We donned our gear, plunged into the water, and quickly lost sight of the snorkelers. What more can I say about the Great Barrier Reef? It's vibrant, enchanting, vast, breathtaking, and remains my favorite diving location to date.

At the ocean floor, John Doe and I closely followed the dive master as we circled a reef bursting with life—life I had only seen in pictures or videos. The plants, the reef, the fish—everything was teeming with activity. I couldn't recognize anything from my usual diving spots; I felt like a complete outsider.

The dive master halted and pointed downward. I followed his gesture, but I was so amazed by everything that I had no clue what he was indicating. I nodded and shrugged, trying to convey my confusion.

He moved closer, directing his finger lower and lower until it hovered just an inch above a—

“OH MY GOODNESS, THAT'S A HUGE GIANT CLAM!”

I screamed internally, releasing a burst of bubbles from my regulator—a big no-no in diving. I took a moment to regain control of my breathing.

In my defense: 1. I had no idea giant clams were still around. I assumed they were extinct. 2. I also didn’t know they lived at the Great Barrier Reef. 3. I’m not foolish, just lacking that specific knowledge. 4. Back then, there was no jumping online to become an expert. I didn't research Australia in libraries; I was winging it like most people did before the internet became ubiquitous.

I was astounded by the clam's size, especially compared to the 1-3 inch clams I was familiar with. This one was enormous! Joy bubbled up inside me—this clam must have been at least six inches wide!

The dive master moved on, and we followed suit.

Yes, there were more new and colorful fish and coral. The dive master pointed again. What could he be signaling this time? Everything is incredible in every direction—OH MY GOODNESS! The first clam was TINY because this one is a MONSTER!

We're talking at least three feet across—massive, like something from Robinson Crusoe.

As I marveled at its enormity, the dive master did something that left me speechless. He leaned down and gently petted it! What the heck? You can do that?

I shuddered at the thought of it snapping shut on someone’s arm. Diver consumed by a Giant Vegetarian Clam—breaking news at 11.

Technically, they are omnivores, but they primarily consume tiny plankton, hardly a concern for a human.

That dive master is something else.

Then I noticed another giant clam nearby! And another right next to it! It was as if my eyes adjusted to the surroundings, allowing me to spot them among the vibrant colors.

I examined the clams, appreciating their details as if I were a scientist studying art.

This may sound silly, but I’ve reached an age where I don't care. Having only seen empty giant clam shells, I had never considered how they looked when occupied.

First off, the critter filled the shell to the brim, with edges spilling over. Secondly, the two large siphons resembled those of an octopus, rhythmically inhaling and exhaling.

The colors were astonishing as well. Shades of blue, green, and brown dominated, but they also had tiny contrasting patterns—brilliant. Brown with tiny orange spots, blue with thin green lines, and green with yellow dots. Some even had hints of purple, all shimmering with iridescence.

On top of that, they appeared like underwater velvet. I was completely captivated. I could have observed them for hours if only I had enough air…

The dive master beckoned to me and then pointed to the giant clam.

Me? I squeaked.

It took me a moment to realize he wanted me to touch the clam like he had.

If it was good enough for him, it was good enough for me. Slowly, I reached out, hovering just above the inviting velvet surface, then lowered my hand to lightly brush the gentle creature.

In a split second, it SLAMMED shut. I SCREAMED, “AHHHHH,” and flung myself backward. I barely managed to keep my regulator in my mouth!

Do you have any idea how difficult it is to bite down on your regulator and scream simultaneously?

That takes practice and determination. I managed it. I may have bitten down a little too hard, but who cares? Are you judging me?

My heart raced, desperate to escape. I focused on calming my breathing, as every diver should.

The clam hadn’t completely shut, only a few inches. But those quick inches scared the life out of me and nearly cost me one of my nine lives.

I heard muffled sounds underwater. Bubbles erupted from the dive master, and his squinty eyes peeked through his mask.

LAUGHING JERK!

Oh, how hilarious.

Once he regained his composure, he gestured for John Doe to take his turn petting the beast. To my astonishment, John Doe reached out and, just like that, the clam shut rapidly again.

John Doe SCREAMED, “AHHHHH,” and stumbled backward, struggling to keep his regulator intact.

The clam hadn’t fully closed either, just a few inches. But those few inches were just as terrifying for him.

I heard more bubbles escape our regulators. Squinty eyes exchanged glances, and we all shared a laugh.

We continued on, leaving the gentle giants behind and encountering even more unusual creatures.

The dive master pointed upward.

What’s up? Everything's below us.

Reluctantly, I looked up to see—WOW, what’s all that shimmering stuff flickering above us? Leaning in, I squinted.

Silver and transparent—what on earth are those?

Then I spotted it—HOLY COW, that’s a HUGE shark thrashing about—why?—and the snorkeling dive master is holding its tail!

This dive master was six feet five inches tall, and the shark was even longer. It was brown and slimmer than I had expected.

The chaos, the twisting body of the shark combined with the dive master’s skill left me breathless. It was as if he was riding a rodeo bull. He leaned back, exerting force like a cowboy reining in a wild bull.

He’s going to die.

How on earth would he escape unscathed? This was my worst nightmare—stay calm, breathe slowly, counting to ten in and out.

I was sweating underwater—figuratively and literally.

The dive master finally released his grip, and the shark swam away as if nothing had happened.

The shimmering scales scattered, revealing snorkelers above us, watching the aquatic rodeo unfold.

I took away some valuable lessons from that day. Sharks aren't vengeful and don’t hold grudges. Giant clams are filled with life, can be surprisingly quick, and are breathtaking. Cowboys can also be scuba divers, and Australians are truly adventurous. I learned that as long as you're not bleeding or thrashing about like you're in distress, sharks generally aren't interested in you. Mostly. Probably. Ultimately, confronting your fears can lead to incredible experiences, and sometimes, you might even enjoy yourself!

This narrative is in response to a travel prompt from Lorena Sharing Randomly.

Natural Wonders Is the Best Way to Go! Highlighting Earth’s beauty

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