The Maldives is famous for being a low lying micro island state and many of my friends living in the WEST often and sometimes even repeatedly ask me if the islands in the Maldives are really sinking and if I would be washed away from the face of this earth during their lifetime. I am back in Male’ the capital of the Maldives and I am happy that in this instance the island state is still afloat. Hopefully I will live long enough to return to meet my friends in the UK in a few months time.