Thursday 12th
Went to sleep quite late in the end as the TV next door was really loud ! - but got woken up as promised at 8pm by my dive 'buddy' who is staying in the next room to me.
Think I have quite a good deal here - my own room with refrigerator, bathroom and wireless if I can be bothered to treck up the hill (!) is equivalent to 8 pounds a night and is free with my PADI course. Its nice to have my own room particularly with all the reading and theory for the PADI course, Apparantly advanced is less technical I am debating whether to do this in the Similian islands at the end of my trip when I'm on the west coast but it is much more expensive apparantly.If we had'nt have booked return train tickets already I'd have possibly have stayed on to do my advanced I think. Bit the train is known to get busy after full moon party.
We ran through chapters 1 and 2 on the PADI video this morning, and went down to the 'private' beach (about 2 metres long!) to do the quizes for chapters 1 and 2, at my suggestion - of course! Tan has to be a high priority ;) My 'buddy' seems really cool and is also very excited about diving. We are the only two people on the course and our instructor is fairly quiet (well normal really but quiet compared to the piss heads I was expecting as diving instructors here!) but got on with him well and he's a good instructor from Australia (Artemis is also australian.)
Lunch we joined the girls in DDs where I had toast, egg and beans for 60 baht. The afternoon was cool we went off in a decent sized boat with sun deck - only joined by two swedish girls and another instructor (they were doing an afternoon - had done their PADI in Sarmel Sheik which still being cheap was more more expensive than Ko Tao) I have to admit I was slightly worried about the technicalities of diving - (what if I forgot to breathe through my mouth?!) - but got through all the skills OK although I really didn't like it when I had to let my mask fill with water and then empty it beneath the surface. I normally never and dont like to swim without goggles so found this hard.
The fish and underwater life was amazing - even when we were snorkelling over to shallow water (this was out confined water dive today where you do all the skills at a shallow level.) the fish were close enough to touch even though as I learnt objects are roughly 30 % further away than how they appear. I am learning other interesting facts and concepts about bouyancy and pressure, even though I am not very scientifically minded! I am looking browner and starting to peel on my left shoulder where I burnt before. I think my lotions are old.
Got back having enjoyed my afternoon, showered and met the girls on the beach briefly before the light went down. They took my netbook to try to connect to internet but one place wanted 500 baht for 14 days! Blimey!
I got bitten last night in the room so may light a coil this eve. Really enjoying being able to watch BBC World is weird thinking I worked there sometimes before drama school.
I love Ko Tao which I had more time to explore but for now the course is keeping me busy. I must revise now as its gone 7.30 and have two chapters to do and go out for dinner with the girls. Both emily and Lottie now have injured toes from the full moon party! - hopefully they can come snorkelling on the same boat as me tomorrow so they can still feel they are doing fun things.
We ate at a little place my meal was huge so am a happy bunny. Am really enjoying having my own room and being able to chill. Is quite big - had two single beds in so chuck my bag on one. Refrigerator is coming in handy. Was gonna do coil but dont have lighter. Feel OK.
Having now read chapter three of my PADI that horrible mask thing I struggled with today is normally scheduled to be done in your open water 2 dive - basically the 5th time you go under water not the very first! I have a feeling because its cheap here they do kinda pack it in. I wish we'd had a bit less skills stuff today so I could just get accustomed to being and breathing underwater before moving onto the more challenging stuff but hey I suppose at least the worst is over and I know I can do it even if I don't like it. Hope it doesn't put me off but itll be interesting to see if I dream about it tonight as that will show it's on my mind. There was also a moment where I felt I wasnt getting enough air even though I was breathing deeply. I had an overwhelming desire to surface and breath normally but didnt give in to it and was OK. I had to do the skill of taking my kit off and putting it back on underwater so that was a good distraction as sometimes I think problems can be mentally overcome.
There is an awful lot to learn on this diving course. I think I am being a bit of a swat as I read the chapters properly and want to understand everything. The other guys just skims until he finds the relevant answers! But I guess its different personalities.
Ko Tao is very chilled out in the evening. There seems to be a culture of bars playing movies. The main road is actually little wider than a pavement and is full of charm in the daytime and at night. I really like this island. My instructor says that many of the foreign workers here do not have visas. But apparantly to get a normal job youd be paid about 150 baht a day! Not thanks! Even that must be better than the recession in England....
Is good to have a few days under budget as had a lot of expenses upon first arrival. Methinks once in Chang Mai everything will be cheaper. It allows me to do fun things like diving and possibly rock climbing in Krabi and maybe even a skydive. I love travelling. Clients from work which seemed to dominate my life for 1 1/2 years barely enter my thoughts now. I am possibly putting on weight due to not working out but also feeling better with tan and sunshine. Only stress I have now is being bitten by the little buggers!
Money spent: (free accomodation) Lunch 60 baht, sprite in bar 20 baht, 7/11 bread and large coke 45 baht, dinner (Chicken and cashew nuts with noodles) 70 baht. TOTAL: 195 baht (3.90)
Worst thing: Goggle skills thing in dive
Best thing: Seeing the fish when snorkelling and scuba diving! So cool!
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