Boats and girls in bungalows

The day started clear blue sky and a soft sea breeze, the air was fresh and clean. I only had a couple of things to do today, 1 was to get boat ticket for Chumphorn, 2 was get a book to read as I had just finished another one. It is amazing how much time you get to read when travelling, you have to have something to do while lying on a beach.
Booked ticket, with bike, I have to put here that I get stung every time yet there are people with more luggage then me. Anyway it was booked and so just a book to read. Being in a travelers stop it was easy to find a book store and books. It’s the right book that is the key. I just going to shoot off here on a tangent, skim read for a bit if you like. My choosing a book goes like this, first I try and recognize author which is normally a waste of time because I can never remember any. Same with names, sorry you people out there.
Second it just what jumps out at me and this normally takes a bit, then I have a quick look at the back and have a read of a few pages, if I get hooked I read if not carry on looking. So I found one anyway and headed to the beach had a whole day to waste, could have done a couple of dives.
So lets jump on ahead to the boat, the rest is all just lying on a beach and a bit of swimming and some half naked women, but most of you don’t want to hear about that. So now this has been fun so far so it was not likely to change, I wait till everyone else has got on, it’s just easier that way, now I have to pay 200 baht so hopefully because I am last and they want to get underway someone usually helps me. Praise the lord someone did.
So once bikes on boat and it’s underway I can relax and enjoy the trip. There was nothing really to mention about this boat trip, it was a bit choppy but nothing really that bad, if fact the trip was just a nice cruise with the island disappearing off behind us. As we got closer to the main land we cruised through a mine field of small islands and fishing boats. The harbor was going to be another thing all together.
We arrive just before dusk, the sun was sinking toward the western horizon and we chugged into the harbor, the amount of boats that were there was astounding three side by side on each side, we had maybe 15 feet between our boat and the armada parked up in the harbor. They came in all sizes and shape, it was pretty cool.
We approached the wharf and I approached one of the staff to see if there was any local hotels. Now these girls said there was one which they were staying at and if I wanted I could come with them and find a room. Sounded good. So I followed along with them, there was 5 of us in all, Four women and the son of one of the ladies.
When we got to the hotel, they only had one large room left, it had two queen beds in it. They asked if I was happy to stay with them, which I saw no problem, they offered for me to have one bed to myself but I said it was fine if someone else sleep in it as well. Stop think that way Norm. After this was all sorted we headed out for dinner, there just happened to be a fair on down the road.
On our way to the fair we walked up a hill to a Buddhist shrine and did our pray’s before Buddha. We only walked up 201 stairs and the girls were complaining. Heading back down we wondered through the fair and brought some food as we when, had some fried cricket and some fried other stuff which I am not sure what it was. It was good whatever it was, the cricket was not bad but not that great either. We walked through to the beach and had dinner sitting in a circle sharing all the food. I don’t think many westerns stay here as I had a few kids touch me as I walked past.
After some shopping we headed back to the hotel and sleep, we were all up at 5- 5:30 in the morning. So after a few good nights it was off to sleep. The beds were not great but I managed to get a few hours sleep. The morning came and we were all up pretty quick and heading off in our different directions, them to work and the full moon party, me to the train and Bangkok.

Barrel rolls, mask removal and a lot of trigger fish

Did not get a camera, the cost for a throw away was not worth it. Sorry. You will just have to put up with my descriptions. Usual morning is a 10 o clock start, today we were on the big boat, there was a few divers today so it might be busy out there. No not really, even with all the boats you still don’t see to many other divers.
The big boat is a pretty nice boat fitted out just for diving. There is lots of room, two levels, it’s the perfect dive boat. Will it should that’s what it was built for. We did the usual boat talk etc, you can go here you cant go there, no poking the captain with sticks he is not there for amusement, then the pre dive talk, we will be doing this and that and for the first dive just having a swim around.
Cool, gear up in the water, signal the boat to say you are ok, no one is watching anyway. First thing was a 5 meter emergency ascent, if I did not make it to the surface I would have to do it again. For those not in the know, you drop down 5 meters and then have to slowly come up to the surface without air. Just made it, let the air out in my lungs a bit too fast. But did it so don’t have to do that one again.
Dive time we slowly made our way down to ten meters, and then off for a swim around and drop down to 16-20 meters, I have to say I have been having problems equalizing to 10 meters after that it’s sweet. We headed off in search of a Nemo fish that lives in a rock circle all by himself. The rock circle is there to keep divers away from him. It’s more to save the plant (not sure of the name for it) that he lives in. If it dies so does he.
On the way there we swam though a hole between some rocks, it was pretty cool and managed to make it through no problems. So were swimming in around 16 meters of water. As we came upon where the Nemo fish was we could not get close because there was a trigger fish there, these fish are pretty territorial and will charge at you and try and bite you. Alas we had to keep our distance and just swim on by.
We had been swimming away from the boat and into the slight current, so we got chance to just drift back towards the boat. This was pretty cool because I just played around, I find it really cool just floating upside down. Maybe you not supposed to do this but I had some fun, Just have to watch out for the big rocks.
So dive one for the day over, my second to last dive, bugger, I could just stay here and get my Dive masters. Dive two was a going to be a few skills that PADI require, Taking off your mask at 15 meters, floating, blowing bubbles with the regulator off and some directional train with a compass and then forward and backward rolls. We get to play around. You can see I took it all very seriously. You gotta have fun.
So off the boat again this time it was much easier to equalize, my body must be getting used to it. We dropped down to about 10 meters then headed out slowly dropping down to 13-15 meters were we did our skills tests. Mask on mask off mask on, sweet. Regulator out blow circle bubbles mine were crap, just could not do it. I think it is more to make sure you are happy without you regulator in. I have to point out I got my heart going a bit as could not get my regulator back in straight after the bubble blowing. I remained calm even though I was screaming on the inside and after a few seconds managed to get it back in.
Had problems with the floating, it was not because I could not float it’s because it seems my arse is lighter then water and wanted to go up while my head went down, I can float just upside down. The next one was forward roll, which was no problem and had no problems with the backward roll either. TJ my instructor confessed after the dive he had got a bit disorientated after his backward roll.
The last skill of the day was using a compass underwater which was really easy. O yes I am a pro now. At one stage in our dive we went passed one of the instructors who had lost his students and ended up having to go to the surface to find them. They were on the advanced course. They did make it back to the boat in the end.
We went for a swim round after this and just chilled, I was feeling pretty relaxed about the whole diving and things, it’s been pretty cool, we got to see a really big trigger fish but he was more interested in eating then us at the time, even TJ said it was a big one.
TJ was a really good instructor and it was great just having a one on one, made it really good, I did not have to worry that I was slowing people up or anything, it was all about the diving. Ko Tao summer time when there are not many people around, good place to learn.
So Tomorrow will be my last day here then it’s back to the mainland and a train journey up to Lao and then back on the bike, hope my legs remember what to do, will just have to plan short rides for a start.

The piranhas were back, Passing exam, and now open water diver

What a day at the office, kids. The sky was overcast but the sea today was flat calm, you have to wonder which sea god I upset set to have a ruff day yesterday and then flat calm today. So two dives today, one dive between 6 to 10 meters and one from 10 to 15 meters. We wait each morning for the incoming ferry from Ko Pha Ngan which arrives at 10 and drops off the rest of the divers for our boat.
O yes must stop here and do a name change, Stew is really TJ, Stew was the Irish guy and TJ is my instructor now, I won’t even try and spell his full name because I can’t even say it. Kate is really Sara, Not sure how I thought she was Kate. She does look like a Kate if Kate’s had a look. I am just bad with names. Anyway I hope we are all on the same boat now.
So divers today were me, of cause, 4 Malaysian’s and a English guy and there guides, and besides my name I have no ideas on any of theirs. So again it was just Me and TJ heading out and about for the morning dive. The rest of them had their own guides. First dive was just a fun dive, get used to getting myself neutrally buoyant in the water. The day before we had worked out that I should only need 3 weights on the dive belt, so as we descended towards the bottom, letting all the air out of my BCD, that’s right know the lingo and we started to swim I had to keep my head down and legs up to stay down, luckily TJ had brought along a spare weight so finally I could sink. Well have better buoyancy anyway.
Had a swim round looked at the fish, got attacked again by those little fishes, my ears got attacked and my legs, the little buggers are ruthless. Anyway back to the diving, did a few barrel rolls and things, I have to say it’s pretty cool looking up when boats goes over the top. Just remember to stop kicking as you could run into a big rock when looking up. They are pretty keen to keep the corral around here so luckily TJ did not see me crash. Eyes on the ball lad.
After what I thought was only 30 minutes, TJ signaled for us to head back towards the boat, which to tell you the truth I had no idea where it was at all, as it was we had swam around in one big circle so we did not have far to go. A slow rise to the surface and out. We had been down there for just over 45 minutes time flies when you’re having fun.
Now just have to go off on a slight tangent here, one of the Malaysian guys on the boat with us was just snorkeling, well he did not bother with a snorkel, and the guy could stay under water for quite some time. It did turn out that he was a fisherman so that explains that, but still very impressive staying down there as long as he did. After the second dive he swam down maybe a couple of meters and chased one of his mates around who was diving for a minute or two.
Lunch was the usual Chicken, Pork, rice sort of meal. Now the Malaysians were Muslim and one of them asked Sara the Dive Master if any were pork, and she told them they were all chicken, to tell the truth I could not tell if they were pork or chicken tasted nice though. No one said anything when we realized so no problem. Hopefully Alla will not be to upset with her later on.
Right so second dive briefing while the boat moved to the new spot, TJ went over what we were going to do, he did also mention about not getting too close to the other diver, not only had I crashed into the rock, and it was a big rock, I had also been fairly close and crashed in to TJ a few times. It was only my 3 dive. That’s what buddies are for an’t they.
In the water and off we go, this time deeper dive and a few exercises just to make sure I could do them at depth. Had a real hard time equalizing on the second dive, lucky for me it is just me and TJ so I was not really holding anyone up, but it seemed to take forever. Stop, Ascend a bit, equalize, descend equalize, equalize descend, stop back up a bit equalize you get the message anyway, it took a long time. TJ keep looking at his watch, but I’m the customer.
Finally after what seemed like An eternity we got to the bottom, thank the sea gods, time for a look around then a few exercises. The fish were pretty cool and got to see lots of Nemo fish, no sharks or stingrays but lots of the piranha fish(well I’ll call them Piranha fish) that kept on attacking me. Do I look like food… There is no meat on me what were they thinking.
Did the exercises no problems, I had had a problem with my mask all day were it kept fogging up all the time so had to keep flushing it out. So no problems with taking it off and on etc. We saw a couple of Morray eels, and lots of fish fighting each other. Overall a pretty good dive. Another 45 minutes under. Once on the boat we packed everything up and waited for the others, then back to shore and exam time. Alright. What am I doing again.
Have to say got 3 questions wrong in the exam, so would not dive with me if I was you 94% bugger, just silly mistakes too, like not reading the question properly. But it’s done over with, after the two dives tomorrow I will have joined the PADI dive fraternity and be able to dive around the world, probably like the rest of you. I’m just a bit slow. So get the boat dive ready Dad for when I get back. You fish, I’ll pull on your line…
So looking forward to tomorrows dives and just being able to enjoy the underwater world and not having to worry about exam questions etc. Just diving… Hopefully the sun is out tomorrow, the light is really flat down there. Might also buy a underwater camera for some photo’s. See if I can capture a photo of the Piranha fish.

2-4.05.09 Looking, reading, and diving

So the 2nd was looking for a dive company to go with. Now what I found was they all are pretty much the same. Same structure, same cost, and because a lot of the instructors are freelance your instructor could be any one. So how do you choose a company. My thoughts were because my mouth is not really that normal, it just isn’t, that I would ask each company what they could do and how we could work around the problem.
Now most of the companies just said we will have to go through a few regulators and see which mouth piece fits best. The company that I choose in the end had a few ideas, the best one was you can get a moldable mouth piece which we can then put on the Regulator for you. OK so I realize this was good for them because I spend more money but it does mean now that my mouth piece is very comfortable. And I can take it with me and use it any were. That’s right Terry we will be going diving when I get back.
Company found, all things covered, ended up just reading my book and relaxing for the rest of the day, the course was going to start on the 3rd. The 3rd rolled around, the course did not start until the afternoon so packed up from Mr J’s and moved to my new digs down by the beach, just happens to be by the Wharf as well, could work out good when I leave.
Picked up the dive book early and had a read through as you do. Not much else to do on a island. Afternoon rolled around and off to the shop to wait for my instructor. I’m on time were the hell is he, woops forgot island time, 25minutes late. Excellent. First afternoon is all class room stuff. 3 hours of PADI cheeeessssseeeee dive video. Yeppy, thanks America.
So got through the first 3 sections of the book with out to many problems and my Instructor TJ seemed nice enough. Good Irish fella who I could understand. We worked through a few things, O yes forgot to mention there was just me in the class. Finished and TJ said someone else will be with you tomorrow I’m on some drugs from chemist and cannot dive. Right have to get to know someone else. Dinner and headed off to bed, next day diving, well at least in the water and learning all the safety stuff. So much to remember.
The 4th rolled around as it does being right after the 3rd, up and ready and around to the bar across the road from the shop, it’s were they all meet. Waiting, meet at 9, some guy comes in with a load of gear and starts looking at me, finally asks if I am doing the open water course. Yep, so this is my new instructor, Stewart, from Norway, asked him the usual questions, how long you been diving, instructing etc etc you know how it is, you want their credentials before you put your life in their hands.
So meet instructor we are just waiting for the boat now. It is going to be here around ten, we have a few snorkelers on board so I have been told. It’s alright though because they will work in with us. Excellent. The boat arrived, so we jumped on board, Spanish Kate is the dive master today. 3 other people jump on and they are diving not snorkeling. Ok so we are all diving. The Spanish fieriness comes out in Kate as she is supposed to know what is going on.
For all you that have learnt to dive, my first day was not in a pool, but on a ruff beach. Why not the pool. On the boat and off we went, I thought we would be heading to a sheltered bay somewhere, NO, they seemed to have picked a bay where the swell was coming straight into. Great it’s my first day people.
Now me and Stew went over what we would be doing etc before we got in the water, then for PADI you have to prove you can swim, so it was twice round the boat in nice choppy seas, excellent, first time round got water in my mouth, good start Mr Dakin, next lap no problem, now 10 minutes water treading or floating. It’s ruff how the hell am I supposed to float and relax, well I now know I can tread water for ten minutes in ruff seas. After that I sink. You know the story arse goes down first and the rest follows.
On the boat gear on and go through all the pre dive checks, in we go, not probs. Swim to shore, now in the book it says its best to be done in chest deep water, in chest deep water we were getting thrown around, and I had trouble just staying still on the bottom, so the decision was made to head out deeper. So with maybe 1 ½ to 2 meters of water above us it was a lot calmer. But there was more water above me if I panicked.
No panicking then, remain calm, breath normally, and try and watch what Stew was doing because I had to do it right after. First few tasks were easy, taking regulator out, out of air, using buddy regulator, filling goggles with water etc etc etc. So we were making our way through with not to many problems at all.
Then from out of the deep blue, Jaws music people, I was still watching Stew show me the next exercise when bam something bit me from behind, all the little fishes which had stayed away now came in for the kill. The little buggers keep biting my legs it was as I imagine Piranhas’ to be like. Even when I shooed them away they kept coming back in to attack, which made concentrating on what Stew was showing me very had to do. O yes and breath and relax.
Lucky for me we only had a couple of exercises left to do so I was able to escape the evil little swine’s. Not allowed to talk about Swine are we. After we fished the exercises and because Stew was pretty happy with how I did with everything we swam back to the boat though the corral beds, I think Stew had got a bit disorientated as he kept pointing me to go more right all the time, I felt we had gone too far right but did not really want to stop the dive. He finally did the signal to rise to the surface. We were maybe 4-5 meters under water by this stage.
When we came to the top we were about 30 meters from the boat and were we should be. I maybe could have said we were going the wrong way but then the dive would have finished sooner, and is it really my responsibility on my first dive to point out to the instructor we have gone wrong. So we swam back to the boat and boarded for lunch and our next dive site.
So because we had other divers on board they wanted to cruise over to another dive site, no problem with me, Stew only had a couple more things to show me. So the next dive site would be in 6-10 meters of water, I think it was deeper then I was supposed to go on my second dive but who am I to complain.
Gear on over the side and away we go, we did a static line decent, for those not in the know, That’s right people I know what I’m talking about, NOT. You hold on to a rope that is on a buoy at the surface and anchored to the bottom. My understanding is you have more control of your decent. Correct me if I am wrong. Please. I have to take my test tomorrow.
Anyway we dropped down and I had a few problems equalizing, so we just took our time. I had a bit of a squeeze, you know what I’m talking about divers. We had a pretty good swim around and were down for maybe ½ an hour or so. I have to say it was pretty cool, but really hard to keep breathing all the time because I was just fascinated looking around. Yes breathing all the time should be easy I know.
After our ½ hour was over we went back up and again I had a few problems, it seems I just have to go up and down slowly. Once back on top, it was back to the boat and a couple of surface exercises. Did them all sweet with no problems which Stew was pretty amazed about. It had been a pretty good day till I realized I had knocked my snorkel off and it was on the bottom. Time to earn your money Stew. Down you go. That’s why we pay the big bucks here folks.
That was the end to my first day diving, tomorrow is going over a few things at a deeper depth of 12 meters, not really looking forward to that, diving seems to be a mind over matter sort of sport. You have to keep in control and stay relaxed. Good fun though. There have also been some whale sharks in the area, it is the time of year when they swim past this area, so maybe just maybe I might get to see one. Have to pray to the Diving gods tonight.

Snorkeling great way to meet people and good deeds

So had a early night last night as snorkeling and being out on the sea can get a bit tiring by the end of the day. Waited for the taxi which turned up nearly on time. Me and girl who were staying at Mr J’s jumped on the back off the ute for a ride to the boat. So the girl who jump on the ute with me was Kimberly a black American, so we all stood and sung the American national anthem, no just kidding.
Kimberly is for Hawaii, and is in Asia for a few month, really nice girl, with a big American laugh. Once we had picked up our gear it was off to the boat and away. Now in Malaysia we were on pretty small boats, the one’s in Thailand could carry 14 people plus crew. They were a few on board.
Kimberly and I sat by each other and as you do you have a chat, the first 10 minutes was Bush bashing and a little on NZ politics. Kimberly was one of those people who knew about the rest of the world and not just America. So after we had a laugh about Bush and all his stuff ups we arrived at the first snorkel sight which was Shark point.
I jumped in and headed off to look for the great white shark and managed to find a 2 foot black fin tipped shark. Don’t ask me what it was because I don’t know. I was not too far from the boat and noticed that Kimberly had not really got in. I went over and asked if all was well. Now Kimberly had had a bad experience rafting and was a bit scared of the water.
I managed to talk her into coming back in, she had a life jacket on so I said I would hold onto the life jacket and not let go of her. We went back out and swam around and managed to see another shark. She was pretty happy about that, we also saw the usual fish and other things. I have to point out here that so far the corral was not as good as Malaysia(even with the rubbish).
We jumped back on the boat and headed to our next location, on arrival I grabbed hold of Kimberly’s life jacket again and took her for a snorkel through some corral areas and around then dropped her off at the boat and looked around a bit more. It is sad to say but there has been a lot of destruction of the corral beds. Throughout the day at the next 3 sights it did not really improve.
Just as I dropped Kimberly back at the boat one of the guys with us dropped his snorkel and goggles. I tried to swim down and grab them before they got to deep but missed and they head to the bottom. I got one of the guys to give me a gaff off the boat and swam down again, I managed to use the gaff to get hook the goggles then turned and headed for the surface.
I had gone down quite deep and you know how when your body wants air but you can still see the surface a few meters away, it was a bit like that. I did not think I had gone down that deep, it must have been the time I spent hooking the goggles that had used my breath up. I burst out of the water as though everything was alright and handed the over the goggles to the happy customer. Then relaxed back in the water to catch my breath. Good deed number 2.
We did get to see a lot of these strange creature’s with metal tanks on their backs. I swam down and had a look at a few of them. They were of different shapes and sizes and some had white legs and arms and some black. I also found they don’t like it when you prod them with a stick or try and catch them with baited hooks. Once you caught one though they put up a good fight.
By the third stop Kimberly was swimming around by herself so my job was done, yep my good deed for the day, I managed to find a couple of nice shelves of corral at our last snorkel before we headed to a small Island off Ko Tao. The beach was pretty much made up of dead corral, but once in the water it was probably the best spot we had been to. The only problem is that they let all these boats come in to close to the shore. We were maybe one of 20-30 boats anchored off the island.
So am back on dry land again, am a little red even though I covered myself in 50spf sunscreen and did a couple of repeat covers with my 30spf. Lucky for me I have nothing planned for tomorrow, maybe just a bit of Blog update and that’s it. Tonight we are all meeting up for the Half moon party at a bar down the way so might have a couple of beers. Am still waiting for good deed number 3.

Always shop around.

So got up this morning had to catch the 8:30 boat to Ko Toa, Got to the first office and they were going to charge me 350 baht for me and 500 baht for the bike, there were people there with more luggage then me, my bike and three other back packers put together. So I tried the competition next door. The whole lot 450 baht, sweet. If this one had not worked I would have had to wait around till 12 for the next boat operator to come through.
Got me and the bike on the boat and had a set across the table form a couple of Indian guys. Now I did not recognize him at first but one of the guys was a big Bollywood star. Him and his friend were here to try a little diving as you do. This guy does about 4 movies a year, and he is big in Thailand as well. There is a couple of channels on Thai Tv with India movies on them. Him and his friend were nice enough to chat to for the trip between the island.
I had looked at a couple of places to stay for when I arrived and found one of them straight away. It’s a place called Mr J’s, I am going to stay for 3 nights here then it is back to the main land. Mr J thing is he gives you things depending on how long you are going to stay. 2 night min, is a chocolate bar, 3 nights a can of sprite, not sure what he gives you if you stay for a month.
So have booked a snorkeling trip for tomorrow and Mr J has told me were the cheap local eats are so that’s sweet. Am all set for a few relaxing days.
Went out and down to the main tourist area for a walk and a look around, it’s the usual travel type of place in Thailand, lots of bars, massage parlors, 7 eleven and a bakery that sells good bread, not the sweet bread that most Asia bakeries sell. So I brought some buns, it’s the small things that help you get by when you’re staying on these tropical islands. You know how it is.
Had my walk down the beach and watched a guy fly over in his motorized paraglide which he came right down and buzzed over everyone’s heads. There was also a guy on the beach practicing for his fire stick show for that night. It is nice just relaxing and knowing I don’t have to be on the move the next day. Might stay on Ko Tao for a few more days if the snorkeling is good.

Cruising the island and mountain climb

Started off today with not much to do, I had thought about renting a motorbike to explore the island but was kinda talked out of it by a English guy. There is some sort of scam going on the island were you rent the bike and then when you bring it back they find a scratch on it and charge you for the whole panel. Now I realize that it probably would not happen to me, but I thought a ride would do me good anyway.
Jumped on the bike and headed out, I had been told there were some hills but not to many, headed north as that was where the better beaches were supposed to be. Had a look at a few on my way round but nothing really jumped out. Now these hills there not really that big but they are steep some of them. You have to crank up in granny gear for 3 hundred meters then head down like a bat out of hell. It was good fun
Found a semi nice beach and stopped for some lunch, had a swim and dried off for the ride back. As I was heading back I came across a road that headed up it to the interior of the island, asked a local guy if the road headed back toward Hat rin the main town on the Island. Got the yes nod so off I went. Vertical climb of 1500 meters as had seen a sign earlier so it was a good climb. For those who mountain bike roto vagas it was like going up direct road a couple of times.
I had thought maybe there would be a good spot to do some photo’s of the surrounding area. Alas no was the answer to that one. There were lots of coconut trees everywhere. Anyway it was a fairly long up hill slog at 2:30 in the afternoon with the heat and everything.
Made it to the top and started the ride down, the road down was not as steep as the one I had just come up but it was a pretty quick ride down. And long to. I recon you could build some pretty cool mountain bike tracks on Ko Pha Ngan. So cruised back to my lodgings and had a fresh coconut out of the fridge very nice.
I had changed out of the room I had the night before to one over the back as the room I had, had nice views but at night it was so hot, I had pulled the bed over to the window by the fan and it was still too hot to sleep. Even had the doors open to get some kind of air flow. The room out the back did not get the view but it turned out to be the better room. So last night I managed to get some sleep.