Phi Phi to Koh Tao

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Hi Guys! Loads to catch up on from Koh tao, we've had a really busy four days, but they've been amazing!
The journey to Koh Tao was god-awful. After boarding our first ferry we arrived very hot and sweaty in Krabi, where we took a small truck and then a ''vip'' bus to the ferry port. This too a good 5 hours in total, but our second bus journey passed quickly as we watched a film in a little room on the bottom floor of the coach which can only be describe as a''boudoire'' . four white leather plush sofas connected in a square around a table filled the tiny room, with TV sets mounted into the walls and swishy pink drapes around the windows. Very strange, but a pleasant change from the hard plastic seats of the ferry! When we arrived in Suratthani on the other side of mainland thailand we dropped our bags off at the ferry before grabbing some food. Sounds quite relaxed but actually i omitted that i nearly had a fit much to glen's frustration when i saw what we would be spending 11 hours on. On stepping into this ''ferry'' we were greeted by the stench of farm shit and an array of boxes filled with god knows what that im sure were moving. about 100 eggs were also accompanying us to Koh Tao. some of which had cracked (some time ago) and the smell was stomach churning. After asking glen if he thought we'd get robbed approximately 200 times we returned to the boat to check out where we would be sleeping. We were told we would have mattresses and beds. we didnt think that there would be one huge mattress for 80 people which when divided gave each person about 3 quarters of a metre width and less than 2 length. Ok for tiny thai's but glen found fitting on the bed somewhat of a struggle. So I slept wedged between a bear and a girl who apparently had a sleeping disorder and violent dreams which caused copious amounts of uneccessary thrashing in my general direction. Needless to say I hardly slept a wink and glen and I both arrived in Koh Tao sleepy and covered in bites (which quite frankly could have been from any number of bugs which i was convinced were infested in our pillows and matress). It was definitely an experience but not one we'l be repeating in a hurry!
Anyway! once in Koh Tao we finally found a hotel and really landed on our feet, staying at one of the most renound dive resorts in the world. Our room was gorgeous in a stilted villa at the top of the resort snuggled into the mountain. It was picturesque and glen and I are certainly feeling a lot fitter after climbing the steep concrete hill that leads up to it every day! I decided to take the open water PADI diving course, and after being a little unsure at first ended up loving it, loving diving and loving Koh tao! I've even started planning future holidays around my new found hobby! diving in Thailand is so cheap but the instruction is excellent, especially at our resort, so glen and claire also did 3 fun dives. The marine life is incredible and my first experience of diving couldnt of been better! we had our end of course meal last night, washed down by beer and buckets, so needless to say we're both feeling a little worse for wear this morning! We've checked out of our resort and head to Ko Phangnan at two on the catamaran, where we booked into a bungalow on the hill side of the infamous Had Rin beach, where the full moon party is held!
Hope everyone at home is well, we miss everyone loads but are having such a great time here too. Il let glen fill you in on his dives on another blog.
Lots of love to everyone
Jo and Glen xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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