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Published: February 8th 2006
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So today I was planning on doing my Intro to Diving, whether I'd go through with it when I woke up was another story as seemed a great idea whilst downing several buckets of Sang Son!!!!!!!!!.................................................
We had our ritual breakie................ fruit, muesli, and yoghurt, and bumped into some Kiwi/ Aussie guys we had met on the plane flying from Singapore to Bangkok!!!!! Mad that we were to bump into them on this tiny island and to be in the bar we were staying at!!!!!!!
Vix wasn't planning on doing her Intro and was just going to go ahead with the Open Water once we got to Phi Phi. If I was going to do anything then I would definately do this first- As if you don't like it then at least you know and you don't end up wasting at lot of money on the Open Dive (which is 3 days long) and after suffering from quite a few panic attacks last year I didn't know how I would be.............. Was really nervous to do it - but when Vix said she'd do it too then I felt alot better and glad that we would be doing it
together. Coke, (the guys surname!!!!!!!!)who we'd met last night would be instructing us..............................
We had a quick briefing on the beach before we got into the tail boat, which took us to the huge diving boat, on there were other divers doing fun dives or dives towards there advanced award, including our friends, Paul and Sarah (who Clo is the spitting image of Sara!!!!). They all left the boat to dive, then we got kitted up! I was soooo nervous but I don't know why as I'm not scared of water, just as its something new and my moto of this year was to do more things that scare me.....well this was to be one of them!!!!
After arriving at the Japenese Gardens (two teanie islands of Ko Tao (translates to turtle Island)we got kitted out into our gear, wet suits (Sam images of trying to get Max's suit on came flooding back!!) masks, jacket with proper heavy gas tank strapped to the back, we were told how to jump off the boat and into the sea...its amazing as soon as you hit the water the tank becomes weightless!!
On our backs we paddled to a shallow
area- me being the shortest had to be the deciding person! It was only me and Vix doing our intro which was quite good as we had Coke all to ourselves. In the shallow area we were to do some little tests which included taking out our mouth pieces and putting them back in- this was to try and teach us that went you are without a mouth piece, eg when its been knocked out that you are never to hold your breathe but to breathe out slowly......which is difficult to do as your nateral instinct is to panic and hold your breathe!!! As the mouth piece drops in the water you have to learn to blow it out! We passed that bit......... next was to chuck our mouth peices out of our mouths and then to find it again and pop it in.................then which was difficult, we had to poke our fingers into the top of our mask to let water drip in and then get rid of it by tilting our heads down, whilst blowing out of our noses and gradually lifting our heads, this releases all of the water. Then we had one more test- The Flipper
Pivot- this was to test check our boyancy, we were to lie on the surface and control our boyancy with our breathing. After completing these tests we had a mini dive back to the boat, bout 5 meters deep, which I really enjoyed- although our ears were killing from the pressure, we saw a pink Anenome Fish and Sergeant Majors (will look them up when I get home as can't remember what they looked like!!!!!!
Making it back to the boat we chilled for a bit, had a chat with Paul and Sarah to see how their dive went- next they had to "get lost" and then using a compass find there way back to where they stared!!!!!! As I had really enjoyed the last dive I was looking forward to going back in...................................................
We sailed to the other side of the small island and jumped into the sea there- which felt wierd and scary as we were surrounded by deep sea whereas before the shallow area was never far away!!!! This time we were to decend by using a rope and stopping at different stages to equalise our ears as this time we would be diving to
15 meters! I didn't get down first time (I just wasn't staying under- kept floating back to the top!) Anyway eventually made it down............O my God!!!! It was the most bizarre feeling i've ever had... Casn't decide whether I liked it or not!!!!!!!!! Ears always popping- Coke was holding VIx hand all the way through so I would often turn around and not be able to see then and panic- but usualy they were above me! First we saw an Moray Eel!............ and many more, Trigger fish, Butterfly fish, Angel fish, Puffer fish but my favourite of all.............a Clown fish- Finding Nemo!!!!! He was just hanging out outside his little house just like in the Disney!!!!!
Several times I was hoping we would make our way to the top!!! Went through times of being slightly panicy and times of being ok............... Kept thinking my mask wasn't on properly!!! Anyway once to the top in great relief I just burst out crying!!!!!!!! It was sooooooo overwhelming, think I was crying from a mixture of relief and happiness!!!!!! Made it back to the boat where everyone else had already finished and again had a little weep on there too!!!!!! Made a
cuppa tea though and felt a world better!
Made it back to dry land with a very funny head and ears!!!!..........................They are still funny now- very strange feeling!!!!! Feel like i'm on a boat!!!!!!Me and Vix feel very proud of ourselves- I'm unsure bout doing my Open Water but feel I should and try my hardest to do it!!!!! Its like a totally different world down there and all feels like one big dream!!!!!!
We are planning to leave Koh Tao tomorrow to haed to the west coast, but this place is great!!!!! Also there is a big festival tonight so it might be a sore head for us both in the morning!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lots of love Beckie xxxx
Gemma- Thankyou for your messages- Have an amazing time away!!!
Mum- Though you were referring to diving and had read it wrong but then realised you meant the scooters!!!!! I wasn't driving and don't worry as we no longer have scooters!!!!x
Ian- Did you mean the "I could Eat Him" comment??
Kate- Lovely to hear you are settling in Dubai!!! I have added you on to my blog so you can get updates on my
travels too Hun- Keep in touch xxxx
Dave R/ Nicky- Could you both pass the birthday message on as I don't have Tom's email!! (see picture at very bottom) And to Jon x Happy Birthday to them both, just incase I don't get to the internet before Thursday and Friday x
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Nicky Noo
non-member comment
Did you find Nemo??
Hey Bex, Im so loving all of these blogs your sending, I feel like Im part of your travels!! but so so jealous reading about it all when im stuck in the office... ;-( You have only been away for 2 weeks and yet you guys have done so much already, I bet you're both feeling exhausted though! Thanks for the message mentioning Jon's Bithday and taking a picture thats fab! your such a sweetie! Jon will be touched. Keep the blogs coming babe, and enjoy living the dream, can't wait to see what else you'll be up to... Lots of love Nicxxxx