Chumphon to Koh Tao

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Chumphon was quite a nice place, with a big food market and a few shops. We spent three nights there before getting an early morning boat to Koh Tao.

Olly wanted to do a PADI open water scuba diving course and although I wasn't sure if i'd like it I wanted to give it a go too. Accommodation for the first two nights was included with the PADI course and was really nice, overlooking the sea. We stayed in a place called Baan Chalok in Koh Tao. It was really lovely. A quiet beach but several little bars and restaurants in town. The weather was great. The next day we started the diving course. Our group was just us and another couple, Jack and Claire, who were really nice. I really didn't like it so decided not to do the full course as it's 150 pounds. Olly enjoyed it though. So for the next couple of days Olly did his dive course and I went to the beach or went to the dive site with Olly and snorkelled there with Jack who also didn't do the full course as he had problems with it too. Olly did really well with the course and loved it. He saw loads of amazing things, diving as deep as 18 metres (see pictures, not taken by him!). When he finished we spent another day in Koh Tao. We went to Sai Ri beach which was much bigger and not as nice as Chalok, we had a massage there and there are definitely no pics of that-we had to wear nothing but paper pants and they massaged EVERY part of your body! The next day we left to spend a few days in Koh Samui...

(The reason for no pictures is because the camera has broken!! We are gutted. Got to send it home so it can be sent to Germany to be fixed. Should be reunited with it in 6 weeks - but we are getting Olly's old camera sent out and using a disposible in the mean time.)

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Photos

Feelin 'ok'!
Practising the universal 'ok' sign before going down to the see the reef at 18 metres! If you ever get the chance - DO IT! You will never forget it.

Sunset
From our balcony of a 250b room (around 3.50 english pounds!).

Moon Wrasse
One of the many amazing fish I saw. When we were leaning in the shallows, these little buggers kept biting at mozzie bites and grazes. Quite painful!

Beach Bar
Chillin' out on the beach is easy when you have views like this.

Sunset at Sai Ree
Pretty.

Monitor Lizard
I was a bit slow getting the camera out of the bag as this fella sloped off up the rocks. He was must have been nearly 2m tip to tail(which you can't see).

Banner Fish
Saw loads of these. There pair-up for life. Exactly like Gil out of Finding Nemo!

Yellow-tailed Barracuda
We saw two big schools of these and one swam through us just in front of me - got such a close view of them.

Long-beaked Butterfly fish
One of the many species of butterfly fish we saw. Very pretty.

Clown Fish
Just like Nemo himself! We were lucky enough so see a complete family - Mum, Dad and lots of little Nemos safley nestled in an anemone.

Rainbow Parrot Fish
Saw load of different parrot fish, some small, some big, all beautifully coloured.

Crown of Thorns
Apparantly this starfish was the most poisonous thing we saw - but I didn't know that as I hovered weightless above it. The general rule we got told was that if it is very pretty or very ugly - don't touch it!

Yellow-margin Trigger Fish
We were warned of these before we went down. They are very territorial and equally aggressive. They nest in the sand on the bottom and chase out any intruders. The ones we saw were about a metre long and half as deep!

Giant Clam
These come in loads of different colours. Some we saw were HUGE - as big as a Mini Cooper (probably!).

Comments

[Mum]

Under the sea
What brilliant colours and patterns the fish have,it must have been amazing to see them so close up (not that I would have enjoyed the experience)!!So disappointing for you that the camera has broken but hopefully your old one will suffice (once you receive it) until the other has been repaired.We will just have to imagine the scenery for a while, but it wont be the same as seeing the photos and picturing ourselves there.Happy travelling, keep safe, love to you both.xxxxx

[jason]

from now on we all expectyou to draw us little pictures instead of photos!!

[Laura]

Hi olly and Charlotte! I can't believe how much you're managing to do and see over there for very little money! Pics are excellent and as everyone else is saying, very jealous of the sights and weather. You're definately not gonna want to come back!.x

[joy and richard]

enjoying your news and not replying - will try harder.
Hello my darlings, what a wonderful time you are having, we are enjoying your e mails so much - keep them coming. iT ALL LOOKS SO WONDERFUL, we just all want to be with you, brings back memories of our lovely holidays in the maldives and thailand this year. Everything is all fine here ticxking along nicely - we have all enjoyed a day at wells, the weather was kind to us, dad is going to forward you a photo of us all on the beach and at Ollies restaurant. Keep enjoying yourselves and keep up those e mails, keep each other safe love to you both xx.