Khao lak and the Similan Islands

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Thur 1st
Up for the 9am ferry (via the french cafe) then onto a bus. I arrived here at about 2pm. Nancy and Stuart arrived about 9pm and we went out for dinner.

Fri 2nd
Stuart and I tralled around dive shops looking for one that was leaving soon and would be back in time for Stuart and Nancy to do a visa run to renue there Thailand visa by going out of the country and back in after having a cup of tea!! We found one that leaves tomorrow so spent the rest of the afternoon on the beach. I tripped over a rock trying to get out of the sea- it was funny but not as funny as stuart laughing at me and then tripping over the same rock and being covered by a huge wave!
We found a restaurant that sold wine so Nancy and Stuart we happy. And I had pasta with mushroom sauce so I was happy.

Sat 3rd
Stuart and I got picked up at 7.15 to go on an hour and half speed boat out to a lieaboard dive boat. We did 3 dives over the day all drift dives where the boat comes and picks you up from where ever you surface. It is really pretty colourful coral and lots and lots of small fish. We did a night dive and I spotted 2 octopus. They were scary looking and looked like the baddy from Pirates of the Carrabean. I decided to do my Advanced open water course and so when I wasn't in the water I was studying for that.

Sun 4th
I also decided to train for my Nitrox, me3aning I can dive with more oxygen than air and so can dive deeper for longer. So my 3 dives today was using Nitrox. At lunchtime I took my Nitrox exam and I am now a Nitrox certified Advanced Open Water Diver. (I'm running out of time so will have to tell you7 the cool things I saw another time)
We returned at 5pm very tierd for a last dinner with Nancy and Stu.

Mon 5th
Lie in followed by a long lunch and about to catch an overnight bus to Bangkok.

Hope your all well and R.E. dads comment- all the places I have been were effected by the tsunami. Although tragic it means lots of the rubbish was washed away and they could have a big clean up. For the advantage of travelers all the accomodation is new. In Khao lak someone said it didn't reach the main road but where you were staying would have been hit.

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Photos

Our last dinner
Note the wine again!

Comments

[DDLL]

Tsunami
We were in Kao Lak 6 weeks before the Tsunami - we heard it was very badly destroyed. How is it looking now? We stayed at a hotel with beach lodges and there were cafes on the beach. Lots of the diving places were owned by Scandinavians. We went on a boat from near there to the Similian Islands recommneded for diving. We snorkelled. love dadxxx

[scubastella]

Well Done
Ahhh crossed over to the dark side I see!!! Put Another Dollar In!!! Well Done on being an Advanced and Nitrox diver, very proud of u! Perhaps you should do a Marine Identification Course! Then u will recognise all the fishies :)

[Tamsin]

The dark side
I new you'd comment about me crossing over- but there are no BSAC here! I was thinking about the identification course thought it be useful. Hope your still happy