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Published: December 20th 2010
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The snorkel test
The 3 DMT's (and an extra poor sod roped in for the games!). They are, Aude, Eric, Lisa and Nick... what a mess! Well Koh Lanta is proving to be everything i hoped! .. well almost everything (i'll get to that in a minute!)
I have got my little place which is great - good location, clean, internet, tv, fridge .. but no sink weirdly?! - typically Thai; they must have forgotten to put one in !!.. so i have a bucket instead!!
The dive mster training is great. Hard work.. up at 6.30 when i'm on the boat .. 5.30 when its a Hin Daeng day (that's when we see the Manta's though, so it's worth it!) .. but i love it. Blue Planet Divers is proving to be the perfect place to do this course. I passed all my theory exams (including physics!) which was, quite frankly, a miracle! and now i'm doing all the practical stuff... it really isn't as easy as it might seem! We went out and did a much needed 'Beach Clean-Up' the other day which was great.. it's such a shame to see these beautiful beaches littered with rubbish and crap. We only filled 6 bin bags.. but better than none at all.
The people here are great and i seem to have a very
the actual snorkel test
Yep.. it is what it looks like! healthy social life which is nice! There are lots of bars and restaurants and a mix of great, cheap thai food and then for a treat, great more expensive western food! .. really good food infact.. and i'm loving the thai food - especially the many cheap road side cafe type thai places to eat.. you literally pay between 40 and 100 baht for food... £1-2 for a delicious meal!! bargain.
So. Here i am. diving, eating, hanging out with new friends.. so the down side? .. well there isn't one really - the weather isn't great yet - still getting some rain and most days there are more clouds than sun, but it's warm and improving each day. And i'm still not doing any mediation or yoga - the two things i kept putting off in London, saying, 'i'll do it when i get away'!!.. never put this stuff off.. it doesn't get any easier to find time to do it.. even when you're in paradise! Oh, and I am being eaten alive by mosquitoes.. so desperately hoping i manage to avoid dengue fever which is, apparently, rife here!!
Those who are aware of dive master training
Blue Planet Divers hit the road!
THe best mode of transport is moped... mine sounds like it will blow up if i go faster than a slow jogging pace.. and it has broken once already!! .. but it's still going... so far! know that once you finish you have what is affectionately termed, 'a snorkel test'.. basically this is a celebration of you becoming a dive master by making you drink a ton of alcohol!.. last week 3 firends from Blue Planet finished their dive master training... so a triple snorkel test ensued!! It was hysterical to watch.. one of the activities involves a blacked out mask and a snorkel with a funnel attached to the end of it... and a bucket of alcohol!! It was very messy - and all 3 of them ended up in the fish pond before being taken home!! ... i have explained that i won't be drinking (after 6 and a half years i'm not about to start for anyone!!) .. so they are thinking up vile ways of doing a snorkel test without alcohol - last i heard, there was talk of tobasco, chilli sauce, eggs, and fish sauce.. someone (qite astutely) suggested i take up drinking for the night!!
What else can i tell you? Well i've seen all kinds of amazing fish, including, octopus, manta rays, dolphins, scorpian fish and many many more. The visability is great - most of the time!!
and the boat is fun, so whilst i have a lot to learn, and at times wonder if i'll ever be a good guide, i love trying. And the instructors and dive masters here are really helpful and at Blue Planet there are loads of other dive master trainees so lots of people in the same boat - excuse the pun!!
So there we go. I'm here till the end of Jan (come and visit!). We're doing Secret Santa at the dive shop and have a Christmas Party on the 23rd which no doubt will be hysterical.. and very messy for most!! (not me, of course!) so thati
So Merry Christmas everyone.. and have a Happy New Year.. i hope 2011 brings everything you want, need and hope for.
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Happy Christmas
I love reading your blog, I'm transported to my youth for a little while. I wish I could visit, lucky Mum and Dad, Thinking of you. Love Tricia