Another day in PP

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Since my last blog I completed my Advanced Open Water SCUBA course after 3 more dives... each better than the next.
Night Dive: 1 hour after sunset. Was pitch black out. 6 of us descended to 60 feet, torches in hand. At first it was totally nuts, but I quickly got accustomed to using the torch. The coolest part was when we all turned off our lights and waved our hands in the water causing the plankton to autoflouresce green!
Wreck Dive: This was like something straight outta a Cousteau episode from my youth. We followed this buoyed line down... not seeing anything.. all of a sudden there was this HUGE ship lying 100 on the sea floor. We went through the engine room, captains quarters and bathroom swimming through school after school of fish
Anemone reef: My best dive yet here. Dove around a giant rock COVERED in sea anemone, many with clown fish playing around in their active stinging tentacles.

Following our last dive the sea suddenly got angry, and the ride back was quite nauseating for me! I thought the tall dive boat was going to flip at one point. I still think the whole world is rocking when I close my eyes. After getting my new certification- (allowing me to dive day or night to 100 feet anywhere in the world, yeah!) I met up with one of the divers Trevor (Seattle) and a myriad of his friends- all lone travelers from all over the world. Perhaps the most amusing was Murph from Belfast, Northern Ireland. None of us could really understand this guy, even Bob from Southern ireland. Well maybe that's not funny. Later that night I finally found some great Thai food on the island and had my best Phad thai so far in Thailand ($2). (The cook even taught me a bit of his tricks the next day)

Anyhow, Nick (England) and I headed out to see some live Thai boxing and enjoyed our first "bucket" together. This wonderful creation contains a can of coke, pint of whiskey, and bottle of Thai strength red bull (not to be messed with) all drank through 3 straws out of a beach bucket you might have used when you were a kid to build sandcastles. We then wandered to the local "Full moon" party where 100 or so people gathered to see the nightly fire show and dance the night away. After a late night chicken sandwich, I made it home @ 4:30AM.

Today was lazy to say the least. Spent the day at Ao Dalam beach lounging, swimming, and walking around.

Tomorrow brings my last day of scuba diving, and then i'm off to the north country for the final leg of my trip. It will be hard to leave Ko Phi Phi... this place is really perfect- Great diving, night life, people, beaches. Today I saw the first tourist family on the island. Everyone here is young and of the backpacker orientation.

A couple of the guys a met scored an internship at the dive shop where they commit 5 months but get unlimited diving, and free training as divemasters here.... hmmmm... very jealous. Maybe I could clone myself and send one of them back to Rochester to live my life there?

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Photos

Fire dancer
Part of the fire show on the islands full moon party

Karaoke?
One of the locals sings along with Thai pop holding a "microphone"? we weren't so sure that's what it was

Yummy corn
a thai child on Ao Dalam beach today

Thai boxing
at the local Reggae bar. you could feel the hits from where i was taking pictures

Night out in Phi Phi
enjoying a "bucket" at Hippies bar

Comments

[Marcus]

Fantastic Fotos
What great pictures. I can't image the reef dive, so quiet, yet very busy.

[Neva]

I'm jealous
Wow - sounds like a blast so far! The pics are awesome. My friend Fon, who's from Thailand, suggests eating: "- Som Tum (Papaya Salad) with sticky rice and grilled chicken together!! da best! - MK Suki = name of a restaurant .. (it's a franchise restaurant with very good food) - Pad Thai - Tum Yum (Spicy Soup) - Grilled pork on stick with sticky rice YUM!! - Fruit: Mangosteen, Linchee, Lum Yai .. eat the tropical fruit as much as he can!" Now I'm hungry...

[JessRK]

Fun Fun!
Love the first shot there... awesome work. So glad to hear about your diving and how wonderful it went. It was nice to chat the other day online! I wonder if Kris knows Murph? Funny... the S. Ireland accent, W. Ireland accent and Belfast ones were TOTALLY different when I was there. Interesting... All is good here. Feeling better awaiting the arrivival of Andrew (Aussi) for a fun festive weekend! Miss ya :)