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Published: February 14th 2007
We made our way to the pier to catch the 12.30 catamaran to discover that it was already full, so we decided to go by slow boat instead. We did want to sit outside but we were one of the last ones to board so had to sit downstairs instead, where we luckily found 5 seats near each other. Think we all managed to sleep for a bit and listened to our ipods, apple is a god!
There were plenty of people from dive shops wanting you to do there courses and offering free accommodation. Erica, Justin and Rich do want to learn to dive but were too tired to decided and to be honest they do pressure you a bit, so we pretended we were interested to get a free taxi to freedom beach. This is again where Lee and I stayed a few years ago. We did try to stay at the same place, but it was full as were many others, some did have one room available but we wanted to stay as a group, eventually we managed to find a place next to the beach which had a large room for 3 people. Erica and I
decided as it was so big you could easily fit 5 people in it and used our negotiation skills, all in order of saving ourselves another 350 baht for an extra room. In the end we agreed to pay an extra 100 baht on the price of the room for the extra water we would use, bargain (I am so my mothers daughter!). The room has one double bed and two single, one of the singles being around the corner from the rest, which Erica and I claimed as us girls need some privacy.
The late afternoon turned into night as we sat in a beach bar playing cards and having a nice cold beer and watched the sunset. Erica and Justin went home around midnight and we got in about 2am after a couple more vodka sprites.
On Tuesday I spent the day chilling whilst everyone searched for the best deal on an open water dive course. Most places charge the same for fun dives but with courses you get accommodation in the package so they needed to shop around. Dan has already done a PADI course so after he has done a refresher
I will do a dive with him, don’t want to be a Billy O!
In the evening Justin wanted to go to Sairee beach, Dan wasn’t well so stayed in whilst the four of us headed out for the night. We ate in a lovely restaurant where I had crispy duck with pancakes. We then walked along the beach stopping at a few bars on the way. One being the Car Bar, where an old VW van has been turned into a bar, funky! We bumped into the Bristol boys again and had one with them before heading home. It was a good job Dan was awake when we got back because we were quite loud, especially Rich who is a close contender of mine on the loudness scale, he is still a happy boy!
On Wednesday all we did was chill, listen to our ipods and sunbath, occasionally going in the sea to cool down and by 4pm it had got too hot to sit in any longer. Erica, Justin and Rich are starting their PADI open water course and had an introduction meeting. Once they got back we went out for something to eat before
returning for an early night. An evening without any alcohol!
I woke up before everybody else on Thursday and sat on the balcony reading and listening to my ipod. 2 hours later the rest of them were up and we headed out for breakfast (except Dan who was still poorly). I went on the internet for a bit whilst the guys studied for their diving course before their lesson in the afternoon. I just made it back to the room when it started to rain. We all went out for tea before Rich left to meet Zig and Pete in Mae Haad (the next bay up). The rest of us stayed in and played cards. The game Presidents and Arse holes is becoming very popular, but Justin keeps trying to change the rules, that boy will do anything to win!
On Friday Erica and I were the first ones up and ready so went fore breakfast at Taraporn (a restaurant which is on stilts over looking the bay. Not long after we ordered the boys turned up to join us. Erica, Rich and Justin had more a lesson in the afternoon and had some reading to
in the morning, so we all sat by the sea. In the afternoon Dan and I hired a scooter whilst the others were diving and decided we wanted to make it up to Happy Daze. This is a building which is situated up in the hills, we can see from our balcony. After going the wrong way first and then stopping at Shark Bay we finally made it there. The view over the bay was fantastic; the only negative thing was that there was no beer! What type of bar is that?
In the evening Justin and Rich also hired scooters and we all went to Safari restaurant in Mae Haad . A bit more expensive than what we would normally pay but Dan had seen it advertised and since he has finally recovered from D&V we decided to treat ourselves. The food was delicious and worth every penny, I had a lamb kebab, beautiful Bernard! We then went to Sairee beach for a couple of drinks, but Justin wasn't very well so we headed home after one. He complained that he couldn't breathe properly, but after an examination I diagnosed him as a wuss. I think that he
At Taraporn
Having breakfast on the sea!was scared about diving and was being dramatic!
On Saturday I slept in whilst Erica, Justin and Rich were up early for the dive lesson. To be honest we didn't think that Justin was going to go after last nights antics but he surprised us all. Dan and I went out on the scooter to Atone Bay, but it was a stony beach and there was a lot of rubbish in the sea so we didn't stay. Instead we went back to Shark Bay where we noticed that there was a beach party tonight and tomorrow.
Erica, Rich and Justin came back all smiles from diving. Justin seemed to have gotten over his anxiety and was quite excited about it. Rich was as happy as ever and is the most confident of the three of them, although he doesn't do as much work as Erica and Justin.
Justin and Rich had already eaten so Erica, Dan and I went to a BBQ place which was a bit pants, before making our way on foot to Shark Bay for the Beach party/festival. Justin and Rich had arranged to meet us there around 9pm but when we arrived there was so many people there we'd never find them. We had a couple of drinks and watched the Miss Koh Tao Beauty competition, which was basically one girl from every dive shop, only 2 were Thai and one was definitely not a feMALE!!
Despite being busy there wasn't really much atmosphere so we headed back around 10pm, as we were walking out we met Justin and Rich. We decided to go to the bar I drank at regularly when I was here a few years ago but it was closed. So we all sat on the beach, in the dark and watched the stars. Rich thinks he saw a shooting star, but no one believes him! He is still very happy, rating himself am 8 out of 10 on the Rich happiness meter. Whilst we had a quiet moment I thought about Brimmy, it has been 5 years today since he died.
On Sunday morning I was really tired and I met Justin and Erica for breakfast, they had left early to study, whilst I tried to get the motivation to get out of bed! By the time I got there they had already eaten and were going through their test paper. After I had eaten Rich joined them to study whilst Dan and I looked for a dive shop who were doing fun dives in Chumpon on Monday, apparently there are a lot of reef sharks in that area. We found one that was going in the afternoon which was perfect as I hate getting up early.
At 1pm everyone left me to go on their courses, it was the guys last day of their open water and Dan was doing a refresher course, so I had the afternoon to myself. I updated my travel blog and chilled out. I had just got back to our room when it started raining really heavily. I then tidied up; sharing a room with 3 boys is not cricket!
In the evening we went to Shark Bay again for the final night of the beach party, but I didn't want a large one with diving tomorrow! When we got there they were in the middle of the Mr. Koh Tao competition, again people who work in dive shops, we recognized Tom from Buddha view where Dan are diving with tomorrow, hopefully not with him as he was wasted! There was an area next to the stage which was a foam party, having never been to one before I had to go in. I was even on the large screen TV looking very wet! It was great fun but not when you’re totally submerged, breathing is a bit scary, not good for Justin. After that it was home time for me, desperately needed a shower and some dry clothes!
On Monday I finally got to do some diving. On my first dive we went to Chumpon, apparently it is the best spot to dive on the gulf of Thailand and is popular with reef sharks. I went down to 25 meters (my deepest yet!) by a shot line, there were so many fish there it was amazing, I have never seen anything like it in my life, there were thousands of them. We got to see barracuda, scorpion fish, a huge potato grouper, and a rainbow runner which bit the head straight off a little fish, but unfortunately we didn't get to see any sharks, boo!
On the second we went to Red rock and the boat dropped us off and picked us up at another place, called Japanese gardens. We went down to 18.5 meters were we got to do a kind of cave dive. The reason we were allowed to do it was because it is more like a passage, so we are able to go through without needing the extra insurance and training, I loved it and it has made me more determined to take up cave diving, although I know my family will not be approving (it is too dangerous) Over the past few days people who have dived there have seen turtles, but again I missed them, although one guy who got out after me said he saw one, gutted. But I am sure I’ll see plenty in Oz! I did get to see squid, a puffer fish, angel fish and butterfly fish, so not bad really.
In the evening we had a large night out as I was still buzzing from the day time. We ate at a place called View Pont but the meal was rather disappointing to be honest, three of us ordered steak but when it came it was a burger covered in peppercorn sauce, yuck! I ate the salad and bread and fed the dog my meat!
We then headed to Sairee beach as it is livelier than our bay. Our first stop was Dry Bar, which I think is quite funky! Justin saw his Swedish girl and her friend, but they didn’t talk to us (no change there then). We started on sangsom buckets, which should tell you how our night went. I remember us talking to some guys from London, one of which took a dislike to Rich. He can be mouthy but he is the smallest most harmless person you could meet. He was so drunk that he kept falling over, rather entertaining to watch! After that we went to Lotus bar and decide to drink vodka by the glass instead of Thai whisky by the bucket! Not sure what time we left and I can't remember getting the taxi, but do know that we all had a great night.
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