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Published: December 9th 2005
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Koh Tao (15th-20th Nov. 2005)
After leaving Phuket I flew across to the eastern side of southern Thailand to Ko Samui. Samui airport was just like a little resort next to a single runway. Little open trams on wheels transporting you from the plane and open thatched buildings, a bar and a post office. I then got a catamaran across to Koh Tao island stopping on the way to let a lot of tourists off for the Full Moon Party at Ko Pha-Ngan island on the 16th. Take note - the water was like glass on the way to Koh Tao, not a single ripple on the water! Another story to follow!
Coral Grand Resort
Bern & Liz did a sensational job finding this one!(although they told me it just happened by accident). Coral Grand Resort was set right on Sairee Beach and was just lovely. The girls had just finished their open water dive course when I arrived from Phuket. Because they'd booked to do the dive course there they give you cheap rooms to stay in (100 bhat a night which is $3). The rooms were great and you could even see the beach from our window.
Coral Grand Resort
Our dive quarters just behind the resorts bungalows. Open Water Dive Course
I started my open water dive course the day after Bern & Liz finished. I really enjoyed the 4 day course. The instructors were great. Our first dive was in the resort pool with lots of skill work and then over the following 2 days we did 4 open water dives. There was a bit of reading and studying to be done for the final exam but this wasn't too hard particularly when you could sit on the beach in the evenings and have a drink while you did this. Unfortunately the visibility wasn't great on our open water dives, it was also raining some of the time and the sea was a bit rough. Enough to make me feel a bit sea sick. Fortunately I was fine once I got in the water.
Snorkelling
Most days on Koh Tao I snorkelled. There were just so many fish to be seen including some sword fish.
Full Moon Party
Although we didn't make it to Ko Pha Ngan for the Full Moon Party the locals at Koh Tao were doing a bit of celebrating of their own. There was a water festival and at
midnight they all made offerings to deceased ancestors by floating a floral decoration out to see. Others sent hand made hot air balloons in to the night sky. A great sight.
The Big Storm & A Lot of Plastic Bags!
There was a big storm during our last night which continued in the morning. We were to get a 10am catamaran across to Chumphon so we could then make our way back to Bankok. We were told that the 10am catamaran was cancelled as it could not leave Chumphon because of bad weather and big waves. We hoped that the 2.30pm boat would be running. It continued to bucket down in Koh Tao all morning and I didn't like our chances of leaving the island that day. But just before 2.30 the catamaran did arrive and a few pale looking passengers got off. Our trip to Chumphon was the longest 2 and a half hours for all of us. I had no idea that catamarans could roll around in the waves like I saw and felt that day. There were 2.5-3metre swells. It was only fun for about the first 10 minutes of the journey. The three of us
Sairee Beach
Looking out across Sairee Beach from Coral Grand. were sitting in a row of 4 with another girl we didn't know and this is what happened after then. Plastic bags and toilet paper were being handed out around the boat left, right and centre. Some people just couldn't make it out of their seats and were just sick where they sat. It was also extremely difficult for anyone to walk on the boat when it was rolling so much. Bern lasted for the first half hour of the trip and then made a mad dash to the rear of the boat. Liz lasted for about another 15 minutes after that and then leaped over the top of me to get out. Fifteen minutes after that the other girl in our row left in a big hurry. Lucky I was left to mind the bags! I really thought I was going to make it but half an hour before we reached Chumphon I was sick too but only made it as far as the bar. Lucky I'd held on to my plastic bag. When we arrived at Chumphon Bern & Liz came back inside the catamaran soaked from the waves crashing over them at the rear of the boat.
Linda Sunbaking Again!
Linda sunbaking on Sairee Beach at Coral Grand Resort. That's not like Linda! So much for the glassy water I had on the way over!
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Miranda
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sunsets
Love the sunsets Lou! Looks gorgeous!