Dive, dive, dive
Trip Start
Mar 03, 2010
1
30
33
Trip End
May 02, 2010
Where I stayed
Bans Dive Resort
Ban Ko Tao, Chumphon, Thailand
Monday, April 12, 2010
I chose to go to Koh Tao for one very simple reason - diving. After my awesome experiences on the Great Barrier Reef, I felt it was time to go do it again, this time properly.
So after jumping off the ferry on the tiny island, I jumped into the back of one of the numerous pick up trucks taking people to various dive schools across the island - Koh Tao is world famous for learning to dive. I opted for the largest school on the island - Bans. No real reason other than I wanted to be with a dive shop that is more about the diving than the partying.
I spent four days doing the PADI Open Water as previously I had been doing PADI Discovery dives where I had no real input in what I was doing - just follow the dive master. I can't say enough great things about a) my instructors Marcel and Chris b) the people on the course with me and c) Finally getting that little card that says "Qualified diver". I know it's the bottom step, but it's a step all the same.
I won't bore anyone with the details, because as you will read on in a few entries time, I returned to Koh Tao later on...
The rest of the time on Koh Tao was spent celebrating Thai New Year - Songkran. Traditionally the Thai people go home to their famailes and throw water and flower over each other for a few days. It was no different on Koh Tao. Even walking down the small alley that is Saree Beach I was covered head to toe in water, talc, flower and dayglo paint. It's all good harmless fun and certainly beats UK new year where people are depressed.
With a week left though before my flight home, I had to go check out one of the neighbouring islands...
