Back to Thailand

Ko Tao & Ko Pan yang

In order to get to Ko Tao logic would suggest there should be a boat from Pattyre across to the islands. Logic doesn't apply in such places unfortunately so we had to spend another 8 hrs on a bus to Bangkok, having already spent 5hrs getting to the border! Then from Bangkok take the night bus to Chumpion another 5 hrs (because the bus was going so slowly). Which dropped us off at 3am, then catch the ferry that didn't leave till 6am which is another 3hrs !! Then to top it off you are bombarded by people selling diving packages when you get on it, chances of sleep, very slim!

After our wonderful journey we opted for Ban's diving resort because they were the least pushy and had the nicest free accommodation! Also the course didn't start until 5pm that evening which gave us a chance to have a rest! The instructor was eccentric, crazy guy called Antony Griffiths, from Worcestershire (must be something about that blood line!) He was actually a great teacher and kept us alert and entertained by relating all the essential information to either drugs or sexual innuendos! Maybe its not the most conventional way but the information seemed to stick! My favourite was the underwater sign for "There's a big F**k off shark, over there!".

Having started off nice and easy in the swimming pool, the second day we hit the ocean, with all kinds of problems from people panicking and crying, to ears not adjusting to the pressure, and swimming into the reefs rather than over them! Each dive did get easier though, and after a few teething problems were ironed out we started to really enjoy it and look at the fish instead of worrying about flippers and tanks etc! By the 4th dive we were loving it, and wanted to do more so we signed on to the advanced course to, although it was more money, very defiantly worth it (considering the same course costs 10 times as much else where!).

The advanced course raised the bar quite a bit, but it was good to do it straight away while all the previous information was still fresh in the mind. It did however require Al and mines best subject, navigation, which is bad enough in a car so you can only imagine the sign language underwater when we were disagreeing on the direction! We didn't kill each other though and we are still married! The night dive was certainly an experience, everything looks very different with the lights out, and Antony the instructor was pretending to be a manta ray! Apparently he was formerly a ballerina in the 80's, and you get the subtle hint he's done a few drugs in his time, that have long lasting effects!! Very entertaining though and highly recommended as there is never a dull moment!

After the diving we took the ferry across to koh Phangan just in time for the full moon party, the next night. The place is completely full moon mania, with every shop selling luminescent clothing and paint! Not that I usually go for tourist crap, but we kind of felt obliged to get in the party spirit an paint ourselves from head to toe in orange paint, letting our artistic nature run free and all that! We strained away from the buckets for as long as we could but the kids from the diving were a bad influence! So of course the inevitable happened, Al after having told me to "pace myself", got completely trollied and after passing out on the beach. Then on the way home fell off the side of the very steep road - me being the more sober had to throw myself after him - age doesn't bring wisdom!

So another entertaining boat and coach ride back to Bangkok, which was scheduled to arrive at a daunting 5am, but it went one better and threw us on to the streets at 3am! Can't say anyone was impressed, particularly as we'd just got to sleep. We resided in a cafe for the early hours of the morning drinking tea and playing s***head, while an aged hippy meditated and stood on his head - very surreal. We were joined by a young guy we'd met the previous night on the beach, who repeated everything he'd said the night before, either too many drugs or just not a very interesting guy!