As I proceed with Blog 3, I'd like to open up on Nostalgia and a few of a long list of people i have to thank after nearly a one week short off my first month. As fun as Koh Tao is and meeting new people everyday. There are many people I miss, many of my Collegues in Kuwait from my teaching stint gave me very encourageing advice on Koh Tao(having spent christmas here), I miss them greatly and aprreciate their advice and for giving me a job that got me to Koh Tao. Members of the Kuwait Mantas(my dive club, that I have yet to make time for a dive!) I miss the tuesday evening socials and stories we shared of diving and the experiences we shared at the awards ceremony :). my nostalgia is versitile to include other people in kuwait i met in the last four months,

I miss many of my Uk friends as well as some of them performed yesterday in an anual Cabaret show for my former boaring house, of which I was a former deputy head), this was one event i had epxeriencedfor six years(greatly involved in the last year) and regret missing it but I know the show was a sucess :),

Some of my school friends from the same area I miss for the experiences and banter, most of them are at uni or off doing other things. But above all friends i deeply miss my family, especially Hugo my twin brother, who I haven't seen since January and won't be able to see him until june, making this the longest period apart and furtherest away. Himself and my Family's support is also how i came to be in Koh Tao. For that and everyone else who contributed in someway to my internship happening through support, help and making me feel excited for the chance I am grateful and happy to be here because of you, thank you and please understand you know who you are, there are far too many to name and I don't want to accidently leave one out and take up a whole blog as a tribute. :D

Now time for some updates, since completeing my Rescue divers course I spent the next day doing more, kayaking, snorkeling, and watching underwater films at the bars for a day. The Next day my internship began with signing contracts to take responsibility for the camera equiptment and fill in a form to be submitted for my eventual certification in Underweater Videography.

For the next two day I did onland photography and filming arpound the island with emphasis on Sillouetes, water, and standing out objects. The techniques I had to apply were the rule of thirds and composition which was something as a avid film buff i had never considered before. at the end of each day I was then presenting the images to Andy for feedback and justifiying the decision over the image/footage and puting of a directors cap to be spercific about the intentions of every image/film.

Following this I spent an evening with Andy's cousin, Chris, who used to run ACE Marine Images but now runs a photogallery of underwater and onland photography of Koh Tao and a restaurant. He gave me an assignment to make a 10 minute documentary about something underwater based in addition to the internship which will involve scripting, editing and narrating and filming. this is an exciting addition I consider to the course.

The next 3 days were off as Andy was Ill, this gave me an exciting day to do a snorkeling tour around the island with many friendly new people from France and other european countries. The tour included areas such as Shark Bay, Mango Bay, and the smaller island of Nang Yaun. This was a long day of perfect visibility and good underwater photography, Nang Yaun was a great place to top up on the tan(at the current rate I might come black brown or black instead of red now!) and hike up the mountain(at the time in the heat I noted to my french friends this was hader then Kilimanjaro for humour) The whole day is on my list of highlits that the island can offer.

As time passed by over the next two days i finally met 20 new Extreme Gappers who arrived to do courses in Open Water diving, Thai boxing, a programe package, and one of the twenty was a very awesome and nice south african girl, Meghan, doing the internship as well to my delight for a new member to join the family of videographers as i'd say with the job.

The Family consistes of, Chris, Andy's cousin and original Manager from 1996-2002, Andy, the current manager, other intern Martin, from Norway in his second month with film making experience from film camps in New York and high ambitions, James, a South African experinced film maker who has been around for a year, Natalie a Thai-Swede with two years of work for Ace Marine Images and the most skilled Videographer, Prat, an Inidan with a year's experience with Ace Marine and highly regarded by one of the dive shops that always only use him, another James but from the UK who has been around for a while and is gets most of the best shots, there are other part time videographers to be named and more interns like me to come.

Getting to know and meet other young travellers for the first time on a similar gap year company was so nice for a change from diving instructors and the other videographers I can say. As they were new to the island and thus i self apointed myself to de-facto leader for a few hours and showed them the right pubs, thing to do on Thailand and how to blend in.

My training finally began with 8 days of two dives per day at dive sites, such as, Red Rock, White Rock, Japanese Gardens AND Mango Bay, with a WaterpROOF lUMIX HOUSING FOR A lUMIX CAMERA. i sepnt the days mastering the filming techniques of underwater videogreaphy and what shots are good and bad and learning the unwritten rules as i would say. every morning before the afternoon dive myself and Andy would watch the footage on Adobe premiere and comment on improvements and things to consider. one problem I had was holding the camera steady in some shots which i am improving slowly on. Currently my training has been extended to a further 6 dives for next week to get more dives and practis ewith the camera alongside South African interns' first training before the end of the month, which will be the begining of my paid part of the internship. Hey more free dives with perfect viss i Can't complain lol

At the moment i have been granted a day off for Meghan to begin her introduction and sort out her training dates and possible extra dives if she is not yet a Rescue diver. In the merantime i shall be in one day, Climbing, Abseiling, Cliff jumping, hiking, speed boating around the island, get some free beers with an island adventure company. life is awesome.

Hopefully in my next blog i shall be describing a videographer's lifestyle and have more exciting adventures to tell. one last note is that my Facebook pioctures are merely teasers, there are more images and videos that will be put up once my travels end

I end this blog with a Shakespeare quote to relfect the turn of fantastic events and experiences.

''Some are born Great, Some achieve Greatness, while others have Greatness thrust upon them''-Twelfth Night

In this case i can say greatness is both achieved and thrust upon on Koh Tao with the new people, excotic locations, the 30 plus degrees heat everyday, and the perfect viss and chance to dive everyday for free and become a professional paid underwater film maker-Last but not least Ali the Pancake man, a living legend and secret millionaire considered unreachable to make his own spin on the Aprentice, or challange the Stig to the fastest pancakes made.

Alie is a celebrity of sorts who by Thai Currency and his customers is rumoued per week to make a million Euros due to his quick pancake making skills and 1-3 times a week as a customer I am just as amazed as watching Thais juggling fire poi on the Sairee beach!

Keep the lookout for the next one, and always look forward to something!