16/10 - Mission: Get off Ko Phangan

We gladly left the Same Same guesthouse in a hope that we never actually see it again! It is at this point that we are all very hot, fed up and warm out! As we arrive on Ko Tao we have a few specifications that we want...a NICE room with 3 single beds, a swimming pool, a seperate shower/curtain and clean...don't ask for much then! By pot luck Sarah saw a picture in a window, so we head for the Asia Diver's Resort, and if by magic, all of our prayers (and requests) were answered!!! Absolutely perfect! A chilled out evening which was well needed as I was getting ill :(

17/10 - Girls go Diving!

So, having already decided that I didn't want to do my PADI we all decided to go on a 'Discover Diving' afternoon. Filling the forms in was a task in itself, with Sarah having to get the all clear from the doc for her Astma. We get geared up ready to face the fish as the heavens continue to chuck it on us! When we get on the boat, a whistle-stop tour of 'how things work' took place and it was at this point I questioned to myself (an probably out loud) how we were going straight out on the boat and in the sea, but when you do the PADI course you don't go near the sea till the afternoon of Day2!?! We were told what button to press, and not press, how to gear up, a few hand signals, how to breath (all importantly!) and how to 'equalize!?' ...alll that was left was to get in and go... So on the entrance even people who had practiced in the pool were freeking out!? I just went for it...remembering to push the right botton once at the surface! We then all got close ready for the decent, but as we went to go one of us asked another question...and another...and another. Our instructor eventually told us to put the regulator in our mouths, de-flate the jacket and he'll see us at the bottom! Sarah and I made it first time, Aoife had problems 'equalizing!' we eventually all made it down but visiblity was poor :( we all swam 'follow-my leader' on the sea-bed (something I later learnt you got taught in the pool how to do as well!) to our selected spot. Here we practiced some of our 'skills' (done through kineastic learning as we asked too many questions otherwise!) We were soon swimming amoungst fish and coral, an awesome experience, yet at the same time I found it slightly uncomfortable. My ears hurt, you lose your peripheral vision and then horrible little fish began to eat at the cuts on my legs. It was at this point that I freeked out and swam away, only to be grabbed on the ankle my our instructor...having clearly forgotten the rule about assending too quickly! either way, I gave him the all clear sign and showed him that I was going to the surface...I'd had enough! I eventually went back down but was on edge. I enjoyed Scuba School loads, but just don't think it's something I'll ever have a true passion for! I think I have too much respect for the water to want to go snooping around underneath it. I think somethings are best not knowing...! An evening feeling sorry for myself with a cold twice as bad as when I started and ears so blocked that even Nanny could hear more without her deaf-aid in!

18/10 - A day by the pool

With all of us being teachers, we know how hard it its to teach when there is a great distraction going on, well today...annoyingly, we were that distraction. As soon as the divers got out the pool, we got in to play games. We werehaving banter with the different people currently at Scuba School who should have been concentrating etc. This past the time away however, until it was time to have dinner before getting the SLOOOOOOOOW overnight boat to Surattani. The onlly way to describe this is by imagining a tin of sardines. Now imagine a tin that's been open for a while which is hot, and full of flies and foreign bodies and you might be close! A sweaty night's 'rest' laying shoulder-to-shoulder with the person next to you at we eventually dock!