Koh Tao. Turtle Island. The cheapest place to scuba diving in the world. And diving we did.

We left the boat pier behind and headed straight for Sairee Cottage, the company we'd chose to take the underwater plunge with and gain our first PADI licence. Since the outline of the trip started to take shape, Koh Tao and Scuba diving were a must.

Taking your first breathe underwater is supposed to take your breathe away, in my case, that was quite literal. It took me a few minutes in the shallow waters before mind over matter came into play and I haven't looked for comfort in the surface since. Eighteen metres below sea level, things are calmer. Worries slip away with schoolings of fish everywhere.

Vikki passed her PADI a couple of days before me as I was unable to complete my third and fourth dives despite finishing the theory exam the previous day. Headaches, blocked sinuses and blood, lots of blood were my blockade, but on the 30th March, I joined the ranks of a licensed diver. Even now, with my last dive been only yesterday, I have an itch to get back.

The search for the whale shark continues.