Hi everyone,

Well we finally left Ko Tao a few days ago and are now in Ko Phangan for the full moon party. Ko Tao was brilliant, it was our first taste of these paradisical islands and we liked it!!!

We went there to get our PADI diving licenses, well I needed to start from scratch with the Open Water Course, Matt already had his so was going to do some fun diving. We took a couple of days rest before we started, we really needed it, as we got the train from Bangkok down to the coast of it to get the boat across; it was a 9 hour overnight sleeper train....absolutely riddled with cockroaches (barf!) So we thought we deserved some chill out time!! We booked into the accommodation at the dive centre and on our first night and sitting in the room, a GIANT cockroach ran over my hand. We thought we'd left that on the train but apparently you just have to deal with them on the islands. Fortunately, that was the only big one we seen, we only got a couple after that and Matt is now almost a professional cockroach catcher; even if he did run away squealing from the first few

So we went in to sign up for the diving course and Matt asked them to look up his details on the PADI diving site so they could see that he already had his openwater course, as he had lost his card. They couldn't find him anywhere, so basically he was going to have to do the whole course again if he couldn't get proof of it, £200!!!! So he emailed the centre he done it at in Egypt, (we needed these details in 24hrs also) and they told him they'd check it out, then they got back to him and we thought the email had the details but it was just them saying that his instructor was now on maternity leave and all their files pre 2009 were kept in completely different place so they would email them blah blah blah. So we sat waiting on computer until the minute my course was starting and of course, no word. So he had to sign up to my course again!!! Then we came out of the first class and checked emails and they had sent them through!!! Sod's law!!! Turned out they had entered his DOB into the system incorrectly, we were unamused!! But he mentioned it to our instructor and she spoke to management and they said that while they wouldn't refund, he could transfer his payment to the advanced course and do that!!! Phew! So I decided I would do the advanced course with him, cost an arm and a leg but sure we are both now Advanced Open Water PADI divers!!!!

What with doing the 2 courses, we ended up staying on the island over a week, it was quiet enough because everyone there was diving so you were wrecked after a day of diving or you were up at 6am for morning dive, so there wasn't much happening in the evenings. Though on the last night we went out for a few with a couple of people to part of island further up, and it was like completely different place, loads was happening and we ended up in a bar on the beach with its own flame thrower!!

Doing the dives was pretty cool, some were a bit tame as there actually wasn't that much to look at but on our advanced course we dived a shipwreck!! It was probably the best dive, the ship had only been there for 4 months and was deliberately placed there by Thai Marines for divers but it was really cool. So much more fish about there, unfortunately we don't have any photos of down there, so you'll have to take our word for it!! We also did a night dive, which was Matt's favourite. It was pitch balck except for your torch and you seen all sorts of animals you don't see during the day. We seen a stingray and huge hermit crab. Though the water was bit choppy and most of us looked like we needed rescued instead of advanced divers in training!! We had 1 dive where we went out on a different boat from usual and I soon discovered my sea legs were a bit bandy. They failed to tell us until after we got off the boat that it's nicknamed the 'vomit comet'!!! This boat just rocked right up on its side then right round to its other side the whole trip, I thought I was gonna vomit underwater! Also, on one of the choppier dives, we were swimming back to the boat to get back on and this strong current came out of nowhere and was pulling me alongside the boat. Then the instructor said watch out for the boat, I turned my head and the current was pulling under the boat!! Sucking me under the boat!!! So I put my hands out to stop it and the paint that was rusting of the boat cut my arm a couple of times! I pushed away from the boat and doggy paddled the bejesus away from it, it was like a scene out of Titanic, I swear; well in my head it was, the instructor thought my doggy paddle was hilarious!!!

But aside from that, learning to dive was great and we are really looking forward to diving in Great Barrier Reef!!! And again (sigh) another foot related drama for Matt His fins for the dive dug into the side of his foot, but the next size up were too big so he had to wear them, he ended up getting cut from them and it hasn't healed so he's now hobbling round Ko Phangan coated in Germolene and a big sticky bandage on his foot!!! Though it is getting better now!

From putting these photos up and looking through them, we've realised that we are in hardly any of them, it's all scenery so we are going to try and get some more of the 2 of us in them!! We're starting to get a good colour here too, well I am. Matt is sporting a very fetching vest shaped burn, even on the factor 30 lol.

Hopefully in our next installment it will be little less dramatic and feature less injuries!! We are both having an absolute ball and can't believe how much we still have to do!!! Hope you're all enjoying the updates!!

Lots of love

Nicola and Matt