After completing the Open Water course, we had intended on taking some time off before starting the Advanced Open Water course...however...a couple of drinks in the bar and somehow we got persuaded to do the course the following day. NOT good since we'd already had a few to drink including some shot called Lao Cao. It's free from the DJL bar (probably because it's horrible) and smells what I think is probably a cross between Tequila and Sambuca in one glass! The...

After another bad nights sleep in which I had changed rooms into the Backpackers Dorm, it was too hot and someone came in very late and started crashing round in the dark, it was a very early start to the day. Meeting at the Dive shop for 6.30 am was not my idea of fun! After getting on the boat, we headed over to Red Rock and sunk underwater to our first Dive site. Once again I was reminded just why I got up so early. The magic of being underwater and seeing th...

The dive course started officially a couple of days ago with some theory assessments on learning how to use your equipment and what Decompression sickness and Nitrogen Narcosis was and how to spot if you have it - very important (and this is not sarcasm!). Yesterday saw us mastering our Open Water Skills in the Pool next to the Davy Jones Locker bar. I will admit that diving has not come naturally to me and I have found it difficult with mastering the mask skill...

I left Bangkok on a really nice air conditioned bus headed to Chumphon where I was supposed to get a boat over to Koh Tao. 2 hours of sitting at the travel office and then getting dumped in a town in the middle of no where, a ride on a shanti bus and a wait at the pier of about 4 hours we were on the boat to Koh Tao...who knew it would be that difficult! 3 hours later and we'd arrived on the golden sands, I checked in at my accommodation in Sairee Beach and then...

It was a very long journey indeed to get back to Bangkok last night, it was actually made worse by the driver getting arrested for speeding after we'd crossed the border. 2 hours wait at the border and a police run in turned the 8 hour journey into a 12 hour journey. Booking into the hostel I soon discovered that I was sharing a dorm room with 6 blokes mostly Irish or from various points in the UK. I wouldn't have minded so much if it hadn't been for the fact th...