It feels like ages since I wrote my last blog, but its only been 3 weeks, I've been so BUSY and have so much to tell you all.

Im currently in Koh Lanta and have been here for 2 weeks but spent my first week in Thailand on the coast of Kaoh Lak. My main aim has been to start my Dive Master Training (DMT) and find a good area / school to get settled in.

Kaoh Lak was a bit of a false start, the area is largely a holiday resort for couples and families with 5 star accommodation (something I cant afford) but it is also the area where the majority of Live-a-boards go from to The Similian Islands (some of the best sites in Thailand for diving), it would have been great area for diving but not much else as the social side of things was questionable, the only dive bar was on a main road and 15min walk from the beach, no thanks!

The other thing the area is famous for is the Tsunami, as this is where it hit the hardest in Thailand, Im not sure if you have seen 'The Impossible' yet but the story was based on a resort there. The locals have not forgotten the Tsunami and the biggest reminder is the Police Boat which is situated 10mins inland from the beach which has been left on land as memorial. There is also a centre with videos and stories from the Tsunami, part of me wishes I hadn't gone in, as being typically Thai there was no sugar coating of the stories or edited videos (as we had in the UK), it was the raw footage and it really hit home what people went through. A bit scary and makes you realise how protected we are from the environment in the UK.

Still Im glad I went to Kaoh Lak as I did a couple of dives on a day trip to the Similians and I feel as though Ive 'ticked that box' and I don't have to wonder what if...I know its not for me.

So off I went to Koh Lanta in search of a dive school...after a rather windy journey up and back down the side of a mountain (erggghhh) I made it. Koh Lanta, it is a much bigger Island than the others Ive been to before, it takes 1 hour to get to the other end but most importantly everywhere is close to the beach.

As soon as I arrived I hired a scooted as the focus was on where to do my training and doing 'Bradford style' research, now most of you probably know Im probably the most organized and planned traveller ever but also very indecisive! I spent most of the first week going round several dive schools and narrowed it down to 2. Without really knowing what I should be looking for in a dive centre it also makes decisions difficult. I decided to dive with 2 schools which although was sensible to test each out it also became very arkward when making the final decisions as I got friendly with both teams. In particular with one guy who I got on really well with who ran the school, which I didn't choose, I felt terrible when I told him my decision and he seemed genuinely upset.

One of the things Ive noticed in Koh Lanta is that everyone knows everyone else, which Im really not use to being from London (its even closer than Lymington!). Things I've said to one person is repeated to others on the other side of the island and people know who I am before Ive met them, its odd being introduced to someone and them say, "yeah I know who you are", really? I haven't done anything that gossip worthy have I (yet)?? Still what you do get is a very close community which is nice and which Im currently trying to infiltrate. Its obviously hard when your the newbe and you are trying to make 'frweends'. I am here to study but also meet people, diving is a social hobby but Im coming in at the end of a season and friendship groups are quite established, its going to take a while to get to know everyone but they have all been very friendly and welcoming so its only a matter of time, but obviously I am missing the familiarity of family and mates at home.

I started the course a week ago and already Im feeling like I know more about diving, the biggest change is how people react to me when Im in 'Uniform', Im now a member of the dive team and customers fully expect me to know what Im talking about (eek!). Luckily I work in sales so being friendly and styling out difficult questions has so far been ok. I actually love being a rep of the dive school and yesterday I had the responsibility of picking up all the customers on the pick-up truck across the island and then being in charge of 2 snorkelers (baby steps here!). Still they were both really interested in what the fish names where and one of them needed some reassurance in the water as they were not a strong swimmer, the relied on me and looked to me for advise and I felt a flush of pride at the end of the day when they told me how enjoyable their day has been, especially as it lashed down with rain the whole time we were on the boat so could easily have been a bit of a wash out (literally).

Adapting to life here has been relatively easy, I have some long term accommodation (I pay £160 a month for a flat) and Ive hire a little scooter which although I was scared on initially I now LOVE, I just need to be really careful as people drive like maniacs here so although I look like a wally I always wear a helmet.

Im not sure where this is going to take me and taking in everything ive done in the last couple of weeks is huge but its great to be learning again and stretching myself intellectually, physically and emotionally, I feel at the beginning of a journey a bit like when I started University.

I hope your all good and I miss you all everyday, photos are up on the wall in my flat and Im thinking of you all, please let me know your news from home its great to hear from you all.

xxx