PATravel: Koh Tao catch up

07.05.2012

Well, no whale sharks as yet, but we are fully qualified SSI Scuba Divers! Have seen some incredible underwater sights so far and become so addicted that we've all signed up to do our advanced diving course. Starting today we spend the next 2 days learning how to dive to 30m, navigate underwater and control our buoyancy over, under and through a myriad of obstacles. Five dives are included in this course and we are still rubbing our nipples raw for a whale shark. Went for a run early this morning and found a whale shark skeleton at one of the resorts. Incredibly beautiful and HUGE!!

We've got the option of a night dive and a wreck dive as part of the dives so, although a little nervous, it should be incredible! We are all sticking with our previous instructor, 'Mama G,' who continues to be a short Irish firecracker, but an extremely good instructor. She runs a tapas bar on the island in her free time called 'Moov' and appears to have connections to the local Thai mafia. (She has emphasized how 'safe' she is here, but has never said why.) Sadly some of our group got nailed in a scam when hiring a scooter and were forced to pay 10,000 Baht to get their passports back after being accused of making a scratch that was already there. Needless to say none of use have hired scooters on the island since!

Had a relaxing day yesterday with some snorkelling at Tanote Bay where Pete saw a black tipped reef shark and our taxi driver encouraged us to smother ourselves in banana to attract the fish! Ate a delicious Tapas dinner at Mama G's restaurant and saw a ladyboy cabaret show that made us want to poke our eyes out with a stick. Was an excellent laugh though and a few girls were even pulled up on stage to do a little dance!