Diving Koh Tao
After the craziness of the full moon party, it was off to Koh Tao for some diving. On my first visit to Koh Tao, I got my PADI Advanced Open Water at Sea Shell Dive Resort. As I talked to all the touts for different dive resorts, I heard that they had changed hands, and since their rooms were pretty umm...rudimentary, I decided to go talk to Simple Life, a smaller dive company/resort closer in to Sairee beach. Since I was not taking a course, I had to bargain with them, but managed to get a great price on the diving and a fair price on the room. The room was better, but was only a fan room without great circulation so it was an oven between noon and midnight.
Anyway, I ended up doing 7 dives with them, and they were good folks. My days pretty much consisted of 2 dives, and a half day lounging around their beachfront restaurant or on the beach. The diving in Koh Tao was better than I remembered. The coral was pretty healthy and I got to see a sea snake while diving which was a first.
After Koh Tao, it was off to Pattaya for a couple days, mostly because I had never been there. I would say the place is rather interesting, but not necessarily a place to go. It was a fair city with hundreds if not thousands of "beer-bars". Essentially a city of small bars with girls looking to earn some money from tourists the "old fashioned" way. Pretty amazing, weird, and sad. But the girls are nice, it is ok if you want to just hang out, chat, buy some drinks and play pool or other games (connect4, jinga, etc).
After a brief stay, it was off to Bangkok for a few days to arrange to head to Indonesia. Which is where I am now...I'll post more in a day or so, but I expect that internet access will be sporadic, so if you email and I don't reply for a few days or a week, you will know why.
Anyway, I ended up doing 7 dives with them, and they were good folks. My days pretty much consisted of 2 dives, and a half day lounging around their beachfront restaurant or on the beach. The diving in Koh Tao was better than I remembered. The coral was pretty healthy and I got to see a sea snake while diving which was a first.
After Koh Tao, it was off to Pattaya for a couple days, mostly because I had never been there. I would say the place is rather interesting, but not necessarily a place to go. It was a fair city with hundreds if not thousands of "beer-bars". Essentially a city of small bars with girls looking to earn some money from tourists the "old fashioned" way. Pretty amazing, weird, and sad. But the girls are nice, it is ok if you want to just hang out, chat, buy some drinks and play pool or other games (connect4, jinga, etc).
After a brief stay, it was off to Bangkok for a few days to arrange to head to Indonesia. Which is where I am now...I'll post more in a day or so, but I expect that internet access will be sporadic, so if you email and I don't reply for a few days or a week, you will know why.