life in the ocean

see all photos »

The two and a half hour ferry ride from Ko Phan Ngan to Ko Tao provided some quite time for reflection. Here I was, passenger on a ferry, traveling from one island to another in southern Thailand, feet dangling over the side, sun streaming on my face and legs burning me more and more with each passing wave, Salmonella dub pumping through poddy (ipod), on one side of me sat three good kiwi friends, Magoo, Sly and Listy, and on the other my beautiful future wife. It really was one of the most tranquil enjoyable moments I've experienced. Not a care in the world, not one single worry, just pure sheer enjoyment.

see all photos »

Once we pulled up to Ko Tao we were finally greeted with no looming rain clouds. Karen, Sly and I rode on the back of a ute to our remote destination, Tanote Bay, while Magoo and Listy sussed out some motorbikes to make their own way on the treacherous roads. The ride for us was slow, sometimes even at walking pace, as our driver negotiated roads worse than we had experienced on Ko Phan Ngan. Once we arrived we found the cheapest accommodation available to us at the small bay. Tanote bay, we found, was even smaller and low key than Thong Nai Pon Yai had been on Ko Phan Ngan. It was, we thought, even more perfect!! The beach itself literally consisted of about four accommodation places with restaurants and two dive centres. The water before us was the clearest we had seen and the snorkelling we had been assured would be amazing.

Although the girl was clearly stoned out of her brain she did a very cool cut for me

see all photos »

After a low-key first night we were all up and into action early. The boys hired some snorkel gear and got straight into action. As they quickly found out we had not been mislead and the water was truly special with an abundant variety of marine life on offer to us literally on our doorstep! That afternoon I completed a quick refresher lesson with the resident dive master, since I hadn't dived for more than four years. After a quick run through of the essentials he and I, who at this stage were 12m under water, had plenty of time to spare so headed off for a half hour dive. Was soooo great to be back in the water again after so long. It felt strange, like it was my first time again, only this time I had my buoyancy and everything else down pact so could thoroughly enjoy myself.

see all photos »

That afternoon Cat and Bunkie, the two Aussie girls we had met on Ko Phan Ngan, arrived at our beach as planned and convinced us to go with them for a big night along the main strip of the island. They promised us all free lodging at their pimped out place they were getting. I think the deal was finally swung when they mentioned we could all have a hot shower if we wanted!! Seriously, a hot shower after more than a week of salt water and cold showers is not something you shake your head at!!!

see all photos »

So, three hours later and were we sitting round some buckets drinking up a storm like we had planned? NO! Instead we were back at their deluxe place, fed, tired and all commenting on how soft and clean our hair felt after washing it for the first time in ages... oh herbal essences! None of us was up for a big night of drinking, so instead we had all grabbed a spot to stretch out on and just crashed out for an early night.

The next day I was up and away nice and early feeling fresh as a daisy... or something that's fresh and a lot more masculine... I was flying solo for most of the day as everyone else was booked onto a snorkelling tour but I had opted to go diving. I got to go for two dives, all I could afford, as diving is the one thing Thailand is certainly not cheap for, and they were both amazing. The last place I had dived prior was the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, so I had some high expectations. However, Ko Tao definitely lived up to the hype! The visibility was maybe 10m but that was all that was needed and it actually meant there was more marine life out and about for us to look at than when the water is super clear. Each of my dives was about 40 minutes long and went to about 18m deep. The highlights of the first dive, at White Rocks (they seem to name everything after me these days...), would have to of been, the sometimes aggressive, but luckily for us passive, Trigger fish, a couple of blue spotted rays, some angel fish, and my personal favourite, many Sergeant major fish. Also on the first dive I had an underwater camera with me so snapped loads of pictures for my first attempt at underwater photography. After getting the film developed its every bit as hard as I thought and my photos are total rubbish! The second dive was at a site called 'the twins'. I found it amazing how we literally moved 400 meters north in the boat, set up anchor, and hey presto the whole marine life below us is different! Special mention for this dive has to go to a couple of puffer fish, one in full..."Puff"... mode, many moray eels, and the highlight was easily a clown fish. There are only 5 in the waters around Ko Tao and we got to see one of them while he was hanging out in his sea anemone looking out at us with a curious expression wondering... "Have you seen Nemo?"

see all photos »

After a great day on the boat and in the water I found myself with a couple of hours to kill before the others were due back. I figured time was best used not wasted and so went for my third haircut since I had been in Thailand, clearly hoping the third time would be lucky. Although the girl was clearly stoned out of her brain she did a very cool cut for me. She spent about half an hour just shaving, and re shaving the sides of my head evening it up... then a bit more... then once again... totally focusing on it and zoning in with as much concentration as an alcoholic finding his next drink. Every couple of minutes she would look over, with her glazed eyes, to her friends, whom were all giving each other manicures, say something in Thai and crack up laughing. A little disconcerting to have someone with scissors in her hands in this state yes... but funny nonetheless. To mark the occasion I asked her, and got, two sick lines in the right side of my head giving me my first ever steps! Chur.

see all photos »

For our last night on the island and with the boys, we all went for out dinner and drinks after each finding some cheap accommodation. The boys were actually in a converted toilet... it did not smell pleasant. That night we all got on the razz and had a great night. Even managed to bust out some "circle of death" while in one bar. The conversation was, as usual with the boys, highly amusing.

The last day as a group was pretty low key. We just hit up some brekkie, played some pool, did a little window-shopping and sat around in the shade. Once our time to depart from the boys came we had one last group photo shot, to mark the end of a journey, and then Karen and I grabbed a taxi to the port to catch our final ferry.

see all photos »

Our holiday down south had come to an end and we now needed to make our way north to the ever hectic, hustle and bustle, of Bangkok, for a last couple of days shopping before we were booked to fly back to the winter coldness of Japan. However, Ko Tao was not finished with us. Literally as the 'gate' was being opened to board the ferry the heavens opened up on us!! It rained harder than the whole time we had been in Thailand and after our walk down the 100m pier to the ferry we were well and truly soaked to the bone. Then once on the ferry we were ushered below deck to the dry, yet freezing cold air-conditioned seats! It was so cold and the trip wasn't one and a half hours as we had been told but in fact a little over three! The ferry wasn't the only thing differing in quoted durations for us either; the overnight bus was also running at a very different time. We had been told it would take about nine hours getting us into Bangkok at about 6am. This was perfect for us as it meant we could then slowly make our way to a Hotel and book in just for the Saturday night, hence saving money on accommodation. However, the bus rolled into Bangkok at 3.30am so we scramble off, me with sore ass knees (from the cramped seats, not my old age I might add!), half asleep, and had to make a quick decision about where we are going to go at such a time and with massive backpacks. We figured, stick to what is familiar, and so grabbed a cab to the White Palace Hotel where we had stayed on our initial stay in Bangkok. Luckily there was one room available. We quickly proceeded to it where we crashed out for some much needed sleep lying down and stretched out, enjoying every second of it!!