Hey Everyone, hope you are all still following our travels. Thankfully I got my photos off my camera and added them onto the site for Phnom Penh so check them out if you have not already done so......fingers crossed they will work ok from now on....

We left Cambodia heading to Southern Thailand for our much needed beach time. First we had to fly via Bangkok and had a few hours to kill before we got a night bus down to Chumphon and then boat to Koh Tao. We spent the time doing a little shopping back on the Khao Sarn road then caught a tuk tuk ride to the bus station. Thankfully we did actually make it to the bus in one piece as we had an absolutely crazy driver who said he understood where we wanted to go, after driving for a bit he said he didn't undertsand and then said we had to pay more when he realised where we wanted to go. When we refused he decided to drive like a bat out of hell all the way there. Carly was yelling at him to slow down which made him go even faster - absolute nutter!!

So feeling a little shakey we got on to our VIP bus bound for Chumphon where we then had to catch a boat to Koh Tao. The bus journey was fine and we both managed to get some sleep as the seats were huge, just like a business class plane seat. At 5am we arrived and still feeling very sleepy got on the boat for Koh Tao. This then made me turn a very bight shade of green. Man! I really don't like boats!!!!

A couple of hours later we arrived in Koh Tao. This is the smallest of the Islands on the East coast of Thailand. Our main reason for coming here was so we could do our Open Water scuba diving course as it is supposed to be the best/cheapest place to do it in Thailand. As we got off the boat, we were met by various touts advertising their dive school. We looked around a bit and then went with one that seemed to be offering a pretty good deal. We were taken to the resort and chose the accomadation we wanted. We ended up with this cute little bungalow overlooking the beach. The view was stunning, complete paradise just like a postcard.

That afternoon we started the Padi Open Water dive course which consists of some classroom theory and studying plus the actual practical diving. The theory is split into five modules and we had to watch the first three that afternoon. In the evening we had to study the book accompying the course - yes I know, studying in the evenings, it felt like we were back at school- v harsh!

The next morning we had to do more studying with our instructor, Mika, and he went through what we had already learnt. Carly then froze to the spot when the word"exam" was mentioned. At the end of each module we had to a "quiz" as they called it to make sure we understood it all and so we could move on to the next. It was fine.

In the afternoon we then got to go out into the water and put the theory into practice. After getting all the equipment together at the dive school and getting a wet suit, fins and mask we got onto a boat to take us to the dive site. In our group there was Carly and I plus 3 other guys and another girl. We therefore had two instuctors as they only have four people max to one instructor. This was really good as it meant they could spend time with us all indivdually as well as a group.

After we set up all the equipment on the boat we arrived at the dive site and got into all the gear. OMG! I thought my backpack was heavy but with the air cylinder and weights you have to wear, it is all really heavy. We got into the water and then had to practice breathing using the regulator and lots of other general skills like inflating and deflating the BCD (its a bit like a life jacket but not!), taking the mask on and off under the water, making sure you don't breath in through your nose - this is something I kept trying to do and then ended up swallowing lots of water!! It was quite hard work and we were in the water for a couple of hours going through all the skills needed.

We headed back to the dive school and that evening we had yet more stuyding to do for the next day. So like good school girls we had an early night, didn't drink and studied (yes I know what you're thinking, I was never really like that at school was I!!!)

The next day, the real fun started and we went out on our first open water dive. We all got into our gear on the boat and then got into the water. As you go down underneath the water and get deeper and deeper you have to keep equalising your ears every few metres to make them pop otherwise they really hurt. We both struggled initially with this so had to wear these special masks with ear muff type things attached to protect our ears - we looked so sexy, not!

Going down under the water for the first time was absolutely amazing and seeing all the fish swimming around in their own special world was something I'll never forget. Under the water we had to practice the skills we had learnt the previous day. We both managed to get the hang of it pretty well apart from I had to keep telling myself - "breathe, breathe" as I kept wanting to hold my breathe and the first rule of diving is "NEVER hold your breathe underwater"!!! We got to do two dives each one lasting about 45 minutes each. When you are down there it feels like you are in a bubble as you obv can't hear anything and can only communicate through hand signals. Everything is magnified 33% bigger too so it seems like the fish are a lot nearer to you than they actually are. At one point Carly was frantically trying to get my attention as there was a "Nemo"!!

That evening we enjoyed dinner and some drinks with some of the guys from the course. There was a bbq on the beach and I was literally giddy with excitment as I have been craving a good old bbq for a few weeks now. It was lovely and you got to chose what meat or fish you wanted cooked. (Not as good as one of yours though Dad!).

The final day of the course and thankfully we both passed the final exam....time to go diving! Another guy from the dive school also came out with us to film us and make a DVD. As with the previous day, we got to do two dives and this time we went even deeper and down for longer. The first dive was 16.1 metres for 55 mins and the second 12 metres for 52 mins. Both dives were completely amazing. With all the skills practised and the exam passed we just got to swim around and look at all the fish, coral etc. I can't seem to find any other words to use apart from how "AMAZING" it was to be down there and see this whole other world that lives.

That evening we enjoyed some drinks with everyone from the course to congratulate us all on passing.

So we are both offically now Padi Open Water Divers and we will definately do some more diving whilst in Thailand. (Carly says thanks Di and Paul for her early Christmas Present!)

Next stop Koh Phangan - the Party Island - oh and finally a chance to relax on the beach.....

Until next time
Lots of Love
Claire and Carly xxxxxx