After a long a horrible journey in the back of a cramped old minivan we arrived in Phuket around 6pm. We had booked really nice accomodation over crimbo and New year as a treat and this was our first night of 3 weeks of nice hotels, we were so happy. Jez and Wilba stayed in another very nearby which was also nice. It was so good having air con, a fridge and fresh towels/hot water!!, instead of our usual little wooden huts with mosquito's everywhere haha. Don't ge...

Once on the boat to Koh Phangan we checked the lonely planet to check out some accomodation. We didn't want to be directly on the full moon Haad Rin Beach as we had heard there are often alot of thefts on the full moon party night so we stayed just around the corner at Leela beach front bungalows. This beech was amazing, absolute paradise. It was quiet and secluded, and the bay was beautiful with a huge wooden decking pier around the coast to another hotel which ...

Thankfully the journey from Koh Tao to Koh Samui was nothing like Chumpon to Koh Tao!! There was no 4 metre waves, no sea sickness, and we were flowing with the current which made things alot faster. We were really looking forward to Koh Samui as this is where we were meeting Jez and Wilba. Jez had arrived the day before so had already sorted us out with some cheap accomodation - which was pleasing as its always a hassle trying to find new accomodation. Jez met...

Monday 1st December 2008 - PADI Open water Course Today we arrived in Koh Tao to do our Padi Open Water scuba diving course. The boat trip to get to the Island was horrific!! We got on the fastest, most choppiest boat ride ever- Bearing in mind I dont think Chris realised how sea sick he was!! Practically the whole boat was throwing up - there was about 10 assistants on the boat giving out sickbags and tissues, collecting the bags - it was pretty discusting - bu...

Today we headed on a full days journey to Ko Chang back across the southern border and then onto a ferry to Koh Chang. On arrival at the ferry crossing there was an accomodation booking company and as we were arriving quite late on the saturday night we thought we would book somewhere through them. Everywhere we had looked up for cheap places to stay in our lonely planet was booked but eventually we got a room for just one night and then we could look around in t...