WOW - what a place Koh Tao!!!!!

I would recommend to all to get yourselves there and go diving with Luke Mee (Easy Divers - she is an absolute legend!!!!).

We left Siem Reap via bus destination Bangkok.....journey took 12 hours.

Road to Thai-Cambodia border was 'interesting'!!! Were stuck at the border for 3 hours - strange experience...basically we disembarked from the bus (smallest sweatiest bus I have ever been on with NO room - rucksacks filled the aisles, you had to surf them to get out!!!) and walked through the border crossing....only to wait ages for a mini taxi bus to take us to Bangkok. The dude driving us was actually falling asleep driving....a scouse couple in the front were plying him with drinks to keep him awake!!! And he managed to clip a Pick Up Truck in Bangkok!!!

After being lied to numerous times by dodgy Travel Agency workers we decided to take matters into our own hands and headed to the Train Station with an Irish couple we'd met to catch a train South. After 7 hours asleep in a very comfy reclining chair we arrived at Chumpon before catching a boat (via taxi bus) to Koh Tao, finally arriving at our destination a mere 28 hours after we'd set off!!! All good fun!!!

As the Catamaran docked we were picked up by Kol from Easy Divers and decided we'd do our diving there (free accomodation - nice but very basic!!).

With the Full Moon Party at Koh Phanan Ngang we decided to have a few chill out days on Koh Tao before starting our course. I think we pretty much walked from top to bottom of the island (only 20 sq km!!) - seeing some lovely little bays with the classic white sanded beaches and turquiose sea's.....PARADISE!!!! It was a tough three days - I think by the end of it the tan was starting to show signs of appearing!!!! Some stunning sunsets as well - see photo!!!

During this time we met Duncan...the Arsenal supporting Fulham season ticket holder from London who had many a tale to tell. Our quiet evening watching football descended into a messy night....picked up a South African couple en route to Sairee Beach and proceeded to get involved with the Samseng buckets....I was not in peak physical condition by the end of the night!!! Cracking night though!!!

So we survived the Full Mon Party and the Diving began...I'll admit I was a bit concerned with the whole idea of breathing underwater....maybe I should have wikepedia'd 'Scuba Diving' before paying 800 Bhat for the course!!!

First part of the course involved a LOT of theory (Book thickness was on a par with Yellow Pages - we were supposed to read the lot!!! There's me thinking it would be all fun and games!!) and watching video's before we actually got to dive. First dive was a Confined Open Water (basically only to 6 metres to practice the basic skills and obviously make sure we could manage breathing underwater!) at the Japanese Gardens dive site, after we'd gathered all our kit (Wet Suit, BCD (all the diving lingo!!!), regulator, air tank, mask and fins) Our diving crew (Little Britain considing of me, Chesney, Dan and Jo together with Euro Trash - Andy, Jenny (very random German girl - DINDEL!!!!!, Manuel and Olav) were ably led by the legend that is Luke Mee, our instructor - a top lady!! We were all buzzing after that 1st dive - it's incredible to see all the fishlife and Coral Reef under the surface - I'll never think that the sea is 'just blue and wet' again!!!! The colours of the fish were just awesome - after erasing the anxiety regarding the breathing situation, it's just incredible to float around underwater as if in space admiring all the aquatic life (and the odd topless snorkler swimming by ha ha).

The nights between dives were supposed to be quiet afairs - but after seeing the sights and being on such a high, it's rude not to sample an ice cold Singha beer or 8!!!! Together with the classic brownie and cocktail at Whitening (random Jenny the German idea at midnight!!!)

The Open Water course consisted of 2 confined dives (re basic skills) and then Open Water dives. Maximum depth we dived to was 18 metres and we saw some pretty impressive Reef and Aquatic life (including a Blue Spotted Stingray!!)......I even manged to be sick overboard in front of everyone after the 1st dive on our final day - not a pretty site!!!!

Our last day was on Valentines Day so we decided to dive in Fancy Dress, me and Jo (top dude from Wales - part of the 'crew') wore matching skirts (surprise surprise that was my idea!!) - I even managed to colour co-ordinate with a tasteful baseball cap!! Some funny sights underwater - some greaat dancing shapes were being pulled - all in all a brilliant day and experience!! As is customary with most things, the course ended up with a night out on the Toon!!!! Out with all the instuctors - had classic time!!

Then decided we'd do the Advanced Course - 3/4 of Little Britain attended (Jo had to leave)....so after a days rest we continued with 5 more Open Water dives which included a night time dive, deep dive (to 30metres - Nitrogen Narcosis kicked in!!!), Navigation, Multi Level and Buoyancy.

The Night Dive was simply sensational - it's pitch black, you just use the light from your torch to check out the aquatic life. At one point we went ot the ocean floor covered our lights up and then you can see all the Plankton illuminated - really cool. Saw a couple crabs crawling on the Ocean Floor, few Sting Rays and some Barracuda's - these babies were over a metre long - good job they steered well clear of me!!!

So after the dives there was the small matter of the theory - this bored me to tears - was like being back at school in Geek Morris Biology lessons!!! But now I'm officially an Advanced Open Water PADI diver!!! Can dive to 30m - which should be class for when we get to Oz and the Great Barrier Reef!!! Apparently there is a Ship Wreck in Townsville from World War 2 - this would be amazing to see - in Top 10 Dive sites in the World apparently!!!

Another course completed - another night on the tiles!!! We were joined by Signe (Danish instructor) and Luke Mee for a while before me, Ches and Dan hit Sairee Beach and the buckets of Choppers and the Lotus Bar!! Was another fun night with too much alcohol consumed - Dan ended up a complete write off, falling off his chair at Lotus and smashing his head - silly boy!!! So about 4 of us chucked him in the back of a Pick Up - we put him to bed and continued the party at Ban's Resort until the early hours.

After a few hours kip and a stroll it was time to leave for Koh Samui - so far Koh Tao is the one place I could see myself living on (assuming I win the lottery!!!) - absolute heaven and so chilled out!!! I WILL RETURN!!!!

Oh forgot to mention the Swedish Beach Party!!! Them Vikings know how to P.A.R.T.Y!!!!! Sweden does not do ugly women...apparently ropey looking Swedes are not given passports!!!!

Diving completed.....result!!!!!!

So Sports fans I'll catch you later.....same same......but different (as they say over here) - so look forward to the lattest entralling chapter when I'll attempt to bore you all to tears!!!!

Hope you're all behaving!!!!!

Matty