Koh Tao

Koh Tao is a tropical island in the south of Thailand. Very small, about 6 kilometers from north to south, and known for diving.

Day 19: I'm starting to forget what day of the week it is. We arrived at the harbor at 5 o'clock, slept well on the bus. It takes 2 hours for the ferry to depart, and then another 2 hours to the island. The hostel is recommended by another traveler, he describes it as a Stoner Hostel, which is true. It's middle class, but well attended. The UV Index is 12 here at noon! Brutal, especially since I'm not known as a sun worshipper. A umbrella can also be a good sun protection. Johanna approached me at the hostel and asked if we want to go to the beach, Shark Bay. The water is very warm, the beach is beautiful. We snorkel a bit and see some colorful fish. In the evening, I felt really sick and couldn't keep dinner down.

Day 20: Unusual, but I felt great and was really hungry. Went for breakfast for the first time. Rented a scooter, which was much better than Sascha. First stop June Juea Beach, beautiful and almost no one there. Unfortunately, my waterproof case was not waterproof. My phone got wet and started acting up, constantly rebooting and not responding anymore. A little panicking, without a phone, practically nothing works here. After half a day of drying, it calmed down. Read a bit and meditated (lying meditation). After lunch, I went to a viewpoint made of huge rocks. The ascent was very difficult, sometimes there were only ropes to hold onto. But the view was fantastic. Went swimming again at Freedom Beach. It only takes a few minutes between the stops, everything is so close. For sunset, we went to another viewpoint, there are mountains over 300 meters high on this small island. You can imagine how steep the roads are. The neighbor in the hostel got robbed and moved out (but he also left his stuff open on the bed). Also, the group of German teenagers is gone, the boys were a bit annoying. Went for a drink in a beach bar with Johanna. Beer pong is international and my team won. The live band played good songs, a lot from the 90s and 2000s, so we stayed there for quite a while.

Day 21: Johanna and I got up early in the morning, the night was short and we looked like it. Unfortunately, our booked snorkel tour was canceled due to lack of participants. Luckily, we were able to quickly book a replacement at the hostel. We took a boat to a privately owned island, Koh Nang Yung. Another viewpoint, but it wasn't as spectacular. Snorkeling is awesome, you see so many colorful fish, corals, anemones, and other things. After lunch on the boat, we went to 3 other places for snorkeling. It's impressive to glide through this foreign world. Colors, shapes, perception, everything is different. The sea crackles strangely, as if someone is frying an egg in too much oil. The sound of your own breath is like meditation. At the end, I saw a majestic turtle glide through the sea, accompanied by other fish, very impressive. In the evening, I went to a bar with Johanna and one of her acquaintances. But it didn't last long, we were tired and Johanna was a bit sick (she later went to a hospital in Bangkok and had to take antibiotics for a week, so it was something more serious).

Day 22: I changed hostels, the dogs in the first hostel were too annoying and aggressive. The new hostel is more lively, but I don't really have time for that. The first day of diving school, all the staff are Russians. They are nice, patient, and friendly, including my instructor, Efim. First a little introduction and in the afternoon we went to the pool to practice. Diving with equipment is unfamiliar. The body reacts differently to pressure and depth. The hardest part for me is floating. Small differences in buoyancy, that is, breathing, make you ascend and descend quickly. My dive buddy is Tom from Manchester, the third person in the team is Stephan from Russia. Each pair has a buddy, it's safer to dive in pairs. I had dinner with a few people from the diving course and Tom. In the evening, there were two very young girls in the hostel who apparently smoked for the first time. My goodness, they were annoying. I hear the old man in me complaining. In general, you should stay away from party hostels. Only young people who don't know their limits, especially annoying are Americans, as they are not allowed to drink until they are 21 in their country. I still did a few lessons of the online diving course.

Day 23: Self-study is on the schedule in the morning. In the afternoon, we have the first two dives in the sea. Exciting, we practice many things that are needed in case of problems and we practice moving in the sea. In the afternoon, it starts to rain, the waves are already high for me. It took a lot of energy to swim back to the boat after the second dive. But diving is a lot of fun, even if it's harder than I thought. Continued studying in the evening.

Day 24: In the morning, we go for the next two dives in the sea. More exercises, we are always underwater for 40 to 50 minutes and also simulate problems. For example, the instructor turns off the air and you have to breathe through your buddy's emergency system. Or emergency ascent. But we also have time to explore the area (always stay together) and dive through obstacles. Much importance is placed on protecting the environment, but we amateurs still accidentally hit a coral now and then. Those things are razor-sharp, one person had a significant cut. In the afternoon, I complete the online courses and pass the exam. I can now officially dive with a partner to a depth of 18 meters. Unfortunately, there are hardly any pictures of the diving, it would be too dangerous. I'm thinking about what I can do with the rest of my trip, maybe Malaysia or Phuket? So many options, it's a bit annoying. In the end, I can't decide and stay one more day.

Day 25: Today is a lazy day. Taking care of a visa extension. I have all the necessary documents on my second visit to the Immigration Office, so the extension is quick. Writing on the blog and organizing and researching what else can be done. In the evening, taking the night boat to the mainland, the ferry takes 8 hours. There is a dormitory with about 100 beds. Background noise of coughing, talking, and vomiting. It rocks the whole night, but I can sleep quite well. My motivation to meet people and plan the trip is slowly decreasing.