Happy Holidays Koh Tao, Thailand
I hopped in a van at 6am that took me east to a bus station in Surat Thani, Thailand where said bus drove me to the pier and hopped a boat for Koh Tao for the holidays. In order to get a free ride to Saree Beach I hopped in an Asia Divers truck taxi. At Asia Divers I said hello and greetings to those that I knew and introductions to those I didn’t. A French man named Julien sat at the four top. We got to talk and he mentioned that a Padi Rescure Diver course was underway and would be continuing in two days time. I asked if I could catch up tomorrow and join them and he agreed. I spent the next day with pen and paper and videos of definitions, scenarios, examples and explanations. Six hours later I took a theoretical test, passed that and called it a good day. I stayed at Secret Garden a little off the beaten path but not far from the beach. To get to and from it I had to walk through a Coconut Tree grove, really cool.
Here in Koh Tao it is intermittently lightening and raining but the temperature is right so no worries. A storm has been threatening for the last few days on the Internet weather searches but they keep getting reduced the day of. Not so around the tail end of December. The full moon on December 25th brought the tide all the way to the edge of beach services and made the beach impossible to run on, jumping boat lines, watching for debris coming down the flashflood creeks and unintended water ways.
I met up with my classmates and we headed into the pool for some practice before entering the ocean. We did this both days and ended with a final scenario and fulfilled all the PADI requirements. We had the option to practice more if we wanted to wait on the certification. I chose this plan because I don’t know when I’ll get to practice this stuff again besides in real-life circumstances so I decided to take the extra training. Thank you.
Koh Tao is filling up with people but the real problem is that the rains have remained an visibility underwater isn’t what it could be and I’ve been swimming every morning to find out if it’s getting any better, even the dive guides are saying to wait a few days. So lots of time chilling and writing another book now that ‘The Women Of Cho’ is in it’s final stages and getting ready for publication and I’ll most certainly let you know when that occurs.
I have noticed an influx of Burmese workers all across the southern end of Thailand. When I asked a few of them why they all pretty much gave the same response, they love their country but can’t live on the low wages. For an example one university student explained that he would only be paid the equivalent of 3,000 Baht/month in his own country, 100 USD/month, while he can make 8,000/month in Thailand, 240 USD/month. The idea is to work as much as possible at various jobs saving money so they can return to Burma after a few years and hopefully buy land and a house to start a life under the new government but until the economics change in Burma the draw for working outside its borders is the only option for a better life. Some don’t want to return to Burma at all because it’s too easy to fall into the low wages and never break free again. And for those in Burma running businesses looking for educated workers it is difficult because they have left the country.
New Year’s Eve was spent on the beach at Maya Beach Bar listening to electronic chill out music and watching hundreds of lanterns take flight and dot the night sky as they went on out to sea. The fireworks were awesome and went off all down the beach while others did fire shows. There were lots of tan smiling faces dancing at Lotus Bar with a DJ and electronic dance music blasting out of refrigerator size speakers. Everybody dances on the beach with the waves at your feet. Happy New Year everyone. I'm off to Banyan Bar for a Sunday roast.
