first backpacking trip

dec 28 2009
 
today we rented a bike in koh samui.  it was another great day.  i find renting a bike lets you see the most for
the least amount of money.  on our bike ride we saw a bunch of buddhist statues and temples.  im not sure what 
each one means.  they are all gold and have tons flowers and insence on them and were seated looking out on a pond.
there were tons of cat fish you could feed in the pond.  they were going crazy for the food and just swimming around
in one big bunch.  tails flapping out of the water and mouths wide open like hippos! i've never seen fish flock
to food like that!  after that we went rode up to the hin lad waterfall.  the hike up was about an hour and 
everytime we passed someone they told us the same time 20 mins.  so we wondered if we would ever be there.  
the trees on either side of the trail twisted together and you could hide in some of the pockets of the trees. when
we got the top we met a guy from poland and chilled out with him near the water fall.  you could swim in the water
at the base of the falls which was nice cause we were so hot from the hike up.  you could even sit right under the 
waterfall which i was scared to do at first cause it looked like they were pounding down.  i eventually got over it
and it wasnt so bad.  it was neat to feel them pound down over your head.
 
jan 4/10  so we rang in the new yr with the full moon party.  i think its definately one of the biggest parties of 
its kind.  and what a way to ring in the new yr.  unfortunately it was so crazy im going to leave the details out.
lets just say i got home at 8 am to two english "blokes" sitting naked in our hotel pool eating green curry and 
chicken.  From Koh phangan we went to koh tao.  i thought koh tao was going to be a very quiet island based on what
others had told me but it turned out to be one of the busiest islands i've been on.  so busy we couldnt find 
accommodation.  luckily the dive company we decided to go with went above and beyond and found us some.  although
its no where near the school so someone has to pick up and drop us off everyday. the first night we got here
we slept on the dirtiest sheets i think i've ever seen.  i think they were used by the ppl before us without even 
being changed!  luckily the dive company fixed it the next day.  the main reason we came to koh
tao was to dive so we didnt waste anytime thats the first thing we did.  our teacher's name is franky and i 
have to laugh cause he really  looks like franky munez from malcom in the middle.  
the only difference being  his  bleached out surfer hair he likes to frequently 
reposition his sunglasses through on a regular basis and the most aqua blue eyes i think i've ever seen.  he is 
english and along with the typical bad teeth they have he also uses all the slang the british have to offer,
 like referring to his boss as a tosser, being cross, etc.  i will also say what an amazing teacher he is.  i was
really scared and he really made me feel comfortable in the water and helped me not to panick.
the first day was a lot of learning.  once you learn all the dangers of diving (at least for me) its enough to 
make you not want to get in the water in the first place.  today was first day we got to use our new skills in the 
open ocean.  and i was freaking out a little.  but to my surprise i did really really well.  the people i thought 
would do awesome actually panicked in the water.  so i was feeling pretty good about myself.  since koh tao is so 
famous for diving i honestly thought we would see more coral and fish.  a lot of ppl told us we would see whale
sharks as well.  we saw none of this.  in fact we saw more fish snorkelling in indo.  but its a great place to 
learn thats for sure.  im hoping tomorrow to see more fish and to pass my test.
 
 
jan6 2010  we did our dive test and to my surprise i passed.  i didnt think i would feel competent under the water
without the instructor or someone else guiding me through it to calm my nerves but i did.  i realized with this 
course that I often give myself no credit.  i passed the written test with flying colours as well.  92% which to 
me is pretty good considering there were only 50 questions so not a lot to give you the freedom to make mistakes.
so now i am free to dive anywhere in the world as long as i have a buddy with me who is also an open water diver.
i can explain how amazing i feel when im under water.  i never thought i would do something like this.  when i was
younger and even now i hold my head under the water and just relax.  now i can stay under there for a long time and 
enjoy all the fish.  i feel like being under water looking at all the fish a piece of heaven on earth.  the fish
swimming gracefully all around you yet even when you think you can touch them they wont let you lol.  there were
these silver fish that reflected the light of the sun, they were over my head and when i would look up it just 
looked like there were sparkles everywhere in the water.  i saw a sting ray too.  all kinds of other things i dont
know the name of.  and when your swimming up to the surface it looks so close.  for me it looks like your under
a think sheet of ice.  and your just waiting to break through it.  im addicted to this.  i want to dive all over
the world now and use all my new skills.  after our diving we went out for drinks with the group of ppl we dove with
robyn and sam.  robyn was from holland and sam australia.  and these two guys would show up for the classes hung 
over yet would ace everything. which would piss me off cause i would actually go home and study and not do as well
as them.  sam is your typical pot head but a genuinely nice guy.  he kind of looks like wolverine too.  he told
me he heard that a lot.  i told him thats super cool but he didnt think so.  he invited me to visit him when im in 
australia as well.  said he would even pick me up from the airport.  thats how nice ppl are here. there all
willing to help their fellow traveller. after that we could a "taxi" which was stacey and i on a scooter with a 
driver.  three ppl on one scooter! whole families travel like this!  there is a saying here i guess though
and it goes T.I.T, this is thailand lol.  it is the reason you wait forever for thing, why they are never on time 
when they are supposed to pick you up and why you travel like your a piece of luggage etc. 
 
 when i first started this trip i didnt think i was going to last.  just
 
cause i was so far away from everyone i love and completely out of my comfort zone but now i dont know if i want
 to come back.  i love this way of life! not a care in the world.  not focused on the stress of work, the stress of
the minor things that drive you nuts back home.  its just a simple life.  all my possesstions i live out of fit in 
a backpack.  i barely brush my hair anymore, i dont use my fancy facewash anymore, and i certainly could use a 
pedicure lol.  i stay in rooms that if any of my friends were to come visit me would turn their noses up etc. this 
is the life im falling deeply in love with.  and its funny cause before i left sonya said to me your not coming 
back and i seriously laughed at the idea cause there is no way i thought i would stay abroad.  but now if i didnt
have to come back for matt i would leave my life behind and start a new one here. i've met people from all around
the world who have lived life to its fullest and now i finally feel like i am too!  who knows tho maybe i will 
convince matt to move somewhere.  atleast he is willing to try new things.  anyway thats all for today.  im feeling
so high on life and its great!