Friday 14th March - Day 40

I book out of my hotel at 5:00 am. Yes, that's 5:00am for anyone who know me, this is not a typo. I have to be on a bus at 5:30 am to make my way to Koh Tao island (turtle island, but there aren't any turtles there anymore I'm told) where I will be learning to dive. I've finally ditched my suitcase, but my rucksack is almost bursting it's seems. Perhaps I should have got the next size up.

The bus journey is about seven hours. Luckily, I am sitting next to an interesting guy named Aaron from Holland. He works for nine months of the year and travels for three. I learn quite a few things about Cambodia and Vietnam and even Holland. I wouldn't recommend travelling on a bus for this long as it can be a little uncomfortable, but it's easier if you have good company.

Next it's a two hour trip by Katamaran (another vehicle I've never travelled in before) to the island. On board is a guy named Matt from Weymouth, England. He's been travelling for almost two years. Which, by the look of him is the last time he ate. He's been working quite hard to pay for his trip along the way and has done quite a bit of dive training so is hoping to get a job doing this on Koh Tao.

The site if the island as the boat comes in is very nice. It's a great contrast to the city. From the Katamaran to the back of a small truck. This is one of the types of taxi they have here. Again, I can't remember being on a vehicle like this before.

I'm not too impressed by room at the dive resort. It's a little bleak. No hot water to shower with and the mattress has seen better days. Other things around here are a little different too. You must take your footware off if you go into a room, restaurant, anywhere really, even if it's a shop. The exception being 7-11 shops which, incidentally, open twenty-four hours a day in Thailand.

The first lesson in learning to dive involves watching a two hour video in a classroom. I'm falling asleep watching it. Tomorrow the practical stuff should begin.