Just a little awareness...
Please watch 'The Cove'!!
The Cove exposes the slaughter of more than 20,000 dolphins and porpoises off the coast of Japan every year, and how their meat, containing toxic levels of mercury, is being sold as food in Japan and other parts of Asia, often labeled as whale meat. The majority of the world is not aware this is happening. The focus of the Social Action Campaign for The Cove is to create worldwide awareness of this annual practice as well as the dangers of eating seafood contaminated with mercury and to pressure those in power to put an end to the slaughter.
And it’s been working. The film has been making waves since it premiered last year. Critical praise and audience awards worldwide have focused international attention on Taiji and the annual dolphin drives off the coast of Japan. Under intense pressure, Taiji called for a temporary ban on killing bottlenose dolphins. The film, which was originally rejected, was shown at the Tokyo Film Festival due to public outcry. Residents in Taiji are being tested for mercury poisoning, and for the first time Japanese media are covering the issue.
Close to a million people have signed on to the campaign, but this is just the beginning. The fisherman are clearly rattled, but haven’t stopped killing dolphins
It is worth watching and it's truly an eye opener. Check out the link and preview below and get involved! Even if you just spread the news/link you are getting involved! Fact: within 30/40 years our oceans will be EMPTY!!!!!
http://www.thecovemovie.com/
Let me know what you think! x
antoinette netta antie nus
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Salome's bday party
This past weekend Jonathan and Leanne decided to visit us in Busan and celebrate Salome's birthday with all our friends.
We kicked the weekend off with a lovely brunch at old faith full - Thursday Party and then headed off for a quick shop and some mani's, pedi's and nail art. (Jonathan did the manly thing and stayed home and watched Top Gear)
After all the titivating we went to Ayuta, the awesome Indian Restaurant and met up with our friends for a jummy dinner!
The cute dog I played with!!
We kicked the weekend off with a lovely brunch at old faith full - Thursday Party and then headed off for a quick shop and some mani's, pedi's and nail art. (Jonathan did the manly thing and stayed home and watched Top Gear)
After all the titivating we went to Ayuta, the awesome Indian Restaurant and met up with our friends for a jummy dinner!
The cute dog I played with!!
Monday, March 15, 2010
V is for Vagina
14 March each year is Vagina Day. It is a global movement to end violence against women and girls that raises funds and awareness through benefit productions of Playwright/Founder Eve Ensler's award winning play The Vagina Monologues and other artistic works.
In 2009, more that 4000 V-day events took place in the U.S and around the world. To date, the V-day movement has raised over $70 million and educated millions about the issue of violence against women and the efforts to end it. V-Day generates broader attention for the fight to stop violence against women and girls, including rape, battery, incest, female genital mutilation (FGM) and sexual slavery.
I had the privilege to attend one of these productions last night. It was eye opening! You always know about these things and that they are happening, but you're never aware that they are happening around you in really close proximity. Korean women were tortured and forced into sex slaves during the WW2 where ships of soldiers would arrive daily and each women would have to 'service' about 50 men each day. They were fed rice and miso soup and were not allowed to wash, move around, use condoms, refuse or say 'leave me alone' or 'I don't want to'. To this day these women are looking for apologies from the Japanese Government and each Wednesday they go to the Japanese Embassy in Seoul in hope for an apology.
We can help women like these by getting involved! This year the focus was on the women of the DRC. Women all around Africa are still experiencing horrific acts like circumcision and the complete removal of their vagina's with glass shards, knives and rusted blades and live a very short, painful and emotionally 'fucked' live.
Congo is said to be the most dangerous place on earth for women and girls. Since 1996, sexual violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been used to torture and humiliate women and girls and destroy families. Hundreds of thousands of women and girls have been raped since the conflict began. In addition to the severe psychological impact, sexual violence leaves many survivors with genital lesions, traumatic fistulae, severed and broken limbs, unwanted pregnancies, and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV. Survivors are regularly ostracized and abandoned by their families and communities.
One woman's story:
ZAMUDA
54 years old.5 militias Tutsi's and Mai Mai. I was naked in front of my kids. Her husband and children were killed in front of her. They beat her legs. She will never forget the feeling of the rifle inside her vagina. She has no kids to take care of her when she is old.
Look at a few of these facts:
47.9% of female sex workers in South Korea do not use condoms.
In Seoul, Korea, 22% of adult women said they had been the victims of rape and attempted rape.
In 2007, there were 1081 reported cases of sexual abuse against children in South Korea.
In Seoul, there are 42 348 male toilets compared to only 34 649 toilets for females.
90% of the women working as prostitutes in Korea are trafficked from Southeast Asian countries.
In a survey in South Africa, 25% of the young men admitted to having had sex with a woman without her consent, before he was 18 years of age (Human Rights Watch).
In the late nineties in South Africa, 40% of reported rapes and attempted rapes targeted girls younger than 17 years of age. (Human Rights Watch)
Philippines: An estimated 400,000 women in prostitution, a quarter of whom are children. 150,000 Filipina women have been trafficked into prostitution in Japan.
There are many more shocking statistics.
If you want to get involved, check out the website:
http://www.vday.org/about
Go to this website and read about what is happening around the world and how we can get involved to help and prevent violence against women and girls.
This shocked me to my core and I will do and try anything to help these ladies.
You can watch some of the Vagina Monologues posted on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=vagina+monologues&search_type=
Please, get involved!!
In 2009, more that 4000 V-day events took place in the U.S and around the world. To date, the V-day movement has raised over $70 million and educated millions about the issue of violence against women and the efforts to end it. V-Day generates broader attention for the fight to stop violence against women and girls, including rape, battery, incest, female genital mutilation (FGM) and sexual slavery.
I had the privilege to attend one of these productions last night. It was eye opening! You always know about these things and that they are happening, but you're never aware that they are happening around you in really close proximity. Korean women were tortured and forced into sex slaves during the WW2 where ships of soldiers would arrive daily and each women would have to 'service' about 50 men each day. They were fed rice and miso soup and were not allowed to wash, move around, use condoms, refuse or say 'leave me alone' or 'I don't want to'. To this day these women are looking for apologies from the Japanese Government and each Wednesday they go to the Japanese Embassy in Seoul in hope for an apology.
We can help women like these by getting involved! This year the focus was on the women of the DRC. Women all around Africa are still experiencing horrific acts like circumcision and the complete removal of their vagina's with glass shards, knives and rusted blades and live a very short, painful and emotionally 'fucked' live.
Congo is said to be the most dangerous place on earth for women and girls. Since 1996, sexual violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been used to torture and humiliate women and girls and destroy families. Hundreds of thousands of women and girls have been raped since the conflict began. In addition to the severe psychological impact, sexual violence leaves many survivors with genital lesions, traumatic fistulae, severed and broken limbs, unwanted pregnancies, and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV. Survivors are regularly ostracized and abandoned by their families and communities.
One woman's story:
ZAMUDA
54 years old.5 militias Tutsi's and Mai Mai. I was naked in front of my kids. Her husband and children were killed in front of her. They beat her legs. She will never forget the feeling of the rifle inside her vagina. She has no kids to take care of her when she is old.
Look at a few of these facts:
47.9% of female sex workers in South Korea do not use condoms.
In Seoul, Korea, 22% of adult women said they had been the victims of rape and attempted rape.
In 2007, there were 1081 reported cases of sexual abuse against children in South Korea.
In Seoul, there are 42 348 male toilets compared to only 34 649 toilets for females.
90% of the women working as prostitutes in Korea are trafficked from Southeast Asian countries.
In a survey in South Africa, 25% of the young men admitted to having had sex with a woman without her consent, before he was 18 years of age (Human Rights Watch).
In the late nineties in South Africa, 40% of reported rapes and attempted rapes targeted girls younger than 17 years of age. (Human Rights Watch)
Philippines: An estimated 400,000 women in prostitution, a quarter of whom are children. 150,000 Filipina women have been trafficked into prostitution in Japan.
There are many more shocking statistics.
If you want to get involved, check out the website:
http://www.vday.org/about
Go to this website and read about what is happening around the world and how we can get involved to help and prevent violence against women and girls.
This shocked me to my core and I will do and try anything to help these ladies.
You can watch some of the Vagina Monologues posted on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=vagina+monologues&search_type=
Please, get involved!!
Friday, March 12, 2010
What? Huh... How?
So on Wednesday morning I wake up to a call from Salome, even before my alarm went off for school. 06:57 am. As I was trying to get my voice to work she started shouting: Dude, open you window!!
You will never believe what I saw when I opened my window! S*N*O*W!! wtf?
view uit my venster
First of all, we live by the beach and as you know that's the last place it ever snows. Second of all, it's March and its Spring (supposedly). Third of all, it didn't snow in winter and last week the sun was still shining. Global Warming jou bitch!
Still, it was awesome! I immediately called the school and told them I wasn't going in and that I wanted to play in the snow - it never snows back home ... My school agreed! How sick is that? Anyways, so Salome and I ran around the block taking pictures of absolutely everything and trying really hard not to slip and land on our asses. At this point it was still snowing, so bad that it was hard keeping your eyes open. Not that we were complaining.
My paadjie skool toe
We decided to go onto the roof of our building and check out the scenery and see how much snow was gathered up there. When I got to the roof, the first thing I did was make a snow angel. There wasn't enough snow to actually do it, but I had fun!
We also tried to make a mini snow man and to attack people from the roof with snow balls. That didn't go as well.. :)
At that stage it was 9 o' clock in the morning and we were still busy trying to convince Salome's school to let her stay home. I made us a very big jummy Nus breakfast, consisting of bacon, mince, eggs, mushrooms, onions and toast with tomatoes. Normally after a breakfast like that, your hang over will be gone and it will be time for the best nap ever. Not this Wednesday! Salome's school finally agreed to let her stay home so after we got dressed we got on the subway towards the beach.
It was soooo cool! I never thought that I would actually see snow on a beach. It was ridiculous! The beach was the best spot for snowmen. The poor seagulls refused to fly and stayed in the 'waves' instead. The pigeons were braver and missioned around on the beach. We just finished our hot chocolates and decided to go see a movie at Lotte Cinema next to Shinsegae. We saw Alice in Wonderland in 3D! Johnny Depp I love you forever!
By the way, the sun is shining again ... (but it's still freezing!!)
Are you doing your part for the world? (Recycle or take part in Earth Hour, just do something!)
You will never believe what I saw when I opened my window! S*N*O*W!! wtf?
view uit my venster
First of all, we live by the beach and as you know that's the last place it ever snows. Second of all, it's March and its Spring (supposedly). Third of all, it didn't snow in winter and last week the sun was still shining. Global Warming jou bitch!
Still, it was awesome! I immediately called the school and told them I wasn't going in and that I wanted to play in the snow - it never snows back home ... My school agreed! How sick is that? Anyways, so Salome and I ran around the block taking pictures of absolutely everything and trying really hard not to slip and land on our asses. At this point it was still snowing, so bad that it was hard keeping your eyes open. Not that we were complaining.
My paadjie skool toe
We decided to go onto the roof of our building and check out the scenery and see how much snow was gathered up there. When I got to the roof, the first thing I did was make a snow angel. There wasn't enough snow to actually do it, but I had fun!
We also tried to make a mini snow man and to attack people from the roof with snow balls. That didn't go as well.. :)
At that stage it was 9 o' clock in the morning and we were still busy trying to convince Salome's school to let her stay home. I made us a very big jummy Nus breakfast, consisting of bacon, mince, eggs, mushrooms, onions and toast with tomatoes. Normally after a breakfast like that, your hang over will be gone and it will be time for the best nap ever. Not this Wednesday! Salome's school finally agreed to let her stay home so after we got dressed we got on the subway towards the beach.
It was soooo cool! I never thought that I would actually see snow on a beach. It was ridiculous! The beach was the best spot for snowmen. The poor seagulls refused to fly and stayed in the 'waves' instead. The pigeons were braver and missioned around on the beach. We just finished our hot chocolates and decided to go see a movie at Lotte Cinema next to Shinsegae. We saw Alice in Wonderland in 3D! Johnny Depp I love you forever!
By the way, the sun is shining again ... (but it's still freezing!!)
Are you doing your part for the world? (Recycle or take part in Earth Hour, just do something!)
Sunday, February 28, 2010
6 months and 11 days
Six months and 11 days. That's how long I've been in Korea. Unbelievable isn't it? It's amazing how time flies. I guess the saying is true: Time flies when you're having fun.
So far Korea's been amazing. I mean everything has its ups and downs but I certainly can't complain. I must be honest, a week or two at home would be marvelous at the moment, but what the hell, what can you do?
I've met so many amazing people from all over the world (New Zealand, UK and USA specifically) and I've learned a lot. For those of you who know me well, would know that my general knowledge is up to shit. If even managed to work on that (In the lonely and boring hours at school after teaching). I have travelled quite a bit (Seoul, Incheon, Cheongju and Thailand) and I'm planning a diving trip to Jeju island in May and China in June/July.
The coolest news at the moment is that I bought an Apple MacBook two days ago! Hallo Apple!
Anyways, the new school year starts on Tuesday and unfortunately it's back to work then. Hope to hear from you guys soon!
Love and miss you x
So far Korea's been amazing. I mean everything has its ups and downs but I certainly can't complain. I must be honest, a week or two at home would be marvelous at the moment, but what the hell, what can you do?
I've met so many amazing people from all over the world (New Zealand, UK and USA specifically) and I've learned a lot. For those of you who know me well, would know that my general knowledge is up to shit. If even managed to work on that (In the lonely and boring hours at school after teaching). I have travelled quite a bit (Seoul, Incheon, Cheongju and Thailand) and I'm planning a diving trip to Jeju island in May and China in June/July.
The coolest news at the moment is that I bought an Apple MacBook two days ago! Hallo Apple!
Anyways, the new school year starts on Tuesday and unfortunately it's back to work then. Hope to hear from you guys soon!
Love and miss you x
Sunday, February 7, 2010
I left my heart in Thailand
Wow, where to start? First of all, Thailand is amazing!! It's the most beautiful place in the world and it is where I want to live, NOW!
Salome, Albert, Dewet and Moi just traveled to Thailand for 2 weeks. What an experience!!
We started our trip in Kuyangsang (Where we live) at 21:30. We took the subway to Nopodong and got on an overnight bus at 23:20 to Incheon. It was the coldest night ever! We were so happy to arrive at Incheon airport. Obviously we went straight to the Mac Donald's for breakfast and coffee as it was 5 o' clock in the morning.
We waited around to check in just past 6 for our flight to Taipei at 9. The flight to Taipei wasn't too bad as it was only 2 hours. Taipei's airport is TERRIBLE! There is absolutely nothing to do and it is very expensive. I bought 3 magazines for $33. I was probably cheated, but o well - Cosmo and Elle, need I say more??
We had lunch at the one cafe we could find and then boarded the second plane to Bangkok. The second flight took just over 3 hours. Bangkok is awesome, even as you arrive. All that you could see from the plane were palm trees, where in Taiwan you only saw rice and rice!
Bangkok was amazing from the start. It was very hot when we arrived so we immediately started tearing off the layers. We tried to find a TAT counter to book transport to Koh Tao but didn't succeed so decided to take a taxi to Koh San Road and find a place to stay before we worry about further transport.
The taxi took us straight to Koh San Road and to the D+D Inn. On arrival we found out that they are fully booked and that they are very expensive and trying their luck with tourists. Just outside was a little TAT office and the girl advised us to walk through the D+D and past the ally to New Joe's Guest house. She said it's clean, cheap and the food is very good. Awesome! So that's exactly what we did. We found a triple room for the three of us with air con. Something very important when in Thailand. The first night we spent drinking beer and shopping in Koh San Road.
The next day started with a well deserved American Breakfast at the New Joe Guest house. As warned the food was amazing and this was where the obsession with the American Breakfast started. Yum! Actually English breakfast but o well, if you want to call it American.. OK. Dewet joined us on the second morning. He flew all the way from home (RSA) for the trip.
So finally the mission to Koh Tao started. We tried to book the overnight train from Bangkok to Chumpon, but it was already fully booked. We settled for an overnight bus (MISTAKE!!) instead. The bus was terrible. The seats are smaller than those on the plane in economy class. Seriously they can give Mango, back home, a go. Anyways the bus only stopped after 4 hours and you can imagine how glad we were to get out, get fresh air, make a bathroom stop and get something to eat. This was just before 4 in the morning.
Then we still had an hour and a half to Chumpon. Needless to say none of us closed an eye on the trip to Chumpon. We arrived at the pier and had coffee sitting around silently waiting for the Lomprayah. The Lomprayah is a high speed catamaran that takes one from Chumpon to Koh Tao. The first sunrise in Thailand was unforgettable!
The Lomprayah took about 2 hours to Koh Tao. I will never forget the first view of the island. Magnificent, breath taking!! It was beautiful. Everyone on the boat were smiling as they got off. We were so happy to finally be there! Big Blue was waiting for us at the pier to take us to the resort on Sairee beach. Pretty cool, all the taxi's on the 21km island are bakkies. As we arrived at Big Blue Diving, we had to chill in the restaurant for a while and fill out diving forms and insurance. This was for the diving courses we planned on doing while on the island. Unfortunately they made a huge mistake with our reservation, so they had to move us to the south of the island. We were NOT happy. There was absolutely nothing going on in the South and it was so far away from everything. Luckilly within two days they moved us back to Sairee beach to Big Blue. It still wasn't the accommodation we booked, but it was better than nothing. Originally we booked the beach huts with hammocks..
The first day we spent exploring the island on poegies. It was so much fun! Very adventurous. :)
The second day we started with our Padi Open Water dive course. The first day we just had paper work to do. The real thing started the next morning. We did academics in the mornings and went diving in the afternoon. Our first dive was to 12m. I couldn't get down on the first dive because of my ear and because I couldn't equalize. I was so pissed off! Luckily I made it down on the second dive. We had to do some skills under water - we had to take our masks off and regulators out, had to pretend to be out of air and do CESA's (Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascent). My ear was hurting so much after the dive that I wasn't able to dive with the rest of the crew the next day when they did their last 2 dives to 18m. I was really sad because the videographer filmed them the next day and I wouldn't be on it. O well my ear got better and I got to go the following day.
We had very nice instructors and without them I'm not sure I would be a diver after all. Sonia did all the academics with us. This was awesome, because she is a dive medic so it's very comfortable having her around you all the time. Andy joined us on the dives and was awesome! He has a very calming effect under the water and is a lot of fun!!
I eventually finished my course and now I am a certified open water diver. I also got a dvd of my 18m dive but is very boring compared to the other guys' dvd where they play games and have fun. We were only 2 girls doing the last dive, but at least I have some visual evidence that I was under the water :)
After doing the course, we were still keen on diving and Andy advised us to do an Adventure Deep dive to 30m. We had a little home work to do and the following morning we were back at the beach at 6am for breakfast and our 30m dive. At first it was very scary, because it's deep and we had a new instructor. But it was worth it and amazing! We made it all the way down to 28m and had a swim with 2 bull sharks. I thought it would be scary, but it wasn't, it was unforgettable!
Everyday on the island we spent by swimming, diving, eating and getting massages. It was probably the most relaxed holiday I have ever had. It was so worth it!
Our time on the island were starting to run out. Bummer. We had to head back to Bangkok soon and then get ready to leave for Korea. I didn't want to go home. We heard about so many people who went to Koh Tao for holiday and never left. I wanted to be one of those people. But unfortunately I have a flat in Korea with a lot of stuff and a stupid job to go back to..
We left Koh Tao at about 2 in the afternoon and took the Lomprayah back to Chumpon.
We booked the overnight train to Bangkok which left at 7 that evening. The train was pretty cool. Each compartment was full of double bunk beds. There were no seats. They can fold the beds into seats, but the beds were already there when we boarded the train. We had a nice dinner in the first cart and then went to bed for the rest of the bumpy ride.
The next morning we arrived very early in Bangkok and took a taxi from the station to New Joe's Guest House where we had a reservation. Obviously the guest house wasn't open by the time we got there as it was 5 in the morning. Another early morning... We waited around for the restaurant to open and once again started the day with a delicious American Breakfast. After breakfast we danced through the shower and went for massages. Hilarious! Albert was massaged by a lady man! Well it had an adams apple.. haha Sorry Allie! We also went for fish massages - terrible!!! It tickles the life out of you!
Albert loved and left us that day to go back home. Salome and I settled for tattoo's and a jummy dinner. The next morning we left for the airport at 8 and flew to Taiwan where we had a 15 hour lay over. As we got to the airport they told us we can either book into a hotel or buy a visa for Taiwan because the airport closes and we are not allowed to stay there. WTF? So we booked into the hotel. It proved to be very cool, cause it was a really nice hotel and we were escorted by immigration as we didn't have visa's, or passports for that matter. We were only too happy to have a proper clean bed for the evening and celebrated by ordering room service. The next morning we got up with a drag, enjoyed our last breakfast buffet and headed to the airport to fly back home.
Arrive in Korea: COLD! Not cool to be home! 6 months to my next holiday!!! I can't wait!
Thailand was amazing and unforgettable and I would go back in the wink of an eye!
Salome, Albert, Dewet and Moi just traveled to Thailand for 2 weeks. What an experience!!
We started our trip in Kuyangsang (Where we live) at 21:30. We took the subway to Nopodong and got on an overnight bus at 23:20 to Incheon. It was the coldest night ever! We were so happy to arrive at Incheon airport. Obviously we went straight to the Mac Donald's for breakfast and coffee as it was 5 o' clock in the morning.
We waited around to check in just past 6 for our flight to Taipei at 9. The flight to Taipei wasn't too bad as it was only 2 hours. Taipei's airport is TERRIBLE! There is absolutely nothing to do and it is very expensive. I bought 3 magazines for $33. I was probably cheated, but o well - Cosmo and Elle, need I say more??
We had lunch at the one cafe we could find and then boarded the second plane to Bangkok. The second flight took just over 3 hours. Bangkok is awesome, even as you arrive. All that you could see from the plane were palm trees, where in Taiwan you only saw rice and rice!
Bangkok was amazing from the start. It was very hot when we arrived so we immediately started tearing off the layers. We tried to find a TAT counter to book transport to Koh Tao but didn't succeed so decided to take a taxi to Koh San Road and find a place to stay before we worry about further transport.
The taxi took us straight to Koh San Road and to the D+D Inn. On arrival we found out that they are fully booked and that they are very expensive and trying their luck with tourists. Just outside was a little TAT office and the girl advised us to walk through the D+D and past the ally to New Joe's Guest house. She said it's clean, cheap and the food is very good. Awesome! So that's exactly what we did. We found a triple room for the three of us with air con. Something very important when in Thailand. The first night we spent drinking beer and shopping in Koh San Road.
The next day started with a well deserved American Breakfast at the New Joe Guest house. As warned the food was amazing and this was where the obsession with the American Breakfast started. Yum! Actually English breakfast but o well, if you want to call it American.. OK. Dewet joined us on the second morning. He flew all the way from home (RSA) for the trip.
So finally the mission to Koh Tao started. We tried to book the overnight train from Bangkok to Chumpon, but it was already fully booked. We settled for an overnight bus (MISTAKE!!) instead. The bus was terrible. The seats are smaller than those on the plane in economy class. Seriously they can give Mango, back home, a go. Anyways the bus only stopped after 4 hours and you can imagine how glad we were to get out, get fresh air, make a bathroom stop and get something to eat. This was just before 4 in the morning.
Then we still had an hour and a half to Chumpon. Needless to say none of us closed an eye on the trip to Chumpon. We arrived at the pier and had coffee sitting around silently waiting for the Lomprayah. The Lomprayah is a high speed catamaran that takes one from Chumpon to Koh Tao. The first sunrise in Thailand was unforgettable!
The Lomprayah took about 2 hours to Koh Tao. I will never forget the first view of the island. Magnificent, breath taking!! It was beautiful. Everyone on the boat were smiling as they got off. We were so happy to finally be there! Big Blue was waiting for us at the pier to take us to the resort on Sairee beach. Pretty cool, all the taxi's on the 21km island are bakkies. As we arrived at Big Blue Diving, we had to chill in the restaurant for a while and fill out diving forms and insurance. This was for the diving courses we planned on doing while on the island. Unfortunately they made a huge mistake with our reservation, so they had to move us to the south of the island. We were NOT happy. There was absolutely nothing going on in the South and it was so far away from everything. Luckilly within two days they moved us back to Sairee beach to Big Blue. It still wasn't the accommodation we booked, but it was better than nothing. Originally we booked the beach huts with hammocks..
The first day we spent exploring the island on poegies. It was so much fun! Very adventurous. :)
The second day we started with our Padi Open Water dive course. The first day we just had paper work to do. The real thing started the next morning. We did academics in the mornings and went diving in the afternoon. Our first dive was to 12m. I couldn't get down on the first dive because of my ear and because I couldn't equalize. I was so pissed off! Luckily I made it down on the second dive. We had to do some skills under water - we had to take our masks off and regulators out, had to pretend to be out of air and do CESA's (Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascent). My ear was hurting so much after the dive that I wasn't able to dive with the rest of the crew the next day when they did their last 2 dives to 18m. I was really sad because the videographer filmed them the next day and I wouldn't be on it. O well my ear got better and I got to go the following day.
We had very nice instructors and without them I'm not sure I would be a diver after all. Sonia did all the academics with us. This was awesome, because she is a dive medic so it's very comfortable having her around you all the time. Andy joined us on the dives and was awesome! He has a very calming effect under the water and is a lot of fun!!
I eventually finished my course and now I am a certified open water diver. I also got a dvd of my 18m dive but is very boring compared to the other guys' dvd where they play games and have fun. We were only 2 girls doing the last dive, but at least I have some visual evidence that I was under the water :)
After doing the course, we were still keen on diving and Andy advised us to do an Adventure Deep dive to 30m. We had a little home work to do and the following morning we were back at the beach at 6am for breakfast and our 30m dive. At first it was very scary, because it's deep and we had a new instructor. But it was worth it and amazing! We made it all the way down to 28m and had a swim with 2 bull sharks. I thought it would be scary, but it wasn't, it was unforgettable!
Everyday on the island we spent by swimming, diving, eating and getting massages. It was probably the most relaxed holiday I have ever had. It was so worth it!
Our time on the island were starting to run out. Bummer. We had to head back to Bangkok soon and then get ready to leave for Korea. I didn't want to go home. We heard about so many people who went to Koh Tao for holiday and never left. I wanted to be one of those people. But unfortunately I have a flat in Korea with a lot of stuff and a stupid job to go back to..
We left Koh Tao at about 2 in the afternoon and took the Lomprayah back to Chumpon.
We booked the overnight train to Bangkok which left at 7 that evening. The train was pretty cool. Each compartment was full of double bunk beds. There were no seats. They can fold the beds into seats, but the beds were already there when we boarded the train. We had a nice dinner in the first cart and then went to bed for the rest of the bumpy ride.
The next morning we arrived very early in Bangkok and took a taxi from the station to New Joe's Guest House where we had a reservation. Obviously the guest house wasn't open by the time we got there as it was 5 in the morning. Another early morning... We waited around for the restaurant to open and once again started the day with a delicious American Breakfast. After breakfast we danced through the shower and went for massages. Hilarious! Albert was massaged by a lady man! Well it had an adams apple.. haha Sorry Allie! We also went for fish massages - terrible!!! It tickles the life out of you!
Albert loved and left us that day to go back home. Salome and I settled for tattoo's and a jummy dinner. The next morning we left for the airport at 8 and flew to Taiwan where we had a 15 hour lay over. As we got to the airport they told us we can either book into a hotel or buy a visa for Taiwan because the airport closes and we are not allowed to stay there. WTF? So we booked into the hotel. It proved to be very cool, cause it was a really nice hotel and we were escorted by immigration as we didn't have visa's, or passports for that matter. We were only too happy to have a proper clean bed for the evening and celebrated by ordering room service. The next morning we got up with a drag, enjoyed our last breakfast buffet and headed to the airport to fly back home.
Arrive in Korea: COLD! Not cool to be home! 6 months to my next holiday!!! I can't wait!
Thailand was amazing and unforgettable and I would go back in the wink of an eye!
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