Day 59: First Dive!

Awake late, bike is due at 11am, look at the clock, it's 11:15, buggers! They have my passport, always looking to scam and extra buck, better get a move on.

Get there by 11:20, check over bike, check over helmet, I pass, woo hoo! Get back to the resort after a sweaty 10 minute walk, passport in the one pocket, key to the moped in the other ... whoops. I'm leaving for my 2 dives at 12:15, 30 minutes, have not eaten, need to change, need to return the key, what should I do first? Eat! Hit up the resorts ocean side restaurant, put a rush on the order, get it 20 minutes later, but of course, and head to my room to change. No time to hit up the moped place, make it to the dive shed on time, work it out with them to stop by the moped place on way to the pier ... Dang I'm good!

Jump on the boat, meet my divemaster, Paul, first stop, Tanote Bay. It's a shallow dive, 18 meters deep at most (54 feet), but plenty to see. Next stop, Hin Wong Bay, another good site. Both dives were incredible, saw big and small, poisonous and harmless, growing and dead - just amazing. Won't bore you with the specifics, but when I secure a decent internet connection, facebook will be updated.

Get back, connect with the guys, they did their pool dive today. We are starving, head into town, eat at Tong's Kitchen off the main road - cheap cheap, good good. Stuff ourselves and then it was off on the search to find "The Game". Slug has been reading it for a few days and testing out his skills. Max ans Snake are intrigued, and the quest ensues. After a good mile down the brick path that parallels the beach, and multiple book store stops, Max Brannan gets lucky. Watch out ladies, he's sharing with Snake and Costa ... It spells trouble.

Leave everyone at the Internet cafe, make the scary 500m walk back to the resort down the pitch black broken concrete/dirt main road. Not scared of thieves, maybe a little bit of drunk motor bikers, but mostly of the dog packs and tarantulas. This morning Rollo told us he was chased by 5 dogs along the beach last night, all the way back to the resort. The rogue mean ones are out there, and they're looking to wreak havoc, I posture myself for attack. Find myself back at Coral Grand without incident, take a quick shower, and now it's time for an early departure to bed. I have a 6:15am boat to catch, 2 more dives, cross your fingers I see a whale shark!

Nite nite via the iPhone blogger!