23rd to 25th Dec. - Koh Phangan, Christmas on Hat Yao Beach

25th Dec. - Exploring the island by motorbike.

Sounds nice huh? Funny thing was, that it started to rain at half way and we were souking wet, when coming back to our bungalow.
Anyway, it was and adventure. The good thing about the rain was that all the Thais seem to hide inside - they seem to don't like the rain, so the streets were empty.
























Back in our bungalow, we met a nice couple from Sweden and Norwey on there secound honeymoon. They were in the premiere league in drinking, we just rooky. Nice though.

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24th Dec. - Diving & beach on Christmas 2008
We went out with Hat Yao Divers to a dive trip to Sail Rock, which is the most recommended dive spot within the Gulf of Thailand.

Perfectly organised, we did two dives with our own dive master around Sail Rock. Visibility 8 to 10 meter, but strong current, so even the fish were swimming forward. High light was, the under water chimney, which we entered at 18 meters and went up to 12 meters. Wow.

The other guest divers were two kids (6+8 years) and their father from South Africa, who have had about 40 dives already. Stunning, but cool. The fathers plan is to get them to the dive mater level when they finished with school, so they can travel the world earning some money with diving.













The oil massage afterwards at the beach was well earned.
















Christmas dinner at the beach, baracuda, mackarele, wine & letting a thai ballon up into the air afterwards, ended a packed day.

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23rd Dec. - Traveling from Koh Tao back to Koh Phangan & relax at the Hat Yao Beach

After checking all resorts at the beautifull Hat Yao Beach with Alex from Russia, we decided for Ibiza Bungalows, almost directly at the beach, hot shower, hamock outside, beautiful.

Just spending the rest of the day relaxing at the beach.

21. 22 th Dec. - Koh Tao, Chaenk Baan Hat - Freedom beach

Away from this cheep Crystal bungalows near the pier to a hot shower bungalow with and own private small beach. So we went to another beach, a few minutes with the taxi and checked in Freedom Beach Resort (south of Koh Tao).

A bungalow with a wonderful few on the Freedom beach, nice private and only 800 Baht per night (20 Euro).



The pills for Nadine show the first success, its starting to get better.

19th to 20th Dec. - Koh Tao - Advanced Open Water Diver

The Advanced Open Water Diver course was 2 days full of reading, training and diving. In a group of 4 students (2 Israely, 1 Canada), one dive master Iain and one dive instructor (Suki from China) we were trained 2 must and 3 optional skills.

My buddy Michael and me decided for:
> peak performance buoyancy - learn to balance better in the water
> dive navigation - use the compass
> deep dive (30 meters) - nothing special
> search & recovery - use and train search patterns to find things under water and bring them up safely
> night dive - dive with under water lights

So now I am Advanced Open Water Diver, which is the second level & allows me to dive down to 30 meters.









Nadines certifies to Open Water Diver (max 18 meters). Perfect, so now we can go diving together.

A pitty, that Michaels girlsfriend (Monique) skipped the practical part because she got scared of it all.

Anyway, we all had a good night out to celebrate our success. Too bad, that Nadine is having some stomach problems. So, we will see the doctor tomorrow.

17th & 18th Dec. - Koh Tao diving

18th Dec. - Koh Tao Fun Dive
I signed up for some fun dives this afternoon, so I hadn't to get up at 6:30am like Nadine and can explore the streets a little & of course write the blog.

Wonderful news from Germany, Christian bought an AC/DC ticket for me at Hockenheim ring in May. Fantastic - Thanks Christian.

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17th Dec. - Arriving in Koh Tao & starting dive refresher course

Pick up 07:30am, waking up at the right time was no problem, because a stuff menber woke us up at 05:30am - probably she was at the wrong bungalow. There is one this Thai can not do - they can not excuse, even when they are obivously wrong. Almost the same story which the meal - no Thai ever asked if the meal was good. - Anyway, service and price level of Cocohut (Koh Phangan) does not fit together.

Koh Tao is as small island, approx. 75km north of Koh Phangan, which took the speed ferry about 1.5 hours (10:00am). We were collected and guided diretcly to the Crystal diving resort, 2 min from the pier to fill out some paiper work with 50 other students and check in a small bungalow.

Nadine's theory course started right away and I did my 2 hour refresher course with Amy the diving instructor and Michael from Canada: refreshing our theoretical skills in a test, to prepare the diving stuff, underwater signs, regulator exchange, mask off under water etc.

Nice talking to Micheal, whos girlfriend also started the open water course today, like Nadine. They have traveled Lao, Cambodia and Vietnam before coming to Thailand. We waited at the beach in some nice chairs for the girls and had some beer.









No dought, that we went out together at the nicer capital beach with some english girls.

16th Dec. - Koh Phangan/ booking diving course @ Koh Tao

Waking up without packing in the morning is soo relaxing, the day started good. We went to the beach, had a swin in the refreching cold water and read some hours before we went to the famours FULL MOON Party beach 5 min. away from us. We are currently staying at the sunset beach, the party beach is called sunrise beach. It's much rugher sea, which 1m waves, a dirty beach and hundreds of very used looking bars.










We decided for a diving course in the neighbour island Koh Tao tomorrow with Crystal diving operation. Open water diver for Nadine and an Advanced open water diver for me. Accomodation, ferry and course inclusive will cost us 20.000 Baht (400 Euro) for the next 4 days.

14th & 15th Dec. - Koh Samui & Koh Phangan

15th Dec. - Koh Phangan - Cocohut
A windy morning, a hang over and the hot shower doesn't work. Bad start into the day, no wonder that it started raining a little as we left Koh Samui with the ferry.

We staight went to Hat Rin, the party beach into a super nice place The Cocohut --> http://www.cocohut.com/


We will stay here for a two days, paying half the price for our bungalow as normal! Great deal. The israelian resort. Never seen travellers from Israel before on the trip, and now 90% of the guest are from this country. Strange but ok. I have to go swimming & check out some films in the evening at the central place.















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14th Dec. - Koh Samui, Party beach Lamai
Croweded place, girly bars, unfriendly. One night is enough, just to have a good bed after 9 hours travelling from Phuket town with bus (5h) and boat (2h) to Koh Samui.

The only good thing was that we have met a german couple from Stuttgart, which whom we had some beers on the beach.

12th to 13th Dec. - Raya Island = Paradise Island

After one night at Kata beach in Phuket, we went to Raya Island. The pure paradise island, 30 min south by speed boat. Cristal clear water, palm gardens, colourful fishes surrounding you in the water - so perfect to be there.

We rented a paradise bungalow in the low price segment (1500 baht per night) direclty beside the 20.000 baht homes.










A little more expensive than our last accomodations, but definitly worth it. Snorkling, and relaxing at the beach with iguanas and eagles been guests in the reastaurant aswell.






13th Dec., afternoon, we were collected by the speed boat again and tried to get a bus to the other side of the island. Right now we are staying on the Andaman See side and want to go to the Gulf of Thailand side, which is supposed to be a little bit colder, but has not been explored by us right now.










Pitty, the last bus to Sura Tani left at 3:30pm already, so we had to stay in Phuket town for a night. Not a really spectacular place to be but cheap - 300Baht per night, near the center and the night market.

Got a haircut for 100 Baht (2 Euro) by pointing at a photograf, she knew hot to cut my hair. Hairy story, but a good ending.