Koh Tao

One of my favourite places on our trip so far.

I got my Open Water diver training and cert here with Scuba Junction. Ko Tao is pretty much just diving and partying. There are some schools on the island that churn out students like a factory. Scuba J was a good wee school, with max of 4 students per instructor. We stayed at their accommodation for a discounted student price but I understand some schools will provide you with free accomm if you take a course with them.

'Class' started at 9am. The only place around open for breakfast was the Coffee boat. They must coat the tables in syrup because there is so many FLIES. Pretty gross and a wee shame because the food is ok.

Class (theory and videos), lunch, dive and practise skills, cold shower, dinner, homework.

Our 1st visit to Koh Tao was all about diving. Maybe because it was where I first got diving but its definitely one of my favourite places. The sites were all beautiful. Most memorable was my 4th dive. The waters were rough and before the 3rd dive I was already thinking I can't wait to get back to the mainland. My instructor Linzi asked if I wanted a sea sick pill. 'Will it not make me drowsy?' I ask. 'I dunno, probably not.' I went without. 'As soon as you get in the water its okay.' while she was briefing us I had to go be sick over the side of the boat !! Not nice.

Dive 3 was good. Still looking for a turtle though.

Dive 4 we moved to calmer waters. I was warying of eating anything on the break but also realised my lunch had gone so hopefully I'd be ok. I'm still not sure whether diving is a strenuous activity or not... The site was called 'white rock', really pretty. Near the end of the dive Linzi made the hand gesture for a turtle, and I put out my hands like where?!?! And flippered quickly over to her forgetting that turtles are slow creatures. He was just hanging out. It was ace. And the perfect end to the diving, after feeling so horrible earlier too. It seemed all the dive schools had groups surrounding him but he was just minding his own business.

Koh Tao means turtle island and I assumed that was because there was lots of turtles there but apparently its because the island is shaped like a turtle shell. Our video was shown at Hippo restaurant/bar and I guy said he had been on over 100 dives and still hadn't seen a turtle... I guess we were lucky!

Buy some for your mother!

The view from our balcony...

After spending the night in Phuket airport. (We actually planned this... !) We arrive in rainy B a l i.

I love going to the market here in Asia. Prices are rarely fixed so you get to barter and have some chat with the locals. I know people would rather not waste the 5 minutes but it's all part of the shopping experience! The Balinese all think I'm Japanese but I'm from Scotland... I like a bargain !

First impressions- the Balinese are really friendly people. They always stop for a chat, but not just because they want to make a sale. Quite a few of them have Australian accents too tehehe. Lots of Australian tourists here.

How much are these shorts?

How many you want? Cheaper for more.

I've only got 1 pair of legs, just one!

No, you buy more, I give it to you cheaper. Buy some for your mother!

Haha, no. One pair- how much?

Okay, Japanese price 120,000... Australian Price 180,000...

I got them for 40,000. He raised his hand a few times but I wasn't sure if he wanted to hit me, or slap me in the back for being cheeky. I kinda threw 40 out there to begin with and stuck with it.

C'mon you buy two, 100,000...

Ah, so one for 120,000; two for 100,000 !

It's all good, light hearted fun. It's important to support the locals. As we were leaving he tried to sell me a wooden penis bottle opener !

That's what you get for being cheeky.

Coffee?

Vietnamese coffee

We've been on quite a few over night sleeper buses here in Vietnam. The rides are bumpy, and well, you don't get that much sleep. The coffee is good though. This stuff would kick start a corpse.

You have to wait a few moments for the coffee to filter through.

The first one I had was black. Very strong. The next day I decided to try it with condensed milk and it taste like Kahlua or Baileys. Creamy but also sickly sweet. When you ask for sugar they load it with the stuff. Spoon, spoon, spoon. Tastes good.

I just bought a bag of weasel coffee. I'd heard of cat coffee before but I think its the same same. I'll have to wait til I get home to try it though unless I come across it again on my travels. I'll let you know.

Hanoi to Hue

We got back from Halong Bay with a few hours to wait before boarding the 13hr 'sleeper' bus to Hue. Apparently it would stop every 3,4 hours but of course it didn't- left at 7.30, didn't stop til 1am. There was a toilet onboard but you have to clamber over the locals who have set up camp in the aisles to get there!

My seat belt didn't tighten so I held on the whole time. I didn't really sleep on my side for fear of rolling off the top bunk. It was a bumpy ride- bouncing while you're horizontal is a strange feeling. I was also shot to the bottom of my bunk constantly because of the emergency stops- there are no real rules on the roads of Vietnam...

Arrive in Hue looking like zombies, and we're greeted by a bunch of locals- 'Hello, where are you from?'; 'Hello, you want hotel, where are you from?'; 'Hello, motorbike?'. The buses tend to drop you off outside a hotel they are associated with. Me and Pete had already made reservations at Hue Backpackers Hostel so off we trotted.

Hue was a welcome change to the busy fume park that was Hanoi. We did our usual and rented bikes to explore. The bikes have no gears. They are city bikes. I wish I could do the same back home. I love cycling on the roads here. Its totally chaotic but with a bit of cooperation everyone gets to their destination safe.

Across the river is the citadel going around the Palace and Forbidden Purple City. Its beautiful but still recovering from the War with constant restoration. We come out the South exit to try and find some lunch but walked all the way back to the front with no luck. We got our bikes back, 10, 000 dng for the attendant. We cycled out and spotted some Pho places so we parked up. A man was waving aggressively at us; pointing at a chair but we decide to chose the place next door. They both claim to be Lonely Planet approved (what does that even mean?) so still not sure if they were the same fam or not. The aggressive man was deaf and mute so I guess that explains his big actions. I know this because it says on their front banner- I thank you.

Afterwards we cycled the 3km to Thien Mu Pagoda. Nice wee ride along the Perfume River. We got there and de-mounted our iron horses in the car park but apparently the polis would come and take them away so this kind brother was offering to look after them for 10,000 dng. We politely declined and parked just round the corner from the pagoda. However the whole pagoda experience was tainted by the threat of the polis. So we looked around and left quick sharp for since it was starting to rain a wee bit. Also our bladders needed emptying but some locals decided to sit outside the public toilets and charge a further 10,000 dng to pee. Its only 30p but its the principle, and the zeros.

Anyways while the rest of our two wheeled companions had rain covers. They're like ponchos big enough for man and his bike. We whizzed back to our hostel and relaxed before the free beer between 5-6pm. Great. Then dinner, we walked around the block like 3 times looking for this Japanese restaurant which helps street kids by teaching them how to cook. We kept passing this place called Hot Tuna: 'Hello!... Hello again!' Hehe cheeky locals :-) we eventually asked them to help us out. We couldn't find it because it was closed. Sad face. So we ended up back on the street as our hostel eating the smallest sandwich I have ever encountered. I didn't even bother taking a photo to show you. Maybe I should of. Tiny.

Back to hostel, and sleep in a non moving bed. Huzzah. The dorm had singles and doubles. Sleep was ok. I was woken up by Pete shouting at this drunk guy who was trying to get in bed with us: 'What the hell are you doing?!?'; Drunk 'I don't know...' Heheh he was so drunk. Apparently he had been shuffling around the room for like 30mins trying to find a bed. I was dead to the world so had no idea.

Worse things happen I guess.

Wake up. Vietnamese coffee for the buzz then on the bus to Hoi an ...