Kuraburi Greenview Resort Hotel Khao Lak

at the third trip with manta queen 1 a fishing boat left quickly richelieu rock when we appeared. they had dropped their net when they saw us, and the net covered then the top of the rock. vic, tik, dan and mr.cru removed it successfully and we sent it together with some pictures to the similan island marine park office.

http://www.khaolakscubaa dventures.com

http://www.faceboo k.com/album.php?aid=29906&id=162165 2539&l=924243ffb6

... all had experience working on a liveaboard or taking one for fun and had some really great advice for us. The first thing to find out is what is included in the price. There are park fees, drink fees, docking fees, and other types of fees that might not be included so it's good to know what is not included. They also told us that the boats that hold a lot of people usually have a lot of snorkelers or day snorkelers so the entire boat is docked in ...

... until either they learn how to act correctly underwater or they just agree to never strap on a bcd and go back on their merry way. i suppose this all sounds racist but if you mention the words diving and japanese in the same sentence around just about any divemaster or instuctor, you will get a sad shake of the head and then an outburst of profanity that is both frightening and yet almost poetic in nature....think of it as a foul ...

... is the presence of some really strong currents on these dive sites. you find yourself really struggling sometimes trying to keep your proper buoyancy and going in the proper direction. i faired pretty well but there were a few times where a giant coral encrusted wall seemed to swerve out of nowhere into my path.....damn corals. in the end the trip was in essence a job interview and i passed. it is the beginning of the ...

... and yellow swim fins that match the fish. Taking mental photos and videos of everything around. Feeling cool currents, warm jets, lettnig myself get swayed back and forth with the fish in the tide. Swimly gracefully around underwater boulders and mini-caves to look for eels. A little creepy, thinknig I could get sucked and in stuck! Hearing my own breathing through the tube. The shimmering dappled sun creating surreal effects and shadows ...

... intentional attempt to bypass the phrase "Forsaking all others"! Then there was superb food and excellent champagne, accompanied by traditional Thai musicians playing what sounded very much like Gamelin music. Later, much later, we were all down on the beach for another traditional Thai custom [borrowed from the Chinese]. It involves lighting a flame inside a 3' high, 2' diameter bottomless calico lantern; holding the lantern until it has heated ...

... that no, I really couldn't walk, it fell to Joe (not GL A or B you understand) to give me a piggy back. He did this for as long as he could manage - I'm not as skinny as I used to be ... - but eventually he couldn't manage anymore so we paused to consider the next move. While all this was going on, I was aware of a conversation between one of my travelling companions and GL A where she was trying to impress upon him the fact that I need to be ...

... I have to admit as much fun as it has been to be on my own it was great having a friend to pal around with as well. We went to a local Wat where they have a great program called Monk Chat. It is a little program where the local Monks invite Farang to come to their temple compound and discuss Buddhism with them while they get to practice their English which they are very keen to do. Michele and I had a great time chatting with a series of young men and I even wound up being invited ...

... We go back to the Old City. It has become chaos. There are people packed in steady traffic all over the place. We walk around, taking half an hour to go a few meters, snaking through the throng of bodies. Loi Khrathong is great, but it is better to check out the Old City in the days right before the actual event. The coughing follows me like a heartbeat. I tire quickly. It is the same light show and I have no ...

... but after a while it really was 'like riding a bike.'(Oh, I crack myself up sometimes.) The park was just wonderful. A photographer's wet dream. I fired off roll after roll. Lucian was a brilliant map-reader and appointed guide. My bossy and domineering self had mysteriously been lost somewhere along the way, instead of me grabbing the map and start bossing around like I usually do I simply just plodded along at the back of the row ...