A very easy ride into Surat Thani today as the wind was behind us, although it was blistering hot again. We arrive in the town centre and find the local tourist office for info on accommodation and getting to Koh Tao, as we are meeting Katy (one of Kate's work colleagues also currently on a sabbatical along with her fiance, Olly) there! Digs found at Samaporn Hotel (strangely, not a brothel...!) for 350baht. We decide to visit a proper restaurant this evening as a treat and blow the rest of our daily budget.
Kilometers: 47
Total Kilometers: 1282
Day 47: Surat Thani to Koh Tao (via ferry)
We stay in the hotel for most of the day just relaxing after our trip across country. There is nothing to see locally; all the main attractions are at least 20km away so we sleep and await the ferry at 11.00pm to Koh Tao. The tickets are purchased and we get the ferry which turns out to have small beds for the passengers. Luckily the boat is not full and we can stretch out a little, but not much sleep gained cos some men don't half snore! The view as we approach Koh Toa at dawn is breathtaking – this looks like paradise from a distance........
Kilometers: 0
Total Kilometer: 1282
Day 48: Koh Tao
We arrive at 7am and quickly find the Crystal Dive resort where we will be staying for the next four nights whilst Lee does his PADI Open Water diving course. The accommodation is free due to the fact that Lee will be a student diver. It turns out this is a very good thing, as the island is quite pricey... We stupidly fall asleep nigh on entering the room, and sleep till 2.30pm. Later, we find an excellent restaurant just round the corner which does a smashing fried rice with chicken that actually has more than two pieces of chicken in it! The resort is quite lively at night – we would join the party if they weren't playing “All Rise” by the boy band “Blue”on the stereo system. Besides, the TV in our beach-front room is showing the Liverpool match tonight. Katy and Olly arrive on Koh Tao tomorrow morning from the Thai port of Chumphon, and I'd like to be able to meet them off the boat, so an early night is in order........
Kilometers: 0
Total Kilometers: 1282
Day 49: Koh Tao
We're up early in anticipation of Katy and Olly's arrival on Koh Tao – their last email suggested that they would be arriving by ferry in the morning; I have done my homework, it's either the 8.45am, 9.45am or 10.00am. The alarm goes off at 8.30am and it's duly snoozed for a while, until I hear the roar of a catamaran across the bay. Mad dash to get dressed and down to the harbour, which is a good job, cos they're on this one!
It's great to see Katy and Olly again,
and I'm looking forward to relaxing with them whilst Lee completes his diving course. Today he is in the classroom; he enters at 1.30pm and isn't released until 5.30pm.
Kilometers: 0
Total Kilometers: 1282
Day 50: Koh Tao
Lee's got a full day ahead of him – start at 8.30am and won't finish until 6.30pm, but at least he'll get in the pool later and have his first experience of breathing underwater...
Katy, Olly and I lounge around the pool, developing our tans and wondering whether to explore the island by bicycle tomorrow...
Kilometers: 0
Total Kilometers:1282
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