2014-02-03 and 4th

Yesterday I got to learn about EMP (Ecological Monitoring Program) and invertebrates. After the lecture we went for a practice round.
I was the navigator :) I managed to keep us in an ok line, I'm as good with compasses as I am with finding places and reading maps.
After the line was laid we followed the leader who pointed out the species we should count. The transect was 100 meters. The first 50 we did it with the leader, and after that we were on our own.
I didn't do very well I was tense and distracted.
After that we went back to retrieve the line, that's when my octopus started to freeflow like crazy and I couldn't stop it, finally got the attention from the leader by screaming in my reg who helped me stop the freeflow, lost 30 bars of air. Then I lost the leader and the other person in our little group, the visibility was really bad, not at all like Pom Pom. You could see max 2-3 metres in front of you.
Tapped my tank to see if I could spot someone, then just as I was about to surface I found Chad who guided me in the right direction and I made it safely to the boat.
It wasn't one of my better days, but I think it will prove to be a good learning lesson for me.

When we got back we cleaned up Chalok beach, at least THAT is something I'm good at. We collected a lot of trash

When I got back to my room I was totally exhausted and went to sleep :)

I didn't post this yesterday cause I don't want to worry my mom who reads my blog, I wanted to have a good experience first.
So mum, don't worry, today things went much better.

Today we first had a lecture in coral nurseries, how they do it and why.
After the lecture we went to Ao Leuk to collect corals and attach to rope. It was important for me to get back on the horse, so to speak, after yesterday.
I was really nervous after the incidents yesterday, but everyone was fantastic, especially Hilde who helped me as we were descending which made me feel safer. Everyone else was also looking out for me and kept asking if I was ok.
I'm still struggeling with my buoyancy and didn't manage to do any work for the first half hour. But after a while I felt calmer and managed to help out a little at least.
I am pretty good at conserving my air so I was one of the last persons up on the boat. I wouldn't have done that if it wasn't for the people looking out for me.
I had no problem with the octopus this time.

My problem I think is that I put too much pressure on myself, want to be able to help out and do my duties, and when I can't I get tense and feel embaressed of not being able to help.
I am good at my job back home, and I've been good at it because I've done it for a long time, but when I'm faced with things I don't know or can't do I feel like I'm in the way. That is something I need to work on.

Luckily Hilde will be here for 6 more weeks, and she has said she will help me getting more confidence and she has already given me very good advice and told me what I do wrong. That feels really good having here by my side.
I'm sure I will get the hang of the buoyancy thing when I get more dives in me.

After I went to the pharmacy, I have rashes on my hands and feet, showed the lady in the pharmacy and she said it's probably a reaction to the salt water, she gave me antihistamin to take the itch away.
I didn't get this kind of reaction on Pom Pom, but there we could always take a shower in fresh water, here even the showers are a bit salty.

My forehead is really peeling, I burnt myself Saturday when we were out on the boat. So I will be much more careful now, but my legs still white :)

I got an extension for my room at Tropicana so I don't have to move yet. I will keep in contact with Namhasin House (where I really would like to stay), keep your fingers crossed that they will get something available for me.
Now at least I can stay at Tropicana until Feb 18th. Really don't want to move to Mae Haad.

Oh I got my bicycle yesterday, it got soooo many gears. Still haven't tried to changed gear :) Wish they had bikes with less gears :)

Tonight I'm not as tired as yesterday, and I'm not as nervous for tomorrow. But I still get annoyed over the fact that I'm not able to do my training properly, with more dives hopefully I will get skilled enough to actually do a lot of good.

My mum called Sunday, that made me really happy :)

I still haven’t unpacked my backpack with all my clothes, I don’t want to until I have a permanent place to stay. So for now I’m using what I had in my roller bag.

Refresher day

I did my refresher today, I survived the filling of the mask, taking out the regulator and all that J
After the skills I just swam around getting my diving memory back.
Tomorrow I’ll do a fun dive, just so I get a bit more comfortable before joining up with the marine conservation team on Monday.

My computer is acting a bit strange, but hopefully it will sort itself out. Maybe it’s just tired cause of the humidity.
Apparently it was tires because McAfee was doing an update, and I'm also very impatient. But my computer is very slow, don't know why, neither does my IT-technician Cizzi. But at least I'm up again.
When I get a new computer one day I'll make sure it is faster and better. Should have listened to the reviews on this one, the critics said it was very slow working but it has an amazing battery time and is light and small.
It’s very annoying though, stupid computer, my old phone works just fine.

I think I’m gonna sleep lika a baby tonight. After the skills and diving my legs were like rubber and I could hardly climb up the ladder to the boat J My diving muscles has been dormant for a long time.

I really feel like having a pizza tonight but I don't think I will, haven't gotten my bicycle yet and there's no good pizza places around I think, but I'll check it out.

Pizza and a good movie would be perfect. I've watched Sand Sharks (yes, Cizzi it got even more stupid) and Swamp Shark (that was remotely better then the sharks in the sand), tonight I think I'll go for nostalgia Boondock Saints (thank you Caroline)

There's a lot of dogs here everywhere, but they are disgusting, scary and strange, not my boyfriend at all. Can't wait to talk to Terry :)

morning of the 30th

Back to one of the better views you can have.
My plan was to clean the beach, but unlike last time I was here in August 2011 where you had a big stretch of sand now the water goes all the way up to the top of the shoreline.

The turtle kindergarten is right next to the dive shop. They live in these tanks, get fed and grow bigger and stronger before being released into the ocean. This is done to increase the survival rate.

Yesterday the 29th

Today I met with BUA management, very helpful and service minded.

I took a walk to them, and of course being me who can’t read maps, I went much too far, almost ending up in Sairee before I realized I’d probably walked too far. Walked back, asked for directions in a store, and realized just how too far I walked J But I did get some extra exercise.

Finally found them and they had only one place for rent Beachside Resort, and only for a month (Feb. 28^th), I had a look and even it’s not exactly right I decided to take it just so I have more time finding a better place. I’ve rented it already so it’s mine, but I’ll be staying in Tropicana a couple of more nights.

BUA will be looking out for another place that I can make my home, and I will also go looking to see if I can find something that I feel I can feel at home in.

It looks like February is really busy here.

But now I have time to find a place I get the right feeling for.

My lunch was the thing I’ve missed the most, barbecued pork and papaya salad YUMMY!!! Bought it from a street vendor where they have the charcoal grill right beside the stall. It tasted even better than I remember! As long as I have this pork I think I’ll be fine without “rökt sidfläsk” (smoked loin of pork)

I also went to New Heaven talking to Roxanne and Emanuel or Manuel (I suck at remembering names), put my dive gear there so I don’t have to carry that around when moving.
Manuel (master diver at New Heaven) thought it would be best if I did a refresher since it was so long since I dove last, so I get to do the mask on and off etc (again) I really don’t like that, I always get water in my nose. Let’s see if he’s as good as Eileen who did this with me on Pom Pom. She was fantastic.
Just have to tell him that I’m practically blind without my contacts J
I’ll be doing the refresher on Friday so I have one more day off, so tomorrow I think I’ll take a walk on Chalok Beach doing a clean up, I love doing beach clean ups. That is something I know how to do and feel comfortable with.
I have a problem with not knowing how to do stuff, I always want to be good at what I’m assigned to do, if not I feel like a burden. But beach clean-ups I know how to do!
Patience and trust in myself is not something I’m good at, but I’m working on it.
Whenever I’m in a situation where I’m a beginner I feel stupid and like a burden, I think it’s because I’ve been working with what I do at home for so long that I know I’m good at it so when I’m faced with something I haven’t done before I’m really hard on myself.

The baby turtle nursery is right next to New Heaven, so when my sister+friend and dad and uncle gets here I hope there will be turtles there to show them.
For me after Pom Pom baby turtles isn’t that exotic, I’ve seen eggs being laid, gathered them to the nursery and seen them being released.

Rented a bike but the pedal fell off J The service on bicycles isn’t like back home, but hopefully I’ll get my bike in a few days time. Roxanne at New Heaven will be holding one for me as soon as one is returned.
The bikes have like million of gears, 1-3 + 1-like 20…. How will I manage that J My bike at home has 7 gears only, all controlled with the same lever.

I’ll be here for a while so I’m sure I’ll get the hang of it. I bet it’s easier to bicycle with that many gears.

I have no idea how to send text-sms with my thai number J I need my sister J True move apparently doesn’t do it easy, I try to text but it’s never sent, I probably need some extra code or something.

Dinner was pancake with onion, cheese and tomatoe and for dessert pancake with banana, coconut and chocolate.

I’m out…

Yesterday evening and arrival at Koh Tao

Yesterday evening I had dinner at the hotel again:

I got the red snapper garlic and pepper, it was a pleasant surprise, very garlicy and pepper spicy which I spiced up with fresh chili and dried chili. Real nice.
One of these cover bands playing Beatles, Abba, et al…. no Elvis yet… I’ll be gone when that comes up. The band ask us to request songs, I wonder if I should ask Pearl Jam, Silverchair, Roxie 77, London Cries, Linkin Park…. That would be an akward moment for that poor band who only want people to request songs from these mundane boring bands where everyone knows the songs.
I don’t blame the band I blame the music J

Tomorrow Koh Tao J here I come

So today I arrived on Koh Tao, I have checked into my room at the hotel and been by to New Heaven Dive school to say that I have arrived.

Tomorrow I need to go and see the Bua Management about long term rental, but Thursday I'll revive my diving skills, I'll be joining the fun-dive team since it was so long since I went diving.

Feeling pretty nervous about it but I trust the New Heaven team.

I don't feel at home yet, I'm not very good at socializing and meeting new people. I need a couple of weeks to warm up. But I'm sure I will get there and feel more at home here as time goes by, after all I am staying until July 15.

I need my time to adjust and making "friends", when I get started on the Marine conservation I think I will get to know the team a bit better and not feel so out of place, akward. and insecure.

Tonight I'll have myself a nice dinner but first I need to do some shopping for soap, toilet paper and other necessities.

Going to be an early night tonight, feel a bit tired.

At the hotel, of course, I got the top floor, and the stairs are really high, my short legs really have to lift, lift high. With my two heavy bags up those stairs, I think I've gotten all the work out I'm up for for today.

I'm out

Day 2

Being connected where ever you are is nice but when I'm sitting here in the WiFi-area of the hotel I also get sad seeing a young girl trying to get attention from her mom and dad who is really busy in their smart phones and asking her to hush. The dad actually took a break from his phone for a few seconds but the mum is totally unaware and just have her eyes on the phone telling her kid to hush... This is a sad development of being online all the time.

Woke up after a long nights sleep, I was exhausted after the long journey and slept like a baby. The hotel is really nice and quiet which made me get a long rest.
Had a nice breakfast with fried rice, veggie noodles and extra chili and chili flakes and lime. A small plate of fruit to finish the morning feast with.

The hotel breakfast was really good, a lot of different foods, from noodles and fried rice, to the western kind with pancakes, yogurt, bread, jams and the option of eggs and omelettes fried up fresh.

This morning I went for a walk in the midday heat, and bought credits to my new number.

The afternoon I spent by the pool and took a swim in the ocean, I’m glad I brought my wetsuit for the diving, the ocean was a bit cold, not as warm as when I was on Pom Pom.

I’ve been reading a lot today, the book I’m reading “Gone girl” by Gillian Flynn is really good, you don’t know why to believe in and whether the main character is a prick and murdered or not.

Now I’m enjoying a late afternoon on my huge balcony with my book and a beer. Listening to Chris Cornell “Live at O-baren”. After that I’ll switch to the amazing and fantastic Toby Rand and London Cries and also Silverchair “Neon ballroom” with a trip down to the 90-ties.

Tomorrow Lomprayah shuttle service picks me up around 11, for my onward journey to Koh Tao, my home for the next 5,5 months.
Just hope I can find a nice longterm place to stay. Koh Tao is very crowded for the moment and it’s not that easy finding long term accommodation, but hopefully Bua Management can sort that out for me.
I’ll give them a call tomorrow morning to set up an appointment.

Now for the rest of the day I’m just going to enjoy the peace and calm that has come over me.

I think my mom would love this hotel and beach where the ocean is calm with no big waves.

I’ll be having dinner at the hotel again tonight, I want to give them one more try cause it’s really a nice place to stay.
I’ll let you know how my dinner was J

A few pictures of my journey so far.

Don't you just love the name of the flight Hiroshima :)

The journey begins and first day on koh Samui

Please excuse any spelling or grammatical errors in this text, I have slept for like 36  hours (Hey a Roxie 77-song)

Samui Palm beach resort, Bo Phut

Staff: Very friendly and service minded. Spoken English very good (for Thailand) J

Accomodation: De Luxe room – Big bedroom with sofa, table, tv and desk. Lot of floor space, not crowded.

Big bathroom with a separate bath, and separate shower, toilet and good sized table by the sink.
Haven’t tried to functionality of the shower yet, I’ll get back on that one.

Big closet, safety box and drawers.

Furnitures a bit old but functional.

Room was clean but the balcony had not been cleaned, bit of old paint on it.

Location: Right on Bo Phut beach, the beach itself is not cleaned regularly. Even during the day it is trash laying on the beach.
Not much happening around the hotel, tomorrow I think I’ll take a walk to Fishermans village in the afternoon. It’ll be interesting to see if it’s what the brochures says it is.

Environment: Hotel information asks you not to rent jetski’s, to put towels for washing in a certain way and think about your use of electronicty

Food: Squid with curry. Squid a bit chewy, and the curry sauce lacks of taste. Not spicy at all, would have needed a bit more kick to it. No seasoning offered on the side, a bit of extra chili and fish sauce might have turned this dish to an average instead of just boring. Vegetables a bit overdone. Rice over cooked and very bland.
But on the other hand my mum probably would have liked this dish (if it wasn’t for the overdone squid), it tasted of curry and have a tiny tiny hotness to it.
Not at all worth the price which is expensive even in Swedish measures. But after a +24 hours journey I really didn’t have the energy to go somewhere else.
I was given a mosquito spray, guess that is something J
The restaurant is really dead, almost no people here, the beach bar is also totally empty.

Ordered a Gin Fizz, got a Gin and Tonic… that is not the same thing at all!

The hotel overall seems pretty empty even during day time. Perhaps that is why the food is lacking in real taste or maybe it is because that this is a typical tourist place where they don’t dare to spice of the food, but then they really should offer seasoning on the side for us who like food with a bit more kick to it.

The food wasn’t nasty in any way, it tastes nice and is friendly to the ones who don’t like a lot a spice and flavors, but to bland for my liking, or boring J It tasted like squid in curry, which is good, but the lack of taste was disappointing. It tasted good, but I was starving so I don’t know what I would have felt if I’d been in Thailand for a while before tasting this.
It’s probably also due to my high expectations, after the curry squid I remember from New Heaven Restaurant on Koh Tao.

The portions are generous though.

The service is good before you have ordered but after it is not that attentive, but still very polite.
But very friendly staff, I think the lack of guests is the problem.
I don’t understand though why this place is so empty, maybe it is the price range, it can’t be the location, it’s right on the beach and for me that extra service goes a long way, and that is what I’ve been offered so far.

It will be interesting to sample their breakfast tomorrow. I wont be as dead tired then, I’m too old to not sleep for +24 hours J

Weather, the old important weather: It’s actually a bit chilly, I have trousers and long sleeves. I can imagine how cold it would feel for someone who’s living here.

The journey: Qatar Airways
Dreamliner from Arlanda-Doha, a lot of leg room, clean and fresh, food was good for an airplane,
Doha airport was ok, I walked around and stretched my legs.
Doha-Bangkok:Older plane with less legroom but service, food and entertainment was just as good as the first stretch.
Bangkok-Koh Samui: Short flight where you had time for breakfast and coffe. Went smooth.

Had ordered pick-up service from the hotel (500 TBH) that worked perfect. The driver drove calm and it was a very comfortable ride, highly recommend this, even if it’s more expensive than taking a cab at the airport.

A summary:
Qatar Airways – Recommend them, good service and friendly staff and for being stuck on an airplane pretty comfortable (it’s not their fault I can’t sleep on a plane)

Samui Palm Beach resort (only day one when I’m really tired), really service minded and helpful, gives that little bit of extra service that you really appreciate after a long flight.
I’ll get back on my review after tomorrow when I’ve seen a bit more of the surroundings.
I have a full day tomorrow here on Koh Samui before I finish my journey and arrive on Koh Tao.

Got my thai number today but didn’t charge it J Thought it was included in the pack, just like it is in Malaysia J Stupid of me, but I’ll get money on it tomorrow. Tried to do it online but didn’t understand a thing (surprise surprise) J

Know it’s time for a shower, a bear on the balcony (which is really big J) a good good and then sleep sleep lovely sleep.

Tomorrow I must fix my thai humber so I can call Bua Management on Koh Tao. It is extremely busy on Koh Tao so it’s not easy to find a good long term place to stay as it seems.

Pictures and more information to come….