Koh Tao- Everybody Comes Back

I find myself sitting in a hammock on the beach. It's night and the waves aren't more than two inches tall. Glass flat water with the sound of fun chill out music in the background. 

I've been back on Koh Tao for two weeks now. Saw a sea turtle my first dive back, the island "welcomed me back", but not as awesomely as my friends did. It was my birthday the day after I got back and everybody came out and it was a blast- I've never preferred loud places so we went to the one Mini-Golf course on the island. Had a few drinks, played some golf, and shared a lot of laughs. Getting back into my rhythm has been such a joy. I've got a little bungalow about 10 yards from the beach. My morning "commute" to work is 2 minutes from my door to the shop door by motorbike.

Every day starts out the same way. Up by 8, Planet Scuba by 845ish, then either diving, pool with students, or office work.

Days finish at 6, Safety Stop Pub for a beer or maybe one of my other favorites, then chill out with friends and get ready for the next awesome day.

I've settled in brilliantly. I'm teaching again, I didn't realize at all how much I had missed it until I got back. I'm hoping to be getting back into my blog pretty steady- for the time being most likely writing about classes or dives or people. 

Thanks for reading! Stories to come soon!

Two Months in Thailand

Howdy!

It has been a very interesting two months, from drinking homemade Thai whiskey in a hill tribe in northern Thailand to getting "narc-ed" while scuba diving to 40m (130f). From teaching kids how to hike in Chiang Mai to being taught how to tie up a boat in Koh Tao in such a way that a Thai captain approves. My first two months in Thailand have been nothing short of incredible. 

I find myself on Koh Tao, an 8 mile squared island off of Thailand in the south. I'm scuba diving every day and am now a Dive Master. I never thought when I started diving in 2004 that I would ever get to this point. There is no way I could have achieved this goal without the help of the amazing people at Planet Scuba. These people have proved themselves to be the type of people that I have always dreamed to surround myself with.

One of the amazing things about divers is their diversity and acceptance. When diving it doesn't matter where you're from, how much money you have, if you're atheist, agnostic, Christian, or anything else, your political beliefs don't mean a thing. For one dive, however long it may be, people are brought together for the pure joy that is scuba diving.

 

These are the people that I'm glad to be among. Most of us came a long way to make this small island home.

Here on Koh Tao people might not have Budweiser, Yiengling, Session, or Coors. They might not watch American football. I might not have had decent fried chicken in months or have seen anything that resembles guacamole.... But somehow this small island has become home.

I have a simple routeen. 

Wake up- dive- eat water mellon- dive- clean gear- tidy up- drink a couple beers, go home- sleep- start over.

And nothing could make me happier.

I know this isn't my longest post but I will try and write a few more soon. Feel free to email me anytime guys! Always good to hear from people back home or elsewhere-- SteveGoesAbroad@gmail.com

Take Care Y'all 

P.S: for those who worry the coup has not effected me in the least. Koh Tao is okay and people are still traveling freely.