Destination: Thailand

Photos: Koh Tao 2012

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 | By mac8 | Photo Gallery

Living Simply

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 | By pmok | Views [1150]

Once I settled into my permanent room in Koh Tao, I took a look around the room one day and noticed how I was able to live comfortably with surprisingly few things, compared with what I had in the States.  I pride myself in having gotten rid of many ... Read more >

Tags: live simply, luggage, real simple

Dive course #2: Advanced Open Water Diver, part 2

Sun, 26 Feb 2012 | By pmok | Views [1390]

Having endured the embarrassment of being lost, I returned the next morning for the next two dives. The French couple in my class didn't seem annoyed that their dive was cut short when I got lost, but then again I don't know French.  The first dive ... Read more >

Tags: advanced open water, koh tao, night dive, thailand, wreck dive

Dive course #2: Advanced Open Water Diver

Sat, 25 Feb 2012 | By pmok | Views [2003]

The advanced open water certification allows divers to dive up to 30 meters.  My class this time had three students, me and a young French couple.  First we had to choose three of the five specialties to focus (the two mandatory are Peak Performance ... Read more >

Tags: advanced open water, buoyancy world, koh tao, thailand, underwater navigation

Deep Tissue Smiles

Sat, 25 Feb 2012 | By tambomac | Views [311]

Dive course #1: Open Water Diver, part 2

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 | By pmok | Views [958]

The fourth and last day of the open water course were two dives in the morning.  We met at 7 AM, went through the whole routine of loading, boarding the boat, gearing up, and dived in by 8:30. The first site was Shark Island, which sadly has no sharks;... Read more >

Tags: adobe premiere, idvd, koh tao, open water diver, padi, thailand, underwater videographer

Photos: Thailights

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 | By tambomac | Photo Gallery

Dive course #1: Open Water Diver

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 | By pmok | Views [865] | Comments [2]

I started the PADI Open Water Diver course the day I arrived on Koh Tao. Once passed, this course gives a diver the credential to dive anywhere in the world up to 18 meters. There were three other students besides me in my class: a young guy from ... Read more >

Tags: blue-spotted stingray, koh tao, open water diver, padi, scuba diving, sea turtle, thailand

Photos: Thai Island life

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 | By pmok | Photo Gallery

Off to Koh Tao

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 | By pmok | Views [1164]

Getting to Koh Tao from Bangkok required an overnight bus ride. After being assigned a seat on the bus, all of us passengers waited at Khao San Road for an hour before the bus arrived. Once on the bus around 9 PM, I was given a pillow and light throw.... Read more >

Tags: daily life, food voucher, koh samui, koh tao, penthouse, thai cuisine

Two nights in Bangkok

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 | By pmok | Views [590]

My first gap program is a month in Koh Tao, Thailand to learn scuba diving, which will prepare me for the volunteer programs in Africa and South America. I spent a weekend in Bangkok before departing for Koh Tao. Bangkok was where I went on my very ... Read more >

Tags: bangkok, crowded streets, environment issue, pollution, poverty, thailand

Photos: Bangkok, Thailand

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 | By pmok | Photo Gallery

Photos: Ziplining in Chiang Mai

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 | By kendrac_1 | Photo Gallery

Ziplining in Chiang Mai

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 | By kendrac_1 | Views [632]

My tour is almost over. We arrived back in Bangkok this morning around 8am after the most uncomfortable 15 hour train ride. My body picked the most inoportune time to get sick! Although our stay in Chiang Mai was short, we were able to cram ... Read more >

Photos: Udon

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 | By walkingabout2 | Photo Gallery