In the final hours of my trip I guess I should update the blog and bring it to a close. In 24 hours I will be boarding a flight heading for London. I left of having just arrived on Koa Tao, what I failed to mention was that all the parting in Bangkok had not left me in best health and I was coming down with a horrendous cold. Knowing from when I used to dive in the UK that you can’t dive with a blocked up nose I postponed my open water course for a few days. With little else to do I decided to go for a swim in the bay, but my bad luck continued and I kicked a big rock and gashed the top of my foot. My cold improved a bit and I knew that that the first two days were only shallow training so I started a few days later. In a bit of pain I completed the first two days but didn’t manage the 3rd. I waited a couple more days but it was no good so I left the island to recover and heal some where cheaper.

Over the next week I spent a bit of time in Bangkok and had a Visa run to Lao.

Fully recovered and with the Full Moon approaching fast I headed back down to the Islands to meet up with Jasper and Karen. Jasper had arrived a day earlier and got a bungalow so I shared with him. The first night was a Buddhist holiday so there was no music on the beach but this gave us a good chance to make lots of new friends by just sitting and drinking on the beach. Night 2 was a little more lively and ended with a pool party. Night 3 was the full moon it’s self (well it wasn’t as it was postponed due to the holiday) Which was crazy but but it rained all night, a little like a British festival. Night 4 the after party was my favourite and I danced till 6 am.

The following day booked on the 11:30 ferry back to Koa Tao turned into a very long day indeed, having sold twice as many tickets for the 11:30 we had to wait 6 hours in the baking sun until 17:30 until they could get another boat to pick us up. Picked up the course where I left off and completed the course where I had left off with no problems. Few more days on the beach and a few more days in Bangkok brings me up to my first “official” flight of the trip (I am not counting the one with my parents).

The flight to Macau was quick and easy and I managed to find my hostel after one bus ride and one taxi. Spend a couple of days wandering the city and the casinos but got stuck on the island unable to get my boat to Hong Kong due to a tropical cyclone passing by.

Made it to Hong Kong after the storm passed leaving me just two days in the city. Watched the opening ceremony to the Olympics on a big screen on the street today and fly home tomorrow night.