Please pardon the pirate speak. We are slowly recovering from a four day diving trip on board the
MY Bunmee II, a liveaboard diving ship.
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| Our cabin on the boat |
Even after a couple of days off the boat, we're still getting our land legs back, and feeling the effects of four days of diving four times a day (especially in our ears, which constantly feel like they need to pop). I've been sleeping very well, since it was difficult to get any sleep on the boat, but when I wake up, I have to be very careful walking to the bathroom, as everything feels like it's swaying back and forth.
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| Send-off ceremony with fireworks |
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| Chillin on deck |
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| Me and Mathieu (he's probably finding something I did wrong) |
The trip was amazing. We were nervous about committing to four days on a boat with people we don't know, but we got lucky and got a group of interesting diving travelers who were mostly around our age (and, thank Poseidon, no kids). The dive staff was also great. Our dive master was Mathieu, a cool, reserved French guy with a lot of expertise and experience.
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| One of the staff preparing satay and other treats |
As usual, the local staff were friendly, helpful, knowledgable, and relaxed. The food was excellent, with big English breakfasts and Thai lunches and dinners.
The schedule was basically "eat, sleep, dive, repeat", as we dove at 7am, 11am, 2pm, and 6pm daily. It was EXHAUSTING, especially when you're trying to sleep on a boat. However, it was worth it, because we got to see some beautiful dive sites in the Similan Islands, Koh Ban, Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock, and the Boonsung wreck. After 14 dives (more than any previous trip), I'm up to a total of 40 and am now an "advanced" open water diver with enriched air certification!
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| Eel hiding in some rocks |
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| Turtle eating |
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| Me getting ready to punch a fish that was looking at me funny |
We are now relaxing and recuperating in Khao Lak, eating and drinking too much and waiting for our ears to heal and our equilibrium to return. The weather is Thailand perfect, and we hope to be fully recovered and rested by the time school starts up again next week. I hope everyone is having an excellent holiday season.
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| The only time we touched dry land for four days on one of the Similan Islands |
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| Sunset on the Andaman Sea |
