Dive or not to Dive

Last Sunday I left the wonderful island where I was with Jean and Angela to come to Phuket to give a try to dive. Everybody says that is great, and Thailand is a good place to get your PADI certificate. So, I arrived to Phuket village on Monday...horrible town. There is no much to do, and it hasn't got a beach...but I found a nice Guest House called Phuket Backpackers thanks to an American guy that I met in the bus station.

Last Monday was the first day I felt a bit lonely since I started traveling...I don't know why, but I missed a lot London, well...nor the city itself but my friends. But I think this is part of the journey too.. and it means that I'm passing from one life to another. When you start missing something is because you are not anymore in that situation or in that place. So, here we go...I'm not only physically far away from London and Spain, but I'm also getting farther in a mental way. And that's good, because I'm starting to be aware of my new life environment and my new routine.

I came to Kata Beach last Tuesday looking for a diving course...and by chance I met Mel, a half American half Singapore girl who happened to be a diver instructor here in Phuket. She was so nice and gave me ride to a dive shop to book my course. Then, she left and we exchanged numbers.

I started my diving course last Wednesday, my instructor is a nice Canadian girl... young and strong. Very clear when she gives me any instructions to dive. I like her, she know how to teach.
The dive thing is ok...I can't say anything else so far as I haven't been able to dive in open water yet just because I had my left ear blocked, so I can't equalize properly. But, I have to say that as a good Cancer I'm not afraid of water and I really enjoy being down there...and no problems at all with the regulator or the breathing... I feel very comfy . And I'm looking forward to complete my course. The doctor says today that I can start diving again being quite carefully. But the diving shop hasn't opened yet... let's see if I can finish my PADI course today or tomorrow.

I also met Le Trois Garcons... o qui... David, Julien and Fabian. I met them in the GH. where I'm staying at the moment. They come from Switzerland. from the French part...and they were on holidays. I had a fun night with them in the Beach club...which is a bar with a swimming pool in the middle, where Le trois garcons where playing and dancing. The bartenders just loved them so much!! And the forans were taking pictures of them all the time. Then, they tried to speak Spanish... well, David is Spanish actually, but was born in Switzerland and has lived there all his life. But Fabien and Julien where trying their best to speak Spanish...and they were like a show...it's really nice to be with friends that they have such a good connection between them, I could see that they have known each other for loooong time and they really love each other, despite the fact that they were taking the piss all the time...boys!
I had a great conversation good Fabien on Thursday night...he's been traveling a lot, and was volunteering in the Burmese frontier eight years ago. He told me that he realized that in this world everything is about money...well, I already have the hope that is not like that. But, that's the reason why I'm doing this journey...to find the truth...or at least to have more knowledge about this world, then have my own opinion about the truth.

So, since the guys left I have spent two days in the beach...doing absolutely nothing...just resting, listening to music (great stuff in my ipod...thanks to the Brownlow guys!!!!) and getting tan. And I can tell you that now I'm really tan...almost as tan as when I came back from Greece last summer.

And last night Mel, the instructor girl, invited to a party at her friend's house... it took me a while to find the address...well, I can't lie to you... I GOT COMPLETELY LOST! And, I walked for almost 2 hours to find the house...I was there only once...the first day I met Mel, and also at night you all know 'todos los gatos son pardos'. But finally I made it...and I found such a nice bunch of people!!! The house is like the Brownlow family house...everyone hang around...and there are always people staying...funny, they have now a Japanese girl visiting... although she is lovely she hasn't got Natchi's smile.
So, there I was...with many Americans, an Scottish girl, a Welsh guy, Aussies.... and some Thai guys.
Most of them they work here as diver instructors or teachers. But there was a couple that just hang around... thai vibe.

I was talking to Carol for a while about volunteering...she told me about a place in Laos, a farm, a very special place to volunteer. I may go there for a month or two to see how it's like. Well, I haven't mentioned yet that I'm not going to Childlife anymore, they are doing an internal reorganization and they don't want more volunteers for a while. Therefore I'm looking for other projects. Angela and Jean have been doing some research for me and I think I'll be able to find something the next few weeks. In fact yesterday when I talked to Carol she said that there shouldn't be any problem to find a place either in Thailand, Laos or Cambodia. So, I'm quite positive at the moment.

Well, so now I'm in Kata beach, probably I will get my PADI certificate tomorrow and I'll be heading North by Tuesday.

Thanks for all your messages and emails... I'm really happy to know that I have very good friends that love me as much as I do love them.

Loads of love.
Muchos besos,

Miriam