Am I a rain goddess?

Since my last entry I've been at Ko Lanta, an island close to Phuket and Krabi on the Andaman (west) coast of Thailand. I had visualized how I would relax on a golden beach, now and again going for a dip into a turquoise ocean. Preferably with a nice drink close to hand. And if I got bored I might go for a day of snorkeling at any of the nearby islands (Phi Phi for example). Well...., that didn't really happen, because it rained most of the time I was at Ko Lanta.... Maybe not all day, but at times very heavy showers. I got completely soaked the first afternoon when I went for a stroll along the very aptly named Long beach. Unfortunately my dark blue bag turned out to not be colour stable, and for a few days my hands had a weird bluish colour... In a strange way it really felt like November, grey and rainy albeit 30C instead of 10C as in London.

I spent my days going for walks along the beaches in between showers and playing card games with the other guests at the resort (I had a very nice and cheap bungalow with a hammock on a small veranda, hammocks is DA shit). Not unlike many summer holidays in Sweden really :) My low point during my stay at Ko Lanta was probably being shat on by a bird when taking cover from the rain... Despite that I had a very nice and relaxing time, but I was little bit bored by the time I left yesterday. Ko Lanta has great beaches, but not so much else to keep you occupied. There are quite a lot of tourists there, mainly Scandinavians. Apparently there is actually two (!) Swedish schools there. I love my fellow Swedes, but it feel slightly surreal to hear Swedish everywhere and with bars named after Swedish football teams (Hammarby).

Anyhow, I left Ko Lanta to go to Khao Lak yesterday. I took the bus from Phuket, and this time I managed to get off at the right bus stop! When I first came here it was some sunshine, lovely! But today it rains so I'm starting to think that it's my fault, everywhere I go it rains (not completely true, it was sunny in Chiang Mai).... I'm staying in small bungalow again, with nice soft pillows this time, which is a real treat compared to the usual pillows here that feels like a bag of concrete.

Khao Lak has also lovely beaches, and I hope the weather will get better so I can actually relax in the sand. Where I am it's difficult to see any signs of the tsunami a few years ago. There is quite a lot of hotels, restaurants and shops here, and still more are being built. In a way it feels a little bit strange to sunbath where so many died. But I guess life must move on everywhere.

Today I started my PADI open water diving certificate course. Today was only theory, tomorrow is pool exercises, and later that night we leave on a boat to cruise around the Similian islands for 4 days. Lots of diving!!! I am SO excited about learning how to scuba dive!!! And a little bit nervous of the chance to see sharks...

It's soon time for me to go get some dinner. Yesterday I "cheated" and had a pizza, first meal that wasn't Thai food since I got here. And it was a lovely pizza, like the ones you get in Sweden (I think only other Swedish ex-pats will understand the greatness of the Swedish pizza...), so there are some advantages to be where there are lots of other Scandinavians :)

I will write again when I'm back from the Similans (if not eaten by shark...)