If only...

6 (ish) months. November 2013 to May 2014. It seems like such a long time when I put it like that. But my last 6 months in Thailand have flown by in a whirlwind of energy, events and excitement. 

I look back on the last 6 months and sometimes think… If only I’d travelled around a bit more. If only I’d learned more of the Thai language. 

Translation please!

If only I’d taken that other job I was offered. If only I’d spoken to that person more. Yet when I look back at the things I have done and learned in the last 6 months, I can say, “Wow! Yep, I have done heaps. I have had fun. I have learned so much. Most importantly, I have no regrets!"

So what have I been up to??? Well...

I’ve become a divemaster and been responsible for the enjoyment and welfare of nearly 100 divers on dive and snorkel trips 

Trust me...you'll have so much fun!

With some of my dive colleagues

I’ve dived with whale-sharks and manta rays loads of times

Even more spectacular underwater!

I’ve stayed in a tiny, floating bamboo hut on the edge of a picturesque lake

Magical Khao Sok

I’ve trekked up to high mountain peaks and been doused in torrential downpours.

I’ve...

…ridden a scooter…with 2 others at the same time...several times

…swum in a hotel pool at 2am

...helped out at the local school that Wicked supports

...joined in the fun of SongKram (Thai New Year) with toothpaste and water fights

…been dropped off by myself on the side of the road in a small town 50km from home at 3am. (My next bus home was at 9am. I wandered around and thankfully found an open-air restaurant that was open all night. I ordered some food then fell asleep at the table. Guan and his wife (the owners) were so sweet. They woke me up, gave me a stretcher to lie on at the back of the restaurant, fed me breakfast in the morning then drove me to the bus stop! I love the hospitality of the Thai people).

Where it felt like I was dropped off...

Where I was actually dropped off

…gone for a swim in the sea most mornings

And in a place like this...why not

…doubled a mate on a pushbike - it was fine until we found out the bike had no brakes when we were going downhill...

We decided it was best to have our own bikes...

…done nearly 200 dives

…danced to live music and partied in local bars until 5am

…spent Christmas Day snorkelling in crystal clear water

…eaten out for breakfast, lunch and dinner…every single day

…had a guy I’d just met sit in on my dive medical exam (Janosch was one of my divemaster colleagues and thankfully we became great mates)

With Janosch (he's on the far left)

…been to a Muai Thai boxing event

The girls were the most vicious

…helped organise a snorkel test - the final test - for a group of divemaster trainees

What we made them wear...

Yoga...all part of the challenge

…geckoed on the side of the road

…made new friends from all around the world and stayed with some of them in my travels

…started seeing an amazing guy

…spent new years on the beach with thousands of others watching all the fireworks and setting off lanterns

…been to a 'beer raft' staff meeting

Use a BCD to float around...until someone pulls the dump valve

…visited a Moken sea gypsy village

…helped create an artificial reef

Figuring out how it all best fits together

All part of the prep

Cold drink after a hot afternoon of planning

...snuck up on animals to get that perfect shot

…been treated like a daughter by Chanpin, the owner of the place I lived at...

And I’ve got right out of my comfort zone by finally resigning from my secure, well paid job in New Zealand to continue with my journey. 

Memories of those of us who left...

My manager in NZ was good enough to give me 10 months leave without pay. Even after all the amazing experiences I’ve had and all I’ve learned, it was really tough to email him a month ago and say those 4 little words… 'Please accept my resignation’. I felt like I was welding a door shut that I would never be able to open again. 

Not long after I sent that email, I came across a cool quote attributed to both Alexander Graham Bell and Helen Keller. (I have no idea who said it first as they were both alive at the same time…). "When one door closes, another opens. But we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.” 

Dare to step through...

I remembered that life always moves on. I could choose to stay doing what I’d always done, to hang on to the security of my job back home or to think ‘If only …' . 

Instead, I chose to focus on this one thing: Leave the past and look forward to what lies ahead. I've chosen to take risks and to dive through the new doors that opened in front of me. I’ve expanded my comfort zone beyond the borders of my imagination. I’ve proven to myself that I can survive (and survive quite happily) while travelling and living anywhere. And I’m looking forward to the next adventure that is just beginning.

I’m in Sweden now with Kristian. He’s showing me around his beautiful country and we have a bunch of new plans starting to take shape. Life is exciting. It is vibrant and there are so many opportunities if you only look around.

Gorgeous here...just a little cold

What will you do in your next 6 months? I challenge you to think big, to so something outside of your comfort zone. To focus on the future, not the past. To try something new. Maybe try a short volunteering stint somewhere near you and help out with something you’ve never done before. That’s how I started out a year ago. It’s amazing the world of opportunities that suddenly appear before your eyes.

Catch up in Khao Lak

Well…it’s been a while since I let you know what I was up to and with more changes just around the corner, I figured now was a good time to catch you up on my latest travels and adventures…

I’ve had such an amazing year!

2 months doing marine conservation and education work on Naifaru in the Maldives...

...another 2 months teaching English to kids in Pokhara, Nepal...

...a month trekking around the Mt Everest region...

...a couple of weeks visiting new friends and exploring the sites of Malaysia...

Street food KL style with Cara and Matt

Deepavali Festival with Kumutha and her friends

...and for the last 5 months, I’ve been living on the west coast of Thailand in a small town called Khao Lak spending most of my days underwater. 

Yep, that's me in the front!

A year ago I would not have dreamed I would be where I am and have done what I have. I couldn’t conceive leaving my secure job, home and routines to irresponsibly travel around the world pursuing passions, dreams and new adventures. In keeping with my orderly lifestyle, I planned a 5 month sabbatical - albeit with no return flight home. But when the end of the 5 months approached, I realised I was in no way even remotely ready to return home. So I found a reason to stay abroad!

I decided to return to my love of the ocean, marine work and diving and signed up to do my Dive Master (DM) course with a crowd called Wicked Diving (wickeddiving.com). The DM course was great for getting my brain working again. Physics, physiology, chemistry, biology, maths and medicine. There were fitness tests to train for. And then there was finding out about the latest equipment, trends, standard updates, the best places to dive and how to run a successful dive business.

There were 3 guys doing the DM course with me. Chris and Kelvin from the UK and Jan from Switzerland. We all got on really well…most of the time…and a silly camaraderie quickly grew between us. It felt like we constantly bickered and joked around but were prepared to help each other out with just about anything (diving and non-diving related!). Julio, our instructor was a smart cookie with a wealth of diving knowledge and experience and I felt so lucky to be part of such a cool team.

Chris...

Kelvin

Jan

Julio

DMTs relaxing after a tough day...

The 6 week course flew by! In between the theory lessons, we got a whole lot of practical experience in the pool, on day trips and on Wicked’s live-aboard boat - the Mariner. We did 3 live-aboard trips each, we helped out instructors with open water and advanced courses, we practiced guiding divers around dive sites and learned all about keeping people safe above and below the ocean’s surface.

Wicked is not just about diving either. They support a local Burmese school and an orphanage and have a cool environmental programme running. We visited the school and helped them set up a recycling programme during our course and I’ve since helped out with building an artificial reef at one of the dive sites (more on all these in future posts). To me, the depth and breadth of Wicked’s philosophy and actions fit so well with my own values that it was a no-brainer to sign up with them. 

Taking recycling bins to the school

The kids displaying their artwork

Khao Lak is a reasonably quite town. It’s basically a 3km main street lined with dive shops, massage places, restaurants, bars and touristy shops. There are a couple of small side roads with hotels, hostels and homes tucked away in the trees. The area is surrounded by bush with lovely waterfalls hidden away at the end of narrow, unsealed roads. And there’s a beach. A long, sandy beach broken up by large outcrops of rock with uninterrupted views out to … well, the open ocean! 

Main road of Khao Lak

Homes down the side streets

New friends to make :)

Chong Fa Waterfall

Khao Lak beach

Khao Lak is one of the beaches that was hit hardest by the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami. There are a few reminders of the devastation that hit - large, empty beachfront sections, flowers and cards tied to trees and the police boat that was carried 2km inland. Otherwise, the town has bounced back and continues to attract tourists to it’s shores.

The police boat

I love it here. My lifestyle is so simple compared to what it was back home. I have very few possessions with me and I don’t miss what I used to have. My days are filled with diving, chatting to people, studying and plenty of downtime in between to explore. I’ve learned to deal with strange ants, scorpions and snakes. 

The scorpion in my bathroom...

The snakes on my balcony...

I go for a walk on the beach or a swim in the ocean most mornings that I’m not diving. I walk for 10 minutes in my bikini, shorts, singlet and jandals to get to work. I can’t recall a single case of ‘Monday-itus’. I’ve even got used to my very limited clothing choices and having only 2 pairs of shoes. (Such a change from the extensive wardrobe and 70 pairs of shoes I have back home!!! I understand Mum is currently raiding my wardrobe :))

Every day has brought a new experience, a new person or some new food across my path (or plate). I miss my family and friends back in NZ but have made so many more friends from all over the world that I am never lonely any more. 

So what’s next in store…well, I have a few plans starting to take shape. I’ll let you in on them as they firm up - and after I’ve told you a bunch of stories about some of the cool sights and experiences I’ve had here. Watch this space!