November 5 - Thailand: Koh Tao

Dive Master in Training - Day #11

I did nothing today.  My ear infection is better, although not quite gone.  Hopefully I'll be able to dive tomorrow instead.

Lunch in Town

One of Ban's Dive Instructors - Roland - is from Israel.  He recently opened an Israeli restaurant in town and we'd heard the falafels were excellent.  By the way, a very large percentage of the divers here at Ban's are Israeli.  It's funny how that happens. A friend tells a friend who tells a friend, and the next thing you know half the diving population in Israel ends up in Koh Tao.  They're all very cool, and I've learned to say "Sa Baba!" which basically means "It's all good!".

So Jon and I walked into town to find it.  The "road" was a 10 minute walk along a sand/dirt/concrete road.  We passed a few other bungalow places and restaurants on the walk, and even passed the Koh Tao elementary school.  When we reached "town" - which is really just five blocks of shops and dive places next to the pier - we didn't know where the restaurant was.  So we walked around for a few minutes and then stumbled upon it.  "Babylon" was a little place with a blue railing and only two other people there aside from Roland and the cooks.

We each ordered a falafel on pita and a sprite.  Ela told us that the falafels make her Israeli heart proud, but that the hummus could use more garlic.  I can't vouch for the latter, but the falafels were superb.  We really need to learn how to make these things!   Jon was in heaven. 

Rain in Koh Tao

It rained a bit while we were there, but we didn't mind.  The rain in Koh Tao, by the way, is different from anywhere else.  It doesn't drizzle here - it only pours.  And the downpours last for about 5 minutes.  But the interesting thing is that you can hear the downpour approaching.  The weather will be dry, but cloudy and then suddenly you can hear the rain moving closer.  It gets closer and closer... and then you're in the middle of it until the downpour suddenly moves away.  Imagine a rain cloud heavy with rain moving through the sky.  There is no "light" part of the cloud, only the heavy part.  So the movement of this cloud determines where the downpour happens.  

The other day, I quickly went to the convenience store for some water.  I was walking back to the room when I suddenly could hear it - the loud pattering of a downpour on the rooftops to the east.  I started running as if some evil force was after me and my life depended on it.  The faster I ran, the closer it came.  I barely made it to the overhang when the downpour hit.  Whew!  It only takes 10 seconds in one of these downpours to get soaked.  I walked up the stairs to the room and Jon said, "Hey there!  Did you make it?  I heard it coming and figured you'd be soaked."  Not me!  I'm too quick for these silly rainstorms.

After lunch, Jon went back to assist in the afternoon course and I went to the room to read.

For dinner, we went to AC's because Jon had a Night Dive.