Aladdin's diving adventure in Pattaya
Monday 24 th
of January 2011
and I got my call at 6 thirty. A shower and I packed my bag so Iwere ready quarter past 7. I was pleasantly surprised when Icame down to check out. The restaurant was open, they had told me that they would not open until 7 thirty. Good, I have time for tea before we take off to the dive shop in Jomtien.
My friend and his mother arrived a few minutes later. I drank the tea and I had a few toast. I took a plate of scrambled eggs, but it tasted like shit so I just had a fork full.
We arrived to the dive shop in Jomtien at 8 o'clock and there were already plenty people waiting for the van that would take us to the boat.
It was almost 9 o'clock when we left Jomtien in a van bound for The Pier in Pattaya. Mermaid'sboat was waiting for us and we took off towards the islandSouth of Koh Larn
It took us between 1 and 1 and a half hour to get to the island. And the boat trip wasn't very exciting, but it was not boring. The guy in charge, a British guy was cracking jokes all the time so the time on the boat was OK. But never the less, it was nice when we arrived to the island.
When we arrived to the beach we could hear music. There was a boat, most likely with Russiantourists, we could hear the Russian language. Well, ourdiversjumped in to the water and we took off to the meeting point on the other side of the rocks South of the beach.
The divers would dive to the meeting point whilewe were going to snorkel while waiting forthe divers to come back.
When we arrived to the meeting point for the divers we dropped anchor and I took off in to the water ASAP. We expected the divers to be there in an hour and that gave us plenty time for snorkelling.
There were 4 of us snorkelling and the crew was preparing the lunch while we were in the water.
The first divers came back after 30 minutes, they had a new divers in the team and they were onlyallowed to be under water for 30 minutes.
One of the crew members had the son on the boat and he was playing with a lifebuoy inthe water, of course, wearing a life jacket. Well, for sure, he will be used to water andmost likely be able to swim when he grows up. But the being able to swim part is not for sure.
I stayed in until the second last, the little boy was the lastto come up from the water.
It was very nice in thewater and I wanted to stay as long as possible, there wasn't really that much fun going on onboard the diving boat.
And as I had some pain in my toe I could only use one flipper, but it was OK, gave me enough thrust. With two flippers I might have ended up on the beach.
We had our lunch, I skipped my lunch. I was just eager to get away to our next stop, and small island just 10 minutes North of were we were.
Last stop and we dropped anchor East of the island. Now the divers had to jump in to the water and they had to come back to the boat. We had to stay East of the island because of the strong current North and South of the island.
Of course, it was pretty much the same fishes at the last stop. But it was nice to swim around inthe water. Time turned quick and the divers were soon back so wecould return to Pattaya.
Yes, I was hungry after the skipped lunch and the toast only for breakfast. We decided to go eat at The News before returning to Bangkok.
Yes, it had been very nice swimming, but the trip to the islandand back was something I could have lived with out and I was very nice to be back in Pattaya.
And when we came back to the dive shop we discovered that we had a flat tyre. So when we finished our diner we had to go to a deck shop. The deck shop found that the rim was broken so they could not change the tyre. So theyhad to put on the spare and we were allowed MAXIMUM 80 km/h. Impressive, BMW and the spare tyre is maximum 80 km/h. I can't remember having any speed limits on spare tyres before.
I was full so I almost felt a sleep on the way back home. I ordered “Pytt i panna” and “bacon & egg” at The News. Later on I discovered that they had salmon and it was too late tocancel my food order, they had most likely got started with my food in the kitchen.
- Hmm, what to do?
YEAH! I order a salmon on top of the other orders. Good idea because it turned out that the salmon was very good.
OH yes! Coming home to discover the headlines in Bangkok post was very nice: SET plunges aftersharp selloff
110,000 down the drain. Well, I will never go to Pattaya again.
Last time in Pattaya and then it were even worse and thatwas just because of a rumour. Well, from now on I will only use 50% of the money at the trading account and next time this happens I will by stocksfor the remaining 50% to get a lower average price. Well, from previous experience I have learned that this plan will most likely be totally useless.
+++++++++++++++
Tuesday 25 th
of January 2011
and it was nice to wake up in Bangkok again. It will be a long time before I go down to Pattaya and the Eastern Seaboard again. And nice to be back on my normal routines, especially with the evening constitutional.
+++++++++++++++
Wednesday 26 th
of January 2011
and my alarm went off at 8 o'clock. My plan was to go to mymorning class at 9 o'clock. But my EX Teacher called and she told me that she would be here around 12 o'clock with a friend so we could go play badminton.
Of course, plans were changed again and now it was too late to go to the morning class. My EX Teacher is thinking about going to India to study at an Indian University for 2 years though she hasnot received any answers from Srinakharinwirot University. So she was busy with paperwork but I would meet my EX Teacher after class.
My French class mates had broughtbadminton rackets so we could play badminton after class. But it turned out that the badminton court was occupied until 6 o'clock.
My French class mates returned home and my EX Teacher and I went to make copies for her application.
I have to 2 CD shelves at home and I asked my Teacher if shewanted to have them. I have not been playing CDs for several years by now and the shelves just occupy space in my guest room.
We went to make her copies and when we finishedwe went to eat food at a Japanese restaurant close to my place. I finished my day by an evening constitutional.Yes, I really felt bad leaving the Japanese restaurant, my diet! I should have returned home to my “ TUNA & ONION SURPRISE
”
®. But the constitutional made me feel a wee bit better.
+++++++++++++++
Thursday 27 th
of January 2011
and my alarm went off at 8 o'clock. I will have plenty time for my tea and Pumpernickel before going to the airport to pick up my friend and his wife. They will arrive at 13:40 and I will leave for the airport around 12 o'clock. That will hopefully give me time to take a look for Miss “Most Beautiful in the World #1”. I have not seen her for a very long time. But Ithought I saw her at NERO CAFE in the CHECK-IN hall a few months ago. But as I didn't had any time I could not investigate. Maybe today.
I was at the airport at 1 o'clock and NERO cafe was full, and no sight off Miss “Most Beautiful in theWorld #1” so I went for my lunch at a Japaneserestaurant next door. My friends plane was delayed for 35 minutes so I had plenty time.
When I finished my salmon burger and sushi I went to book acar at AOT. And the recognised me. They were all waingme when I approached the desk.
- Aladdin, you're going to Soi 23
- How do you know?
- We see you many times.
This was at gate B and when I came to Gate C to pick up my friend it was the same thing. The girls at the AOT desk started to wave at me. I looked behind me and they started to point at me. Yes, it was me
And as the girls were pretty goodlooking I approached the desk. I showed them my receipt from AOT at gate B. And of course, I asked them if they had any boyfriends. No, they didn't, but they werelooking.
- You want a farang or Thai boyfriend.
- A farang!
- Good luck finding someone.
I was waiting at the gate for almost 2 hours before my friends arrived.
- Where the hell have you been? Your flight arrived 2 hours ago!
And what a disappointment, no STROH rum and pink converse shoes.
- What the? How is it possible to fail everything you try?
I was not in a good mood. But after a fewbeers on my balcony my mood improved a wee bit. And after 6 beers I wasboth good looking and handsome. Charisma Man?
We went to a new Japanese restaurant on Sukhumvit Soi 23. They had hot sake but no sushi so we took a taxi to Soi 19.
Didn't take long before we had beer and hot sake on the table andavocado and salmon sushi were on the way.
I don't know for how long we stayed at the Japanese restaurant, but we were tipsy when we left the place.As my friend and his wife had arrived to Thailand today we decided to take a TUK TUK to SNOP. But then it will not be any moreTUK TUK rides, at least not for me.
We made a stop at my place to pick up my taxi cd so we hadmusic during the ride. A stop at 7 Eleven for abag of beers and we took off towards Ratchadapisek.
Of course it helps to be drunk when you're riding in a TUK TUK, and with the music and beers it turned out to be really nice.
I think we were a wee bit too early at SNOP. There was not really any people so we decided to goto FUNKY Villa instead.
And as we didn't had any plans to go to FUNKY Villa I didn't brought my vodka ticket. So I had to buy a new bottle of vodka with orange juice.
And yes, I don't know what time I got back home. But my friends were back home sleeping when I came home. But I stopped at 7 Eleven on my way home to buy hangover milk and hangover orange juice.
Nice to have tomorrow morning waking up with a hangover.
+++++++++++++++
Friday 28 th
of January 2011
and I woke up at 10 o'clock. So obviously it had not been all that lateyesterday, or this very morning.
Well, I didn't throw myself out of bed. But I was pretty quick out of bed to go get my hangover milk.AND WHAT THEF@CK!!! My friend had been drinking my hangover milk.
- GET YOUR FUNKY ARSE TO 7 ELEVEN!!! ONTHE DOUBLE!
So he left for 7 Eleven to buy coffee and hangover milk. While he was gone they called from DPO. My shoes had arrived and they asked if I was at home. I told them to deliver the shoes.
- We will come in 20 minutes.
I was pleasantly surprised, I had expected my shoes in a week or 2. OK, my friend andhis wife finished their coffee and we took off to SCAN DELI on Sukhumvit Soi 16 to have our breakfast
The airline had lost my friend's luggage so they needed to buy some clothes and we decided to go to Robinson and my Tailor after the breakfast.
And we needed to buy food. I don't know what theis wrong with Swedish people. But as soon as they see a grill they want to have BBQ. And they spotted my grill on my balcony and they went on and on about BBQ.
We took off up Soi 16 in search of a taxi. Well, no taxi around and when we reached Sukhumvit a TUK TUK passed us and I heard someone screaming Aladdin.
It was an Motorman I had been working with on M/T Stena Barbados and CT Star.
- How did you recognise me?
- I saw you earrings.
My hangover kicked in full force at Robinson. My friend draws my attention to my untied shoestring.
- I will tie them up for you.
- Not necessary, I said.
- I think so, it looks like you're going to puke if you bend over.
Yes, can't say that I felt like a million so when we had bought 2 cases of San Miguel Light and food I returned home to my bed and hangover DVD.
My friends stayed behind looking for clothes and when they came back home my friend made himself useful cleaning my balcony preparing for the BBQ
I'm just waiting for the San Miguel Lights to be cold enough so I can pop one can open and enjoy one of the best beers in the world. And then, how will this end?
The food was good, well, except the Frankfurters. They went straight to the garbage bin with amental note never to buy Frankfurters again. But the chicken and the other sausage were good.
I had not been using my grill for several years and now I remembered why, my living room were soon full of smoke.
The security guard came knocking on my door.
- What are you doing? Is there a fire?
- We're making BBQ
- Oh, O
The security guard left and we could continue with the BBQ.
We finished the food, except for the Frankfurters. We also changed from San Miguel Light toSTROH rum and vodka, a big mistake.
I will stick to beers from now on. As soon as you start with the booze it just take a jiff before the concrete hat is on.When I drink beers we are running in to the Charisma Man, at least for an hour or two.
+++++++++++++++
Saturday 29 th
of January 2011
and I spent the whole day in bed watching DVD. The whole season 5 of Dexter, 2 movies and Weed season 6. Yes, another wasted day.
+++++++++++++++
Sunday 30 th
of January 2011
and my friend and his wife left for Pattaya at 10 o'clock. I had beenspoken with my other friend yesterday and we had plans to go see the Planetarium at Ekkamai bus station. He came over at 10 thirty and we left to look for a taxi.
There were 2 ladies selling lottery tickets when we came to the intersection at Prasanmit Plaza. I bought 4 lottery tickets and I willhopefully have more luck than with the last tickets I bought.
I paid for the tickets and we stopped a taxi and we took off towards the planetarium.
We paid 30 Baht each for the tickets to the planetarium and wewere showed in to a cinema where they showed the vault of heaven on the ceiling.
It wasn't all that exciting and I was soon hearing someone snoring behind me. I thought it was my friend, but it turned out that itwas someone else. When I turned around my friend asked me if I couldhear the snoring.
- Someone found this very boring.
Well, I and my friend left before the show was over. We walked around the park looking at theold airplanes before we walked to Soi 22 for lunch. Curry soup andsticky rice with mango. We decided to take a taxi to Pattaya when we finished our lunch. First stop was at my pace to pack my bag.
I called the British tour guide on the diving boat and I booked 2 seats for my friend and me. Then I called my hotel in Pattaya and I booked 2 rooms.
We took a taxi to my friend's apartment and our taxi was waiting while he packed his bag. We were on our way 10 minutes' laterand we checked in at our hotel 4 o'clock in the afternoon.
I had a swim in the pool while my friend had a rest in his room and we didn't left for our dinner until 17 thirty. Salad at the German restaurant around the corner.
We went to the beach after dinner and my friendwanted to stop for a beer at Hopf. I reminded him about the snorkelling and the 7 o'clock wakeup call tomorrow.
I had a diet drink while my friend had his beer. I don't know what happened to my diet drink, maybe they had to go get it in Bangkok because it took like forever before I got my diet drink and my friend had almost finished his beer when I got my diet drink.
And I don't know if it is because all the new tourists coming to Pattaya. But when we got our bill we had to write down the amount of money we gave the Waitress before she took off to get the change.Hmm, maybe a lot of people giving a 100 Baht bill and when the Waitress return with the change they claim to have paid with a 1000 Baht bill.
We found it strange with no traffic on the Beach Road when we got out of Hopf. I looked up anddown the Beach Road and the only thing I could see was people, no cars! Nice! We continued our walk towards the Walking Street and suddenly there were beds coming down the Beach Road. Later on we found out that it was the International Bed racing day in Pattaya.
The beach walk was full of pick-up trucks rebuilt togiant loudspeakers. And the noise was terrible, and the fact that it was very bad music didn't made things any better.
Amazingly enough we found a guy sleeping in a hammock next to one of the pick-up trucks.Hmm, maybe the guy was dead.
Coming to Walking Street and we discovered that it was the International Bed Race day and theFINISH line was at the Walking Street.
We stopped at the first bar on Walking Street so my friend could have beer #2 and I ordered yet another diet drink.
It was nice to sit on the roadside watching the people passing by. There were even some of the beds participating in the International Bed Race crossing the finish line just in front of us. We were soon moving and my friend had beer #3 and I changed to soda water. Can't keep on drinkingall the diet drink. The caffeine will make it impossible to fallasleep and I will be dead tired when they call us at 7 o'clock tomorrow morning for the snorkelling tour.
Well, anyway, soda water is healthier and I even think it tastes better. We walked around on the Walking Street watching people and my friend had had both beer #5 and 6. I was trying to keep up drinking soda water.
And I had been drinking so much soda water so I had to dash off to the bathroom. Yes, I hadbeen drinking soda water like there was no tomorrow. Drinking beer is a killer for my diet and the soda will make it easier to get out of bed tomorrow morning. I can just imagine how fun it would be to get out of bed at 7 after a few beers.
It was soon 10 o'clock and we had to start thinking about getting back home to the hotel. My friend to a taxi and I walked back to Soi 8 along the beach. There is always something interesting to see during the night.
It was very nice to walk along the beach. The weather is perfect, a cooling breeze and I wasreally enjoying my walk. I walked up Beach Road Soi 8, passing my hotel turning to left at Second Road. I was aiming for Goose's Fish & Chips restaurant on the second Road.
I was there 2 years ago and the Fish & Chips were excellent. They also have a rhubarb pie with custard that makes the place worth a visit.
I step inside and the Waitress recognises me. She asks me how many baseball caps I have.
- You had a different colour last time.
I had my code fish with chips and I returned to my book at my hotel. But first a few words on my web page, I'm behind after the last few days in bed watching DVDs.
+++++++++++++++
Monday 31 st
of January 2011
and I could not believe my eyes coming down to the restaurant at 7 thirty. Well, I received my wakeup call at 7 but I felt a sleep again, for 10 minutes. So my friendwas banging on my door 07:15 when I was in the shower.
- I'M UP!!! SEE YOU IN THE RESTAURANT!!!
Coming down to the restaurant and the first thing I saw was Elvis Presley. Yes, I saw Elvis inPattaya. And Elvis had obviously had a late night out.
Imagine waking up like that.
- What the hell happened last night?
You discover that you're thirsty like hell, but no water. Hopefully you have money for a bottle of water and a taxi.
Well, my friend and I had our breakfast before we left for Mermaid's dive shop in Jomtien Took about 10 minutes to get to the dive shop. There we quite a crowd at the dive shop and we took off towards the boat at Pattaya pier at 8 thirty.
We were going to Koh Rinn, same island as we were last time we were snorkelling. It took us about 1hour 45 minutes to get to the island.
When we arrived our British tour leader held aninformation meeting about the island, current, different fishes and dangerous. He also went through the different signs the divers would use. Well, we were snorkelling so we didn't need any signs.
It was the same routines as last time, we dropped thedivers and we went to drop the anchor on the other side of a rock and we could do some snorkelling while waiting for the divers. My friend was first in the water andI took a picture of him before I jumped in to the water.
This was my last picture for a while. When I was in the water Idiscovered that I had lost my camera and hanky when I jumped in to the water. F@CK! No more pictures and I had lost my “Elvis is alive” proof, well, almost alive.
So I was not in a very good mood, and of course, no camera and there were plenty nice fishes.
Our diving Master was onboard to take care of 3 snorkelers from Hong Kong and the Hong Kong snorkelers didn't spend much time in the water. My friend was soon cold and went back onboard the boat. So I was the last snorkeler in the water and as the tour guide taking care of the Hong Kong snorkelers was back onboard she could keep herself busy taking pictures of me.
Well, it started by me asking her if she could take a picture of my friend drinking is “Orange juice” on deck. She promised to send them to me by e-mail.
The first divers came back and they had my hanky. They had found it and I was grateful to get itback. Need to cover my bald spot or I will burn myself in the sun. And of course, it didn't take long before I lost itagain. The people on the boat were directing me towards my hanky while our tour guide took the pictures. I bet she was impressed when I came back in supersonic speed.
When the last divers came back it was time for lunch. Our British tour guide heard about my camera and he launched a search and rescue mission. Seriously, I had no hope to get my “Elvis is alive” proof. So imagine my joy when I saw my camera coming up from the water.
Yes, they found my camera and I was very happy. I told the guys that the beer was on me, as much they could drink. Would set me back more than to buy a new camera. But the proof of me running in to Elvis Presley was beyond valuation.
I checked the pictures and I discovered that our heroes had been taking a few pictures when they found my camera. Well, a few bonus pictures for the internet.
OK, the last picture. Even if our British tour guide hadn't told me that he had been on my web page I would have understood after looking at him on the last picture.
The wind picked up so we could not go to the small islet north of Koh Rinn so we went to the otherside of Koh Rinn for the last dive and snorkelling.
I could not wait to get in to the water when we arrivedto the other side of Koh Rinn.
We dropped anchor and the divers donned their scubasuits and gears. I was jumping up and down inpatient to jump in to the sea.
I asked our British Diving Master/ Tour leader if it was OK to jump overboard from the side. They alwaysstress that we were going in to the water on the aft platform and that we got back onboard onthe side during the Pre diving meetings.
So I wanted to ask before I jumped in to the sea from the side just to make sure no one would getupset when I disappear overboard.
It was no problem and I was in the water in a jiff, first in and lastout of the water.
And this time I jumped in to the water without my camera and my friend handed me my camera when I was in the water.
Now I was going to take some kick ass pictures and I willhopefully see something exciting.
My friend and I took off to look for turtles. We found f@ck all, but my friend discovered an empty plastic bottle on the seabed.
He dove down and grabbed the bottle and took it back to the diving boat.
While my friend and I was busy saving the world one of the tour guides was busy taking care of the snorkelers from Hong Kong.
- Aladdin, can you please take some pictures of the family and e-mail to me?
Of course, this was no problem. If I managed to get a few good pictures that is.
I took the pictures of the snorkelers from Hong Kong. I don't know about the under water quality.It is very hard to aim under water and I had to shootseveral pictures to get one picture that I could use. Well, one picture is better than no picture.
All divers and snorkelers were back onboard on the diving boat, well, we were still waiting for the three last divers and I stayed in the water until they came back. Not very exciting to sit on the boat waiting, and it is much nicer to be in the water swimming around burning calories.
Back on the boat as last man and we took off towards Pattaya. The wind had really picked up and itwas a very choppy ride back. And it was the first time I saw a barf bag coming to use. At least the originally planned use for the barfbag. I had used several barf bags for used snus.
But people were sea sick and puking so it was very nice when we were back in Pattaya. I and my friend skipped the ride back to the dive shop. We had decided to walk up Walking Street to Beach Road and to take a Song Taew from there to our hotel.
But first a beer stop on Walking Street. Andwe had our dinner at a French restaurant and luckily enough they had Tiger Light beer at the place.
When we came back to the hotel we decided to take a rest for an hourbefore going out for more beer. One hour, yes, I woke up after 3 hours and I went to wake up my friend.
We walked down Soi 8 and I don't recognise much of Soi 8 anymore. It has changed a lot since I was here last time a year or two ago. We walked almost all the way down to the Beach Road before we found a place that we liked.
Lo and behold, they had Tiger Light at the bar and we ordered 2 Tiger Light and it didn't take long before we had a lady next to us. She was sellinglottery tickets and I decided to buy 2 even though I had 4 back home in Bangkok. Maybe I have better luck with the tickets from Pattaya.
- 220 Baht
- What the? In Bangkok I pay 100 Baht each.
- In Pattaya it is 110, I walk around much!
- I only give you 200!
We ordered next round of Tiger Light.
- We only have one more bottle of Tiger Light.
We took one Tiger Light and one San Miguel Light. Next round was 2 San Miguel light. They told us that one of the girls were at 7 Eleven to buy more Tiger light. But wedidn't wanted to wait so we got 2 more San Miguel Light.
We were quite surprised when our bill came, 895 Baht and we had been in the bar forever drinking plenty beers. Well, cheap and good beer is nothing we're spoiled with. But it was a different price when we came to Walking Street. 2 beers and we got a 320 Baht bill. Of course, there was a show including in the price. The Elvis show and, well, it was bad.
Old Elvis tunes with Elvis asking the audience for beers between the tunes. So I won't be surprisedto find Elvis outside our hotel tomorrow morning.
Well, the show sucked and we didn't order a second round of beers.
We went to another place but I never ordered anything to drink. I went next door and I had spaghetti with onion and bacon. I had to send back the first plate.
- What did you put in my spaghetti?
- We put onion and bacon?
- No chilli?
- Yes, we put chilli in you spaghetti.
Yes, it was impossible to eat the spaghetti. It was just burningwhen I ate it. And I ordered spaghetti with onion and bacon so I don't understand why the f@ck they put chilli in my spaghetti.
I was back at my hotel at 1 o'clock and I felt asleep within a few minutes. Well, and me falling asleep pretty much put an end to the month of January 2011 and we swing right over to February 2011.
You are visitor no.
To www.aladdin.st since December 2005
Visitors to www.aladdin.st from different countries since 26th of September 2011