Day 62 Caught Out

05/05/13
Our wake up call was at 06.00 because our first dive was at 06.30. It was a good dive, very similar to yesterdays. Breakfast followed, which had some semblance to a full english, although the only item that tasted how it should was the bacon, but beggars can't be choosers so I went for seconds. For the 2nd dive we were joined by a Canadian couple. They took an age and a half to get ready because they were faffing with their cameras, even once we were in the water we were always waiting for them because they took so many photos. Lunch was an odd affair, there was rice then 4 different curries, not really sure which one I wanted I went for the lot, not sure it is very socially acceptable. The last dive was the best of the day, mainly because we saw an octopus, close up and swimming away (it was probably scared of the camera flash). After a shower and a (free) drink it was back on the speed boat for the return journey, and what a journey it was. There was 13 of us, plus 3 crew on the boat, all just about fitting in, with a pile of luggage in the middle. For half the journey it was blazing sunshine then the captain shouted something so I looked up from my book and saw a wall of black cloud. Everyone's hand luggage was stowed away and people tried covering themselves, I resigned myself to the fact I was going to get wet so took my top off to save it getting soaked. The storm started so suddenly, it was literally like someone had flicked a switch! The storm had increased the pitch of the waves so we were forced to go slower, meaning more time in the rain. Within 5 minutes my shorts were soaked, I totally regretted changing out of my swim shorts earlier in the day. There was free transport to Phuket, provided by the dive centre, there was 2 going to different parts, I didn't really know where I wanted to go so I got on the same bus as an American guy I had befriended. I was dropped in the centre on the town and started my search, I asked about 10 different places about prices and even after bartering with the cheapest place I still ended up paying more than I had anywhere else on my travels. After I had laid out my damp clothes on my bed I began walking the streets, every single shop had a neon sign, I didn't quite know where to look. As usual I couldn't walk 5m without being offered a massage or another product/service but the touts here are some of the worst I have come across, one masseuse pinched my bum, when I turned around the perpetrator looked a lot like a ladyboy.. Later on I was sitting in a bar watching the Liverpool derby when a girl came up and asked if I wanted to join her and her friend for a drink, as I am always happy for company I agreed. They were a Lesbian couple from Australia and spent the first half hour ranting about gay rights etc. in Australia. We then went to another bar where we spent the rest of the night, by the time I left both the girls were behind the bar serving customers, the Thai owners didn't seem to care.