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The Lost Flipper of Thailand

We started off our day waiting for our shuttle to the ferry just like Saturday except this day our shuttle didn't show up on time. We sat on the corner of our apartment complex and watched the minutes tick by and the vans drive past. We started to get nervous and thought we might need to get a GrabTaxi to the ferry. At a half hour until our ferry took off, and looking on the phone for a GrabTaxi, our driver was waving at us from the median. We ran across traffic like frogger and hopped into the van and hoped we would make our ferry.

We made it in time, about 5 minutes early in fact and watched more Mr. Bean on our 2 hour boat ride to Phi Phi.

Once we got to Phi Phi, it was nice already know what to do. We had our 20 Baht ready for our entrance into the island and we knew to look for our hotel on the many signs that people were holding on the dock as we walked in. We didn't find our hotel so we took a map and wandered in the correct  direction. Once we got to our place, we went to two check in counters to get our reservation and then were taken to our room. Good thing that they escorted us because it was up a bunch of stairs and then around a few corners and our room was nestled on the hillside, in the corner, up some stairs, out of sight. We had our own balcony which was nice and air conditioning (but we paid for that so...)! It was only 30 USD for us to stay there one night (thats expensive!), so the room was simple and would be fine for one night.

We set our stuff down, got ready for an afternoon on the boat/in the water and went to look for our next adventure! Its nice not having to worry about what to do on Phi Phi as there are dive shops, spas, bars and street vendors everywhere! So we walked around until we found a good option for dive shops. I could snorkel while Ty dove and it seemed like a company that cared about the reef, having posters about conservation.

We had about an hour until the trip took off so we walked around to find somewhere to eat. Phi Phi is a great place to find not Thai food and we ended up getting falafel.

After falafel, we stopped into a pharmacy because my ears had been bothering me ever since I dove too much on Saturday because of those adorable cuttlefish! I was having trouble equalizing then and just kept diving; I was paying for it now. The pharmacist was a short, sweet woman with chin length brown hair and a big friendly smile; I was immediately calmed when I saw her. I told her my issues and she checked my ears. She told me in the best English we have heard so far that I just had some inflammation, not an infection yet. She gave me some cheap ear drops to put in to ease the pain. She told me not to swim or get water in my ears... Well, maybe I wouldn't.

At 1:30, we got together with our crew for the afternoon and hiked to the boat we would be taking. We met some fellow Americans which is not a common thing as most people are Australians and Europeans. One guy was from Wisconsin! Small world.

I was the only person who was just snorkeling and it was a little awkward because everyone else was diving and had their own instructors/guides but I was all alone. Tyler was happy cause he got to dive with two Swedish babes haha.

We got to the first location and everyone started getting their dive gear on and I was just chilling on the top floor waiting for us to stop. We didn't anchor or anything so I wasn't sure when I should hop in, or even if there would be anything for me to see in this location so I stood awkwardly on the edge for a few minutes and then started getting my gear on. About half of the boat got off before I decided to hop in. Jumping in is not my strong suit but I wanted to look cool in front of all the divers (I'm not a complete imbecile in the water!) and this was where I went wrong. My left foot is slightly smaller than my right foot and as soon as I hit the water, my flipper escaped. I also got water in my goggles, like an idiot. I cleared my goggles and searched through my bubbles, frantically, for my flipper. After a second, I spotted it but it was already down pretty far. I couldn't see the bottom and was worried that if I dove, I would for sure get an ear infection as I wasn't supposed to be int he water at all! Then I panicked, my flipper! No! Not my trusty flipper that Ive had for 5 years! I looked around to see if there was a diver who could get down but everyone was busy doing their own thing and once someone actually heard me, it was down too far and out of sight.

I decided to just get back on the boat as I was crushed to lose my blue Cressi flipper and took it as a sign that I shouldn't be in the water to begin with. One of the woman divers decided to take a quick look for it but didnt find it. It had been donated to the big blue.

The Thai crewmen who drove the boat were so nice to me. They offered a pair of their flippers and when I said no thanks, they were sad for me; "aw" they said. Im pretty picky about snorkel gear as I've worn my fair share of uncomfortable and not fitted stuff.

I was ok sitting on the top floor in the sun though as today was the first day of real sun! I wanted to soak up those rays. Also, then I wouldn't be in the water alone (snorkel buddies have been ingrained in my brain since working in Florida at Seacamp) and I wouldn't have to awkwardly have to call the boat over to me when I was done way before everyone else...

On the second level of the boat, I lounged in the sun and took in the amazing sights before me. I snapped a million photos... And one of the crew popped his head upstairs and brought me fruit and water! How sweet.

Finally, we started picking up divers and it was time for lunch and boy was lunch good! It wasn't in styrofoam containers but a stackable metal dish thing which was nifty. We ate our lunch while looking at THE Beach, from that movie. Ty was able to hang out with me for a little bit but then we were off to our next location to do more diving. Again, I was happy to nap in the sun for an hour.

The sun started to set, we picked up our divers amongst the 4 other boats. The drive back was a cold one but the sunset brought some great colors.



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