Last night I went to the famous ‘Full Moon’ Party held each month on Haad Rin beach (a 45 minute songtaw taxi ride). It was impressive! 10,000 people from all over the world dancing and drinking on this large stretch of beach.  It was a beautiful, clear, hot summer night. Bars set up elaborate outdoor beach parties with techno, R&B music, fireworks, light displays and games.  One of them involved drunkin’ tourist jumping rope while it was on fire…and yes, I did see several get singed. Picture Spring break in Cancun.

Yesterday was beautiful. Sunny, hot and the seas were calm. I spent the day aboard a large tourist boat filled with people from Switzerland, Italy, Canada, Japan, US and Russia. We went to Koh Tao, an even smaller island then Koh Phangan, to snorkel and SCUBA dive. Visibility was good 50 feet down. We weaved in and out of many large boulders and saw some colorful fish…even a barracuda.

Overall it was nice to be among the marine life but it wasn’t anything remarkable. In the 10 years I have been SCUBA diving I have to say my favorite was a 120 foot, shipwreck dive off of Key West. The most beautiful was ‘The Wall’ in Cozumel. Granted…I haven’t been to the Great Barrier Reef yet and I know there are SO many other amazing places to dive. If you have a recommendation…let me know! J

I have made the ‘executive decision’ to move from my jungle mountain hut to a beach bungalow. My reptilian roomie keeps coming in late at night and is quite noisy. I really don’t ‘do’ reptiles…its just not my ‘thing’. Besides…the ocean is so calming. I feel more inspired to study among the waves then under a mosquito net.

I am lovin’ the yoga teacher training course I am taking at Pyramid Yoga Retreat/Ashram.  It is located in the jungle mountains off of Haad Salad beach.  I’m so busy the days fly.  We have an intensive yoga workout from 6:30am-9am.  Breakfast from 9am-10am & lunch 1-2pm.  Classes are from 10am-4pm include anatomy, sanskrit, philosophy, sequencing etc.  Usually after class we have time to run down the mountain to enjoy the beach, run errands, use the internet cafes , call home or study.  Dinner is at 6:30 and I am usually in my hut by 7:30 working on homework and then asleep by 9pm.

The accommodations are VERY rustic.  My little 1 room, wooden hut on the mountain includes a western style bathroom…outside…and no roof.  I have 2 large windows and a deck with a hammock.  My view is the ocean.  There is no air conditioning, tv or phone and just 1 light on the ceiling.  I have a queen size bed with mosquito netting.

My hut wouldn’t be so bad if my windows had screens.  The problem is my unwanted roommates…lizards the size of a semi!  Ok…well maybe not the size of semi…but I swear the size of baby alligators!  I have found 2 in my room in the past 3 days.  The first time I screamed like a girl (yes, I know I am one but hate the ‘freaked out girl’ stereotype) as it darted out from under my bed.  I am not one to get creeped out by wildlife…come on now, I have camped all over the world and been in the Amazon…but I have never had to deal with baby alligators in my living space…not to mention large gray spiders and ants!!!  I have invested in bug spray and requested they install screens.  I can live with all the above…except for the lizards.  We have had other wildlife sightings including a large green snake in the rafters of our classroom pavilion and a scorpion in the sound chamber.  I guess this is all to be expected.  We are invading their natural habitat after all.

Tomorrow I am going SCUBA diving off the island of Koh Tao, about 45km from here and then back in class Monday morning.  I’ll update site when I can…just been so busy.  Will for sure fix the below picture situation within the next few days.

Namaste Amigos!