Part 3a: Similan Islands and Koh Bon, Day 1
Part 3b: Similan Islands and Koh Bon, Day 2
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By the time I hopped on the ferry from Koh Lanta back to Phuket, I was ready to go home. I felt like I’ve done and explored what I wanted. Throughout this entire trip (and pretty much for all of our lives, should we remain hungry forever), I interacted with people from different walks of life and found pieces of myself, some of which I had forgotten. In recounting my second set of dives in Phuket, I hope to share some insights along the way.
I went diving a couple more times in Phuket. One of the dive sites was actually a spot I already went to but I was all, “Eh, what else is there to do? Fuck it.” Yep, I was getting bored. Like I said, I was ready to go home.
Our divemaster was Scottish who had a super thick accent. I kept asking him to repeat some of the things he was saying until finally, he replied, “You just don’t understand me because of my Scottish accent!”
I nodded, “Yeah. That’s probably it.”
There were a couple other guys with me (come to think of it, most divers – masters and recreational – are men 🤔). One was this Brit who was working in the Middle East. He showed me a couple photos from when he went diving in the Red Sea, “I highly recommend it. The fish really come close to you,” he says as he showed me a close-up shot of a white-tip shark, “Sometimes, a little too close.”
I don’t remember the story of the other dude but he was on his refresher because he hasn’t gone in about a year. He had some trouble and we all helped and waited out for him. I suggested he sing, “Sink?” he asked.
“No. Sing.”
“Like, songs?”
“Yeah.” (I start humming some random tune. I’m a terrible singer but humming works wonders too)
He just laughed.
“I’m serious. It calms you down. Try it… not like heavy metal songs though.”
In between the dives, we hung our wetsuits out in the prep area, and I laid down at the beach beds and dried up.
When we got called out to prep for the next dive, I grabbed my wetsuit – still damp – was grossed out and it showed on my face. “Ah! Yes! That’s the best part about diving! Getting on something nice, damp, and cold on your warm, dry body!” joked the divemaster. Ugh
We found Nemo several times down there. One was swimming around, getting all cuddly (I don’t actually know what it’s doing) with anemone (those corals). The Brit told us about a documentary he watched about those guys. Apparently, they develop a relationship with particular anemones and if it’s not the same fish that goes to the coral, they get stung.
courtesy of asknature.org
The boat was a bit far when we ascended so we waited for some time on the surface. For the first time, after several dives, I look up on the limestones and it’s actually quite nice. We get so busy looking down and checking out the visibility and the conditions of the water that we forget to look up. It was nice being partially submerged in the ocean yet still be able to observe beauties of the solid earth.
“I keep forgetting to shave. It’s giving me problems,” said one of our mates while touching his mustache.
“Why?” I asked. They all looked at me, “Oh yeah I guess you don’t need to worry about that. But the mustache pushes the mask and water can get in.”
Sounds like a hassle like the annoying hair on my head that I have to constantly shave.
They started talking about the fish, which lead me to ask about the corals, “Which one?” asked the divemaster.
“The one that looked like mouths,” I replied.
He gives me a very “Wtf?” look. His face was priceless 🤣
See the mouths? They look like they’re wailing in a cartoon-y way. “Oh my God he farted again! Aaaaahhh! Get me out of here!”
I tried to explain to him what I meant but he seemed so clueless that I just gave up, “Eh nevermind. Silly things.”
I suppose I was telling the truth about silliness as this is the kind of shit that goes on in my head sometimes, in all honesty.
When we got back on the ship, we talked about our dive logs and such. I asked the divemaster a question, which he asked me to repeat several times. I forget what my words were, exactly, but on the third time I repeated myself, he finally understood it, “Oh! You mean (whatever it was)! See? I’m lost with your accent too!”
We all have an accent.
Technically, with English, it’s British people who “don’t have an accent” but even they have different accents depending on which part of the UK they’re coming from.
Sometimes when we go to strange places, we learn more about others and the world. Sometimes we learn more about ourselves. Although sometimes we remember because, amidst all this insanity that we all deal with (unless you live under a rock or in a small rural village untouched by industrialism), we all too often forget.
On the other hand, sometimes when we go to new places and do what we set out to do, there’s really nothing more… eh for some parts during this trip, I was very focused on diving and didn’t really care about much else.
There were some things that I came across that really broke my heart, which I’m not willing to discuss on my public blog. I wish I could do something about it but, given the position I’m in, there was nothing I could really do that wouldn’t compromise my own well-being… and I don’t believe anyone should have to do that nor have to be taken against anyone for doing so.
I know this sounds like a clichĂ© of a fucking annoying quote from a coaster but… if you don’t have yourself then you won’t have much else nor would you have anything to give.
Self-care, not a disregard for the well-being of others (too often misconstrued), is a virtue.
Having met a lot of expats during this trip made me realize how difficult it was to grow up when your family is constantly moving around (my folks were expats). People who grow up with such realities are apparently called “third culture kids.” But by its definition, since we’re living in such a multi-socio and multi-cultural world, this is therefore applicable to people who aren’t just expats (or kids of) but pretty much almost everyone who grew up with kids from different kinds of households from locals to immigrants. So, if you’re living in urban areas, from what I gather, all over the world, then you’re looking at this reality.
I personally think it’s great but it is definitely not without its struggles, especially when you haven’t formed a good base or a foundation for your own individual values yet.
When I got back to my room, I messaged the girl I met at Koh Lanta. We kept each other company on the ferry on the way back to Phuket. She stayed in Pa Tong beach area whereas I was in Kata (different areas of the island). We talked about many things one of which was hanging out when I got back that night. Pa Tong was way too much of a party place for me and my grandma sleeping habits but I wouldn’t have minded checking it out for a night. I couldn’t make it though. I went diving three times that day and did multiple day dives, everyday, for about a week before then (haven’t gone in years… got a little too excited). I was pretty drained by the end of the day but still wanted to check out Pa Tong so I didn’t cross it off my list until I lied down, “I’m just gonna rest for a bit” but then I couldn’t bring myself to get up once I got there.
I messaged the girl, “I’m tired AF. I won’t make it out but we should hang when we get back in TO.”
“Yeah, I can only imagine how exhausting multiple dives can be. No worries and totally!” she replied.
Included in the many topics of our long conversation during the ferry ride were social insights.
I’m not mentioning specifics but I will say this: it’s still seemingly a popular notion that diversity is all about having all kinds of folk from so and so being a part of a group, which it partially is but when you get into a productivity context, that sort of mentality alone may only serve for good publicity. It’s not entirely a bad thing because it can help alleviate a lot of social issues with regards to mass perception but at the same time, it fails to employ substantial benefits towards thrivability.
There are countless studies with regards to this (look it up if you’re interested) but:
1. When you get different people from different walks of life, you also get different subjective perspectives. What happens in several contexts may only have one objective, tangible set of facts but it will be processed differently by different people based on our corresponding realities.
In a collective sort of setting, this could really work towards the goal(s) if utilized well. When you get different people seeing different pieces of the puzzle, you can fill the holes better. Imagine if everyone thought the same way and if everyone had the same interests? You’ll get all these gaps that aren’t filled or dots that aren’t connected because the selective thinking/confirmation bias/whatever it’s called is going to be the same.
2. While it’s great to have experts who have been doing it forever, realize the value of “fresh meat.” Just because they’re not completely aware of the pitfalls and they lack insight, it doesn’t mean that they won’t have anything to contribute. It is precisely because of the fact that they aren’t completely aware of the pitfalls that make them dare to think of or want to execute novel ideas. Finding the middle ground will entail working with the old-timers who will have a better idea of the reality of the situation. In order for this to work, old-timers would need to be open to new ideas and newbies need to be open to hearing out the potential bullshit that might come with their fresh idealism.
Regardless of whether your role is an old-timer or a newbie in any given context, we will all have something to learn.
We’re all learning and growing in this existentialist weirdness called Life.
To quote one of my favourite books,
“The Elements of Typographic Style” by Robert Bringhurst
“The subject of this book is not typographic solitude, but the old, well-traveled roads at the core of the tradition: paths that each of us is free to follow or not, and to enter and leave when we choose – if only we knew the paths are there and have a sense of where they lead. That freedom is denied to us if the tradition is concealed or left for dead. Originality is everywhere but much originality is blocked if the way back to earlier discoveries is cut or overgrown.
If you use this book as a guide, by all means, leave the road when you wish. That is precisely the use of a road: to reach individually chosen points of departure. By all means, break the rules, and break them beautifully, deliberately, and well. That is for one of the ends for which they exist.”
Beautiful ❤️
Stay hungry. Stay foolish, kids.
Gelene 