Scuba diving Cambodian style!!

So, after my hangover in my last post, I somehow ended up on a boat for two days...  Totally, I did.  I decided to not run for my boat after I woke up extremely hungover, and later in the day my awesome diving instructor asked if I'd like to go on a live-aboard for a few days.  A live aboard is a boat which you... wait for it.... live aboard for 2 days while you get to do a number of dives on different reefs. The advantage being you can go to further reefs because you don't need to get back to anywhere!!

The funny thing about diving is, it is the most inelegant sport ever.  Here I was thinking I would add to my repertoire of man skillz by being able to scuba and conquer another element but instead of looking like I thought I would, which is this...

  I actually looked more like this...

See, Scuba is just inelegant! No one can make that look good! And for the record, that guy above isn't making scuba look good. He's making snorkel look good. And I bet he wishes he had a body and tan like me!! :P

But the live aboard was mad!! I went on eight dives, including two night dives, and saw some mental stuff.  I got to see a bamboo shark, a massive ray, heaps or coral and fish!! Just awesome!! 

The two staff we had onboard, Manu and Rachel, were awesome, friendly and very knowledgable of diving and what we were looking at on the reefs.  Manu had to double as a chef, as the usual chef was pregnant.  So we had European food the whole way which was a nice change!

 Manu cooking up a storm for our final breakfast. Rachel eating melon... :)

 Could you get better looking dive instructors? No. Further proof you cannot make scuba look sexy!!
(You need to wait for the gear to get put on!) 

Rach and I on the way into Sihanoukville on the final day!

The diving is great, with so much to see and visibility of at least 30 metres!  We went about 5-6 hours off the mainland to some remote reefs and had some really awesome dives! I got one small sting from an anemone which has left a small black mark on my leg, but other than that it was just mental!!

Getting there:

Ok, so if you want to do this, the voyage costs $295 for 8 dives (2 night dives), 2 nights accommodation, all meals.  You can book at The Dive Shop (website here, blog here) in Sihanouk Ville or Koh Rong (or any of the other dive shops, I'm assuming).  You might need to have you diving open water on you, but you may be able to do it at the same time if you are lucky.

Finally, my video I made on the last day of the voyage.  Pretty my saying the same stuff as on here. Same same but different!!

If you want to comment though, my question for you is, what has been the greatest outcome for you after having a massive night out.  Mine is obviously this, but I am sure there are other stories!! 

Until next time!!

Daniel

Follow me on Twitter @TheDanFactor

What is your favourite drunk travel story??

I've done it again... I got on the turps and now I'm having to pay the consequences...

After too many gin and tonics, and shots with Germans the choice of whether to pack or have a bacon and egg baguette game up.  I hate that stupid question!!  Here is a video I made the morning after my big night celebrating my scuba certification and being on Koh Rong! Magic!!!  Sorry its long winded, but I was hungover and had a bit of a hangover!

So, question for this post is, Where is the best place you've ever got drunk, what happened?

Good news for me is, after missing my ferry, I got offered another adventure... Until tomorrow!!

Comment below with your drunk place/story!!!

Daniel

Follow me on twitter @TheDanFactor

Koh Rong (Monkey Island) - a little tour AND TOP SECRET REALITY TV STUFF!!

On our first night at Koh Rong, Tash, Margaret and I managed to down quite a few gin and tonics while playing cards and managed to meet a few locals and travellers, two of whom, Joe and Pierre, offered to take us on a boat tour of the island the next day, which we agreed to!!

Pierre, a cambodian, did all the negotiation and managed to convince a local fisherman of the ripe age of eighteen to give us a tour of the island for ten bucks a head.  Sorted! We jumped on board a vessel which looked in worse shape than one of the boats you see sinking full of refugees on the news, and started fanging around the island.

Setting sail.  Margaret, Tash, our captain, and Pierre.

The first stop was Koh Rong's longest beach, 7km beach. Actually, its 6.5 km, but I don't think that has the same ring to it, do you?  It's a beautiful beach with clear waters and squeaky sand that sings to you as you walk along it!  The sand flies can be bad there though, so don't be falling asleep after a cheeky joint like a certain Swiss traveller named Lewis did, or you wake up looking like you have the chicken pox!  However, the flies didn't bother us at all on our stroll along the beach.  In fact, aside from finding Lewis, we were the only people on that whole 7 km stretch of sand!  The good news is, if you don't have a boat, you can take a trek through the jungle for about one hour to get there as well.

Check out some of the pictures!!

Our boat arriving at 7km beach

Tash and Margaret taking a moment

Tash and Margaret counting their blessings, and listening to the singing sand

You can't see it, but at the end of this beach is a village where we had lunch, and saw secret stuff!

I just love this pic of Margaret!

Getting back on the boat to head to the village for lunch!

After walking about half the beach, we got picked up by our captain and cruised to the village at the end of the beach.  We had lunch on the wharf and found out that the village is currently shut off to foreigners! We were told their was a french film crew set up who were filming in the village, and one of the requirements was that no westerners we to come to the village.  Pierre was Cambodian, so he had a few discussions with the local chief while we ate on the pair.  Rumour around the island is the the FRENCH crew were there filming a reality television show about SURVIVING.  Read between the not so subtle lines.  Quite funny considering it is a one hour trek to town, with restaurants, beer, and a ferry off the island!

The restaurant we had lunch at.

I really like this pic of Tash and I put it up just coz she'd HATE it. She'll never know though because she doesn't read this. Serves her right. Bitch! :)

The SECRET green tents are the TV crew.  Right next to bungalows....  How will they SURVIVE so far from civilisation....

After lunch we headed around to another beach where there was a river inlet. We had some coconut juice fresh from some coconuts and did some snorkelling where we saw heaps of crabs.

We finished the day with darkness falling before we got all the way around the island and us crashing through a swell which probably got to 2 metres at some very brief times.  The local captain was very good, if young, and I swear he deliberately made the bow go under in order to get us wet, while somehow miraculously staying dry himself.  Little bastard.  The below pics are of a sunset the next day, and also the sunrise the morning after that.

Sunset 

Sunrise

Sunrise

After the cruise, Pierre organised for me do to my scuba open water with the local Dive Shop.  That was three days of joy which culminated with me having a massive night on the turps with some of the local divers and travellers.  More of that to follow...  :)

I made a quick video after my first few drinks, which I was going to post, but  decided to leave out as I have covered most things here... but wait for the next post and the hungover! :)

Until then!!

Daniel

Follow me on twitter @TheDanFactor

I found paradise, and the toilets don't flush...Koh Rong!!!

Hello all!!
Sorry I have been offline for so long!  As planned I travelled to the islands of Cambodia and we stayed on an island called Monkey Island or Koh Rong!  Koh Rong is paradise!! Well, paradise without electricity, internet, and flushing toilets.

The beach on arrival

I stayed at a resort called Monkey Island Resort (their website is here).  There are a couple of things that you initially need to get used to. Obviously, there is no electricity, except by generator which supplies power for about five hours after 6:00pm, and therefore no internet. This is all quite fine because the weather is mild and its nice to be away from Facebook! Then there are the no flushing toilets.  This is overcome by pouring water into the toilet after your done until everything has gone away, which also isn't too bad.  My bungalow was small, but comfortable... though it may have had a rat! :) Thankfully there are also cats!!

My Bungalow at Monkey Island Resort!

But the biggest thing to get used to is the pace.  It's just non existent.  If you want to swim, swim. If you don't, well... thats fine too. Monkey Island resort has it's own restaurant and bar which is excellent! Cheap drinks and good food, especially the thai menu as the owners wife is the chef, and she is thai! Its seems, the biggest decision you need to make at the resort is where will you drink your gin and tonic, at the bar in in a hammock... you chose the view you'd rather!!

The main village area is about 500 metres long, with most of the restaurants being on a strip along the beach about 200 metres long.  The restaurants are basic, but the food is great!! The hardest thing to chose after the type of food you can have is, again, which view you want!!

The local seafood restaurant!

Getting there:

Koh Rong is an island about 2 hours ferry from Sihanoukville, off the coast of Cambodia.  The ferry costs 7.50 each way.  Once there you can choose from a variety of accommodation from dorms and 5 bucks a head to rooms ranging from 8 bucks to 30 bucks, depending on space, facilities etc.  But everywhere is just a place to stay, and I'll talk you through my island trip next post!!

Until then,

Daniel