Our last full day on Koh Tao and we head straight for our favourite breakfast spot. A bamboo restaurant nestled between concrete 2 housing blocks with a good view, and breeze, from across the bay. Aimi thinks it’s strange, but I was happy to find peanut butter and banana on toast on the menu. Which means it’s popular enough to not be strange!
As per normal, my morning movement follows breakfast. Being but a collection of bamboo furniture arranged on a rock, their toilet facilities were somewhat basic. I think I’m going to start collecting photos to see just how bad they get, but this was by far the most basic shit shack we’ve used yet.
We took it easy and walked along to a new cafe that was opening called Cactus Cafe. They were offering very good coffee for 50B which was a deal. They also had proper croissants so I had one of those too. Don’t judge me, I’m on holiday and once on the boat there is no food till you’re back. The cafe looks out onto the beach next to some large and tempting rocks. I gave it a go bouldering, and as grippy as the rock is, my toe skin is just not strong enough. I recon with rock boots there would be good bouldering to be done.
It was getting hot around midday and we walked along the beach with our feet in the water and our shirts off. The sun is strong here so we have been careful to put suncream on each day. But by the time we had kitted up and were waiting for the taxi, I was dripping with sweat. I’m glad I was wearing swimming shorts because very quickly they were sodden. But as soon as we got moving in the back of the pick up truck taxi, we cooled off a little.
Again the dives were excellent seeing lots of fish that I don’t know the name of. A French girl in the group had a lot of trouble with her buoyancy control. At one point she started rocketing to the surface so I had to grab onto her fin till she sorted out how to sink. Aimi came with us again and was much more confident now she’s been out a few times. Certainly it’s a little overwhelming, even for me, to be put on the spot to remember everything after so long since we last went diving.
Back on the surface it had clouded over and started to rain. When it got blowing it was actually quite chilly. I’ve got enough chub that I’m in no danger of hypothermia in a short shower but Aimi was turning blue and had to hide behind the compressor out of the rain and wind. It didn’t help that the taxi boat back to shore took ages to come about.
By the time we got back to the Mojo base, it was dry and hot again. Now with added humidity! We shared a beer with Matt, the owner, and chatted about when Mike was working out here. Then, before we left, he presented Aimi with a Mojo TShirt so she’s one of the crew now too!
This evening it was time to pack ready for our early boat off the island. It was really good to come back and see how things have changed. It’s far more developed now than last time, and some shops that I thought were doing really well are just gone! But it’s certainly getting more swanky and refined. Mojo are now operating out of Pranee Bungalows which I think will be really good when they get it organised and tidied up a bit. Right now it’s chaotic and not as refined as other locations on the island. I hope they don’t get left behind and suffer as a result because they are a great co to dive with.
Oh, and I’m going to need to be more careful in the sun. I don’t think I applied sun cream to my shoulders and now I’ve got mild sun burn. I think it must have only happened during the 10-15 min walk up the beach from Cactus cafe to Mojo. Seriously short length of time in the sun and I’m burnt. Lesson learnt.