While in Koh Lanta, during a lazy morning, I was watching a few guests training to get their scuba license and even though people had told me to do it, for some reason it was not until I saw it in motion that I felt I absolutely needed to do it. Unfortunately my a-ha moment came toward the end of the trip so I had to move quickly – you cannot fly within 18 hours of diving and I only had about 3 days to do it. Perfect timing.  After searching for what seemed like eternity, I landed on Princess Divers – they had overwhelmingly positive reviews on various sites.

We got to Koh Phi Phi and immediately started our coursework which is NO JOKE!! We were in a classroom reading and taking quizzes for about 5 hours. This is all after “sleeping” on a boat and a miserable hangover so to say I was exhausted is an understatement. Anyways, we finished the coursework and then the next day it was out to the water with our divemaster, Joe. The first half of the day was at a roped off section of the beach to practice drills, learn hand signals, and of course, get comfortable breathing underwater. We broke for a little lunch and then we went for our open water dives!! Our dives were just off the coast of Phi Phi and around 1 hour – I get goosebumps just thinking about it again.

I’m cursing myself for not having an underwater camera (and hey, Princess Divers, your instructors should have!) but I think this might be my new hobby. When I was younger I was forever in the pool and it wasnt until this trip that I realized just how much I love the water; jumping off boats, swimming in the sea, snorkeling, scuba diving… it also may have something to do with the fact that the Andaman Sea is perfection.

It was nothing short of amazing and while some people may get squeamish at the thought of being 30-something feet underwater (hey Kem 😉 I was probably the most calm I’ve ever been. I cant think of a better way to have spent my last days.