It's as simple as that: I was bored. We were on an overlanding trip through Central Asia. When the first snowflakes fell in Mongolia, we decided to spend the winter on a warm beach in the south. Koh Tao, Thailand, seemed to be the right place. It was an opportunity for Dave, my partner, to take divemaster training.
Let me tell you that I had thalassophobia, an intense fear of the sea. I would never swim out alone and never further than I could see white sand. To be clear, Koh Tao is beautiful, but for a non-diver, there is only so much you can do. (Have a look at the pictures I took on my Island-discovery-hike.)
After two months of staying there, waiting each day for Dave to come home from his training and googling every fact about all the fish he saw, I said to myself: At least I could try.
I took all my courage and asked for a discovery dive. Going to the shop to do so was the hardest part. The following day, I met my instructor, who himself was in training (or so I believed). He seemed a bit nervous, so I wanted to pull myself together; I thought maybe I was his first student, and I did not want to ruin his teaching career. We jumped into the water, and I dove into this beautiful, magical place. No fear, only astonishment. I was part of the sea life, moving like a fish. And that was the moment I got hooked.
Koh Tao discovery hike
How did you start diving? Let us know in the comment below, or write me an email if you'd like to share some pictures.
