The new pier in Phi Phi, getting ready for diving!
Arriving back to Phi Phi after diving
I can’t believe it’s already a week ago when I wrote my last post! Not too much has happened since then, apart from the fact that I went diving the day after: after i had met most of the Visa Diving crew I was going to be working with, we headed off on a boat at 8am in the morning. Cella works as the videographer of Visa diving so she dived with me and the other divers whilst filming it all.
I hadnt been diving for 4 years (!!) but it really is like riding a bike, I hadn’t forgotten. On the first dive almost straight away we saw a turtle swimming along, the poor thing only had 2 legs to swim with, one front and one at the back! he swam down to us and then past us. it was amazing! Later on we saw some more turtles and also loads of other colourful fish I don’t know the names of.
The Visa Dive Shop where I work
Inside of the shop where we chill and check emails if no customers
On the second dive I was having problems with my ears equalizing. With diving, just as flying, you put pressure on your ears, and you always have to equalize your ears for them to get used to the new pressure. My ears were hurting as hell, so I kept having to go up a tiny bit to ‘blow’my nose then go down again. It took a lot of time and even at 12 meters it was still hurting. Such a shame as I alter found out the rest of the divers were below me seeing lots and lots of sharks! I missed out this time, but I’m going to try again in a few days or so (When Clare and Adam come over :-)) I did see seahorses and clownfish and loaaaaads more cool stuff
My daily view of the street the dive shop is at
The donut/samosa lady that comes around daily with yummy snacks
I am so glad Cella came along, she made the most amazing DVD of the whole dive. She’s making a little taster clip for me that I can put on this website and facebook, so watch this space, you will see me with the turtles!
After that, I’ve been pretty much working, no partying as of yet, altho today, FRIDAY THE THIRTEENTH woooooo!! we are going for a big meal and drinks with the whole crew, as one of the Instructors is leaving and Cella’s mum is here.
So I don’t have that much to tell, but as so many of you have been asking, I will give you a little insight of a day in the exiting life of Marjolijn on Koh Phi Phi 
The Thai Market I walk past on my way to work in the mornings
Plenty of shopping to do on your way to the beach!
I start work at about 9 or 9:30 in the morning. We don’t have set hours we have to work, but the more you are in the Dive shop, the more chance you have of selling stuff. And as we only get paid 10% commission, I try and be there as much as I can.
Usully I am the only one there so early, so I put the music on, hand the boards out (with advertising the different dives and courses we have) and put my laptop in the back of the shop. Ferry’s start coming in from 9:30 and then arrive every hour or every half an hour.
My personal 'mixed shake lady' she gets it ready for me as she sees me walking towards the shop!
The famous Thai Pancakes-try nutella/banana or egg/cheese!
When people with backpacks walk past I hand out maps of the island (with a little cheeky pricelist of Visa Dive Shop) and help them point them in the right direction and then ask if they plan to dive whilst they are here,a nd if yes, explain the different choices. Hopefully I book such people in straight away, but usually they want to find accomodation first. If these people end up coming back and book in with someone else, i get 5% commission, but sometimes they don’t come back 
and i earn nothing. In the mean time we nip to the shop for water or food, but usually I walk to the beach to get my mixed fruit shake, last year I was into the mango shakes, but have totally discovered the mixed one now, its got lots a fresh fruit and ice cubes, so it really is a smoothie, but its called a shake over here.
The Monkey Beach BAr on a different location, I worked here 4 years ago before the tsunami!
The manager still remembered me : "Marlboro Light!" he shouted..it was my nickname as they couldn't pronounce my name
There is also a cute lady walking around in the morning with homemade donuts and in the afternoon with homemade samosa’s. I can’t resist them, especially since they cost next to nothing anyway (TBH10 , which is about 20p)
This goes on until about 1pm when the morning boat with divers returns. It’s busy in the shop for a bit and usually I take my lunch break at about 1:30 for 2 hours or so.
I order my lunch ahead at the bakery (an omelet or sarnie or some thai food) and when it gets deliverd to the shop i am off with my towel and MP3player to the beach. i sunbathe, swim and snooze til about 3 or 3:30, then go back to ‘my’ place (I’ve moved into Cella and Aiad’s place now), have a shower and change of clothes and its back to work for me!
It's amazing how much things change in a year, me and Anna stayed here last year, its now a resort and a popular, busy beach bar, was very chilled last year...
Eventhough the tsunami was 4 years ago, they are still rebuilding on the island...
A few more ferries arrive and then it’s waiting for the new arrivals to walk past showered and fresh and ask them if they want to dive whilst they are here, or people who stop to look at the signs. It’s not easy and i don’t like to push, but thankfully there are plenty of people who want to dive and just walk in the shop. Trouble is there is lots of competition, 18 other shops on the island, two of which on the other side of the street. you can only sell your diving from your shop, or on the step if your shop, not on the streets
Althought between staff is no competition and we banter across the street or practise our poi if we are bored and take the piss out of each other. The shop closes at 9pm and towards 7:30 or 8pm we usualy (not always) start buying each other beer and stand on the front of he shop chatting and getting the attention of passers by to try and get them to come diving.
at 9pm we wait for the famous 6 words (let’s get the f@%$ outta here) and we head off for dinner together, or a few of us and sometimes a few, or a lot of drinks afterwards.
Then the next day its all same same but different ! 
Busy beaches now...
but Phi Phi will always remain beautiful, no matter how busy it is!
Recent Comments