September 2015 Recap

My time in Thailand came to an end with the completion of my divemaster training and I got back on track with my journey round the world. I also shredded my checking account in the famously expensive London and got to see friends from back home for the first time in 7 months in Edinburgh!

Last hurrah

Last month I was just about finished with my divemaster training, having completed all of the skill and knowledge tests and had performed over 70 dives. So how does one graduate from divemaster training? Why with the infamous snorkel test. I’ve mentioned before that I was more than a little nervous for this impending rite of passage. You see, every single instructor or divemaster I met inevitably spoke of their own test or one they had witnessed. They all mentioned that it was way more fun for the audience than the participant, but that there is no way to get out of it, you MUST complete the test or no divemaster license for you. (Pretty sure this is just an empty threat, can’t see PADI being ok with that, ha!)

As the date approached, I began planning my strategy. My head instructors Linzi and Sara had been planning the contents before I had even returned to Koh Tao to start my training. You see, at Goodtime’s, the staff personalizes each test to the history and personality of the DMT. So I knew they were going to go all out. I also have never been great at holding my liquor. I can rock beer with the best of them, but throw in a shot or 10 and I’m done. The morning of the test, I had a coconut shake, and a hearty yogurt and mueslix breakfast. Lunch was a heaping serving of fried rice chicken with extra rice. Throughout the day I drank probably three liters of water, about double my normal consumption. I was laying down a base for the war about to begin.

By 8pm, our restaurant was packed in anticipation of watching me make a fool of myself. The awesome kitchen staff had prepared a Burmese feast, resplendent in supremely spicy dish after dish. As much as Burmese is one of my new favorite cuisines, I beelined once again to the rice and mild dishes! And as dinner wound down, Linzi and Sara cleared space near the bar, grabbed a single stool for me and handed me a ladies extra small white dress as my costume for the night.

To say that dress was form fitting is an understatement. I’m 6 feet tall and I’m pretty sure it was designed for a 5 foot 3 girl. I was informed the theme for my test would be the Full Moon Party. If you’re not familiar, the FMP is a monthly party that takes place on the next island over from Koh Tao. It involves neon paint, getting ridiculously drunk, and partying until the sun comes up. So I was informed since I’d never attended, the team would create my own personal party for my test!

Over the next hour, I was painted neon colors, had eggs and flour thrown at me, made to wear full dive gear including tank, while navigating the restaurant with a blacked-out mask, and undergo a series of mental and physical tests and being awarded or punished with varying shots of liquor for my performance. To cap it all off, I completed the eponymous snorkel test last. You put the blacked-out mask back on along with a snorkel and you drink, as much as you can, of a mystery bucket of alcohol that gets poured down it.

No one drinks the whole thing, so stop worrying mom! Nearly everyone gets sick or passes out soon after. But, I can proudly state that not only did I do neither, I hit the town with the staff and we closed down the bars AND I made it to work the next day where I traded shifts with another staff member so I could back out on the water!

London take my money!

I was very sad to leave Koh Tao, but I knew I would be back in December to work as a divemaster at Goodtime’s. So with that assurance, I was off to spend the fall in Europe checking off tons of new countries and exciting festivals. First off, I stopped in London to visit a city so many people rave about. I planned just 4 days there, which I knew would be tight for seeing everything I wanted to, but doubted I could afford much more than that. Turns out I was right on both accounts. I averaged over $70 a day during my time there and barely fit it all in. But that being said, I’ve heard of people spending way more than that and I had a blast and found some really cool parts of town. I’ll definitely write up a recap on London specifically. The really great thing about this city, is entertainment-wise, there are some great things to do totally free. Watch the blog for that story soon!

Funny business

For me, the highlight of the month, was returning to Scotland for the first time in a decade. I came, specifically when I did, to meet up with friends in town for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. This event is the largest art festival anywhere in the world and spans 25 days, is hosted in 300 venues, and sees more than 3,000 shows during its run! To be certain, it was utter insanity, with every tiny venue to giant music hall hosting everything from standup comedy to improv to serious one-act plays. Thousands upon thousands converge on the city throughout the course of the festival and it brings a palpable energy to the ancient Scottish capital. I loved just wandering the streets to see what crazy street performance I would run into. I even got roped into one as the rear-end of a human-horse puppet!

My friends flew all this way after their sketch comedy show from Washington, DC was admitted for a 6-day run near the end of the fest. As one of their oldest fans, I couldn’t miss a chance to see them and help out in any way I could. The definitely “Not Safe for Work” show is built around the format of an evangelical church service and plays into the American religious identity. The show was named as the best new comedy show in DC by the Washington Post in 2013 when it premiered and continues to grow in recognition and following. They even got a 4 out of 5 star rating by a theater and Broadway critic publication while in Edinburgh! Check them out at here: Church Night. I had a blast seeing the show several times and helped them flyer on the Royal Mile, the main pedestrian thoroughfare through the city.

Countries Visited: 2

Thailand, England (UK), Scotland (UK)

Cities Visited: 7

Koh Tao, Bangkok, London, Edinburgh, Uphall, Fort William, Manchester

Budgeting

Accommodation:

$414.06 or $13.36 per day $9 a day in Thailand equals $25 a day average in the UK. I spent 2 nights with cousins outside of Edinburgh and one night camping with a friend in the highlands, so I saved a bit there. But no question, it is tough to stay on target when I’m spending 50% or more of my daily budget on housing. I try to keep it in the 30% or less range.

Food:

$398.44 or $12.85 per day First half of the month I was still in Thailand and that’s the only way this category was only $50 higher than last month. Before I left the island I was spending $2-8 on food a day. The second half of the month it was $20-40! Ouch. As I mentioned above, I stayed with family for a couple of days and they fed me, so there’s another $60 or more saved.

Transport:

$330.07 or $10.65 per day Lots of big ticket items this month saw me spend $200 more than when I was living in Thailand! Oof. First off, I scratched the bike I was renting in Thailand after I laid it down on a sand patch and had to pay about $30 to get it fixed. Then transport to London from Heathrow Airport and around town cost $100 over 5 days. Seriously $30 to get to the city from the airport? That’s crazy. I also spent $100 to take the train to Edinburgh and another $45 to Manchester. Transportation costs are not cheap in the UK and I was getting hit with the dollar to pound conversion too.

Entertainment:

$364.16 or $11.75 per day A couple last shindigs before I left Koh Tao with friends ran up my bar tab that I had to close out. Then when I got to London, I saw a musical on the West End for $55 – totally worth it. Did I mention how expensive the UK is? At least all the beer pours are imperial pints also known as 500mL – way bigger than in the states. Expect to pay $6-10 for a pint around London.

Miscellaneous:

$61.04 or $1.97 per day Finally caught a break in this category. 12gigs of 4g data for the month for £10! I also ended up shipping some things back to Koh Tao that I foolishly brought with me. I clearly didn’t consider that it will be cold in Europe this fall. I am about two months behind my original itinerary in getting to Europe. I’ll need to buy a jacket next month!

Total

$1,567.76 or $50.57 per day Just squeaked over the $50 a day target. Looking at the month in total I spent $27.57 per day in Thailand and $78.50 daily in the UK!! This doesn’t bode well for my upcoming months in Ireland and Iceland, two of the most expensive countries on my entire trip. On the other hand, I will be returning to Thailand and I’ll be making money so that should cause the year-long average to drop back down.

Next Month

After Manchester, I’ll make a quick stopover in Liverpool, where I plan to stock up on warm clothes! Then I’m off to Ireland for two weeks. I plan to rent a car and I’m super excited about exploring the rugged west coast. For the second half of the month, I’ll be meeting up with friends from the States to travel through Iceland then attend Oktoberfest in Munich!

Have you traveled through the United Kingdom without completely obliterating your budget? What are your secrets?