Koh Tao

I spent $3.00 on a train ticket to get me 6 hours north of Hat Yai. My seat was comparable to a park bench. This is called at third class ticket.
A vendor walked up and down the aisles with a bucket of beer fueling the drunkards for a mere 30 baht ($1) per can till they couldn't open their eyes anymore. Some curled up on the bench in what had to be a very uncomfortable ball to catch a few zz's. Others slept on straw mats under the benches when the sun went down. This wasn't just the third class, this was the third class sleeper car.
I stayed up talking to a German traveler by the name of Christoph. Christoph was another solo traveler on his way to a small island in the gulf of Thailand to get his scuba certification. I said "gee Christoph, that sounds like a good idea." The next day we took a ferry to Koh Tao and started the open water divers course.
Koh Tao is a picturesque little island swarming with young international travelers and a never ending party scene. Not quite the cultural experience I seek but an experience none-the-less. Ban's dive resort, where I am staying, runs like clockwork. My instructor Jimmy said Bans certifies more people in a year than all of Mexico. I'm not sure what the Mexican dive scene is like but I'm guessing that's pretty good.
Tomorrow is another ferry ride to the mainland then a bus to the countries capital. You guessed it, Bangkok.