Yesterday we arrived on the little island paradise of Ko Phi Phi. This is a backpackers dream. Tons of inexpensive hotels (by US standards), 15 or so dive operators, lots of small cafes and bars on the beach, and even cheap places to get your clothes washed.

I have lined up some diving with an operator we met in Singapore at the Asia Dive Expo. It's an overnight trip with a total of 7 dives in about 32 hours. This includes sites with lots of sharks, manta rays, a wreck dive and a night dive. I'm completely psyched for it!!!

Val will be staying on the island since there isn't good snorkeling where the boats go. She'll be soaking up rays while I blow bubbles. Seems like a good compromise:)

Ko Phi Phi was hit pretty hard by the Tsunami of 2004, but has recovered very well since. At least it appears that way. There are waterlines on the buildings with notes about the date and time when the water reached this level. I can only imagine what terror these people must have gone through. There are signs everywhere about where the Tsunami escape path is, but frankly, the area we are in is very flat until you reach the mountains which are shear vertical cliffs. I'm not sure how effective the escape route would be, but we can't really worry too much about it.

We will be here through Friday and will then jump on another ferry to Phuket (pronounced poo-ket) where I have scheduled four days on a live-aboard dive boat. Val will continue to work on her tan and do some shopping while I'm gone. It's only fair:)

Hopefully I'll get some good photos over the next two days of diving, so check back and hopefully I'll have some posted.

Until then, life's a beach, so soak it up.

Eric and Val