January 2008: Thailand
01 Phuket: Happy New Year!
02 Phuket: Diving: 2DSD+1SR: Racha Yai Bungalow Bay South (Cuttlefish) / Racha Yai Bungalow Bay North.
03 Phuket: Diving: 4DSD: Racha Yai Bungalow Bay South (Octopus) / Racha Yai Bungalow Bay North.
04 Phuket: Diving: 3DSD: Racha Yai Bungalow Bay South / Racha Yai Bungalow Bay North.
06 Phuket: Diving: 1OW: Theory 1-2 / Confined water.
07 Phuket: Diving: 1OW: Theory 3-5.
08 Phuket: Diving: 1OW: Racha Yai Bungalow Bay South / Racha Yai Bungalow Bay North (Seasnake).
09 Phuket: Diving: 1OW: Racha Yai Bungalow Bay South / Racha Yai Bungalow Bay North.
10 Phuket: Diving: 1OW: Racha Yai Bungalow Bay South / Racha Yai Staghorn Reef.
11 Phuket: Diving: 1OW: Racha Yai Staghorn Reef / Racha Yai Home Run. Dolphins in the surface interval.
12 Phuket-Phi-Phi: 2hrs ferry. Ao Toh Koh Beach Resort.
13 Phi-Phi: Ao Toh Koh Beach.
14 Phi-Phi: Ao Toh Koh Beach. Snorkeling.
15 Phi-Phi: Ao Toh Koh Beach. Snorkeling (Leopard shark).
16 Phi-Phi: Rim Kao Guesthouse.
17 Phi-Phi-Phuket: 2hrs ferry.
18 Phuket: Diving: 1OW: Theory 1-2 / Confined water. Cinema: Cloverfield.
19 Phuket: Diving: 1OW: Theory 3-5.
20 Phuket: Diving: 1OW: Racha Yai Bungalow Bay South (Mantis shrimp) / Racha Yai Bungalow Bay North (Zebra moray).
21 Phuket: Diving: 2OW: Racha Yai Staghorn Reef (Turtle) / Racha Yai Home Run. Dolphins in the surface interval. Cinema: Saw IV. New book: Khaled Hosseini - The Kite Runner.
23 Phuket: Diving: King Cruiser Wreck / Shark Point (2*Seahorse) / Koh Doc Mai.
24 Phuket: Rescue Diver: Pool.
25 Phuket: Diving: Rescue Diver: Bungalow Bay South (Mating Cuttlefish) / Racha Yai Bungalow Bay North.
26 Phuket: New book: Vikas Swarup - Q&A.
27 Phuket: Diving: 2OW: Theory 1-2 / Confined water.
28 Phuket: Diving: 2OW: Theory 3-5. Extended Thai visa.
29 Phuket: Diving: 2OW: Bida Nok (Leopard Shark) / Bida Nai (2*Leopard Shark, 2*Cuttlefish, Mantis shrimp). Cinema: The Flock.
31 Phuket: Cinema: Sweeney Todd - The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
February 2008: Thailand / Philippines (Luzon)
01 Phuket: Diving: 2OW: Racha Yai Bungalow Bay South (3*Cuttlefish, Nudibranches) / Racha Yai Bungalow Bay North (Mantis shrimp, Octopus).
03 Phuket: New book: Knut Naerum/Elisabeth Botterli/Peder Udnaes - Madonna Gåten. Nakah night market.
04 Phuket: Diving: 4FD: Koh Doc Mai (Cleaner Pipefish) / Shark Point (Leopard shark) / Anemone Reef (Leopard shark). Cinema: American Gangster.
05 Phuket: Laem Sing beach.
06 Phuket: New book: Dean Koontz - Odd Thomas.
09 Phuket: Diving: 1OW: Theory 1-5 / Confined water.
10 Phuket: Diving: 1OW: Racha Yai Bungalow Bay South (Cuttlefish) / Racha Yai Siam Bay Statues.
11 Phuket: Diving: 1OW: Racha Yai Bungalow Bay South (Mantis shrimp) / Racha Yai Bungalow Bay North.
12 Phuket: Diving: 1AOW: Bida Nok (2*Cuttlefish, Squids, Blacktip shark) / Bida Nai (2*Seahorses, Leopard shark). Cinema: Chocolate (Thai movie).
13 Phuket: Diving: 1AOW: Shark Point / King Cruiser Wreck (Nudibranches) / / Koh Doc Mai (2*Ghost pipefish, 2*Cleaner Pipefish).
14 Phuket: Sick.
15 Phuket: Sick.
16 Phuket: Diving: 1SR (Rolf): Racha Yai Bungalow Bay South / Racha Yai Siam Bay Statues (Bent Stick Pipefish, 2*Cuttlefish).
17 Phuket: Diving: 1FD (Kjetil): Anemone Reef (Squids) / King Cruiser Wreck / Shark Point (4*Cleaner Pipefish, Seahorse, Leopard shark).
19 Phuket-Phi-Phi: 2hrs ferry. Valentines Bungalows.
21 Phi-Phi: Diving: 3DSD: Nui Bay / Palong (3*Hawksbill Turtle).
22 Phi-Phi: Ton Sai Bay Beach. Snorkeling: Long Beach (Zebra moray, Squids, Seasnake). Keira's birthday party.
23 Phi-Phi-Bangkok: 2+2,5+9 ferry/minivan/bus.
24 Bangkok: Chatujak Weekend Market.
25 Bangkok:
26 Bangkok: MBK. Cinema: No Country for Old Men. Thai massage.
Philippines (Luzon)
27 Bangkok-Manila: 3,5 hrs flight. Meeting Andreas on the airport. Friendly's Guesthouse.
28 Manila: Sightseeing Intramuros.
29 Banaue: 10hrs bus. Greenview Lodge. Trekking Batad: Rice Terraces / Tappia Waterfall.
March 2008: Philippines (Luzon / Palawan / Cebu)
01 Banaue: Museum of Cordilleran Sculpture.
02 Manila: 10hrs bus. Friendly's Guesthouse. Lake Taal and Taal Volcano.
03 Manila: Chinese Cemetery. Cinema: 3:10 to Yuma.
Palawan
04 Manila-Puerto Princesa: 1hr flight. Panwa Pension.
05 Puerto Princesa/Sabang: Aniceto's Pension. Subterranean River National Park (longest navigable river-traversed tunnel in the world).
06 Puerto Princesa-Taytay-Icadambanuan Island: 5hrs bus. Santa Isabel Fort. Dilis Beach Resort.
07 Icadambanuan Island: Beach / Snorkeling.
08 Icadambanuan Island: Beach / Snorkeling. New book: Lionel Shriver - We Need to Talk About Kevin.
09 El Nido: 2hrs bus. Viewdeck Cottage.
10 El Nido: Island hopping: Miniloc Island: Small Lagoon, Big Lagoon, Secret Lagoon. Simisu Island. 7 Commando Beach.
11 El Nido-Coron: 8hrs boat. Sea Dive Resort.
12 Coron: Booking return trip for Lydia.
13 Coron: PADI Enriched Air Specialty Course.
14 Coron: Wreck diving: Akitsushima (Japanese Seaplane tender, 118m long, Bottom: 36m, Sunk: 24/09 1944, EAN32) / Okikawa Maru (Japanese Oil tanker, 160m long, Bottom: 26m, Sunk: 09/10 1944, EAN36).
15 Coron: Wreck diving: Irako (Japanese Refrigerated provision ship, 147m long, Bottom: 45m, Sunk: 24/09 1944, EAN28) / Tangat Maru (Coastal vessel, 112m long, Bottom: 30m, Sunk: 24/09 1944, EAN33) / Olympia Maru (Japanese Freighter, 120m long, Bottom: 25m, EAN37).
16 Coron: Hanging out...
Luzon
17 Manila: 14hrs ferry. Friendly's Guesthouse.
18 Manila: Lydia fly home. Extending visa and walking around in the city waiting for it to be ready. Cinema: 10.000 BC.
19 Manila: Makati. Cinema: Atonement.
20 Manila: Nothing really happens in Manila during Easter.
21 Manila/San Fernando: Crucifixion Ceremony.
22 Manila: Cinema: Horton Hears a Who! 9,5hrs bus.
23 Legaspi: Sampaguita Tourist Inn. Cagsawa Ruins. Bonga. Black sand beach. Cinema: The Eye.
24 Donsol: 1,5hrs bus. Lola Erna Homestay.
25 Donsol: Snorkeling with whale sharks: 11 whale shark encounters.
26 Donsol: Snorkeling with whale sharks: 9 whale shark encounters.
27 Donsol-Masbate: Snorkeling with whale sharks: 10 whale shark encounters. 0,5hrs bus.1,5hrs ferry. 13hrs ferry.
Cebu
28 Cebu-Malapascua Island: 4,5hrs bus. 0,5hrs ferry. Bebe's Lodging House.
29 Malapascua Island: Diving: Gato Island (2*White-tip sharks, Cuttlefish, Seasnake, Nudibranches, Mantis shrimp) / Gato Island (Cave, 2*White-tip sharks, 2*Cuttlefish, 4*Seasnakes).
30 Malapascua Island: Diving: Monad Shoal (Thresher sharks, Manta rays, Devil rays) / Lapus-Lapus (Black Giant Frogfish, Nudibranches) / Monad Shoal (Manta rays, Devil rays).
31 Malapascua Island: Diving: Monad Shoal (One of my best dives! Thresher sharks, Manta rays, Devil rays) / Monad Shoal (Thresher shark, Manta rays, Devil rays).
April 2008: Philippines (Cebu / Bohol / Negros)
01 Malapascua Island: Diving: Monad Shoal (Thresher sharks, Octopus, Mantis shrimp).
02 Malapascua Island-Cebu-Tagbilaran: 0,5hrs ferry. 4,5hrs bus. 1,5hrs ferry. Uptown Lodge.
Bohol
03 Tagbilaran: Writing travel diary and editing videos.
04 Tagbilaran: Hospital to check an infection in the knee. Cinema: Untraceable.
05 Tagbilaran: Tarsier Visitor Centre. Cinema: Dan in Real Life.
06 Tagbilaran: Chocolate Hills. New book: Bao Ninh - The Sorrow of War.
07 Alona Beach: Casanova Garden Resort.
08 Alona Beach: Diving Balicasag Island: Black Forest (Trevally school, Barracuda school, Nudibranches) / Divers Heaven (White Frogfish, Pygmy Seahorse, Nudibranches).
09 Alona Beach: Diving: Alona Beach (4 species of Pipefish, Nudibranches).
10 Alona Beach: Diving Balicasag Island: Black Forest (Trevally school, Barracuda school, Green Turtle, Nudibranches) / Marine Sanctuary (Nudibranches, Flatworms). New book: Jo Nesbø - Marekors.
11 Alona Beach: Diving: Crystal Coast (My longest dive: 103min, Trevally school, Ghost Pipefish, Nudibranches, Flatworms).
Negros
12 Dumaguete: 1hr bus. 2hrs ferry. Vintage Inn.
15 Dumaguete: Diving: Ducomi Pier (Seahorse, Frogfish, Devilfish, Flounders, Nudibranches) / Dauin Sanctuary (Pipefish, Pipe Seahorse, Snake eels, Frogfish).
16 Dumaguete: Diving: Ducomi Pier (Cuttlefish, 2*Seahorse, Pipefish, Devilfish, Juvenile Semi-circled Angelfish, Nudibranches) / Ducomi Pier (Ghost Pipefish, Pipefish, Seahorse, Flounders, Nudibranches). Cinema: Doomsday.
17 Dumaguete: New book: John Irving - A Son of the Circus.
18 Dumaguete-Punta Ballo: 6hrs bus. Artistic Diving Beach Resort.
19 Punta Ballo: Relaxing by the pool.
20 Punta Ballo: Diving: MS Jojo (85m Cargo ship, Sunk: 1985) / Manta Drop.
21 Punta Ballo-Dumaguete: 6hrs bus. Harold's Mansion. Cinema: Sydney White.
22 Dumaguete: Diving: Ducomi Pier (Seahorse, Pipefish, Frogfish, Stonefish, Nudibranches) / Dauin Sanctuary (2 Seahorses, 3 Ghost Pipefish, various Pipefish, 2 Cuttlefish, Waspfish, Flounder).
23 Dumaguete: Diving Apo Island: Cogon/Mamsa (Green Turtle, Trevally school, Giant Trevally, 2*Seasnakes, Nudibranches) / Coconut (3*Hawksbill Turtles, Humphead Parrotfish, Flounder, Nudibranches) / Rock Point (2*Green Turtles, Frogfish, Seasnake, Nudibranches). Cinema: Asylum.
24 Dumaguete: Diving: Ducomi Pier (2*Seahorses, Frogfish, Leaffish, Seasnake, Snake eel, Flounder, Nudibranches) / Masaplod North (3*tiny Frogfish, Leaffish, Stingrays, Snake eel, School of Trevally, Flounders, Barracuda, Nudibranches). Cinema: Catacombs.
25 Dumaguete: Motorbike trip: Twin Lakes. Massage.
26 Dumaguete-La Carlota: 5,5hrs bus. CT Comfort Inn.
27 La Carlota: Pasalamat Festival Parade.
28 Bacolod: 1hr bus. Pension Barcolod. Pana-ad sa Negros Festival. Cinema: 88 Minutes / Shutter.
29 Barcolod-Dumaguete: 6hrs bus. Harold's Mansion. Cinema: Fool's Gold. Massage.
30 Dumaguete: Malatapay Market. Zoo Paradise World / Museum of Natural History and World Peace. Casarona Falls.
May 2008: Philippines (Negros / Cebu) / Singapore / Malaysia / Thailand / Germany / Norway
01 Dumaguete: Diving Apo Island: Coconut (Hawksbill Turtle, Seasnake, Trevally school, Giant Trevally) / Cogon/Mamsa (Hawksbill Turtle, 2*Cuttlefish, Trevally school, Nudibranches incl. huge Nudi mating) / Rock Point (Frogfish, Flatworms, Nudibranches). .
02 Dumaguete: Diving: Ducomi Pier (My longest dive: 111min. Frogfish, 2*Seahorse, 2*Seagrass Ghost Pipefish, Pipefish, Juvenile Semi-circled Angelfish, 2*Dragonet, Flounders, Flatworms, Nudibranches) / Dauin Sanctuary (2*Pipe Seahorse, Pipefish, Juvenile Emperor Angelfish, Flounders, Green Turtle). Cinema: Nim's Island. Massage.
Philippines (Cebu)
03 Dumaguete-Moalboal: 1hr bus. 0,5hrs ferry. 2hrs bus. Clarita's Cottage & Resort.
04 Moalboal: Diving: Pescador Island (Green Turtle, 2*Frogfish) / House Reef (Green Turtle, Pipefish).
05 Moalboal: Diving: Talisay Point (Pipefish, Nudibranches).
06 Moalboal-Cebu: 2hrs bus. Teo-Fel Pension House. Cinema: The Forbidden Kingdom.
07 Cebu: Basilica Minor del Santos Nino. Fort San Pedro. Ayala Mall. Cinema: Iron Man.
08 Cebu: Cinema: Speed Racer.
09 Cebu-Singapore: Cinema: The Possessed. Magellan's Cross. Carbon Market. 3,5hrs flight. Betel Box Backpackers Hostel.
Singapore
10 Singapore: The Inn Crowd Backpackers Hostel.
11 Singapore: Sentosa Island: Southernmost Point of Continental Asia. Dolphin Lagoon. Underwater World Aquarium.
Malaysia
12 Singapore-Kuala Lumpur: 6hrs bus. Anuja Backpacker's Inn. Shopping malls.
13 Kuala Lumpur: Shopping: Campbell Complex / Pertama Complex: Music.
14 Kuala Lumpur: Shopping: Bukit Bintang Plaza: PS3, Imbi Plaza: Acer Aspire 4520 Laptop. ScubaZone (Plaza Berjaya): BCD.
15 Kuala Lumpur-Bangkok: 10+12hrs bus.
Thailand
16 Bangkok: Welcome Sawasdee Inn. Cinema: The Counterfeiters.
17 Bangkok: Chatujak Weekend Market: Bought large painting etc.
18 Bangkok: Thailand Dive Expo. Cinema: My Blueberry Nights. My money belt, visa card, camera and watch was stolen from my room.
19 Bangkok: Last day in Asia!
Germany
20 Bangkok-Berlin: 11hrs flight.
26 Berlin: Lydia's father died in the night. R.I.P.
29 Berlin-Oslo: 2hrs flight.