From Krabi I traveled to koh Phi Phi where I had 10 days to relax and meet up with my friend
from my time in Mexico how work as an Scuba Instructor on Phi Phi before my coerce started in Phuket.
The last time I was in Phi Phi I couldn’t get off soon enough but this time it was still low session and not so many tourist so I spent my days getting to know some amazing people that I hope I get to see soon again, also I kayaked around Phi Phi one day, went exploring the island on foot, found all the view point and the hidden beaches and one day on a nice boat trip that took us to the Neighbor islands to for snorkeling and kayaking, it was 10 amazing and eventful days!
From Phi Phii I took the ferry to Phuket and checked inn to The
that Nora had booked for me for a good rate! Highest standard I had in years and first time I had my own room in years!
My first day was with
since
was out setting National records. He teamed me up with another instructor candidate for a training day while he had his own student. I thought I did good, had some dives to 20m, but after the dives Shaun takes me to the side and says I don’t know what you were doing but it’s not good freediving and then he turns to the other candidate and you shod tell him off for diving like that! You are almost an instructor.
I can now see what meant with that statement! It was not good freediving at all! And Shaun is a good reader of people and he knew I cud take it, I’m writing this now three months later and a lot more experience so it might not be 100% correct statements and time lines.
The next days was the advanced curse and except for my smile, my wetsuit and bi fins I have to admit I got a lot of shit for my diving, you are not streamlined, you are back kicking, you have to relax and it continued in the pool during apnea, your times are good but you are not relaxing just think what you can do when you relax! and after one of the apnea I came up and sad to Nora it’s not easy relaxing with you beaching me all the time, I got a little frustrated so she switched over to Dynamic Apnea and it continued, streamlined! Stop looking forward! Haha I was not as good as I thought I was but after some extra lessons and some training with my main buddy during my first tow months. A finish guy named
already a PADI instructor returning to do his AI instructor and training. We got along great and ended up renting a room together for the last weeks.
After two weeks of good help for Nora, Shaun and Matti and also other freedivers on the classes I had passed everything except the fucking Co2 table 25m x20 (I call it the 420 table) with 4 breasts brake between each 25m Shaun told me that he had expected more of me and the next day after a night of visualizing the Co2 table I returned and smashed it like I had done it 50 times before, it was so easy suddenly! And then I was a Advanced Freediver, now I had 2,5 months until my Master course
The next 1,5 months was filled with yoga, bare foot running, lots of diving, backgammon and just a lot of fun at the end I was giving tips to student took them for yoga at the big Buddha at sunrise and amazing food at mamas place! it was an amazing two months! Personal bests in Free immersion 30m, Constant weight 27m, Apnea 3.57 min Dynamic apnea 70m.
One day we brought the hammock and the next we find a crab that lives in a jellyfish!
The saddest day was the 26th of December after some rain the day before we arrived at the dive sight and it was plastic as far as the eye could see so I and Matti got in the water and gathered a lot of trash the first 20-30min before the tide tuned and took the rest out to the sea! We took what we cud but it shod not be necessary! Throw the fucking trash in the trash bin! Say no to plastic if you don’t need it!
From my Istagram post:
There is really no good reason to throw trash anywhere else then the trash bin and we can all reduce how much trash we make. Do you really need that plastic bag or that straw? If I see a friend of my throw trash I will come with a bag like this to your office or home and put it out on your fucking sofa! Its just fear when you throw trash in my office and home!
Matti and I also had a motorbike trip to Phang Nga where we camped at a view point the first night and in the morning we rented a kayak for 24h and when island exploring!, we found caves and nice beaches and sat up camp on one of them and was accompanied by a Thai family out fishing. We joined them and got food and drinks and a private fire show!
To become a good freediver with high knowledge, safety and technique is hard work but it’s the most rewarding thing I have done in my life! The friendship, the trust, the silence, the feeling of mastering and doing what you most likely have been told your hole life is not possible now made possible, the close up encounters with life under the sea! Its pure magic! I LOVE IT!
This was all I had for now, now I have had a month in Malaysia that I also will wright about and at writing time I’m in KL waiting for my flight back to Phuket to do my Master and instructor course wilt
and this time
will be my instructor! And I believe she has a lot to offer as an Instructor trainer and AIDA judge, triathlon trainer, lifeguard trainer and practice yoga for years!
Lots of Love
Joachim Larssen
The ShibbyTraveler