February 9, 2026

One of the main reasons we went on this getaway was to get our PADI open water certification. Shout out to our fantastic, super skilled and patient dive master Ellie Simons we succeeded!

(L to R) Dive master Quentin Duhaillier (25 year old Frenchie) and Dive Master Instructor Ellie Simons (fantastic 27 year old Brit -they are also a couple), Anna Fitler, Me and Bosco - celebrating the night after we completed our PADI Open water certification training. I so appreaciate Ellie, she really made the whole experience fabulous. Diving is scary, alot can go wrong quickly and the course work is intense and really focuses on all the horrors, so you need someone to bring calm and reassurance and Ellie is a delight! She gave me the tough love and lots of tricks to conquer my buoyancy issues. I wish I could do every dive with her! But she has given me confidence to keep at it and hopefully it will begin to feel less intimidating.

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KOH CHANG, THAILAND

By Pat Patrick • July 26, 2026
We just relaxed on the Island of Koh Chang, Thailand. It's one of the largest Thai Islands in the Gulf of Thailand and it has a dense, steep jungle & National Park covering the interior of the Island, which extends off shore, to coral reefs. The coast line is dotted with beaches and villages. This was a tender port, so we decided to stay on the Island for 3 nights, to be able to experience the nightlife. Turns out, it is low season, so nightlife was pretty sleepy. However, we did find a new favorite night time activity! Any Guesses?!?

On the way to Koh Chang, Thailand

By Pat Patrick • July 25, 2026
Love Sea Days ! I got a much needed haircut and color. Think I'll be going shorter, but giving this a whirl! Can you see the back in the mirror? The bangs and side volume, is what drives me nuts in the heat and humidity!

WAT BANG KUNG & TRAIN MARKET - Bangkok ,Thailand

By Pat Patrick • July 21, 2026
Wat Bang Kung Temple was a quick stop along the way to the Train Markets . What makes this unique is the Temple is completely enclosed by roots of four giant trees (a banyan, bodhi and others). From the outside, it looks like nature has swallowed the building. Inside the chapel is a golden Buddha image, that locals still visit to pray. It was quite active during our short visit there. The Temple dates back over 250 years and survived the Burmese invasion.