"Ko Rock Island" which I think translates to "island Rock Island". In this eager to please culture, everyone speaks two languages: Engli (they never enunciate the last syllable or consonant), or some mysterious dialect of Nonengli. Can't tell what is but when it's spoken I just assume they can't be talking to me. Besides, I have hearing loss, which means it is even worse when someone doesn't really enunciate so I can read their lips.  I think Thailand must produce the best ventriloquists.

And good that I had Katy along as guide dog and translator, so we got to the pier to catch the speedboat to Rock Island Island (I think) where they doled out the fins and snorkels and dumped us into the coral reef. It is a different world under the sea. There's coral that looks like  human brain, and fish that look like cucumber. Angel fish of the most elegant design and plumage. And even a twelve inch sea turtle gliding just fast enough to be out of reach. Sea urchins and other spiky things whose body language clearly says "don't touch".

After that location was fully surveiled, we were taken to a beach for a buffet lunch, when the lurking cloud found us and opened the bomb bay doors. It rained as only a monsoon can, for hours, curtailing the sun and fun time planned for the beach. 

Snorkelling doesn't worry about a little rain however, so there was one more dive stop to make at another Andaman Sea coral reef. As it continued to rain, colourful fish and snorkellers wearing colourful fins all went about their business, oblivious to tempest above.  On the 45 minute speedboat ride back to the Ko Lanto pier, not all made it back with their lunch in their belly. Two metre swells will do that.

Dinner cliff side at the Diamond Cliff was special. First, they send a driver to the resort to pick us up. It was a surprise that the main entrance was just roadside facade; you walk in and descend some very steep stairs, actually down the cliff as its structure is engineered to cling to craggy side of the western shoreline. 

Kate had made the transition from wild-hair-in-the-speedboat chick, to the Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress. Great food. Lovely evening.