BusyB

Look what happened to Turkey's lira when Erdogan sacked his central bank chief.

Mmhhh... Sounds familiar, where have I seen all that again recently?

Nicely said. Thank you. I hope so. And indeed I know I've managed to do some good and pass some learning on. But I will certainly be forgotten in the long run. And any learning I made is available to pretty much everyone - so as such I remain supernumerary and meaningless. A drop of water that will return to the ocean and be vaporized in a few million years. I'm fine with that. It's reality. And most of it is fun - even the learning bits.

Naah, it's about processing alcohol into something less toxic.

True. Your life only has the meaning you give it yourself. And it remains even then meaningless in the grand scale of things. Roy Batty summed it up exquisitely and I've lived like that ever since. Unfortunately that makes me something of a Darwinian failure since I haven't (to my knowledge) passed my excellent genes on down the line. And all I've seen and learned and done will be gone like tears in the rain.

I think ''WHAT?!'' is more appropriate ... Utter balderdash.

Ominous twice in one paragraph no less. I'll leave it at that 😄

This! You are doing yourself and everyone else a disservice by trying to learn a skill like diving without complete focus on the tasks at hand. And probably taking miserable pix at the same time. Very much the case with diving as with all other things including flying and driving and most professional qualifications. Passing the test means you've demonstrated enough competence to actually start learning properly without posing too much of a danger to yourself and others. It definitely doesn't mean you can do it. Spoken after some hair raising learning experiences, much luck and assistance over 6 decades 555

Had enough of experts ...

Nothing stops a recreational diver from buying a camera and taking it down with them on any dive without paying for an underwater photo course. AFTER they've finished basic training. Obviously the results won't be as good as if they're trained by professional instructors but that's their business. 'Rescue qualified' means I've honed some skills and been trained in helping others in difficulty because I didn't want to have to look on helplessly while someone drowns. (That's what it's about: not drowning.) I have enough knowledge and experience to post the comment I did. Whilst by no means a pro, I am aware of the dangers and can help novices at least till the pros get there. I have already saved one life (albeit before the rescue course). That qualification is the single best thing I did in diving - really made everything easier afterwards 'cos they really pushed me hard for the first time. The real McCoy and no longer daydreaming among the fishies. I'd recommend it to anyone who's got the Advanced course. It is so easy to get into trouble and nature and physics can be very unforgiving. Most understand that.

Because they should both be focussed on diving skills so that the trainee can survive long enough to later take a course in underwater photography when they've mastered skills like buoyancy and avoiding the corals etc. That way they can avoid potential emergencies and not destroy reefs. Recreational diving is fun and relatively safe. If taken seriously. It is not serious to be taking pictures as a trainee at 30 or 40m. The instructors are as culpable as the novice in allowing such unprofessional behavior. Most of my instructors have been first class. But I did have one set of instructor/guides who were bordering on criminally negligent. Caveat emptor. Rescue qualified diver.

I think you'd be more likely to be pushed out of the song thaew if you tried that in Pattaya.

That would actually suggest the TSA has won.

Goes pretty much straight past me. But it's sad in as far as he's been the nicest Pope in my lifetime.

Complete pillock.

National Service as rehab. But does it work long term after the threat of military discipline is gone? Not likely.

My thought exactly. More like 58.

I for one never thought it could possibly happen in such a family friendly paradise. What is the world coming to?

aka 'beaks 'n a$$-holes'. But they do taste good.

If you own a Ferrari or Merc they'll test you after 48 hours.

True, but this one wasn't that impressive really besides being a triple point. Otherwise very lackluster.

Not only Thailand I think ...

Smokers really are pitiable creatures. So sad. And sadly so many are also pathetically antisocial. Like any junky the only thing that counts for them is getting the next fix regardless of the inconvenience, discomfort and health risks to normal people close by.

The Thais seem to deal with it far more graciously I think ... they call it 'the Third Gender' don't they? Doesn't seem to cause any real problems (except on Beach Road at night).

Your mind is so narrow it couldn't even accommodate a ciggy paper. And no strength of opthalmologist's prescription could possibly correct the short sightedness.