Woke up this morning and got a Thai milk tea at the tiki bar next to my hostel. After Zach and I rented a motorbike to explore the hard to get to parts of the island. We first stopped off at Shark Bay, a small little bay great for snorkeling. I really loved the vibe there. It was small and the tiki bar played reggae. I had a phenomenal passionfruit and mango shake there. This was the first time being away from the main touristy area and it was really nice. The water was really blue and beautiful. I rented a snorkel and went for a nice long swim. I saw beautiful colored parrot fish and even a rare sea turtle. This experience made coming to Koh Tao worth it. I at first was disappointed by it being too touristy but when you take a motorbike to the farther places from the center you get to see the majestic beauty of the island. A tropical jungle with beautiful aquatic life. It was some of the most beautiful water I have seen. While snorkeling I noticed a lot of dead or bleached coral. Coral bleaching occurs when corals expel the symbiotic algae living in their tissues, called zooxanthellae, which are essential for their health and vibrant coloration. This phenomenon happens as a stress response to environmental changes, particularly: Rising Sea Temperatures: The most common cause is prolonged exposure to elevated sea surface temperatures due to global warming. A mere one degree celsius change in water temperature can destroy coral reefs and aquatic habitats. On my travels I have really seen the starting effects of climate change first hand. City centers are over polluted and crowded, cold climates such as Nepal and Georgia are seeing less snow, and sea temperature levels are rising. We all need to do our part to help minimize greenhouse emissions to reduce global warming. After snorkeling in Shark bay Zach and I had lunch at Eagle's View. I ordered a grilled whole grouper. The waitress said her dad is a fisherman and caught the fish fresh today and I hand picked the exact fish I was going to eat. I was surprised they have grouper in the gulf of Thailand. It was really yummy but Florida grouper still reigns supreme. I explored some other lowkey beaches with the motorbike and finally found a good beach to skimboard! Hopefully tomorrow I can go back and try to ride. At sunset Zach and I went to Mango viewpoint, a high viewpoint on the mountain. It was beautiful and relaxing. It was a pain getting the motorbike up and down the mountain but it was well worth it. After sunset I got a 10 dollar haircut on the side of the road from a Thai woman. It is crazy how much you can learn about business from these small business owners. This woman has a single chair on the main walking road of Koh Tao. Everyone can see her working and how many clients she has. She has been completely full the past three days. It really proves how real estate is king, location matters, and seeing is believing. People are more inclined to pay for a service, whether it is a rock climbing gym, haircut, or club if they see the vibe and the traffic going through the place.
