A Day in the Life of a Dive Instructor, Koh Tao v A Day in the Life of a Western Office Worker

Waking up to bright blue skies, turquoise waters and a day of teaching wide-eyed backpackers to discover a whole new world... is this the job of dreams? So what is it really like getting paid to live in paradise? Here, we compare a regular day in the life of a Western office worker alongside a regular day in the life of Ludo, a dive instructor at Big Blue Diving, Koh Tao, Thailand...

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Notes from the Editor: Going Against the Grain and Forging Your Own Path

Many people in the West tend to follow a similar route - we leave school, go to university and get a job - success is measured in assets and achievements. It can be scary and daunting to imagine a life that strays from this structured ladder. Backpacking is a time to break away from the regimented order of Western society and get a taste of a different way of life - adventure, excitement, spontaneity. Once sampled it may be hard to go back to 'normal life'...

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What’s in This Issue? The Best of S.E.A Backpacker Mag, Issue 19: July / August

Endless nights of staying up until well into the early hours, fuelled by Chang, excitement and adrenaline – no, we’re not talking about a typical backpacking holiday but the effort the S.E.A Backpacker Team put into the magazine revamp! For our third birthday we’ve gone all upmarket with a hard back spine – get us! – and NEW sections including Annabelle, Local Portraits and Party Hotspots – here’s a taster of what’s inside…

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Guest Post: Shark Life

A gang of students arriving for their Open Water Course had previously been enticed to eat shark. Similar to how the adventurous travellers sample insects on the Khao San Road, they thought trying shark meat was like a traveller rite of passage, but their eyes were soon to be opened to the full story. Ayesha Cantrell of Master Divers unfolds the horrifying truth...

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