Going or staying, visa needed

Thomas had left Patong and I was by myself here sitting thinking about what to do and where to go. During the day around 2 o'clock in the afternoon, it would start raining. A lot. And like a clockwork. At 5 it would stop and the streets would be full of people again that got trapped by the weather in a restaurant or bar.
I had been wondering about doing some more diving in the area, maybe do a diver master and instructor certification around here, but didn't know any of the dive shops around. So I walked around and talked a bit with the different dive shops that I could find on the Internet, some got ruled out right away, where as others would have to be investigated a little more on the Internet.
I made the decision about staying for sure, but since the Thai immigration only lets me stay in Thailand for 1 month, I had to be part of the big visa business going on in Thailand for foreigners, called visa run.
As a foreigner in Thailand, you need a valid visa to stay for a longer time. Most countries are given a visa waiver at the entry to the country, meaning that there is 1 month for free where no visa is needed if arriving by plane and 2 weeks if crossing a land border. To stay for a longer period visas are need and there are different types depending on the purpose in the country. I was going to have a tourist visa that would be valid 2 months, with an extra months extendable at the immigration office in Thailand. However, to get this visa, I had to leave Thailand, apply for the visa and if I got it, I would be able to return to Thailand. This sounds a little exciting to say the least, but there is no reason to worry. This is everyday business here, called visa runs.
Companies have specialized in driving people from their hotel, over the boarder, help with the paper work to get a visa, organize a stay overnight and get you safely back to your hotel the next evening.
This apparently is pretty big business and very well organized, because at the border crossing next morning, there were probably 15 mini buses from around the area waiting to cross. All the drivers knew each other, laughing making jokes with each other and the border control people. This also made me think that this is very good business, why would they otherwise be so happy?
The minibus had picked me up at 9pm in the evening and had been driving all night long to be at the border crossing next morning at 6am. Even though they prided themselves to have a luxury minibus with leather seats, I had not been able to sleep at all and had just been watching a few movies. After 9 hours with 10 people sleeping in a small minibus in 30 degrees, I can testify that the smell is a little interesting, even with the AC.
When we got to the hotel in Malaysia, Penang, I was quite surprised about the quality of the hotel, very nice place indeed. Especially for the price I paid, 4000baht for the return trip and hotel room. But as I had not been sleeping the entire night, I decided to take a small nap. I woke up around 1pm, took a shower and got dressed and about the time when I got out of the room, it started raining. Yes, as much as it did in Patong too, if not even more. I tried fighting the rain, but gave up after a few seconds. Back to the room and nap some more.
When I woke up it was time for dinner, which was also included in the price, so decided to eat at the hotel. Took a beer to the food and actually felt really tired after having eaten. What an activity level, huh?
Ended up going around the block and back to the room where I had a very good night sleep. Next morning it was back in the minibus where we were given our passports with the new visa in it. Then we drove Formular 1 style driving back to the border and entered the country for another 60 days legal stay. As this was a single entry visa, it meant that if I went to any other country these 60 days, it would invalidate the visa. So I was going to be stuck. In Thailand. Ha, I can live with that
Back in Patong the same evening after some nerve wrecking minibus driving through small roads and the afternoon shower, where the speed was not reduced enough that I could notice it. Scary but successful trip