I was too tired last night to write. I'll do my best to recap my day 4 !
Pick up for my dive day was 8:30. Not too bad, not too too early. Went directly to the boat !? All gear is on board because they don't actually have shops. Interesting. And different.
Big boats. About 15 divers. Off we go to the first site and I'm buddied up with "Christina" from France. She has a condo here and dives with Dive Hurghada 3 or 4 times a year for 3 weeks at a time. Ready for this . . . she gets 50, yes FIFTY, vacation days :o I live in the wrong country ! ! !
First dive in two years and I still did better on air than any other of the divers in the group !?!? YaY me. Christina did pretty good too, happy she's my buddy.
I don't usually share that I'm a dive master on these trips but when I was getting my cards out Ahmed saw it and started asking questions. Next thing I know all the guides on the boat know. So, dive number two we get a dive master in training and a young girl that was doing her open water - Laura. Sweet girl, excellent diver but still new. She had a couple of mishaps so I ended up staying close to her and watching her because no one else was !?!?! I think it was intentional.
So what did we see . . . not much. Thailand has spoiled me. The best were the octopus. One really large one on the first dive. And two together on the second. And, it is cold ! I'm wearing a 7mm suit !
Dive day 1 in the Red Sea done !
Back to the hotel, a bit of R&R in the room.
Oh, I haven't mentioned that smoking is EVERYWHERE ! :-( ! Taxi drivers smoke. The lobby of the hotel (where I am being smoked out at the moment) Anywhere on the dive boat !?!? And in the rooms. I'm in my room with the balcony door open, listening to the surf of the sea and then smoke from the neighbours starts wafting in - yuck. So had to close the door.
Meet Tony at 7 tonight. Had to cross the crazy roads that have no traffic lights or cross walks. Just gotta go. Tony was already there and was laughing because he could see how challenging (ie scary) it is for me to cross. The darn dogs made it across before me !?
Tony isn't even allowed on the hotel property after hours !?! The rules and security are so strict. That's why we meet on the road.
Off for some more yummy food and tonight I'm going to try . . . Pigeon (aside for it being known to have the properties of viagra, it is one of their most common foods, so when in Egypt . . . !)
Yikes, it arrives fully intact - head and all ! I had to let Tony rip it apart for me - just couldn't do it. It was tasty, not much meat but they stuff it with rice and spices.
Next stop is some errands to pick up stuff for a friend of his. Custom dresses from a "mall". And he had to get stuff for his business. Then, tea and Shisha at the bar for the rest of the evening.
Again, he sent me home in a taxi that he already paid for. The Egyptians that aren't annoying are very sweet. Ahmed was another sweet one (from the boat) he too wanted to take me out - yes, they are intrigued by me but I think they just really like showing off their country. They don't get many tourists that are willing to explore (so I've been told).
1am bedtime (a bit earlier!) and another day of diving coming soon.
Nighty night xox
Pick up for my dive day was 8:30. Not too bad, not too too early. Went directly to the boat !? All gear is on board because they don't actually have shops. Interesting. And different.
Big boats. About 15 divers. Off we go to the first site and I'm buddied up with "Christina" from France. She has a condo here and dives with Dive Hurghada 3 or 4 times a year for 3 weeks at a time. Ready for this . . . she gets 50, yes FIFTY, vacation days :o I live in the wrong country ! ! !
First dive in two years and I still did better on air than any other of the divers in the group !?!? YaY me. Christina did pretty good too, happy she's my buddy.
I don't usually share that I'm a dive master on these trips but when I was getting my cards out Ahmed saw it and started asking questions. Next thing I know all the guides on the boat know. So, dive number two we get a dive master in training and a young girl that was doing her open water - Laura. Sweet girl, excellent diver but still new. She had a couple of mishaps so I ended up staying close to her and watching her because no one else was !?!?! I think it was intentional.
So what did we see . . . not much. Thailand has spoiled me. The best were the octopus. One really large one on the first dive. And two together on the second. And, it is cold ! I'm wearing a 7mm suit !
Dive day 1 in the Red Sea done !
Back to the hotel, a bit of R&R in the room.
Oh, I haven't mentioned that smoking is EVERYWHERE ! :-( ! Taxi drivers smoke. The lobby of the hotel (where I am being smoked out at the moment) Anywhere on the dive boat !?!? And in the rooms. I'm in my room with the balcony door open, listening to the surf of the sea and then smoke from the neighbours starts wafting in - yuck. So had to close the door.
Meet Tony at 7 tonight. Had to cross the crazy roads that have no traffic lights or cross walks. Just gotta go. Tony was already there and was laughing because he could see how challenging (ie scary) it is for me to cross. The darn dogs made it across before me !?
Tony isn't even allowed on the hotel property after hours !?! The rules and security are so strict. That's why we meet on the road.
Off for some more yummy food and tonight I'm going to try . . . Pigeon (aside for it being known to have the properties of viagra, it is one of their most common foods, so when in Egypt . . . !)
Yikes, it arrives fully intact - head and all ! I had to let Tony rip it apart for me - just couldn't do it. It was tasty, not much meat but they stuff it with rice and spices.
Next stop is some errands to pick up stuff for a friend of his. Custom dresses from a "mall". And he had to get stuff for his business. Then, tea and Shisha at the bar for the rest of the evening.
Again, he sent me home in a taxi that he already paid for. The Egyptians that aren't annoying are very sweet. Ahmed was another sweet one (from the boat) he too wanted to take me out - yes, they are intrigued by me but I think they just really like showing off their country. They don't get many tourists that are willing to explore (so I've been told).
1am bedtime (a bit earlier!) and another day of diving coming soon.
Nighty night xox
So what did the pigeon (Viagra enhancer) taste like? Have to comment on everything. That was your first day of diving. Hope you saw a few more fish today. Loving the blog...xo
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