Ma'ssalama

Its took me nearly a month after returning to say my true and fond final farewells. The truth of the matter is I don't enjoy saying goodbyes especially to experiences that have reinvigorated my bite for life.

I came to Al-Quseir with much desire to achieve something within myself. I felt I needed time out of the rat race to rediscover the fun elements within me and to naturally feel great about myself. It was a chance meeting with Steve who was touting his wealth of expertise at an exhibition in London called vaguely something like 'One life live'. I was at the time drained from corporate politics, going to work because its important to have a career and that the definition of having a career is making a success of yourself paranelia.

I spoke for two minutes with Steve and realised instantly that this is the place I will go, Steve reckons I was quite naive at the beginning thinking I will witness a school of dolphins in an instant despite being a savvy sales person. I, actually believed in Steve, his cool responsible demeanour lends itself to giving you the impression that he knows what he is doing.

He and Claire his dear wife, stood to the testimony, The Pharoah Club truly brought together some exciting, interesting people who all enjoyed raising the awareness of the importance of keeping Al-Quseir beautiful. Egypt is a poor nation, its fruits of wealth is its history and land, a collective co-hort of support is needed to provide an infrastructure to deal with the overwhelming rubbish that dominates the landscape.

The people want to keep their place clean but how can they when they have no official structure to help them process their rubbish, if they have one, its certainly meagre, inefficient and resourceless. We need to develop this project and get all organisations involved to support this truly valuable campaign of preserving our sea, beach and towns.

I, sitting in my favourite cafe in London as an advanced diver with great stories, truly feel refreshed and revived by my diving experience and actively supporting the campaign. I am now ready to enter the world again but will keep that 'diving' sense of being with me at all costs.

This is not a goodbye to The Pharaoh Club, but more of 'See you later'

My very own Desert Party

What a party! I have for the past month raving on about a desert experience, not the glamourous or tacky style. But a decent under the stars, visible shape of the mountains by moonlight, the cool breeze in the night and indigenous people. Guess what...I got that experience ten times.

I was overwhelmed with emotion as the boys from the dive centre threw themselves into action creating not only amazing food barbecuing the meat, chopping the salads, chopping up wood to sustain the big bonfire to keep us all warm and their usual warm banter and laughter.

The guests such as Anne and Barry from Reading, England were happy to dance ballroom in the moonlight around the bonfire, thorougly entertaining us with their gusto for life! Anne with her usual caustic sense of humour and Barry's deep chuckle ever ready to accompany a funny thought or comment! Superb people.

A group of us decided to sing 'Que sera sera' a song most defining of the moment we were in, because who knows, whatever will be will be!

The boys switched on their cars and plugged in their mobiles to generate the great sounds of arabic music which grabbed our attention and made us all want to dance..albeit we veered off the dance floor soon as the boys showed us up with their teasingly seducing belly hip movements..Phuah!

Rustic, authentic and filled with genuine warmth, laughter, dance and gusto! I have to personally thank Steve and Claire for really organising this experience for me. What I appreciate the most is their genuine ability to relate to the customs of the place and work around it!

Its rare and wonderful.

Search for the Dugong

We went in search for the Dugong in Abu Dabab knowing that it took some people 13 visits before they got to see the Dugong. But we made a search through the sea grass and beautiful clear water searching for our friend the Dugong.

Instead we saw six turtles amazingly with feeders on their back cleaning them as they hung around eating the grass on the sea bed. I was in my element watching and taking photos and apparently I got really close to them and they must have seriously thought I was barmy and unfrightening. Thankfully!
However, as I was chasing the Guitar fish to take a photo of it as it writhed around the bottom of the sea bed it made an instant U-turn on me and I swear it looked at me as if I was pestering it...I mean a beautiful creature like that has to be observed but when it springs back with a bit of personality and gusto you feel quite perturbed in an instant!

Needless to say, I slinked back and made sure my buddy was aware too! Sad to say I did not see the Dugong! BOO HOO......next time!

Regina and Peter the Arrival

I would like to introduce you to my favourite people out in Al-Quseir. Arrived two weeks ago as the new Dive Instructors and their efficiousness, enthusiasm, commercial direction and most of all their humour was a welcome! In their first days they had organised the world and welcomed me into their fold. We had movie nights, dinners, thumb games, dancing and lots of laughter.

Peter, who used to be a Vet but I had this really strong feeling he was an accountant. If I was Peter, I would have been rich, his meticulous attention to detail simply impressed me. A thoughtful, kind, astute individual who certainly received tips from his customers because of his excellent service! Wonderful!

What can I say about his great fiance Regina, a corporate talent and first impressions a force not to be reckoned with her direct approach and 'everyone can do anything presence' attitude, in space of ten minutes she just infects you from the moment go! We certainly had some great moments celebrating my reputation as the Bonzai Dugong and finding lost equipment on 30 metres down the sea! Pretty cool!

Miss you guys!

Cookie and the Fish

Hey ho, despite suffering from sea sickness now and again I certainly have an eye for fishing! There I was with Ahmed aka 'Cookie', not because he is a bit la la well not most of the time but he is the cook of the boat! Both Ahmed and I were on the zodiac looking for the divers to reach surface amongst the choppy, wavy sea and with dismay I could see something really shiny, almost plastic like bopping on the surface, my heart sank thinking its a damned big fat plastic bag. Possibly dumped by a big ship or something and I frantically shout at Cookie to veer towards the plastic thing as it bops up and down the waves. Obligingly, we steer towards this plastic looking thing only to realise its the biggest fish I have seen in a while and it was half chopped of most certainly by a shark or something. (oh boy I got excited big time by the mere chance of it being a shark) Cookie ever excited, grabs hold of the big fish as you can see and launches into the zodiac. I let out a customary scream because it wouldn't be normal otherwise and had a laugh afterwards. Now i know what fishermen must feel like after a night out on a boat, elated at finding such a prize! Woweee, this fish was donated to the crew who were desperate to cook it because they stated it was 'FRESH'.

Francois and his marriage proposal

Francois is actually philipe and he is an undersea videographer! He moved into our flat to capture the amazing dive sites we have in our midst. When he moved in too the flat I called him Francois and it stuck, to the others he was Frenchie! Well I liked this kookie chap who decided to devote his life to travel a nd help businesses promote themselves through his amazing videography skills. Now Francois, has been going out with his lovely lady in Paris for a while now and they spent a holiday on the nile where he courted a crocodile who bit his finger. His reasoning was that the crocodiles in Brazil were friendlier..(Go figure as americans would say). Anyhow, in our conversation together it happens that he lost his courage to ask his lady to marry him. I asked him how was he expecting to recover the dutch in him, he said he would ask via an email instead. I offered a variety of ways like proposing underwater and capturing it on video? I realise that frightened him even more and lo behold he sends an email asking her to marry him. Her response was 'we shall have a big party'. I guess that was a yes. I tell everyone the email story wondering why he would choose this medium only to realise as he reminds me that it was me who agreed with him! I realise the power of words or my words are a bit too strong!

A fab addition to our life in Al-Quseir.

Private Serfis in Al Quseir

Some people would think diving is a relaxing sport and I would agree but the travel to some places do tire you out, but i have to say the deep slumber really has been providing me with some immense dreams!!

On one such occasion, I and the dive team were shattered after a heavy diving day (amongst the colourful fish, waves in the water..get the picture) and I am craving fish..bizarre but true. I did think to myself when I walk in the countryside, I don't exactly crave eating the cows or lamb? Anyway, we went to the best fish restaurant in town called 'Firdaus' and its superb for Al-Quseir. After learning the Thumb game with Regina, Peter and Philipe we decide to head home, tired, exhausted and wondering if we will find Khalid and his crew hanging around the roads in their cars, happy to give us a lift. However, we meander down the road and look for a 'serfis' a minibus type taxi, dolmush, collectible whatever you would like to call it! I flag the Serfis and all of us walk into it and look around to find we are the only passengers which is lovely.

I explain where we want to go and the driver keeps asking me "where', now i know my arabic is conversational at the minimum but its not much fun responding to someone who keeps asking me 'Where' until my lightning like brainwave hits me and tells me he is asking where I am from!!! With a sigh of relief and desperation to head home I tell him and he gives me his salty pumpkin seed bag and everyone is happy.

We become happier when the driver ignores all other passengers who are trying to flag down his taxi and drives us all the way home as long as I continue to chat to him! How grateful we are for this man's generosity and kindness. A typical thing to happen in Al-Quseir. Certainly left us happy for the night!