HELLO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Since the first day, we have moved to a new place. This one is on the ground floor, which Im not keen on, and lacks the view, but is the new one is a lot nicer. Although accommodation is less of a great priority to me, as long as its safe and secure, a shower and a toilet and a bed that does a decent job…id usually say a fan! But I need blankets here!!! And im happy...infact, id rather have a view!

But it has a living room, with a long sofa that doesn't smell like straw, and several chairs. A TV with even a few English channels including MTV and FOX which occasionally shows old episodes of CSI!! I KNOW! HEAVEN! Even a dining table and a kitchen which has a cooker and a fridge.

There is a functioning bathroom, which even has a bath, but im not sure if ill be using it!!

My room is largish, and has two beds, both the most uncomfortable things imaginable! I don't think the mattress can be classed as a mattress! But they work, I chose the one that didn't feel quite as hard, and a pillow that wasn't too bad along with a sheet and blanket which I was hoping would keep me warm, it rarely does despite how thick it is.

Phil and Elin's room is larger and opens out to a small balcony area, but its far too windy to sit out there without sand flying in!

Oh yes, the sand, every night before bed despite having my shutters closed, the sand gets in and ends up covering my bed. Not so nice!! But it's a home, and it doesn't mean ive got to worry about moving for a while which is a good thought.

So, after a day of settling in when i first arrived...I began my training with Tom. He's a funny guy and enjoys bars, clubs and has a sense of humour, something that ive discovered is lacking here alittle from the mix of different countries. So I have hope in finding life in the middle of the building site! (well out of the building site anyway!) Tom seems to have found it, but in Hurghada…where him and his wife live.

So, the training is tough, and after a few days theory with Tom and learning the programs and how to make films, which I really enjoyed the production part of making an underwater film. Tom apparently in his spare time makes promotion films for the few nightclubs there are in Hurghada, which im eventually hoping he will let me in on and I can learn the same.

By Saturday I had done my first dive, OH MY DEAR LORDY IT WAS COLD!!! 21degrees! And having gone from Thailand, where the water is 30degrees to 21, I am not amused in my 3mil wetsuit!

I began my training with Massimo, my first meet with him. He was not as I expected, obviously the force of the Italian culture is there, but he is genuine in his intent and concern about others and learning etc. A good man I think. A mild sense of humour, although I am not certain yet!..i think it will develop the longer you know him!

I finally get the lowdown I needed, info about my job, my contract and everything about Videobubbles and the way it functions. There is another girl arriving towards the end of March, English. It is apparently still undecided if it is her or I who will be living either here in Safaga or in Hurgada. So before she arrives I am weighing up the two places. I obviously have got to know Safaga in its limited capacity very well since being here. It is a village. And I live on the outside of the village with limited life and resources. Hurghada is a town/city, much larger, but similar. Although it has more and attracts more tourists, everything is spread further out and harder to get to apparently, also im told more expensive. So I am still waiting for my day off to be able to further investigate.

So ive been diving! In the House reef they call it which is infront of Lotus Bay Resort. I was struggling with the fact that Massimo has leant me a 6.5mil wetsuit. A semi-dry. I have never worn one before and I can only describe it as completely taking the fun out of diving!!!

I have decided that its not a positive thing when the water is so cold that you have to wear a dry suit or a semi dry suit to keep you warm. And in the future, I do not intend to do so, unless it is for some amazing wreck or some other great reason to put your body through that!! Its not funny!!!

So, as a Semi dry is so god damn tight to your skin, it took me nearly 5-10mins to get the bloody thing on, causing skin to part from my fingers and knuckles. Im not amused! But it is cold. I am told that it is winter here in Egypt. NOW THEY TELL ME!! As I turn up with one pair of jeans, and a cardigan and pretty much shorts and small tees. I am unprepared to say the least and grateful for packing socks so I can wear them to bed!

So after the long days diving, practising filming on land and under the water…practising gliding, gliding zoom, my gliding position on the surface (which is hurting my leg muscles!) The 1,2,3 shots etc. All very important apparently and all very precise. There are so many factors that just don't come to mind before I had started the training, and despite the over load of information and the pressure to achieve and perform, im enjoying learning and the subject.

Theres a small restaurant behind our building site, called Ali Baba's, where i can get tomato soup and a hawian salad for dinner. Which is real nice. Although vegtables just dont exsist here in Egypt, which as eating so many in Singapore with T, im missing an alot! Not to mention soy sauce!!

The walk back is through the building site, so i tend to go the lightest way possible (which means going in a rather large circle) However, i regually get greeted by my local friends (the stray dogs!!! 3months from now im going to be the crazy dog lady!!...oh dear!) I so far have been taking a tub to put half my salad in, as I cant finish it all, and I steal the basket of pita bread so I can make sandwiches for me. Lol! but donate the other day a pita to the cutest stray puppy imaginable!!!

Ive only eaten at Lai Baba's a few times, mainly just to get out of the house. But so far on my return it doesnt really appeal to go inside, where I can already picture the scene of Elin and Phil on the sofa watching TV. (They do that often…and only that...i find them both rather boring! definately no wild parties in my new gaff!!) they are only 28!! Seriously, they could be 50!!

So the other night i decided to view the scenery from our derelict roof! To my right the lights of the Lotus resort, and to my left the hills of the desert…and more buildings. The Muslims were about, as i could hear them, although I couldnt see them as it turns to complete darkness...lol.

What is pretty amazing though, is the sight of the stars in the desert. It's the same as the sea. They are so bright, close and clear. Although its still rather windy outside but Im told that the wind should die down soon, and be completely gone by the end of the month. Allowing temperatures of 30-35 + to arrive. I have to say im looking forward to it, although i know ill complain then to about it being too hot!!

Diving today was alot better, im borrowing a 5mil wetsuit from a girl who works at Lotus Resort dive centre, which is a much better fit, allowing circulation to hands and feet!! So my buoyancy today is alot better, its amazing really, how all of a sudden, putting a object in your hands turns you into a beginner diving in the water again!! Its very frustrating!

So not that ive found a comfortable suit that doesnt make me feel like a scarcrow (I am fiding out if the girl is interested in selling it, as she has only worn it a few times as its too short for her...so although im very reluctant to have to buy a new wetsuit...at least ill be warm, and hopefully it wont be too expensive)

Im also roughly getting my weight right, although im now diving with Steel tanks. Which ive never done before...previously i was diving with Aluminimun tanks. Steel tanks weigh roughly about 6kg on their own. So this means that ive been having serious buoyancy issues, leaning to the right a little too much, or leaning to the left a little too much meant i crashed dramatically to the sand!! Im getting there though, and am now alot better after nearly 9dives here in the Red Sea!

Today's diving was a large improvement, im getting better, and now beggining to understand the pattern of fish...(they are irratating b*****s when they dont want to be filmed!) but my gliding is good, my gliding around is getting better, and my filming fish is improving. Im now at the stage where im putting all these things together to try and make a story line, and make film that flows and looks good! By the end of the week im hoping to be there and get to go out on the dive boats! See real dive sites...YAY!

I hope you've enjoyed the detailed update! I miss you all lots, and miss home a little more at the moment, but am looking forward to working!!!!! Which im told will be before the end of the month. So YAY!!!

Im also looking forward to coming home in July, although I am informed its one of the hottest months here in Egypt! So that's a bummer, but ive got a few months to get my tan back and work on it and work in general! Hope all is well with you all!? Glad im able to chat to everyone more now with the better time zone!

Lots of Love xxxx D