Season on Zante passed so quick and I have only best memories of summer 2014. . .
End
of the season I planned to do my 2nd scuba diving course with my Greek
friends from "Euro Divers". By the circonstances, bad weather condition
and organization from both sides I left the island without finishing the
course. Was a bit disappointed 'cause I had such a big wish to do it. I
said: "What a hell, I'll do it next year or somewhere else". Although
the guys from "Euro Divers" are good instructors and I have only
positive words for all crew.
Just
after Athens, when I got back to Belgrade I was looking for some cheap
holiday trip that I might have before I move to UK. Usually as you all
know me, I am not using offers from tour operators and I manage all my
travels on my own way but I, by accident, saw such a great package offer for
12days in Hurghada - Egypt that I should not miss it. It was 10th
October and flight was on 12th. Just 2 days to go. Immediately I called
my summer flatmate (and now one of my closest friend) Branka. Ones I remembered, we
spoke about hitting some trip after the working summer season. It was
9am and I knew I am gonna wake her up.
"Whats the rush baby?", she answered with dreamy voice.
"Listen
me carefully, only 2 places left for the flight on 12th, I checked with
the company, plus if we pay today which we have to, we'll have minus
50e each on a price of a package. What do you say? Get your tiny ass out
of bed, check the hotel, offer and let me know asap so I can book it.",
I was so hectic and pushy.
She was a bit confused by the morning call and all my tension but she said: "Fuck it, we GO!"
Some people need more time for planning their holiday, packing etc. We? We just need less than 30min.
So very second morning we met each other on Nikola Tesla airport in Belgrade.
We flew with Air Cairo, 3 hours from Belgrade to Hurghada, charter. Cabin crew was not polite either. Landing very unpleasant.
After we finished paper work (buying visa 25dollars fee), passed police checking and took our languages we saw our rep - Mohamed. Not that I was disappointed but I was expecting Yelena, as in the company they told me she'll wait for the group. Why I was so excited? Well, this was a 1st time for me being a typical tourist and I was doing the same job as Mohamed or Yelena for almost a decade in Greece. My shock was bigger when I heard Mohamed speaking Serbian language fluently. Wait, what?? It would be the same hearing Greeks speaking English without that funny dialect and accent (no offense my Greeks, Serbians are not better either). Later, Mohamed told us he was studding Serbian language in Serbia and that Yelena has stopped working.
Bus transfer from the airport to our hotel (also 1st stop) was less than 20minutes. Main Sheraton road, or lets say center, and smooth African wind. Welcome to well deserved holiday!
We had to wait for about an hour to check in. Our hotel "Royal Regina" was nice one with a beautiful garden full of palm trees, nice beach and we got a very large room in the middle of that amazing yard.
In Hurghada almost all beaches are private (belongs to hotels) and those public ones aren't so beautiful.
Last time I was in Egypt was 2005th and not many things has changed till now. On the same place there is that "mango" shop selling fresh mango juice, "Abu Ashara" market still there, "Papas" beach club etc... All this brought me some great memories from the past.
But here we are, sunny Egypt and amazing Red Sea.
1st few days we did not go out of the hotel. More-less, beach, book, room, restaurant, beach and in the night long walk to Marina Bay. We absolutely had everything in our hotel as "all inclusive" package.
I really have to mention our hotel animation team (Egyptians, Russians and Ukrainian). They are adorably funny. Although we join them just few times at the end of our holiday 'cause we did not used to the animation fun on the beach as all those Russians.
Oh, I love Red Sea!!! So colorful and full of life. Pity I had both of my underwater cameras in service and no lucky to buy one there as they were old models and overpriced.
The 5th day I decided to go around, visit few diving centers and see what can I do with my course.
A hotel just next to us was my1st stop. "Deep Dreams" diving center. The guy I met, Zizo, was one of instructors there. Had a really nice chat with him. The only problem was that they are not PADI school but SSI. He mentioned one guy that speaks Serbian and he is PADI instructor - Zsolt. He also invited me for a drink today after 4:30pm to meet his crew and my potential scuba teacher. I accepted. This conversation makes me stop seeking further. So, I got back to the hotel beach and enjoyed my day with Branka.
4:30pm same day I was in "4 You" bar and I saw Zizo. Joined him for a beer and waited to meet my instructor Zsolt. Branka also joined us and we spent a night there with beer and such a great commutation with Zsolt. I was so excited to start my course and we arrange everything. As I did part of my course in Greece (Fish ID and Boat dive) he explained that for my next lever I have to do 2 specialty: 1st navigation and 2nd deep dive. Those two are must for advanced curse and if i want i can do some others. I also choose "wreck dive", "drift dive" and "peak performance buoyancy" - 2 boat dives a day, full equipment, meals and drink for amazingly decent price. I did not have to purchase book, cause I have one.
After the "business" chat finished we continued with beer and fun chats.
My 1st 2 dives started very next morning 8am at "Deep dreams" diving center and tat day on the boat was amazing. Did 2 fun dives (1st 18 meters depth and 2nd 11,4m). In Red sea you really don't have to go deep to see things and fishes. Red sea is soooo alive.. I felt like little mermaid in cartoon with all those corals and fishes.
Boat was big, well equipped with 2 platforms and plenty of place to relax, lay and enjoying this African sun and wind. Divers I met on board - all from Hungry very friendly. Only few of them spoke English but all of them with a smile.
First stop was Small Gitun island (police station) name of diving site. I was in a group of five divers (open water) and my instructor as a guide and my buddy.
We flew with Air Cairo, 3 hours from Belgrade to Hurghada, charter. Cabin crew was not polite either. Landing very unpleasant.
After we finished paper work (buying visa 25dollars fee), passed police checking and took our languages we saw our rep - Mohamed. Not that I was disappointed but I was expecting Yelena, as in the company they told me she'll wait for the group. Why I was so excited? Well, this was a 1st time for me being a typical tourist and I was doing the same job as Mohamed or Yelena for almost a decade in Greece. My shock was bigger when I heard Mohamed speaking Serbian language fluently. Wait, what?? It would be the same hearing Greeks speaking English without that funny dialect and accent (no offense my Greeks, Serbians are not better either). Later, Mohamed told us he was studding Serbian language in Serbia and that Yelena has stopped working.
Bus transfer from the airport to our hotel (also 1st stop) was less than 20minutes. Main Sheraton road, or lets say center, and smooth African wind. Welcome to well deserved holiday!
We had to wait for about an hour to check in. Our hotel "Royal Regina" was nice one with a beautiful garden full of palm trees, nice beach and we got a very large room in the middle of that amazing yard.
In Hurghada almost all beaches are private (belongs to hotels) and those public ones aren't so beautiful.
Last time I was in Egypt was 2005th and not many things has changed till now. On the same place there is that "mango" shop selling fresh mango juice, "Abu Ashara" market still there, "Papas" beach club etc... All this brought me some great memories from the past.
But here we are, sunny Egypt and amazing Red Sea.
1st few days we did not go out of the hotel. More-less, beach, book, room, restaurant, beach and in the night long walk to Marina Bay. We absolutely had everything in our hotel as "all inclusive" package.
I really have to mention our hotel animation team (Egyptians, Russians and Ukrainian). They are adorably funny. Although we join them just few times at the end of our holiday 'cause we did not used to the animation fun on the beach as all those Russians.
Oh, I love Red Sea!!! So colorful and full of life. Pity I had both of my underwater cameras in service and no lucky to buy one there as they were old models and overpriced.
The 5th day I decided to go around, visit few diving centers and see what can I do with my course.
A hotel just next to us was my1st stop. "Deep Dreams" diving center. The guy I met, Zizo, was one of instructors there. Had a really nice chat with him. The only problem was that they are not PADI school but SSI. He mentioned one guy that speaks Serbian and he is PADI instructor - Zsolt. He also invited me for a drink today after 4:30pm to meet his crew and my potential scuba teacher. I accepted. This conversation makes me stop seeking further. So, I got back to the hotel beach and enjoyed my day with Branka.
4:30pm same day I was in "4 You" bar and I saw Zizo. Joined him for a beer and waited to meet my instructor Zsolt. Branka also joined us and we spent a night there with beer and such a great commutation with Zsolt. I was so excited to start my course and we arrange everything. As I did part of my course in Greece (Fish ID and Boat dive) he explained that for my next lever I have to do 2 specialty: 1st navigation and 2nd deep dive. Those two are must for advanced curse and if i want i can do some others. I also choose "wreck dive", "drift dive" and "peak performance buoyancy" - 2 boat dives a day, full equipment, meals and drink for amazingly decent price. I did not have to purchase book, cause I have one.
After the "business" chat finished we continued with beer and fun chats.
My 1st 2 dives started very next morning 8am at "Deep dreams" diving center and tat day on the boat was amazing. Did 2 fun dives (1st 18 meters depth and 2nd 11,4m). In Red sea you really don't have to go deep to see things and fishes. Red sea is soooo alive.. I felt like little mermaid in cartoon with all those corals and fishes.
Boat was big, well equipped with 2 platforms and plenty of place to relax, lay and enjoying this African sun and wind. Divers I met on board - all from Hungry very friendly. Only few of them spoke English but all of them with a smile.
First stop was Small Gitun island (police station) name of diving site. I was in a group of five divers (open water) and my instructor as a guide and my buddy.
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