- or scenes from the day and life of a diving instructor

Our old new favourite. Yes… There are days when we wake up and everything goes well. And there are days when we feel, before even we get up – so much for this day. If we had to put into words what we are feeling in moments like these, we would pretty much get a dramatic, tearful, who-cares kind of a story. Except, of course, if you can have a good laugh at yourself!

Believe it or not, some people actually do this! And in such a way that we are left with tears in our eyes and unable to continue reading on. And as we are reading these sad stories, all we can think of – if only I could be there…

Whatever happens, happens, does not it?

The authour lived an orderly life in the first 30 years of his life, working in an office in front of a computer, doing his weekly shopping at weekends, and diligently swearing his way through the Moscow Square area Monday traffic with his fellow sufferers.

And on a lovely early Sunday afternoon with his fresh scuba course certificate in hand from the Adriatic Sea, something snapped in him. He tried to convince himself near Karlovac that there is nothing strange about an IT specialist becoming a diving instructor.

By the time he arrived back to Budapest, the idea had turned into a detailed plan. And exactly a year later, the suits and ties moved to the back of the closet and the author, with a packed diving bag in hand, left the country. Eyewitnesses say he was headed for South-East with a big smile on his face…

Translated by Anita Riberdy, based on the original short story “Békalábnyomok” by András Szepesházi

Egypt is rightly famous for its pharaohs, pyramids and last but not least, for its marine life, thanks to spectacular dive sites, great weather and warm waters. The most memorable experiences come from diving safaris onboard diving liveaboards when we travel for a week in luxury and visit untouched sites far from civilisation, the city noise and the office.

A Liveaboard holiday will ensure that divers reach some of the best wrecks and reefs in the world, including world famous dive sites such as the Brothers Island, Deadalus, Elphinstone and St. John’s, as well as historical wrecks, including Rosalie Müller, Salem Express and Thistlegorm.

The Red Sea lies between the continents of Asia and Africa. The Sinai Peninsula sits at its most northerly point and stretches over 1000 miles south to join the Indian Ocean, between Ethiopia and Yemen. The southern opening is only a narrow passage that connects the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean, making the Red Sea an almost isolated body of water with a high temperature and salinity.

The Red Sea is home to over 1,000 invertebrate species, many of which can only be found here. More than 1100 species of fish have been identified as well as 200 soft and hard corals.

Whatever choice you make, you will not be disappointed. The Egypt’s Red Sea has so much to offer that you will feel you cannot get enough!

Sudan in Africa is one of the most beautiful places in the world to go on a scuba diving vacation any time of the year. New or experienced scuba divers can choose from a variety of areas and destinations. There are untouched coral reefs including the world famous Shaab Rumi where Cousteau conducted his experiments.

There is also the wreck of Umbira, a 150m long WWII ship that sank in quite shallow waters, making her easy to dive. You will see tube sponges and soft corals hanging from the walls and arches of the reefs while you’re scuba diving in Sudan.

The number of boats in Sudan offering diving safaris is about 8-9 (in Egypt there are hundreds), so during the diving tours divers do not meet other boats and do not have to fight for space underwater with other divers. The dives are only for the group and the sites can be enjoyed without the crowds.

Sudan is mostly famous for its sharks, schools of barracuda, untouched coral reefs and mainly in the south, for the large schools of hammerheads.

On the last day of the tour when the boat sails back to the harbour, the guests can visit the island of Suakin, which was once the main port city in the Red Sea. Today it is a white virtual ghost town, famous for its houses built from coral “bricks”.