Weekend off but no wifi.

Welcome to another instalment of Daves's Blog. Just had the weekend off but lost my usually reliable wifi links where I live. I am hoping I can find it again either today or tomorrow.

Friday night I went out with the owner, his wife and their friends in Fuengirola. We went to a cracking tapas style bar which was kind of like a human Yo Sushi style joint. What I mean is that instead of a conveyor belt, waiters came round constantly with different types of tapas on skewers that you just picked up what you liked the look of. They than added up the different kind of sticks at the end. It was pretty reasonable as well. We finuished the night off in a bar called Lola's. Bit of a posers palace but the Amaretto and Cokes went down nicely!

Saturday was spent cleaning. Well it was the first real good clean the flat has had since I got here! Doesnt sound good but remember I am hardly there as out for most of the days!

Sunday was a relaxing day, but will updeate soon as I have to get off the computer!

When the tough gets going...

Hi all, well it has been a very busy couple of days here for me at Simply Diving in Torremolinos.

Having a great time and as some of you might have heard I have got through all my written exams for my Divemaster course. Still a hell of a long way to go until I am able to pass the instructor examination.

Yesterday I led for BSAC (Brits diving association) divers round Marina del Este. First time for me to be leading the divers and I think I did ok. They left happy so that is the main thing. Just need to get the experience so I am comfortable in most situations. Really have to hone my navigation skills but this will come when I get to really know the dive sites. One test yet to come is a dive site mapping test!

Today I took a relatively novice diver round Marina Del Este and we had a great time. Octopus, Flounder, Wrasse, Gobbies, Bleny's and some great plant life on the reef. He really enjoyed it and wants to come back so was really pleased with how it all went.

It really is something different when you are the diver in charge, you have to lead and sort everyone out. You do have to be quite bossy as well, some people always think they have a right way and end up with the possibility of really doing some damage to themselves and the reef environment.

I am not missing the old job I can tell you. This here in Spain is the hardest I have worked in a long time and I am really enjoying it. The customer only sees the nice bits of diving everday but it is the sorting out and packing of kit in the mornings, loading all the steel tanks (much heavier than US Aluminiun ones that I am used to), then going on the sorting out and cleaning all the kit in the evenings when you get back to the shop after dropping all the customers back at their hotels. 12-13 hour days are going to be the norm when the season really kicks in. Should be learning right from the deep end then.

My boss is also on at my to encourage all of you to become fans of Simply Diving on Facebook, go on do me a favour and just click on the'become a fan' link to Simply Diving

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Simply-Diving/50454603223?ref=ts

Anyhow will be back soon with more updates.

Back again, not to worry

Hi everyone, its been a few days so apologies to those hanging on a knife edge for the next instalment!

Well I have been pretty busy I can tell you. I have managed a few more exams so I am really pleased. Physiology, Dive Skills and the Environment and Dive Equipment. I got scores of 95%, 90% and 75% respectively. Struggled a bit on Dive equipment because the exam still tests on J valves and transducers but they are not included in the encyclopedia anymore so just scraped a pass. But, as they say, a pass is a pass.

Last Saturday we dived at La Herradura, no sunshine was a first but hopefully not to be repeated situation. I assisted Antonio as we led a group of English guys from Sevilla round the dive site Tres Picos ( 3 Peaks ). Visability was good at around 10-15 metres and lots of varied life. I even spotted an Octopus under one of the overhangs.

Yesterday I took full advantage of Skysports with a football super sunday in my apartment!

Tomorrow it looks like we are back off to Gibraltar with 4 divers, 2 English and 2 Dutch. I quite like this site as there are loads of wrecks sunk purposely for an artificial reef project. I am thinking of using a couple for my Dive Site Mapping exercise I have to complete sometime soon.

Thursday we will be back to La Herraduras but the difference being is that it will be me leading. Think I shall be revising the map a few times over the next few days. I have heard that losing divers does not go down very well!

I will try not to leave it as long next time before my next update so stay tuned...

Photos

I havent forgotten, I am working on trying to get my photos online.  Please bear with me.

One down a few more to go

Just got pass the first hurdle as I managed to score 95% on my physics test.  Boyles Law, Charles Law, Archimedes Theory, Gas laws, formulas etc etc, but got through it.  As those who know me Maths is my stronger subject so harder tests to come.

Writing this again in the traditional McDonalds in down town Torremolinos, I have found a signal nearby where I live but it does mean a small drive to the reception area of the estate.

Some more good news, just when I thought that I would be coming home with an Irish accent (only english channel on TV was RTE 1!) I have had a fiddle with the tuning and found I have been missing out.  I now have BBC1, ITV and all Skysports 1,2 and 3.  Get in footie Sunday for me!  Also found a few movie channels, not well known ones but none the less it makes a change from 'The Afternoon Show', Seioge and Fair City.  You thought Emmerdale was bad just try sitting through Fair City.  It is very pants.

Dived again in Gib yesterday with a newly certified Diver.  She was a bit nervous but once the first dive was over she was much better on the second dive.  Viz on the first was very bad due to some building work nearby disturbing all the sand on the bottom.  It was a real struggle to in front of your face and it was very disorientating.  The second dive however was much improved.  Lots of sea life - Box lipped mullet, juvenile wrasse and I managed to find a great small octopus swimming past.  I find them incredible creatures and so hard to find when they camoflague.

Pool skills tests today, good to get them out of the way and to practice them at the same time.  I am also having to watch the Open Water training video so I can kind of memorise the training schedule and what skills I have to teach and in what order.  The OW course is the bread and butter for diving trainers as it is the first rung of the diving ladder and where all divers start when they train with PADI.

Not long now until Amanda joins me for Easter week!  I am trying to sort out which dives she would like most then she can come along and have a go in the lovely Med!

Ta ta for now, thanks again for following

Just starting to find Wifi...

Hi all, sorry for the delay but I am only just starting to find the wifi signals round where I am based in Mijas.

Since I last added to the blog I have been diving in La Herradura.  It is a very picturesque bay with a lovely beach and quite clear water.  That is until you get to about 10 metres then the viz gets a bit poor.  I have been finding though that the viz is getting better by the day.

Just had a day off so it was spent having a walk around and seeing whats what round here, also spent a long time looking for a good wifi signal!

On my travels I also went into my local Lidl for a bit of food shopping and found that most of the products in there are exactly the same as back home,  nice and cheap as well which will really help now I am not earning.

Just waiting for people to get home so I can try out this wifi and get speaking through skype.

Tomorrow is classroom day, hopefully going to try and get some exams done - physics and physiology of diving.  Learnt some great stuff whilst I have had my head in the books.  Did you know that it is not the bodies need for Oxygen that makes us breathe?  The body actually instructs the diaphragm to push the lungs to expel carbon dioxide and as a result we take in oxygen as the diaphragm pulls back.

Will let you know how my classroom goes...

Marina del Este

Yesterday we were joined by 2 trainee´s taking the Advanced Open water training. Early start from now on seems to be the norm with shop open for the day´s prep at 8am. Build all the gear for yourself and students so when the arrive it is a quick hop in the van and we are off.

As I said yesterday it was to marina del Este which is about an hour east of the shop just past Nerja. Nice quiet little cove with a very South of France feel about the place. These dives were assisting the instructor, first up was deep dive. We swam out and then it was down gradually to 29.9 metres (on my watch anyhow). They completed a couple of tests to give them examples of Nitrogen narcosis, after that it was a gradual ascent and back to the shore. The second dive was Underwater Navigation, this was great as it gave me a chance to practice what is a weak area for me.

Today it was back to Gibraltar for another 2 dives with the trainees. This time it was Peak Buoyancy and Wreck Diving. Peak buoyancy is all about weighting properly and learning how to keep neutrally bouyant making for an easier and more in control dive. The second dive was wreck diving and we came across quite a few in Little Camp Bay! Visability all day though was not bad at around 10-12m. It does have an upside in that learning to teach students in so-so viz does show you how easy it is to lose track and orientation. Lots of things to bear in mind to ensure the safety of all.

Tomorrow I think the trainees have picked Search and Recovery as another elective to go towards their certification which should be great exposure for me.

Managed to speak on the phone with Amanda the other day as I now have a Spanish mobile, great to hear her voice. Still roaming the estate to find a free wifi area! Need to have skype. Not long now until she comes out to join me for Easter.

Back to the books tonight - the delights of Boyles Law, Charles Law, Ideal Gas Law, General Gas Law, Dalton´s Law, Archimedes Theory you name it I have to master it. Pressure, temperare, volume, M-Values, Halftimes, there is a hell of a lot of theory that goes into Divemaster training!

ooh thats a bit chilly...

First dive today everyone, blimey that was a bit chilly. For someone used to diving in tropical waters these temperate waters will take a bit of getting used to! Still I must say that I was quite warm in my new wetsuit and gear. Just the face gets a shock as you go down. Once I am aclimatized it should be fine.

We dived from Gibraltar today, not a fantastic place but the diving was good. 3 wrecks and the last one at about 23-26 m was great. The Dolphin was more or less intact and quite a size with loads of life around it. Watre temperature was 14c but we dived to 23.4m for a dive time of around 40-50 minutes inclusive of our 3 minute safety stop.

Safety, safety & safety is the name of the game here and it is reassuring to see.

Sun is still shining but not as warm today, only reaching about 18c. Still it is slightly warmer than UK!

Now what shall I rustle up tonight?

Day 2

Its easy when you know how. Day 2 today and it was spent going through the divemaster manual. Remember I was having trouble with ´halftimes´well I had it explained by Simon today and it is all starting to make sense.

This is my first post since I started properly at Simply Diving here in Torremolinos. Yesterday was all about meeting Simon the owner/instructor and getting aquainted with the shop and various do´s and don´ts. You might have to excuse my typing, this is a spainsh keyboard and just starting to find where some of the keys haev moved to.

Really great operation which comes across as really well run and professional. I think I have made a good choice and I am looking forward to getting in the water. I believe we are going to try a new dive site tomorrow - wreck diving.

Managed to find a few good supermarkets yesterday as well, which means I am now starting to eat properly. Last nights gourmet meal - salad with blue cheese dressing and four cheese pasta with a sprinkle of emmental. All washed down with a couple of cerveza and some 1€ Dom Simon vino tintos. Lingo is going slowly but as you can see the important stuff is sinking in - namely beer!

Missing Amanda terribly but it is now less than a month until she comes out to join me. Hopefully she will get a chance to dive with me and can grade me on how I am doing.

Sun is just starting to come out which is needed as it can have a bit of a chill without it it. Not UK chilly but still might need a small cardy!

Back to the books for me now so catch up soon.

Got photos but cant post them just yet

Well I have finally made it to the sunny Costa del Sol!  The last part of the drive was spectacular, driving through the Sierra Nevada mountains was incredible.  I had to go through so many different micro-climates as I went through the ups and downs.  Sun, Rain, Fog, Sun again, Fog again, Wind you name it I saw it.

I have some great photos of the snow capped peaks.  Just something I did not think I would see in Southern Spain.  

Had a slight issue with the cigarette lighter but managed to fix it.  Did have a bit of a panic as my Sat Nav was going flat and I could not get power into it.  A five pence piece had accidentally fallen in and the fuse had blown!  Had a great bit of luck that there was a spare 20a fuse not being used in the fuse box - replaced and all working!

The apartment is great - loads of room and a great view.  Also Barbara the agent that sorted the place for me also got me in some OJ, Milk and bread to get me started which was really appreciated.

The TV i think might get a bit boring.  Only Sky Sports 3, a Spainish channel and RTE 1.  Still watching the All Irish Talent Show was hilarious.  The winner was a 6 year dancer who liked to move to 'Funky Town' in a gold tracksuit!

Had a look around Torremolinos today, loads of Northerners.  Managed to find a McDonalds which is a blessing since I have no internet sorted yet(free 30 minutes Wifi).  This is why the photos are going to have to wait a bit.

Well thats about it for now, will update when and where I can...ta ta for now

Ola to all

Had a great day driving yesterday and really managed to get the bulk of it done.  I think I managed to complete over 1000kms through Spain on mostly the A7 Autovista.  Some quite spectacular scenery on the way ranging from the Pyrenees to following the Mediterranean sea.

A big thank you to Amanda for being able to find my the Ibis on the web and giving me the address, the roadside motels that I was finding did not fill me with enthusiasm.  

The temperature is really heating up now as I travel south,  21c (65-70F) expected today and as I look out of my window the sunshine is already streaming through!  So guys how is the weather back in the UK today?

I would also like to express my thanks to Linda and Paul again for putting me up whilst I traveled through France, they have a gorgeous house in such an idyllic place.

There has been a lot of video footage and a few pictures I have got to add and as soon as I get settled I am going to get right on to it.  I would highly recommend this road trip to anyone.  I have flown numerous places in my life but this drive has shown me that by flying you never really get to see the life around you.  I have stopped off and looked out on to great things so far and my trip has only just begun.

Back on the road for me now, 370kms to go and then I can unpack and relax with some lovely Tesco value wine, only the best for me.

Talk soon

Bonjour

Well I have made stage 1 and to be honest it was not too bad.  My car has proved very comfortable in the cruise and the french road system has also helped.  I will add though that the French speed traps are very cunning but a big thank you to all french truck drivers for letting me know when they are coming up!

I completed nearly 700-800 miles yesterday from the start at my mum's to the end in Bellegarde-du-Razes.  Linda and Paul have worked really hard on renovating the house and it really shows how much they are enjoying life away from the UK.

I am going to try to add pictures when I can but I think it is going to have to wait until I get myself set up in Spain.  

I am about to get on the road now and start the next leg.  Not sure how far I am going to go but I do plan to split the journey and stay a night in one of Spain's finest motels.  I am due to be at my new abode on Saturday.  My route is going to take me right down the east coast so hopefully if I can be bothered I should have some more snaps.

Anyhow speak soon...

It's time to go

Well today is the day that it all happens.  I have packed up the car, checked the levels, installed the SatNav and fueled up.

So going to really miss Amanda and I know she is going to find it hard as well.  Still on the bright side it is only a month before she flies out to join me for Easter.  I am counting down the days already.

The weather looks good, 20 degs planned for my first day in Malaga and sunshine, can't see myself missing the great British winter can you?

I am going to try and add photos of my journey and maybe if I am feeling really clever maybe some video footage from the 'Flip'.

Off to my parents home tonight and then first thing I am off to Dover to start the first leg to Linda and Paul's in Bellegarde-du-Razes.  (about 90 minutes south-east from Toulouse).

Ta ta for now