Still here.....

So, as per usual plans change and I find myself still on Trawangan, just about to start my Instructor's Course. Everything seemed to fall into place - and if all goes well life for the next 6 months or so looks pretty rosy. As long as I pass, I should be able to get some experience here in December, stay here for Christmas and the New Year and then it's back to Malapascua for their busy season. Andrea and Trevor need another instuctor as their business is really starting to fly and rather foolishly have offered me the job on condition I rein in the tequila drinking and crazy golf playing. It's perfect for me as a first instructors job - I know the place, the people and the divesites. By then, Emma will be a qualified divemaster too, and they've offered her work too, so it's all looking good. It does feel a little strange to be offered a job for which I'm not even qualified to do yet, but I'm studying hard (-ish)and fingers crossed it will all work out.

The last month has been fantastic. It was Ramadan for the last 4 weeks, so the local dive guides haven't been working which means I've been getting loads of work, and loads of experience. Doing the divemaster course was great, but doesn't really prepare you for leading large groups of mad Aussies, or first time divers who really shouldn't have passed their course. When not diving there's a great bunch of people to hang out with. One of the owners, Antony, is a fiendish backgammon player so most afternoons consist of marathon sessions, usually resulting in me losing far too many beers, although the tide has started to turn....

Apart from that, not much else happens. Days turn into weeks, and now they're turning into months. It's going to be hard work for the next 2 weeks (the course is daily 8am-11pm for 10 days, then 3 days of exams)but once through that there's Christmas to look forward to and then hitting the road again.

So if planning your holidays for next year, come out to the Philippines and I'll teach you to dive, or try to. Or if you don't fancy diving I'll hammer you at backgammon or crazy golf.