Boat ride, taxi to Manila, 3 hour flight to KL and a few hours retail therapy at the airport, followed by an 8 hour flight to Sydney – yes I’ve arrived! I was met at the airport by PADI Asia pacific’s regular (and very professional) taxi driver – I felt like a visiting VIP instead of a jobbing diving instructor – I could get used to this!
I lived in Sydney very briefly when I was younger so it still feels like coming home, a drive across the iconic bridge to my hotel completed the picture and I couldn’t stop smiling. By the time I’d had dinner in Manly, wandered along the Northern Beaches and woken up to the sounds of Kookaburras I was wondering why I’d ever left.
Monday morning was back to reality and the start of a new Rebreather Instructor and I.T Crossover program. Southern Cross Divers enviable waterside position and great rebreather support facilities meant that, once again, logistics were easy and we were left to enjoy the training.
This was followed by a Tec 40 CCR Instructor Course, Crossover and I.T program. Again candidates came from all over, New Zealand, Australia and Japan. Yoshi-san brought a new dimension to these programs as this was the first time we had a translator for this particular program. His translator, Asako-san , is very experienced, having translated for the Course Director Training Course on more than 10 occasions, but new terminology and course content meant that she worked extra hard.
Even with a full schedule I managed to spend an evening meal with my fellow Tec Diving Division consultants from the PADI Asia Pacific Office and a night out with our new Tec 40 CCR Instructors and Trainers. I also had a chance to catch up with Dave Strike, the organizer of Oztek and his lovely wife Sylvia who kindly wined and dined me in their gorgeous garden whilst trying to persuade me to come and give presentation at Oztek – not much persuasion needed on my part, better see what the boss says!
10 days later and I was heading home. Unfortunately only for 18 hours…..
By Vikki Batten
