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Eventually, the controversy was solved by the Egyptian Constitution in 1971where it provided equality between men and women. Under its 8th article, the State guaranteed equality of opportunity for all citizens. Article 40 further stipulated that all citizens were equal before the law and in regard to their public rights and obligations, without discrimination on the grounds of sex.

As usual, easier said than done, as in reality some women still feel victimized by the society. If at first women were privileged with an equal social status, they now have slightly deteriorated in several fields including education, employment and marriage.

“It took me six months to convince my father to let me complete my education.”* – Says Omnia Abd Elsalam, a local resident. “His excuse was protecting and sheltering me from all the dangers in life, when in fact he was worried about his reputation.” – She continued. Omnia is not the only person in this situation, as according to the World Bank survey, 60% of females over 15 years of age in Egypt are illiterate as opposed to 35% for males in the same age group. Moreover, juvenile illiteracy in 1997 for the age group of 15 to 24 year was 25% for males and 41% for females.

Lack of education is yet another reason behind the high female unemployment rates. A survey carried out by The Organisation Mondiale Contre La Torture (OMCT) proved that in the rural areas, 7.54% of men and 24.05% of women were unemployed, with 7.5% of men and 27.62% of women unemployed in the urban areas. Moreover, the same study proved that women’s average wages were approximately one-third lower than those of men, while leadership positions were rarely obtained by women and even if they were, the occurrence was viewed as an anomaly.

May, a twenty-year-old Egyptian housewife, who is sat at home due to her husband’s belief that women are underpaid, harassed and underappreciated at work agrees. Commenting on the situation through a phone interview to Sinai Weekly, she stated that “at home I know my value, as I am the queen of my husband’s castle; whereas at work I would be underrated just because I am a woman.”

However, it is not always the case, as in some situations women are forced to work, proving once again that in the hands of the stronger sex, they are defenceless. “I am forced to clean houses in order to put food on the table to feed my four children; while my husband sits idle at home doing nothing.” – An anonymous female resident who is the sole bread winner of the family told Sinai Weekly.

Foreigners are no exception as social status and financial stability are the main motivations behind numerous mixed marriages as proven by Jane Marsh, a local resident: “A passport, well-paid job and ‘love’ are what they are looking for in a marriage to foreigners.” – She stated. “Getting married to a foreigner is more beneficial than marrying an Egyptian in most aspects such as being easier, quicker and cheaper.” – She continued.

And though it may seem that at home women should find refuge and be protected and cherished, they aren’t. In some cases a man considers his wife to be his property so can treat her as he pleases. A study carried out between January and March 1997 on a sample of 100 women aged between 14 and 65 years old (married or having been married) revealed that 30% of the women questioned admitted to being subjected to domestic violence on a daily basis, 34% on a weekly basis, 15% on a monthly basis and 21% occasionally. For 75% of women, the main reason for this domestic violence was found to be sexual. In Egypt, however, a husband who forces his wife to have sexual intercourse is not considered to have committed a criminal offense. Though, a study conducted by the New Women Research Centre and El-Nadim Centre has found that 93% of the women in the sample considered intercourse under such conditions as rape.

Other reasons for domestic violence included spending (65%), visiting (32%), housework (25%), religion (8%), jealousy (6%) and disobedience (5%). Sixteen percent of the women suffered injuries necessitating hospitalization, such as broken arms, broken ribs, internal bleeding and wounds in the head or the arms requiring stitches, while 9% of them attempted to commit suicide.**

Another interesting survey from the Egypt Demographic and Health Centre showed that out of 14,000 married women, 32% were beaten during pregnancy, with younger pregnant women experiencing this more frequently than older women (41% of women aged 15-19 compared to 26% of women aged 40- 49).

Having suffered all this, women can oftentimes find themselves in a position unable to get a divorce even if they want to, due to the inferior attitude towards them.”The old law allowed a woman to file for divorce only under specific circumstances in which she could prove ill-treatment, whereas a man could divorce his wife simply by saying “I divorce you” three times.” – Said Carin Benninger –Budel, Project manager at OMCT. “The law still does not make it legal for any institution to separate a wife from her husband without his consent, nor can she obtain a passport without his written consent.” – She added.

At the same time the situation has improved in the last five years where women now have more positive and significant roles and positions in society. More women now become politicians, businesswomen, celebrities, doctors, media workers and lawyers, changing the face of the modern Egypt. Ready to be heard and fight for their rights, they battle for a good education and high position. Most don’t take kindly to such questions as “where she was going”, “what she was doing” and “who she was with”. However, there will always be those who will abide by these rules and be their own queens of the castle.
Well, who she is, is yet to be decided: Queen of the castle or victim of muscle?
*Opinions presented in the article are not of the Sinai Weekly but of Sharmers.
**All statistics provided are from OMCT.

Got something to say on this? Please e-mail editor@sinaiweekly.com

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What exactly does that mean?

What if you can’t stand yourself and keep getting repetitive thoughts of what a dismal failure you are. What if you are convinced you have BO and spend half the day walking like a monkey, your head under your arm pit, sniffing?
What if you have Compulsive Obsessive Disorder and have to wash your hands one hundred and fifty two thousand times a day, and your neighbour has the same dysfunction but only has to wash their hands two hundred thousand times a day. Can you really love or even like someone who is so similar to yourself?
Usually we dislike in others the reflection of the behaviours we dislike in ourselves.
The problem with neighbours is that geographically they are far too close

How can you get to love your neighbour in a safe way, without commitment?
Surely getting to know someone takes time, energy and commitment. Is it not enough to just be polite? Is the odd ‘Good morning, I see the sun is shining YET AGAIN….BORING , sufficient? What if you try a courteous ‘good afternoon,’ and all you get in return is a dirty look because your neighbour had a rotten morning, is in a foul mood and is not expecting his day to get any better.

So is a dirty look from a neighbour an insurmountable obstacle towards loving your neighbour? Well quite honestly it would be to me, they’d only have to do it once and there would be no more ‘Good morning, noon or night, in fact I’d probably be shoving packets of Prozac or placebo Viagra through their letter box. No that is not malicious, it is being thoughtful, kind and considerate, not to mention a fulfilling way to deal with rejection.

I have to admit I have a phobia of neighbours; it is actually severe enough to be diagnosed as an anxiety disorder or hostile syndrome.
This is one of the reasons I have never lived in a semi-detached house. Just the thought of being joined at the hip or by a wall with complete strangers is enough to turn my hair auburn again.
Imagine having to listen to the family from hell morning, noon or night, I’d rather live in the Betty Ford Clinic? Imagine having to listen to nocturnal noises echoing trough your bedroom wall, the thought of it to me is quite distressing?

I have a mad friend who lives on her own in a semi-detached. Now we all know that it can be lonely living on ones own but now a days one can buy gadgets, some are even rechargeable I believe. Anyway my friend bought a gadget and was reading the operating instructions, like how to turn it on and how to turn it off; next thing a crazy lady, ‘the other side of the wall neighbour,’ banged on the wall and screamed at her to turn off her lawn mower!
What a cheek? Even if she was mowing her carpet, what business is it of anyone else?

You see, ‘love thy neighbour’ is a myth.

It all stemmed from when we had to live in back to back caves without front doors. In those days you might have had to borrow the odd rock of salt or needed a hand giving birth.
I personally do not have enough time or enough love to spend on my dearest friends, without sharing a gram of it with strangers.

It has crossed my mind that I might be anti-social though I think it might be more to do with having a low boredom threshold and conversations have to be quite scintillating or inspiring to hold my attention.
This has definitely got worse as I have become older, maybe because I feel I might die before someone reaches the point of what they are actually trying to say.

I’ve never been a coffee morning woman, or a bridge party woman; I’ve never even been to a Tupperware party. I just find it difficult to converse on that level, perhaps it’s because I’m not interested in plastic boxes or the latest stain remover and I don’t watch much TV or buy crap glossy magazines.
We are all different aren’t we?

One of the phenomena’s of Sharm village life is the sitting around the compound pool with neighbours and having a good gossip about one or two that are not present, there is an art in rubbishing people behind their back.
Now how can that be a fulfilling way to live? Inherently that’s all about hating one’s neighbours and being bored.

Writing is like living in solitary confinement. It’s a job, but it isn’t like any other job because it isn’t interactive, intimate and the only thing you share it with is a piece of equipment called a computer.
Neighbours can be a threat to your sanity. Supposing for instance I have just had an original idea, or a unique thought, and someone knocks on my door. If my thought hasn’t been written down by the time I answer the door it will have disappeared, never to be regained, a bit like dementia.
Can you imagine how upsetting that is? Number one I don’t want to talk, let alone smile at a stranger with excess hair on her upper lip, holding a cracked empty cup in front of me asking for sugar or a rock of salt. I’m just not into it.

It probably does sound as though I have an XXL sized piece of neurosis but that’s how I am.
I am sure I have neighbours and probably lots of them, but I don’t know them and I have no desire to know them. Ignorance is bliss. Not loving or knowing thy neighbour is not one of the 7 deadliest sins; to me it is just common sense.

As the wise man once told me:

If your neighbour asks to borrow your lawn mower, tell him that he is welcome, as long as he uses it in your own garden.

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Shisha smokers inhaling flavoured tobacco through waterpipes at cafes have become a common sight on city streets across the UK.

Mr Ian Gray, world renowned tobacco control campaigner and CIEH Principal Policy Officer said:

“Our members are growing increasingly concerned at the rising numbers of commercially operated shisha cafes which are both providing and promoting shisha smoking.

“While our primary concern is to ensure that the operators of these establishments comply with the law, we are also concerned that people smoking shisha need to be properly informed about the risks.

“So great are our concerns that we have produced a guidance document which includes descriptions of the health hazards associated with smoking waterpipes.”

Dr Mike Knapton, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation (BHF), said:

“Contrary to popular belief, shisha is not safer than smoking cigarettes. Don’t be duped by the sweet smell and wholesome sounding fruity flavours, if you use shisha you are a smoker and that means you’re putting your health at risk.

“It’s linked to the same serious and life-threatening diseases as cigarettes and there are added risks because you often smoke it for far longer than you would a cigarette, and you’re also exposed to toxins from the wood or charcoal used to burn the tobacco.”

Shisha smoking is linked to the same kinds of diseases as cigarette smoking including heart disease, cancer, respiratory disease and problems during pregnancy. Yet more than one in ten (13%) UK adults surveyed for the BHF thought there were no health harms from using shisha, and just 43 per cent knew shisha could contain tobacco.

Freedom of Information data from 133 local authorities in major towns and cities across the UK shows 53 per cent have – or have had – a shisha cafe since 2007, while more than 40 per cent have seen a rise in the number of shisha cafes since the smoking ban came into force.

This is in stark contrast to the steady decline in cigarette smokers in the UK and has prompted the BHF to urge people to find out the facts about shisha, which is also known as hookah, hubbly bubbly and narghile, as part of its No Smoking campaign.

The charity is concerned thousands of people who attempt to quit smoking may still be putting their health at risk by using shisha, and that the rising number of shisha cafes could provide a new gateway for people to start smoking and become addicted to tobacco.

Almost everyone surveyed for the BHF were unaware that during a typical hour-long shisha session, you can inhale the same amount of smoke as from more than 100 tobacco cigarettes. A total of 84 per cent of respondents thought it was 10 cigarettes or fewer.

The survey results also showed shisha is most popular among young people with more than a quarter (27%) of 18 to 24 year olds saying they’d used it.

Worryingly, misconceptions about the dangers of shisha were highest among this group and those aged 25-34 with 15 per cent each believing there were no health harms from shisha at all while 44 per cent of the younger adults thought it was less harmful than cigarettes.

By comparison, 17 per cent of overall respondents thought shisha was less harmful than cigarettes.

The data showed shisha is no longer a pastime for perceived specific community groups alone, with almost one in ten (8%) people of white ethnicity saying they’d used it.

The survey also showed almost one in ten (9%) former cigarette smokers have used shisha as well as almost one in ten (8%) non-smokers.

Notes to editors
• The CIEH is the UK’s leading provider of accredited food safety and health and safety qualifications
• The CIEH’s 50 qualification training programmes are delivered through a network of over 10,000 registered trainers. The training is developed for the varied skill levels within organisations. They cater to different learning styles and preferences through a series of flexible structures. CIEH qualifications are OFQUAL (formerly QCA) accredited and are valued and recognised throughout the world
• The CIEH is the professional voice for environmental health representing over 10,000 members working in the public, private and non-profit sectors. It ensures the highest standards of professional competence in its members, in the belief that through environmental health action people’s health can be improved
• For more information about the CIEH visit www.cieh.org
• For CIEH media enquiries, please contact Andrew Hamadanian on +44 207 827 5922 or +44 7944 262 100

Click here for the report: http://www.cieh.org/uploadedFiles/Core/Policy/Public_health/Smokefree_work_places_and_public_places/Smokefree_Shisha_bars_guidance(1).pdf

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But, is it healthy; either mentally or physically?
As all the differences might be quite hard to digest for the mind whereas, our bodies are made to suit our natural environment, climate and living style adjusted to where they live. All this may have different effects on different types of people.

So many different beliefs all crammed together in the same area; some adapt to it very well and you wouldn’t know they were any different, while others are like fish out of water and cannot get used to it at all.
They cannot for the life of them seem to get used to all the different contradictive ideas and mentalities.
Also there may be the struggle of whose is stronger and what should go but if everyone just accepts the others as they are then all their lives will be a lot easier.

Also, mixed marriages can be another awkward topic as neither party speak their mother-tongue to the other or their offspring, which could seem extremely strange to some, while to others it could be the most natural thing in the world.

The only setback could be that their offspring end up feeling they don’t belong, lost, lonely, misunderstood, out-casted or just plain not fitting in; do they belong to where they live or to the alien land they hardly know that is supposed to be their home?
But if dealt with properly this shouldn’t present too much of a problem.

With all of these questions in mind, Sinai Weekly asked random residents of Sharm and Dahab what they thought.

“It is weird to see all these different people that don’t seem to belong together,” declared Adam, a local diver. “But as long as everyone sticks to their boundaries, things should go smoothly.” He went on to say.

“I don’t see it as a problem, in fact the opposite as we can all learn from each other.” Reflected Samar, a happily married housewife.

“Respect is the key to it all, with respecting each other’s culture not only can we benefit but we will live in harmony.” Said Abdallah, a local resident.

“So many different nationalities, traditions and cultures all together, imagine if they united together, then we will be able to get the best of all the multiple cultures,” observed Mandy, a mother of two.
“What you can’t learn from one culture you will from another.”

“I think it is amazing how they all combine and get on with each other,” confessed Hamdy, a local coffee shop attendant. “The pale Europeans or the dark Africans all mixed up together in the same space.” He concluded.

“It is just like a big salad bowl as many say,” stated an elderly women. “I have always said that South Sinai is the best school in life,” stated a local resident, happy that she has lived in South Sinai for so long.

“Each different culture is unique and distinctive so we can really learn a lot from them even though some might seem incomprehensible to many of us.” Revealed Audrey, a local shop owner.

And at the end of the day we are all human beings and there is nothing wrong with learning to live living happily together. I would love to hear your opinion. Email editor@sinaiweekly.com

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In 2011, the whole of Dahab came together as a community for the first time to organise this fabulous Festival, with the local Bedouin and Egyptian population and expats all joining hands to make it a truly community-wide co-operation. This year the Festival has grown into an event of epic proportions, with people coming from all across the globe to this gorgeous, tucked-away, Red Sea treasure to showcase for you all it has to offer. Dahab may be smaller and considered less polished than its glam cousins Hurhgada and Sharm el Sheikh, but the variety of magnificent activities it features is second to none.

From 14-20 April 2012, there is really something for everyone to enjoy, in a week-long programme stuffed to the gills with fun events.

You can jump into the water and enjoy the marvellous wonders underneath the sea – you can surf over it and revel in speed and wind – you can relax into a meditation or healing session or stretch yourself doing yoga and all kinds of dance exercise – you can discover the wonderfully diverse and historically rich Bedouin culture – you can taste all the culinary delights on the menu of Dahab – you can check out our marvellous young performers of the famous Dahab children’s circus Circ Bonboni and try out some circus tricks in a very special workshop – you can see how inspired our artists are by our beautiful town and desert and become inspired yourself doing all sorts of creative workshops – you can learn how to take good pictures under water and then compete in two exciting photography competitions – you can have your face painted, compete with your home-made kite made of recyclable materials and dance till you drop to the music of talented bands and DJs.

Throughout the week, there are scheduled activities and ongoing ones, and of course the central Festival Square near the central Dahab bridge is hopping with activities, markets, culture and music the whole time. For full information on times and places check out the Festival website www.dahabfestival.info.

Come and dive into our Festival Bigger and Better – we are waiting to welcome you!

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Most questions start with WHY? So, after questioning many Sharmers, here are the most popular FAQ’s to think about and contemplate the answers:

Why has nothing changes in Sharm after the revolution?

Why are so many people leaving Sharm?

Why is the garbage not being collected?

Why is the government allowing all the illegal construction in Sharm?

Why is the road work in Sharm so slow?

Why are there different prices for Egyptians and foreigners, even though many of them are on the same currency and salary?

Why can’t people (especially women) walk up the street; without anyone harassing them?

Why do people see it necessary to insult and hurt each other?

Why do we use so many plastic bags even though we don’t need to?

Why do “Sharmers” love to gossip about each other?

Why does Sharm attract so many weirdos?

Why do people spoil Sharm’s amazing landscape by throwing their rubbish everywhere?

Why are many products out of date in some shops?

Why do many people have an attitude problem?

Why has there been building construction in Naama and Nabq going on for ages and is still not finished?

Why are there no public beaches and we have to pay a lot just to spend a day at the beach even though we live in a seaside town?

Why is the level of education in Sharm so so questionable by many?

Why do people always try to rip each other off, especially taxi drivers?

Why are there so many self-centered people about?

Why do so many people choose to move to Sharm?

Why are there so many “kharti” guys outside all the shops in Naama?

Why does everyone keep saying “Ma3lish”, tomorrow and “Inshallah” when they don’t really mean it?

Why are people so bad at keeping time here?

Why do people always love to interfere in other peoples lives?

All these thing yet we all still live and what’s more, love living here So, can you answer theses question? Or can you think of any other questions that we haven’t mentioned here?

Email editor@sinaiweekly.com and let us know. Have a beautiful day

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And while you are pondering over the causes behind these failures, Sinai Weekly is assured that it was because you were expecting too much.

So what are expectations? What do great thinkers and celebrities say about this topic? What do Sharmers have to say on the issue? And how shall we define them? These were the questions we decided to give our answers to.

Wikipedia defines expectations as something that “is considered the most likely to happen.” “An expectation, which is a belief that is centred on the future, may or may not be realistic. A less advantageous result gives rise to the emotion of disappointment. If something happens that is not at all expected it is a surprise. An expectation about the behaviour or performance of another person, expressed to that person, may have the nature of a strong request, or an order.” – It continues.

And though this description is accurate, most people have their own points of view when it comes to strict definitions.
In “Emotion and Adaptation”, the author – Richard Lazarus – asserts that people become accustomed to positive or negative life experiences which lead to favourable or unfavourable expectations with regard to present and near-future circumstances. Lazarus notes the widely accepted, philosophical principle that “happiness depends on the background psychological status of the person – that is, the overall pattern of expectations and existential mood – and cannot be well predicted without reference to one’s expectations.” – He stresses.

Other brilliant thinkers and celebrities contribute the following to the notion of expectations:
“Never idealize others. They will never live up to your expectations. Don’t overanalyse your relationships. Stop playing games. A growing relationship can only be nurtured by genuineness.” Leo F. Buscaglia.

“To expect defeat is nine-tenths of defeat itself.” – Henry Louis Mencken.

“Expecting the world to treat you fairly because you are a good person is a little like expecting a bull not to attack you, because you are a vegetarian.” – Dennis Wholey.

“High achievement always takes place in the framework of high expectation.” – Charles F. Kettering.

“Time is swift, it races by; opportunities are born and die… Still you wait and will not try – a bird with wings that dares not rise and fly.” – A. A. Milne.

“We must learn to reawaken and keep ourselves awake, not by mechanical aid, but by an infinite expectation of the dawn.” – Henry David Thoreau.

“Don’t lower your expectations to meet your performance. Raise your level of performance to meet your expectations. Expect the best of yourself, and then do what is necessary to make it a reality.” – Ralph Marston.

“High expectations are the key to everything.” – Sam Walton.

“There is no greater challenge than to have someone relying upon you; no greater satisfaction than to vindicate his expectation.” – Kingman Brewster.

“Expect nothing, live frugally on surprise.” – Alice Walker.

“Whatever we expect with confidence becomes our own self-fulfilling prophecy.” – Brian Tracy.

“Treat a man as he is, he will remain so. Treat a man the way he can be and ought to be, and he will become as he can be and should be.” – Goethe.

“To free us from the expectations of others, to give us back to ourselves – there lies the great, singular power of self-respect.” – Joan Didion.

“A thing long expected takes the form of the unexpected when at last it comes.” – Mark Twain.

“I’m a great believer in luck and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.” – Thomas Jefferson.
Sharmers have added their own quotes…

Terry, 30 year old, Sharmer: “Expectations are always a problem for me: it is not even what I expect from others; it is what I expect from myself.”

Linda, mid-thirties, Sharmer: “I expect a lot in Sharm, too much I think, especially from others. But, oftentimes I get disappointed. Recently though I decided to reconsider my values and I now perceive people and life as it is.”

Eman, 25 years old, local housewife: “I have a philosophy in life: the less you expect from people the happier you are; but the more you expect from yourself, the more miserable you become, so don’t expect… And the irony is that the less you expect the more you get.”

Sinai Weekly is sure that each and every Sharmer has his/her own perception of expectations. We would be happy if you could share them with us. Please e-mail them to: editor@sinaiweekly.com

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Coilan entered this world on Valentines Day weighing in at 7lb 2 oz. His name is Irish for something…. After a week listening to me calling him Colon, the proud parents wrote down five different ways of spelling it and one way of pronouncing it. I think it is articulated as QUALON or KWAYLON, I just gave up after I was told there was a ‘fodder’ in the spelling. Fodder to me signifies horse food, but it is some form of accent similar to the French grav.
Anyway Colon. Whoops Qualon, is the image of his daddy, black hair and navy blue eyes, he is beautiful. He pees, poops and drinks a lot of milk, he has no teeth and he doesn’t have to shave yet.
New mummy, my own baby, is still fragile. My poor baby spent most of her pregnancy in and out of hospital and is now suffering from high blood pressure, hopefully all her woes will settle down within a few weeks. New daddy is a little overawed, he can’t quite grasp any valid reason his son cannot sleep through the night without being fed. After all daddies have to go to work in the morning.

I can’t grasp how we are all so exhausted and have suddenly started to speak a foreign language. My vocabulary starts with ‘coochy coo.’ and finishes with ‘booofulll boy’ (which is short for coochy coo, boofull boy)!

Currently our day starts at midnight and finishes at midnight, and yes, most of the time I feel I’m on another planet, however at my age that is quite normal.
It isn’t just me who has aged over night; the washing machine is also overworked. Strictly whites, strictly whites and non-biological (what is non-biological? Surely everything is biological)? Even a frog is biological.

We are inundated with designer baby grows, and they are all stupidly designed. It has to be men who design these things. Two hundred and fifty press studs running at a right angle down a piece of fabric fifteen inches long is ridiculous. It is totally impossible for me to work out by the time I get to the middle, where the press-studs connect. I just leave a gaping hole where his pamper sticks out.
Why don’t they design them straight with a zip or Velcro? What about the sizes? How come a ‘new born’ babygrow doesn’t fit? The feet and arms just flap about and are impossible to fill. Maybe they should do a small one and name it pre-birth. I have noticed after the first wash they shrink which is quite handy, though the design which ran primarily at a right angle now seems to run at a semi-circle and ends up around my grandson’s back!
I’ve become aware this first week, my daughter and I have strayed from our usual high sense of fashion and seem to be growing another layer of skin; which is called cuddly, fluffy pyjamas. Currently I am wearing various shades and stripes of purple (a colour I have never worn in my life) It could have the effect of, people meeting me for the first time assuming I might be an alcoholic or suffer from high blood pressure! The shade my daughter is wearing, is on the side of lime, with a touch of yellow (a colour she would never dream of wearing)! In fact it makes her look slightly jaundiced, but I don’t say anything to her as she is quite sensitive at the moment.
For me the pyjama is handy and comfortable, the elasticised waist means my boobs will not hit the floor. As I have to bend down one hundred times a day at least I don’t have to bend down to pick those up.
We also have to avoid make-up because we do a lot of kissing and we don’t want to upset the balance of Colon’s skin, I mean Kwaylon. The dark circles under our eyes are quite fashionable and would be difficult for even a make-up artist to achieve. I don’t mind being barefaced actually, even though my face resembles a house with subsidence, at least I don’t have to spend an hour filling in the cracks.

There was one point a few days ago I thought I might be a candidate foe the Intensive Care Unit; I was so tired I started walking sideways like those fancy show horses.
Strange you can be so exhausted and yet as soon as you hear a cry or whimper, you smile and say ‘AHHHHH. little coochy coo needs another bottle.’

Today is a new day and should be interesting. We learned through U tube last night there are five different baby sounds, which will tell us exactly what baby wants. We have written them all down so every time he does one of them we will know precisely what he requires. Now I don’t know how this will work because I’m a bit deaf on the right side, maybe if I ask him to repeat he might oblige.
I am not a competitive person however I have started to find it absolutely thrilling, and the highlight of my day when I achieve getting a burp out of my grandson.

Just imagine a whole new book with blank pages and a long life in front of him, please God, everyone who comes into his life will leave their mark on his book.
Ahhhh Cooochy Cooooo.

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Oonas Dive Club is pleased to host two new Photography Workshops in 2012. World renowned photography experts, Paul (Duxy) Duxfield and Rico Besserdich are presenting two workshops, each one aimed at different levels of ability from beginners all the way to those who are interested in taking their photography skills to competition level.

The Photography Weeks take place in Sharm El Sheikh where guests will stay at Oonas Dive Club and hotel which is situated on the beach at the quieter end of Na’ama Bay. Participants will spend their days on our dive boats visiting a variety of specially selected Red Sea dive sites which are ideally suited for great photo opportunities.
 
This year for the first time two types of workshop are on offer, one aimed at those who wish simply to build on their experience and learn more about techniques for improving their pictures including post production and the other for those who already have significant experience that they wish to take to the next level.

Our experts are both world renowned underwater photographers, who write regularly for dive magazines, give presentations and work around the world, themselves producing stunning images for publications and commissions.

Photography expert, Paul Duxfield has a passion for photography in all its shapes and forms, but reserves a special place for Underwater Photography and Video, as it allows him to indulge another love of his life, diving.  For the second year running Paul is returning to Oonas Dive Club, (where he originally started his diving career), to run his popular Red Sea Photo Workshop week.

Rico Besserdich is running his workshop in association with underwaterphotography.com with whom he works as a contest judge. The workshop is all about Creative Underwater Photography for Contests and Competitions. Rico is the head of the photo critics, a team of photo PROs who help newcomers with constructive critics to their first contest submissions. A gold medal winner in 2010, Rico has just been awarded the title of World Champion Underwater Photographer for 2011/12!

Below are outline details for each workshop. Packages include: 7 nights hotel accommodation (2 sharing a twin room), 5 days diving, photography workshops and expert support and airport transfers.

If you would like to spend a week diving some of the most photogenic dive sites in the world whilst absorbing the knowledge and advice of our dedicated experts please go to our website (http://www.oonasdiveclub.com/en/component/content/article/159) for further information and booking.

Workshop: Creative Underwater Photography for Contests and Competitions
Expert: Rico Besserdich
In association with Underwaterphotography.com
Dates: 18 – 25 May 2012 and 10 – 17 November
Level: Experienced photographers
Package price: 749 Euros
 
Workshop: Red Sea Photography Workshop
Expert: Paul Duxfield
Dates: 9 – 16 June 2012
Level: Beginner to experienced
Package price: 550 Euros

Packages include, 7 nights hotel accommodation (2 sharing a twin room), 5 days diving, photography workshops and expert support and airport transfers.

If you would like to spend a week diving some of the most photogenic dive sites in the world whilst absorbing the knowledge and advice of our dedicated experts  please go to our website for further information and booking.

EDITORIAL NOTES:

1. For further information please contact Nick Browne or Corri Clarke at info@oonasdiveclub.com or by telephone 0020 (0)69 3600 581 0R 01000348663 (mobile).

2. Further photographs and details of Oonas Dive Club activities can be provided on request.

3. For further details about our Hotel and Dive Centre please see our website at www.oonasdiveclub.com

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