NY Newbie living in Prague

[superhelix]

Dear Scuba Board,

This looks like a really neat site, I hope to use it to stay in contact with my diving buddies.

While I was only certified in Thailand a year and a half ago, I have been hooked ever since, and have been lucky to follow up with dive trips to US Virgin Islands (Low Key Water Sports, St. John, Hi BOB!), Cancun, and Cozumel.

I have been living in landlocked Prague for almost four years, having started an internet firm here.

But, as the markets are not so hot, the plans are for my girlfriend and I (who is also a certified diver now) to move to Koh Tao for several months in October, so I can become a certified instructor. I have been in contact with several dive shops there, and the best ones I have come across seem to be Buddha View (Mark) and Planet Scuba (Lisa).

Does anyone have any feedback on either of these 5 star PADI centers, especially regarding their divemaster / instructor courses?

Also, any general feedback on going pro is appreciated.

Thanks to you all and I look forward to sharing stories and experiences with all of you for a long time to come...

Superhelix

 

[Rooster1]

welcome to the board superhelix

 

[boomx5]

Welcome from northern Calfornia. Hope you enjoy your stay.

 

[Ranz]

Welcome to the boards!

 

[basiltan]

Welcome to the board from the warm waters of Asia! That's right, we all need info in going pro. Good luck and enjoy the boards.

Dive safe!

 

[Arduous]

Welcome to the board from the cold waters of New England USA
Have fun here and Dive Safe.....................Arduous

 

[shellbird]

Hello and welcome to the boards. Although I cannot help you with your questions I would like to comment on Prague. I spent 4.5 years in Bavaria and frequented Prague on many occassions and totally love that city. I was so saddened to hear of the recent devestation. Our prayers are with all of our Bohemian friends - divers or not.

 

[MSilvia]

getting in touch with him lately, but a friend of mine from Boston is living in Prague now, and he's a diver too. I know he went out to start a hostel/club business, and that he'll be in charge of the kitchen. His name's Anthony, and if I can find him, I'll try to put you in touch.

Welcome to the boards!

 

[superhelix]

Thanks to all of you (Dekuju moc!) for being supportive...maybe I should give a quick firsthand account of the flooding here-

Luckily, most of my direct friends and family (my brother also lives here, been here for 11 years, myself for over 4) were not too adversely affected by the flooding... most hardest hit towns were both north and south of Prague, mostly in a straight line. Two badly hit cities are also the homes of some of the finest beers in the world - anyone who has slurped on a Czech lager can probably concur: Ceske Budejovicky (The home of the ORIGINAL budweiser budvar) and Plsen (home of the famous Pilsner Urquell). A lot of people were diplaced, a lot of buildings collapsed, but luckily the death toll has stayed pretty low (if there is such a thing) at 7 or 8 people.

In Prague, there were a few places pretty hard hit, including Mala Strana and Florence.

If you have been to Prague, you have walked across the Charles Bridge, and probably seen the Kampa Park restaurant (quite a nice place if you have the dosh to spend) on the Castle side. This restaurant was completely submerged in water. I know what it is like to have a little flooding in the basement, or a water stain in the wall. Can you imagine what it must be like to have your entire home submerged completely in water for almost a week?!? It must be pretty s#*ty...add on to that the fact that the insurance companies won't give flood insurance here, and you are talking about a bad week for a lot of people. There are stories of people having five minutes to evacuate their homes.... what would you take?....

Anyway...things are progressing back to normal now, although a lot of the water is still there, and the metro won't be fully functional for a few months, and the smell is beginning to creep in. The danger now is in the spread of disease - time to go get my shots!

Thanks again to all of your kind words, donate if you can to the Red Cross, and then let's go diving!

Adam

 

[tone]

....dive safe, have fun : )