HI This is my first post so Ile probably c$$k it up. Well Ive been a comercial diver/fisherman for 30 years I own a dive shop scuba school and charter boat and most of my mates have earnt a living from diving for thirty years from the north sea to mexico so ime probably qualified to answer you question. Well first thing it will be the best thing you have ever done , you will see things that will blow your mind, its not rocket science and if you can tie your own shoelaces you can dive. Where to learn? PADI , or BSAC. Well the Padi way is the quickest you can go to the red sea and get an open water in a few days,and you will have a lot of fun you can even do your advanced but when you get back to the UK who will you dive with??. You might find a Padi school that is more thah teach you and goodbuy , but my advice is join a local club, they will teach you properly but just as important you will get mates to dive with. They will probably sell you all the old kit they cant get rid of but thats normall. Where to buy your kit (FROM ME) lol its very simple if you want it cheap, E bay If you want it fixed when it goes wrong support you local dive shop they are all suffering from the internet and if they dont get some support they will all be gone soon they cant make a living just pumping your tank. As for what gear well its simple, forget all the dive mags and the bloke on the checkout at the supermarket who knows it all(I speak from experiance) look what the guys who have done it for a while are using, they have tried it all and what they use now has proved to be the best. Keep it simple you dont need twenty parts in a second stage (the bit you put in your mouth) to make it work well, They designed the perfect reg twenty years ago the add on bits nowdays are just a selling gimmick. Buy the best regulator and fins you can afford the reg keeps you alive and the fins are your engine, the rest old will do fine till you can afford better. Do It, your only regret will be you diddnt do it sooner. Regards Graham Trapshot
