A journey underwater

I recently spent a couple of weeks in Egypt, staying in the small town of Dahab, which is one of my favourite places in the world (as well as serving as the inspiration behind Fidda Hilal in my novel, Trouble in Paradise).

A lot of that time was spent diving in the Gulf of Aqaba, and I thought I’d share some of the pictures taken of the trip by my lovely friend, the super-talented Kristina Vackova.

Firstly, the shoal of glass fish near the entrance to the Eel Garden – it's surreal swimming through the middle of them.

My favourite fish, the trunk boxfish, also lives at the Eel Garden. They're so friendly – they come to play with you if you run your fingers through the sand.

And the eels – they sway around in the current, and if you come close, they lower gracefully into the sand.

And onto the Canyon. Looking up from inside the cave, you can see a heart shape against the sunlight. Quite appropriate for a romance writer!

Each pair of clownfish lives in their own anemone, and they hate if you get too close!

We met a friendly octopus. The way they change colour to camouflage themselves is amazing – from white to brown in an instant. This one was mid-way through a change – see the white stripe?

The stingray was entertaining as he dug a hole in the sand.

And it's not just fish down there – the coral is beautiful too.

And finally, I love this shot because it shows just how vast the underwater world is…

You can find out more about Kristina on her website: www.kristinavackovaphoto.com

Or see more photos on Instagram: @KristinaEgypt