Scuba Diving with Rajkumar

Rajkumar, our guest from the earlier episodes – Rajkumar’s Motorcycle Diaries I & II, both of which have been well received by the listeners, is back. And this time he is going to talk about his other passion – Scuba Diving.

Rajkumar Koodali Tazathveetil is from Kozhikode in North Kerala where he was born and raised. After graduating as an Electronics and Telecommunication engineer he joined the IAF – Indian Air Force. After serving for 8 and a half years with the IAF he retired voluntarily in 1997 as a Squadron Leader. Since then he has been working as a Telecommunications systems expert engineer in the Oil and Gas sector with various companies in the middle east in countries such as Syria, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, where he is presently lives now along with his family comprising of his wife and two daughters. He will be retiring in 2023. He is eagerly looking forward so that he could travel more around the world on his motorcycle and Scuba Dive.

This episode titled “Scuba Diving with Rajkumar” of the show Travel Conversations (TC) on The Rustik Travel Podcast Rajkumar talks about his passion for Scuba Diving. He talks in detail the technicalities, the skill and the diving trips to explore the beautiful world underwater.

Podcast Summary: Scuba Diving with Rajkumar
00:00:00 – 00:04:49: Introduction. Quick facts about the Oceans and the state they are in. 
00:04:49 – 00:38:16: How the passion for Scuba Diving Started. Cruise ship in the Gulf of Mexico. Snorkelling. 
– PADI Open Water Diver  (OWD) Certification in Puerto Galera, Philippines. – Scuba Diving Organisations – PADI, SSI, BSAC. Different certifications.
– What is PADI OWD?
– Improving diving skills.
– Which courses/certifications to do?
– About BSAC
– Experiencing Narcosis
00:38:16 – 00:50:31: Scuba Diving Trips.
– Liveaboards, Sardine Run
– Philipines
 – Gulf of Oman
– Jordan
– Egypt
– Malaysia
– Koh Tao, Thailand
00:50:31- 01:04:21:
– Scuba Diving in India
– Millennials
– Diving gear – must haves
– Cost of diving
– Accidents underwater and how to act and not panic
01:04:21- 01:07:21: Diving bucket list 
01:07:21- 01:16:38: Pollution in the oceans. Conservation. Sustainability. Concluding remarks.