[divebunnie]

I did my Divemaster course in Sharm with Ocean College, nothing like jumping in at the deep end (pardon the pun) to see what it is really like working in a busy dive centre, on busy boats, dealing with plenty of situations throughout the day.
It is great that you have plenty of time. I spent a month over there and used every single day to study, practice and learn. I was out on the boats learning the ropes during the day and studying or doing the written exams in the evenings. I had also gone out semi prepared having worked through the Knowledge workbook and Encyclopaedia of recreational diving ahead of the trip, which I would really advise.
As for expense, yes out of all the Egyptian dive towns, Sharm is possibly the most expensive, however the course standards are very high. There are also so many instructors and guides out there, that finding a spare room to rent should not be too much of an issue.
I also found the support and help from the instructors out there to be outsanding. If I needed a question answering, tips on knot tying, advice or even an ear to talk to, there was always someone near by to help me out.
I am planning to return there later this year to complete the transition and do the IDC.
Good luck wherever you decide to go.