Hi
I agree with John, there is little you will learn from a PADI AOW course. BSAC Sports Diver is far better. (Yeah, flame me, but its true
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I was diving in the red sea recently with Elena, a newly qualified Ocean Diver. We weren't restricted to depth by anyone and could just follow the guide, but we were sensible and fixed a 25 mtr max, and actually I felt we had a better time because most of the life is around 15 mtrs anyway. It was relaxing and we dived our own plan which meant we were in control, not the dive guide. The only dive where they went deeper was a wreck penetration on the Dunraven but Elena doesn't like tunnels so it didn't affect us anyway. We simply spent more time on top of the wreck which is covered in life.
On the trip there was someone doing AOW and I saw nothing but a few boxes ticked to say they'd done anything. We actually have a holiday DVD and you can see the guy. Its so funny to watch, he was swimming like he was running a marathon, breathing a tank down in 25 minutes. Advanced Diver ? mmm Nope!
You have already done a controlled Bouyant lift on a diver and a tow. You don't do any of that in PADI until rescue diver. I was also told that many people do the AOW immediately after OW just to get the depth thing. Seems a waste of money to me.
I don't know which club you're at but have a word with the DO and they might help you move on a bit quicker as long as you are willing to put in the time and effort required ie turn up for the lectures and get your skills done on club dives. With you're diving experience in the UK you are well equipped for safe diving abroad.
Hope that helps
WL