Help me decide with this dilemma please!

[diver 85]

NONE in the same-----I owned on Roatan(north side, 2 miles east of AKR----lol the better diving side @ that) for 14 yrs, '94 thru '08 & have over 500 dives there....Traveled to Dumaguete(Pura Vida Resort--ie Apo Island diving) for 5 days then onto Cebu(Turtle Bay Resort) for 5 days, including Oslob whaleshark dive, 2 years ago........All I can say is the latter is similar??? to the Caribbean BUT on massive steroids........Given the chance of picking between those 2, I'd choose the PI hands down........If it were fruit, the 1st would be about 1 ripening grape---the 2nd one large vineyards full of delicious grapes...IMO & IMO only...

 

[knotical]

Marine diversity in the Indo-Pacific is much greater than in the Caribbean.

 

[Hintermann]

"quitting diving" sounds a bit extreme. and i am not sure there is an official way to do it?

why not just do fewer "diving only" trips and more "nondiving" trips or consider a "not as much diving" trip that has a larger focus on non diving.
.

Thanks for the idea but I'm afraid my decision is made...with reason. I have considered every option and applied it to our personal situation and know that I have made the right decision. I love diving to the point of addiction and quitting will be more painful than I can express but I intend to do it all the same. And like every decision that I have taken in my life thus far, I won't look back.

My wife and I have around 5 years of working life left, and plan to do all the "major" holidays before then. There are some big land based holidays that we planned together but it was put on hold when the diving bug bit me in 2006. At that time I promised my wife that I would dive around the world for 10 years and then quit, thus giving us time to do the land based holidays - Peru & the Inca Trail, West Asian "Silk Route", Patagonia, Madagascar, Transylvania etc are on the itinerary. We are both doctors and can only find a certain amount of time to get away during the year.

I took all that into consideration and made the decision. I will stick by it.

BTW guys, thanks for the opinions. Philippines it is then.

 

[KeithG]

Thanks for the idea but I'm afraid my decision is made...with reason. I have considered every option and applied it to our personal situation and know that I have made the right decision. I love diving to the point of addiction and quitting will be more painful than I can express but I intend to do it all the same. And like every decision that I have taken in my life thus far, I won't look back.

My wife and I have around 5 years of working life left, and plan to do all the "major" holidays before then. There are some big land based holidays that we planned together but it was put on hold when the diving bug bit me in 2006. At that time I promised my wife that I would dive around the world for 10 years and then quit, thus giving us time to do the land based holidays - Peru & the Inca Trail, West Asian "Silk Route", Patagonia, Madagascar, Transylvania etc are on the itinerary. We are both doctors and can only find a certain amount of time to get away during the year.

I took all that into consideration and made the decision. I will stick by it.

BTW guys, thanks for the opinions. Philippines it is then.

you seem to live in a black or white world! most of the rest of us bump along in the grey zone. a little of this, a little of that. as many things as possible, mostly all in moderation. mostly.

i have had years when i dove less and did more other things, and years where i did more diving and less other things. this past year we "sacrificed" our traditional xmas dive vacation to go to antarctica instead. i did not hang up the dive gear, just left it in the closest a little longer between dive trips.

cheers...

 

[Freewillow]

philippines beats the carribean everytimes

 

[diversteve]

Since your wife is coming out of retirement to dive your last trip, don't sell the gear right after...

There's really excellent diving in Madagascar from what I've read so mention that when planning that trip. Maybe you could both just haul regs/masks and do one day of diving. I think one segment of the Worlds Best Dive Destinations video focuses on it. Of course that's only one videographers opinion.

Mozambique across on the mainland has been on our bucket list for years. Just some concerns about getting there and the political climate currently in that area. Plus we still have to do the Phillipines and Indonesia first.

Scuba Diving Madagascar: Best Dives | SCUBA Travel

 

[Shasta_man]

You've made the right choice (PI) in my opinion. Marine diversity in the Pacific is much greater. The land part will be pretty exotic as well. Lots of critters you only see on TV, and people too. Seriously though, you see some amazing things when going to places like this. MOre an experience than a trip. I prefer liveaboards as well as you are on the trip the whole time, rather than sort of daily, but that's my preference.

I'll point out also that Palau is like 500 miles off the coast of the Phillipines. Well worth it if you can hold the patients off long enough to go there too... Enjoy!

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Saw no dilemma from the first post. Unless you plan to divorce her anyway after, Philippines. That's just a smart man thing. Wife is right every time.

 

[Hintermann]

you seem to live in a black or white world! most of the rest of us bump along in the grey zone. a little of this, a little of that. as many things as possible, mostly all in moderation. mostly.

...

You actually hit the nail on the head. That has always been my problem in just about everything in life and no matter how hard I tried, could not shake off a habit that amounts to an OCD. I am not proud of it but now I am too old to change. Over-organising everything and not happy unless every activity seamlessly blends into the next. Pathetic, but there is nothing I can do about it.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Sad to see you leave Hintermann. I won't berate or attempt to convince you to stay. I already tried that a number of months ago. Did I tell you I've been to Machu Picchu? It was difficult for me to give up a dive trip for it.. .not. i just went back to some other amazing, and not so amazing dive locales. Did i tell you I've been blessed to be at Petra? And after that go back
diving. In my world it doesn't have to be one or another. But if you truly do give up diving, do be sure to go to Isuzu Falls Argentina.

Don't leave us Hintermann. It's unnatural. Oops. Sorry buddy.