DEMA The Road Home

[tasdiver]

Saw and followed the posts leading up to the show, the VERY entertaining "surreal" thread, and the updates from those who attended this year's event.

So . . . since I am sitting in the Las Vegas airport waiting for my flight that leaves at 12:40 in the MORNING!! LOL thought I would start a thread for anyone in the same frame of mind . . .

WOW what an awesome experience, now time to take all we have seen and bring it to the diving community . . .

OR

BUMMER I can't believe it's over so fast . . .

OR

Does what really happen in Vegas REALLY stay in Vegas :shocked2:

OR

Your thoughts . . .

 

[Dive Right In Scuba]

What happens in Vegas is ALOT of fun
Kinda glad its over, my body hurts and I need some sleep....lol

 

[joystershell]

Sleep is highly overrated. And besides, isn't that what the plane ride home is for?

 

[tasdiver]

The red eye from Vegas to Dallas for 2 hours I did actually get some sleep. But from Dallas to Ft. Lauderdale I MAYBE got 1 hour . . . time to get something to eat and SLEEP!! LOL

Just wanted to hear from others what they felt they got from the trip.

I did see some really cool stuff for shops that would even benefit myself as a shop/independent instructor.

Got to see some of my newest SB friends. Joyster & Muggsy on their way to find the foot massage booth!!!!!

All, save trip home.

Terri

 

[Dive Right In Scuba]

Oh trust me, I didnt sleep much in Vegas, Dema was probably the easiest part of Vegas Its the rest of the trip that wore me out....now I get to sit in an Airport till 6pm to leave...we tried to get standby on noon flight...didnt work

Had a great time and meet some great people!!! See you all again real soon!

 

[DiveBandit]

This DEMA was my first. I found it very educational and enjoyed meeting so many of the big names in the industry. I also look forward to bringing what I learned/saw to my diving friends back home.

Like some of the previous posters, I too got very little sleep until the flight home.

 

[Papa_Bear]

Four hour drive home on Bloody stumps I used to call feet, but thank god for sleeping behind the wheel! How many miles was that thing? I was pleased to have met so many new people and chat with some old friends! Reed's Rod was a hit with all the Indonesian folks I met.... I was able to meet up with an old friend and join his Association (Dive Industry Association) and best of all I got to met NetDoc and the crew at the booth! If my feet had been feeling better I would have had the pictures taken with my camera as well as Gene's. Oh well! If I go next year I will be one of those fliers and you be sure it will include a cave or two! I can see why so many wanted a Lake Mead dive to round out their trip! All in all good show and worth the effort!

 

[TSandM]

This was my first DEMA. By far and away the greatest thing about it was the people . . . I got to meet a ton of people I had only known on line, and reconnect with a bunch of people I had met before but don't get to see often. It's amazing who you meet or run into at the show . . . A friend had Bernie Chowdury give him an autographed copy of the Last Dive. I had dinner with Ross Hemingway (author of the VPM decompression software). I was standing in the middle of an aisle, and had one of the DIR Atlanta guys recognize me, and we had a lovely chat! I got to thank Doppler in person for his great posts, and the advice he's given me over the last three years. I got to say hi to Pete, and visit with Howard E's wife and talk about their rebreather training. The people at DEMA are great.

Wandering through the travel section was mind-boggling. So many places to dive, some of which I'd never considered. Ran into an unexpected friend doing that, too.

I got to check out a bunch of products that I had read about in magazines -- I looked at lights, knives, undergarments, and the red tech skin for the Fusion, which is GORGEOUS.

I saw products that dropped my jaw, like a double-hose snorkel, and a strobe you put on the end of your snorkel for night diving. But I also found what looks like a VERY cool underwater pencil (I bought two) and a jewelry designer who makes earrings and pins and pendants that are NUDIBRANCHS! (Now, if that isn't cool, I don't know what is; I have blue and white flatworms in my ears as I type this.)

DEMA is amazing.

But can anybody tell me why they have a Discover Scuba pool in an event which is only open to dive professionals, dive shops and vendors?

 

[mdb]

But can anybody tell me why they have a Discover Scuba pool in an event which is only open to dive professionals, dive shops and vendors?

Well, the show is no longer "dive professionals, dive shops and vendors" plenty of folks who just like diving and get in with no problem.

It is now training, travel,and trinkets, ear rings, purses with dive flags, t-shirts on every aisle, etc.

Seminars and parties, shopping for travel, networking, all that works. DEMA is just no longer a real trade show.

The pool is there for demo on fins, etc. We have used the pool many times to demo our bio-fins. The times I walked by the pool was not in use.

This was my 31st time at DEMA. I enjoyed seeing old and new friends. Hope everyone is home safe without too many dollars or brain cells left in LV.

 

[tasdiver]

Good to hear that others got as much out of the event as I did. I broke down and paid ALOT of money for a pedicure before I left just to pamper my VERY SORE feet! This was my first time to Vegas so not only did I walk for hours to see everything at DEMA I spent the evenings walking the strip and Freemont Street.

Hope everyone makes it home safely and can't wait to see all the pics. I have some that I have to get downloaded from my camera.