It is I says Me

[ScubaTom22]

Hello Everyone!

My name is Thomas, a former Futures & Options Trader turned Expat. Over a decade later I find myself back in the USA, San Diego to be exact. I had some time off from my active lifestyle due to surgeries; now I'm back in the gym, I have my full Scuba gear set-up and ready to go diving!

I live a retired lifestyle with no wife or children, so anytime anyone wants to go diving let me know! That's not just limited to SD either. I am Permanent Resident of Mexico and the Riveria Maya is like my 2nd home - Costa Maya Reef anyone? The American style of travel says this can be expensive, I learned from Non-Americans that traveling can be very inexpensive.

I am very interested in the Florida Pan handle, not only to Scuba Dive, but to also buy a home. So if anyone from that area wants to be cool human being, get in touch and perhaps I'll fly out there one day sooner than later to go diving and learn the area a little.

In Decemeber 2024 I'm doing AOW & Nitrox for $485+ room upgrade with 4 free nights accommodation while using my miles for a free R/T plane ticket. See? Traveling to Scuba Dive can be cheap! So anyone who wants to take some quick international diving trips I am always up for that. For me, liveaboards are like renting Scuba Gear - I'd rather keep trading & saving my money to buy my own liveaboard one day.

Thanks for reading and be good to yourself!

 

[Chuter]

Hello Thomas,

I am intrigued how you've put together AOW + Nitrox with 4 nights accommodation for $485. Got any more details on that amazing deal?

 

[ScubaTom22]

Hello Thomas,

I am intrigued how you've put together AOW + Nitrox with 4 nights accommodation for $485. Got any more details on that amazing deal?

Long Reply. No Cryptography contained within. (I do that sometimes to find like-minded people)

I apologize, I don't promote for anyone and that's not my intention with my introduction. Rather, I'd hope that people would be adventurous enough to take diving trips with others they meet - akin to pen-pals meeting for the first time, but hopefully more people would be interested at the same time. You can see the similarity with my Florida pan handle statement. Diving trips organized by LDS pair you up with a stranger in a hotel room, to me that's weird. Get your own room! So, what I am saying shouldn't sound too strange.

Now, I could tell you how to find these places, but then my specific process would be online for all to see and then eventually prices will jump like they did after the Great World Wide LockUp because of people looking for cheap deals in PostCard picture destinations. So, do what I did and figure it out. How do most people plan trips? Go Sam's Club or Costco and take package #13? Perhaps people pay the overinflated Credit Card Hotel prices for 5x, the miles or call their travel agent. Not me, I take the time to research and plan accordingly.

Hint: it's nothing special, deals similar most likely exist in every country in the world that offers diving and prices would reflect the local economy.

SideNote: I also purchased 95% of my Scuba Gear tax free, 10% discount off sticker with free shipping.

Backdrop: I traveled backpacker style for part of a decade as Expat. I didn't use resources that you typically see other travelers using to get around. Back then blogging was just starting to be all the rage with travelers. I did NOT have accomodations lined up in advance with a driver or rental car waiting at the Airport to drive to the All Inclusive Resort with cabana boys bringing me my Scuba Tanks and Tom Collins while their girl cousin fans me with a giant palm frond.

Sometimes, I would get off a bus and "figure out" where to go. Other times I visually knew the areas and wanted to see the places first because I have spent a minimum of 30 days in every country I have been to which is another way to get discounts on accomodations - pay by the week or month!

The 1990's promised us that people would become smarter because of the internet. It takes 100 hours of studying any subject, practicing any musical instrument, or learning any language to become proficient in it. That is literally ~1% of someone's year - 4 days & 4 hours - what's "your" screen time this week and what has people learned this year? So sad...

Me? Prior I had no idea what my transmission looked like internally or externally nor how it worked, but now I am capable of removing and rebuilding my 90's Jeep transmission - it took me 60 hours of theory and then straight to hands on all by myself.

Be good to yourself everyone and learn something new!

 

[NothingClever]

In Decemeber 2024 I'm doing AOW & Nitrox...liveaboards are like renting Scuba Gear...saving my money to buy my own liveaboard one day.

@ScubaTom22 - I'll have a glass of whatever that is you're drinking.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Yeah, I remember living and traveling like that back in the day. Now, how does one find "AOW + Nitrox with 4 nights accommodation for $485"?

 

[ScubaTom22]

@ScubaTom22 - I'll have a glass of whatever that is you're drinking.

Water is the only liquid that fits my lifestyle, definitely not alcohol or sugar drinks.

I'm confused about your statement. By chance do you own, work or represent a liveaboard charter service? A clandestine one that looks for "crew" to "share the experience"?

So, if I am understanding you correctly I'm drunk for saying I am going to buy a sailboat, put an air compressor on it and navigate the oceans to remote dive locations? Isn't that how it started for everyone doing it now, with a tangible dream?

Or maybe you have Lexus Nexus, did a skip trace on my bank accounts, ran my TRW and used an algorithm for future predictions?

What kind of person stomps on an internet stranger's dream? LOL

 

[ScubaTom22]

Yeah, I remember living and traveling like that back in the day. Now, how does one find "AOW + Nitrox with 4 nights accommodation for $485"?

Yeah, it' was a great party time for a couple years as I made my way to Buenos Aires where I rented an apartment. Then across in Mendoza it turned to private rooms and eventually settling down in Colombia with residency. I'm on my 3rd Country now with resident status; super slow travel.


So, to find these places go back to those days you had as a traveler and think about how did you find the places you wanted to stay that had the vibe you wanted? That's all... Just some old fashioned reading.

If you find something, don't post it publicly just DM me if you'd like. The internet, LockUp and public welfare ruined a lot travel destinations.

 

[Lorenzoid]

So, to find these places go back to those days you had as a traveler and think about how did you find the places you wanted to stay that had the vibe you wanted?

Eh, the Lonely Planet guidebook?

 

[NothingClever]

What kind of person stomps on an internet stranger's dream? LOL

I definitely don't want to stomp on your plans to get AOW and EANx certified.

Eh, the Lonely Planet guidebook?

Just when I was all ready to follow ScubaTom's secret guide through the seven levels of the candy cane forest and past the sea of swirly twirly gumdrops, you have to go and remove all the magic.

 

[ScubaTom22]

I definitely don't want to stomp on your plans to get AOW and EANx certified.



Just when I was all ready to follow ScubaTom's guide through the seven levels of the candy cane forest and past the sea of swirly twirly gumdrops, you have to go and remove all the magic.

Those Lonely Guide books are cookie cutter travel guides - I never owned one or used one to determine what my next step is and kinda chuckled to myself at those who did.

Candy Cane Forrest hahahahaha

Seriously though, I didn't think it would be right for me to start dropping names of places and stuff on my "first" post. It might appear like I'm just trying to promote or something uncool.

Forrest Guide: Just look at a map of where you want to go, find a dive place and read their website. If you read every single one in every single location you ever dreamed of diving I'm sure a great number will have deals like I stated, especially in Third World Economies.

Don't be Snooty and you'll find deals and probably have a great time.

Other deals like 10 fun dives with unlimited shore diving and 5 nights starting under $400 exist too. And, I'm not talking in Palawan either! Heck in a world famous diving location close to us, you can get 35 a tank with a free bed & unlimited shore diving or pay 180 for two tanks, plus $100+ for hotel room and get the same dive but with Cabana Boys and Tom Collins all day.