Anywhere I travel that may include some diving, the very least amount of dive gear that I always bring is my regulator setup and air-integrated computer. I keep them in a separate bag and it's a carry-on staple. Do you
need to bring your own reg setup? Certainly not. Is it a good idea? Definitely.
Since you are getting certified right now, you need to consider your perspective on diving. Are you going to jump in with both feet (no pun intended), or is this just something you wanted to try for a couple of times? If you have nay intention of sticking with it, you should prepare to invest in you own equipment (regs, bc, fins, weights, & wetsuit should be enough. You can always rent tanks).
With that in mind then you should do your homework and see what's best for you. Personally I'm a budget diver. I don't have the money for all the greatest gear and usually go for what has the best reviews and best prices. And to be honest, I have a hard time beleiving that one reg is so much better than another that it warrants an extra $200. Myself, I have a Cressi reg set up. I have no idea what model though - I forgot and I don't really care. All I know is that I'm happy with it and it continues to give me the air that I need, when I need it.
In fact I just happened to think,.. I still have a regulator that I bought when I was starting out that I never used. You are welcome to come and look at it if you want (I'm near Monterey too). It's an IST R-20 I think. It got good reviews from Rodalle's, but as soon as I got it I found a screaming deal on the reg set I have now. Anyways if you're interested, just send me a message.
Here's some info:
http://www.scuba.com/shop/product.asp?category=35&fromsearch=1&hashvalue=033492