Waterfield can chime in, as well.. getting certified and buying and maintaining equipment starts adding up.. likewise, we have no decent lakes here, although 2 within 90 miles have 6 to 8 feet of visibility, which, to me, sucks cuz I'm used to 200-300 feet of visibility.. so, to dive, I gotta travel to a tropical destination, which, as we all know, ain't cheap..
I was gonna get pilot certified maybe 12 years ago and it was roughly $5k.. I just checked last year and it's now up to $15k.. but I take some meds for BP and heart that would exclude me from getting my certification, so it may not be in the cards for me..
Friendship is like peeing your pants.. Everybody can see it, but only you can feel the warmth..