Instructors, instructors, instructors, If you get the feeling they are only in it for thier own ego or the almighty dollar (from what I hear the big money is far and few between) RUN! It is a lot like shopping for a mechanic. A good one is worth the extra $$ or the few extra miles you may have to drive. If you find an instructor who makes you feel comfortable they are worth thier weight in gold. Agencies ABC is not much diffrent from Agencies XYZ. PADI is the big name for the industry but I have never heard of anyone being denied the opportunity to dive because they hold a non-PADI card...