<gripe>
Please ignore this, I'm just venting some frustration, you want to read on? Ok dear listener here is the situation. About 4 months ago I decided to bin mining on my paladin, which was maxxed at 450 and take up jewel crafting. it may seem crazy but I quite fancied the +27 gems JC's get access to. I started to level JC but it was tedious and difficult when not coupled with mining, I therefore retook mining. After a small bout a few weeks ago I'd managed to return mining to around 220.
When WOTLK was released, like most people I had rolled a DK, who I had trained in alchemy and herbalism. During free time when not levelling I'd managed to get the DK's herbalism to around 240.
Over the weekend I finally decided to get herbalism and mining sorted out once and for all on the respective characters. I took the DK around zones in the Eastern Kingdoms, was quickly in Outland and into Northrend with herbalism ending at 413. The whole thing took about 3-4 hours on Saturday.
On Sunday I focused on the paladin. I packed my finest mining pick and headed to the Eastern Plaguelands and started to do circuits. Not much luck, I only found about 3 nodes. Undeterred I then travelled over to Winterspring and started running around, again the nodes were few and far between, I would say I got 4 in the same number of circuits. I then decided to try my luck in Silithus, well to cut a long story short I didn't break the 275 barrier which would of allowed me to gather rich thorium nodes, only finding 3 small thorium nodes in the 2+ hours I was there.
In total I think I spent 5+ hours mining, gaining only 20'ish points, whereas in herbalism, I was able to gain 140'ish points.
I therefore declare herbalism the winner for an easier life and a full head of hair!
Thanks for listening.
</gripe>