Well...this will be the beginning of our trip report...I will not do a war and peace like Andy's, (he's so articulate, ya can't help but love him!)... and I a mere Joisey girl will try to sum it up,,,at least this part...before my glass of wine ends....There may be a follow up as I do have jet/xanax lag (call it what you will)..
We left for Phili at 4am...and usually can check in and suffer through the 2 hour wait sitting at the airport...after we checked in we walked upstairs and instead of walking through the metal detectors we were "shown" to the end of the 3 block line of people waiting to board...(amazing how many years of "non security" we have safely flown through! Air Jamaica was wonderful, quick flights and we arrived Bonaire at 3:20Pm which is alot earlier than ALM ever got us there...Well we lost 2 of our bags...they were in Montego Bay...It was not air jamaica but the girls at the counter in Phili....some of the tags said Phili to Bonaire while the other two said Phili to Montego Bay..(of course this was all my clothes and our regulators and fins)...well we never got them the whole trip,although 3 other AJ airlines flew in and none of them had the luggage either..(we spent alot of time at the airport...)But when Weds. came and we realized...this wasnt gonna happen...we snorted and stamped and than went diving....Knowing that some people NEVER make it to Bonaire or any other destination and that we were still very lucky to be there...(sure I looked like a mess but Steve knew if he said one word about my "turtle pajamas" he was toast....We did some shopping,,,and we have to file a claim....so by the time we go back to Bonaire in May we should be compensated by AJ....I really like the airlines though....The weather was great, visability the best I have seen it...they said Michelle had churned things up a week or two prior but it was very nice when we were there...We stayed at Sandollar....we can't change cause we have been with them since 94 and we are still hoping they pull it all together....The owener of Sandollar is having an auction on Feb 19th they are selling the restaurant, 3 condos, stores, oceanfront (where the Parrot use to be) and assorted land and garages....Andre who runs the dive shop is hoping on having a dock in soon, so we would love to "bask" in their revival when it happens....
The diving was great we took videos of diving with two turtles...saw seahorses at Midushi and did a video at Angel City....We tried some new dive sites but Steve thinks the dive sites up north by Playa Funchi and such are ruined cause of Lenny...I would love to try these..will have to find a surrogate buddy next trip....I made him drive through many,,,MANY,,,,back road to look at rocks and caves and the inscriptions....I cannot write his comments to that here! but again...next trip I will need a surrogate explorer....I could walk through the "rough country" forever! We went to Capreccio's (not spelling it right) down by the water, it is an Italian restaurant...tremendous food...fresh pasta...ceaser salad like I have never had before....We were allowed to go through the house that is being built next to Jakes...(nice place!) and did our dive...that wall is very nice and as I said we meet Charlotte personally....saw 5 Tarpon hanging out just off the wall....Did my share of Donkey,pigeon,cat,dog feedings....just to make it feel like home....Which of course it always does....We met a girl at the airport on our departure and it was her first trip to Bonaire...I asked her if she would come back ...and she said there were so many places to go...that she couldn't stick to just one place.....Ahhhhhh either PBD hasn't hit her yet or we are still safe in knowing that Bonaire is waiting for us!!!!! I will post some pictures later.....(and yes our bags came back to Phili with us....) Next Vacation ...we will not do the Saturday to Saturday...too quick....just like the Green Flash.....

Great report, Meryl. Yup, one week is purely a "tease"...must be 10 days minimum to truly enjoy your time on the island...much more time is preferred, but we all learn the hard way about a one week stay! Glad you finally got your luggage back intact and wish you luck with the claim...be nice, but be forceful...I have been in the claims business for waayyy too many years not to know...being nice will help you immensely, but you must be forceful (with tact) and relentless, too. Can't wait to see you pics posted! Carole (Shutterbug)

PS We will most likely be on the same plane from MB to Bonaire in May...are you leaving 5-18?? cb

Carole...will probably miss you again! we go during Memorial day. It will be more like May 25th to June 1st (OR LONGER!) would love to do a Weds to a Sat....we will see...are you plans set already?

Meryl, loved your trip report and look forward to your posting some photos. Looking at them is my solution to PBD!
So happy you enjoyed your trip in spite of the luggage problem. You just gotta make lemonade out of those lemons!
Welcome back.

Meryl, we will be there at the same time...we leave 5-18 and return Jun 1...we will share the plane from Bonaire to MB! Carole

Hey, Meryl - glad you are back! What a story - the good news is...you didn't have a mountain of dirty laundry to sort through, LOL! May, eh? In the immortal words of Kermit the Frog, "It's not easy being green," which is what envy makes me. Nice report :-)

Thanks Hazel ! Carole you will know me...I will be the one dribbling on the seat from the morphine drip!

2Nancys...pictures should be posted in a day or two..thanks for the welcome back!

Meryl, great report...we went to Capricio's for dinner one night, and it was probably some of the best italian food we have had. Too bad about the selling of the "things" at sand$...as I have said before, we really enjoyed Bari, Andre and his operation, and the zale's condo was perfect. we will be staying there again if we can swing paying for the 2 rooms and only needing one (Michael liked having his own bathroom and extra room to pile his stuff!) If we are there in May when you are, Michael and I will be your surrogate dive buddies... we never saw Bon before Lenny, so it is all good with us

Missed you Meryl. Not meeting you at Capn Don's on the Saturday night is one of the only two regrets I have from my entire trip...sorry. Check out the thread along the lines of "Is diving in the North ok?" in the diving & snorkeling section.
Sadly, I've hung up my trip report pen....I liked trying to fill the joint role of court jester & storyteller, but I crave attention! Laugh with me or at me, it doesn't matter. Any abuse is fine, but don't ignore me. This morning at 05:00 when I tuned in to start Chapter 5, I found to my dismay that I'd only attracted an audience of one to my ramblings of the previous night. And even he was an Anony!!! I felt like I'd been ridden hard & put away wet. I turned the lights off & went tearfully back to bed.
Do you have any idea how hard it is writing this stuff with only one finger? The other nine having fallen victim to a savage attack from a pair of cleaner shrimps, when they mistook me for a Harlequin Ghost Pipe Fish, during a night dive under the Salt Pier.

Andy, my husband and I have a "Whining" award. I'm hereby awarding today's one to you for the above self-pitying message!! Just excellent whining....

NOW GET THIS: Just because I don't respond to your reports doesn't mean I'm not choking back laughter (especially when I'm at work and supposed to be productive!)

FROM NOW ON: whatever you write, I'll try to respond --- even if it's to say "yeah, right" or something pleasant like that.

So, shake yourself off, pick yourself up, pick up the pen and go to Chapter 5....

That's all it takes Josie. I'm born again!!
Must turn in now to try & gab a few hours shut eye before Chapter 5 leaps from my eager finger in six hours time.

fancypants (I'm back to calling you that and NOT Sir Andrew due to the above severe whining...whining....whining...) I ditto to Josie...I look forward to your daily dribble with great anticipation and don't you dare put that pen down now...so go take the stopper out of the scotch, and start typing!

Don't bail out on us now, Andy! We are in such awe of your spinning of tales, that we are spellbound and speechless...that is why we don't always respond! Please continue with your epic/saga! Carole (Shutterbug)

Andy..I'm still unpacking.....lots of bird doo to clean up...we were gone for over a week....I too am listening....Missed you at Captain Dons....but I was a bit wobbely from the trip..so I don't think I would have presented well...I did ask at Lions Den if you and Tim showed up....Did you go there? Kirk seems to remember you.....your legend lives on! Please continue...even if Dave yawns....