Okay, here goes with the topside report of the 2005 trip with Norma and Cynde! (next time I'm hoping to have an underwater camera!)

The flights in and out of Bonaire were amazingly close to on time, although rewards were being given to folks who would spend the night in San Juan as they wanted to underload the plane on the way there.

We had a great lunch with Elvira's wonderful son Rafa at the Hampton Inn prior to our massages

We had a wonderful dinner at Crocantino's with

Darlene, Cynde, Kelly, Steve


and Sheryl, Cam, Norma


and Avy

The Regatta parade with representatives of several countries went by for dessert!

As you may have gathered from the previously posted pics, Kelly's birthday bash was quite the BT affair
The birthday girl

Cam was impressed with Darlene's new found figure!

Oh, and on to Yana girls birthday bash....

(Message edited by babsoleary on October 22, 2005)

Yana was somehow coerced by Liz to get a tattoo!

Yup, both were crowned birthday girls extraordinare!

And "Suzi" even made an appearance along with a few friends!

The Bongos dinner was yummy as usual with Oliverio cooking his usual combo of chicken satay, barbecue chicken, beef strips and salads

Martin missed the birthday bash but not the cross dressing!

We delivered some clothing and other supplies to the Maria Hoppner boys who loved the cameras!

Lots of other group dinners were had including Gibi's, Casablanca, Swiss Chalet and La Guernica - posing for pics with the crowd was an everyday affair!
Darlene Liz & Renee Martin & Angela Jake The Goulds Tom & Smack

And what can I say about the diving? We had the fortune of diving some south side spots with Susan Porter, Salt Pier with Roger Burnham and his wife, lots of spots with Tom & Smack and a couple of Klein dives with Climo from Wannadive!
The Wannadive folks, Bob, Bart and Paul are a pleasure to work with!

And to top off a lovely time, one of Bon's fabulous sunsets!

Awe Babs, great pics! I turned my cheapo one time cameras in yesterday, so will get those back in about a week. It was certainly a whirlwind trip with lots of things to do with great friends, and some great diving

great report wish I had been there Wahhh!!!!!

I wish you'd been there too Freddie! One more sunset!

I am officially jealous! Looks like a wonderful time.

Babs, oops! Your Royal Babness,

Thank you soooo much for sharing some of the fun -- your pictures made me smile.

I need a red hot poker to get the Martini cross dressing shot out of my mind...

hee hee HEE!

mare

Glad to hear a good time was had by all. I hope the PBD isn't too bad.

Looks like everyone had an awesome trip!! I wish I was there!! Thank-you Barbara!

Oh, and I really need to add that if you're up for a no dive day snorkel, Renee is the best! We saw a great group of Porcupine puffers...one 2 1/2 to 3 feet long (yes, sounds like a fish story, eh?) and a gorgeous group of rainbow parrot fish, several octopus, etc at Sorobon! I'm hoping Darlene will post some pics! (hint, hint)

And now I'm waiting for Tom to post the pics of the Deity flowers he found for me!

Babs, yes, and the crown...took Tom and (I) almost a week to finally find flowers! The lady said that he was lucky to find them, they were from Rincon, did he tell you that? Tom is such a great guy and sweetheart for not giving up! LOL!

Is she still making everyone bow or curtsey when granted an audience?

LOL Ruth! How did you sneak out of all the photos at La Guernica anyway? I told Cynde a stuffed pink seahorse would do instead of flowers after they struck out with the flowers!

(Message edited by babsoleary on October 23, 2005)

Oh, and I did have a vision of Tom's aversion to eels

Babs, he needs to be in his scuba gear...tee hee...

Hey Babs! These are great...nothing like really being bummed about not being on island for the October group! Glad you had so much fun. Any more terrific photos?

Great shot of Tom in the mouth of the eel. That should give him the hibi-gibis.

Great trip report, too. I love seeing all the pics, although someone needed to tell Kelly that her thong was a little crooked. LOL! I'm so glad I got to meet you & Cynde...just wish I could have been on the trip with you, too!

Hi Yana! Nice to see you in print too.

Babs, great pictures !! I'm sorry I missed the second half of your trip though... wahhhhh... sounds like great diving!

Great report and super pictures, Babs! Thanks for sharing your trip with us!

Hawaii next Babs

You're on Cam....Big Island in April (gotta check my daughters school schedule for the dates)
I'm gonna have to get Sheryl's e-mail address to help her along with the plan!

Babs - your sunset shots are spectacular!!
What a trip of a lifetime - such great friends (and so many!)
Thanks for sharing - Tara

HELLLLLLP!!

Uh-oh.
Looks like Tom has a major case of PBD.

tom! get a hold of yourself and PLAN YOUR NEXT Bonaire TRIP!

You'll feel much better. Trust me, I know Dr. Doo is a doctor.

mare

Mare, thanks for the advise.

Barbara, here ya go gal.

Great shot Tom!
Babs, you look marvelous!
Martin, why aren't you smiling?
Cynde, great tan!

mare

Awww, Tom...How sweet!

And, yes, Babs. I agree with Mare. You look absolutely marvelous!

Thanks Tommy! I can't believe how dedicated you and Cynde were in searching for flowers! Big hugs, buddy! I think everyone in the shot looks marvelous...well, Martin may have been a bit jealous cause he didn't get to wear the crown for this shot!

You're welcome Babs I think Martini was a bit jealous;-)

Mare, funny, we had an editors meeting the day I got back, and one of them said to me "i can always tell how much time you spend underwater diving when you come back from your trips, you aren't as tan as you were in June, diving must have been good." LOL! Notice the "glistening arm". It was HOT (of course, I'm always hot) finally the waitress turned on the ceiling fan above us...ahhhhh...can feel that breeze now...LOL!

Really nice picture of you and crew, Babs! It's amazing how Bonaire just makes us "smile"! Well, Martini may have felt lost without his gadgets! LOL

Hey, Don't pick on Martin! He has a VERY pleasant moderate smile in that pic..... - perhaps Angela is the only one who can coax out a BIG bursting smile!

sigh - I still wish I were there.....

Who's picking on Martin!!!

Not me!

LOL Mare, missed you two at the Thonga bash but that makes up for it!

Barbara, Great pictures and report!! It was so much fun spending time with you and the girls!!!
I love the shot of Cam and me with my flotation divices!! Can you imagine what I would be like if I were drinking that night???

LOL, Darlene, you mean you weren't?? (i knew that really!!)