The matter of car theft on Bonaire, car rentals and insurance, aggressive divers, flat tires, gas lines cut, repairs to be paid for etc. had been tackled so many times on this board that I was wondering what would happen during my two weeks on the island.
NOTHING happened... not a thing.
AB Carrental provided me with a brand new Toyota RAV4 (instead of a Susuki Samurai) at a rate that in the end turned out to be even 20 dollars cheaper than the one I had had confirmed by email before my arrival.
Declined additonal insurance (covered by my VISA Gold card).
Dove and parked at both populated dive sites and at others where we were the only divers.
Always parked in the open and in plain view of anybody passing by -- never close to any bushes where someone could hide.
Never locked the car. Always left all windows rolled down. Of course, left nothing of value in the car. (I have a little Otter box for car keys, money, credit cards, and license, which I attach to my BCD and stuff into one of the pockets. Mind you, the stuff got wet a couple of times, but, so what. You have heard of money laundering, haven't you? Well I had the cleanest money on the island!)
No flat tires even though I drove to such places as the Spelonk Lighthouse, way off the pavement.
A couple of tail gaters every two days but nothing compared to Jasper Avenue in Edmonton where I have one every two blocks.
No, I don't know what all the fuss is about. Of all the Caribbean islands -- and I have been to a few -- together with Saba (another Antillean island), Bonaire is the safest I have been.
Maybe it was the Canadian flag I put on the antenna of the RAV4 that did it.
Karl |
By Karl H on Thursday, December 5, 2002 - 1:56 am: 
