I didn’t sleep that great last night as I could feel my body aching a bit. Decided to wake up a bit earlier so I could grab some breakfast before my Discover Scuba Diving lesson. I packed and cleaned the Airbnb last night so there wouldn’t be a lot to do this morning. After packing up my last few things I took out the trash and began loading up the car. I was surprised to see a bag on the door with a book inside about donkeys in Bonaire in English (I had told my host I was looking for a book so I know she left it).

     I took a picture of the place as well as me placing the keys back in the lock box and took my last drive out of Rincon. It was raining a little bit and throughout the night it rained on and off. After stopping to get breakfast (got it to go) I headed to the Yellow Submarine area with Dive Friends Bonaire. I park and walk inside to check in, I was early today and they said they were waiting for a few more people. 

     I asked so I could get an idea of how long the lesson would be and was told about 2-2½ hours which I said was perfect because I needed to leave for the airport. A woman behind the counter then asked, “Oh are you flying out today” in which I responded, “Yes” and then she said, “You’re not going to be able to dive today then.” I was shocked and she explained when Scuba diving that nitrogen would be in my system and it needs time to be cleared (basically flying after diving could lead to internal bleeding so definitely a no go).

     I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little disappointed but also relieved. Still I told her that’s why I initially scheduled it early so I could get it out the way but that just didn’t work out but when rebooting no one told me this information (even though I think I do remember reading it somewhere when I had to do the home lessons). She said she’d write in and issue a refund for me, which I appreciated. She just said, “Well that means you’ll have to come back” and honestly Bonaire reminds me a lot of Roatan, Honduras. They’re both small and I feel as though I saw the entire island while here. The only way I’d come back is if the flight is cheaper than what I got it for ($256 roundtrip) and I would bring a checked bag to bring some Tekibon tequila back.

     I’ve learned not to question things when things like this happen for I feel it was just God’s way of telling me that that wasn’t something I needed to do. Two different instances in which it doesn’t work out…yeah maybe it’s not for me, at least not right now. Nevertheless I very much have already stepped out of my comfort zone on this trip and it has still been an amazing experience. (I think my mom will probably do a sigh of relief once I tell her I actually didn’t do it). 

     Well, what now? I decided to go park by the cruise ship port and eat half my breakfast sandwich. I had a fee hours to now kill and nothing to do. Afterwards I remember looking in a paper and reading something a out another museum so I looked in Google Maps and found the Bonaire Museum. They were open and weren’t far so I drove there to check it out. By now I would say I feel 85% pain free today (once I started moving around I could do so normally). The museum much like Museo Chichitan was located in a house and if you’re not really paying attention you’ll miss it.

     Once inside there’s a welcome letter saying the entry is free and what the museum entails. I saw a lot of familiar things like maps of Bonaire, the Bananaquit, the slave huts, the salt mountains, the feral pig I drove by yesterday and more. In walking though you then walk outside (to the side of the museum) in which a thrift store starts. There’s a table with items on it and a couple of buildings directly behind the museum with more thrift items for sale. 

     I stepped inside the 1st one I saw and what do you know there were books! I’m looking through the English section to see what I could find especially since I saw they were only $1. I still really wanted to find the type of book I was looking for for my cousin and what do you know after double looking I found something that I felt worked…ah success! I also found a wooden windchime (without the chime) that had Bonaire on it and decided to get that too.

     I walked in the next building beside it and there were clothes. I didn’t look around too much in there as I don’t need anymore clothes (another building across from it also had clothes). I found the owner and paid for my items and he gave me the book free and just charged me for the Bonaire chime ($2). I thought that was really nice and he even looked in his hideaway stash to see if he had anymore books but he didn’t. There was a donation box at the front so I left $5. 

     Out in the parking lot others began pulling in one being an 82 year old woman from Germany named Karen. Now Karen pulled up in a decked out golfcart and she was a whole vibe. She began telling me about her daughter who she was here 3 months with but her daughter actually lives in Bonaire and she told me I need to go to New Zealand (which is on my list). We chatted for a bit and I told her I had to get a photo of her in her golf cart (she was giving me older white woman Wendy Williams vibes, “How you doin’?”. 

     See, if I had done the diving lesson I wouldn’t have discovered this museum and found what I’ve been looking for for days. Things end up happening the way they are intended to happen. I was satisfied now and now I could head to the airport to drop off the rental car. Once I returned the rental I made sure everything was good before signing off on it and then hopped across the street to the airport. I made sure with the ticket agent behind the counter that my bags were good and then went inside. 

     As you can imagine the airport is small and their big Duty Shop wasn’t even open. They did however have a small cafe and perfume outlet. I ended up getting 2 chicken pastechi’s and ate 1 and saved 1 for the plane. I had about an hour and 20 minute wait at the gate. When boarding we had to walk outside and to the plane following a path and me now with an extra bag, this was like exercise. I unfortunately had a middle seat and the whole row was full.

     The flight crew teased us saying we’re going to miss the lovely weather here as we’re headed to NY where temps are in the freezing range. I dosed off shortly after takeoff and was in and out the entire flight. I did manage to watch the 2nd Beetlejuice (which I have to say I’m glad I didn’t see it in theaters). I luckily was awake for snack and drink service and ended up eating the other half of my breakfast sandwich (because it contains bacon and I learned you can’t bring outside pork in the US unless it’s from Iceland-they’re not throwing my sandwich away).

     We land fine and I’m getting all my messages, one concerning where I live and an “intruder” (thinking it’s the guest of a roommate) in a room that they shouldn’t be in (I’m done with roommates and trying to stack my money for my own place). Customs was super easy and quick at JFK (why does Dulles always have to be in my business lol). I was nervous they were going to ask me all these questions and want to see all my stuff but I’ve got things in so many little bags separated, it just would’ve been a lot. 

     I made my way to the AirTran, then to the E express train (thank God) and then to Moynihan station for Amtrak. While there I had to stop at Jacob’s Pickles to get their Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese which is something I do now if they are open when I’m there. My train was delayed about 45 minutes but I am on the train now headed home. I can’t wait to get home and take a shower and then bed, because I actually have a Superbowl watch party to work tomorrow.

     That’s it for this trip. If you ever get the chance to go to Bonaire do it as I enjoyed myself and the weather was lovely (I’m coming back a shade and ¼ darker). I felt as though I was there the perfect amount of time. As for now my next trip is not until late May early June but it will be my longest and I will cover multiple countries. 2 weeks exploring 5 different cities in Germany, then over to Prague in Czechia and then Warsaw, Poland. Believe it or not the itinerary for this trip is already laid out, I just have to make payments on it.