Moving to Bonaire?

[drrich2]

Here's an exercise that might be useful, might not be. If you are an Amazon Prime member, or just order off Amazon fairly often, open your account, go to Orders, and pull up a list or all your orders for the past year. Maybe 2 years.

If you buy online more from Walmart, fine, use them. All the little things. The idea is to get a sense of what sort of things you buy, particularly niche items a local convenience store wouldn't carry.

Now, think about being on an island in the extreme southern Caribbean far from those things. Where readily availability is limited to what's in the local stores...on an island with a very limited population (a bit over 20,000 for the entire island). What will being 'stuck' on the island limit your ability to get?

Many people like summer, but do you want nothing else? Hot, bright and sunny nearly all year? Would you enjoy living in an arid location (a potential issue if you like to grow landscape plants, etc...)?

 

[woodcarver]

Love the climate myself. Lived in Yuma, AZ for 5 years, still like the desert. But your point about looking at those little things is spot-on. My brother's "Amazon" buy is usually once a year, as he buys the various stuff he needs and has it shipped to me or our oldest brother for him to pick up on his annual visit to the states. Or for us to add to our baggage to take to him when we visit. With the stupidity in the world the last couple years, getting that load of stuff to him has been problematic. All that "free shipping" typically available on Amazon and other sources, doesn't apply to Bonaire, or any offshore destination. Shipping anything down there has a noticeable price tag, and an even more noticeable time frame.

 

[arubabob1]

I am a Resident of Aruba but tell people I would never want to stay there all year. So 6 or 7 months in Aruba and the rest in Indiana. So I get Spring and Fall in Indiana and Summer and Winter in Aruba. I had a snorkel business in Aruba, so when the covid hit, I sold it, So now I do 3 months on Bonaire, 3 months in Aruba and 6 in Indiana. I really enjoy that. 12 months on a Island is the same weather everyday, No seasons. But like they say: Different strokes for different Folks!!

 

[Jersey]

I am a Resident of Aruba but tell people I would never want to stay there all year. So 6 or 7 months in Aruba and the rest in Indiana. So I get Spring and Fall in Indiana and Summer and Winter in Aruba. I had a snorkel business in Aruba, so when the covid hit, I sold it, So now I do 3 months on Bonaire, 3 months in Aruba and 6 in Indiana. I really enjoy that. 12 months on a Island is the same weather everyday, No seasons. But like they say: Different strokes for different Folks!!

I like your 3/3/6 approach!

 

[Lorenzoid]

Here's an exercise that might be useful, might not be. If you are an Amazon Prime member, or just order off Amazon fairly often, open your account, go to Orders, and pull up a list or all your orders for the past year. Maybe 2 years.

If you buy online more from Walmart, fine, use them. All the little things. The idea is to get a sense of what sort of things you buy, particularly niche items a local convenience store wouldn't carry.

Now, think about being on an island in the extreme southern Caribbean far from those things. Where readily availability is limited to what's in the local stores...on an island with a very limited population (a bit over 20,000 for the entire island). What will being 'stuck' on the island limit your ability to get?

It's clear that someone who has lived on the US mainland would have to radically change their lifestyle. My wife and I have fantasized about living on Bonaire, but we realize the most difficult adjustment for us might be food preparation. We don't eat at restaurants very often--as much for health reasons as for budget reasons--and we enjoy the variety of fresh food items we're able to buy in a big city. We have multiple farmers' markets to choose from. Even just talking about seafood, one might think a Caribbean island would be swimming in fish markets, but no, it's not like that. I suppose we could learn to cook a mean goat stew.

 

[drrich2]

I suppose we could learn to cook a mean goat stew.

Ya know, if the occasional stray donkey disappeared, I doubt anyone would notice for quite awhile... Just say'in.

 

[arew+4]

Ya know, if the occasional stray donkey disappeared, I doubt anyone would notice for quite awhile... Just say'in.

I suspect they do, based on the locals not wanting the donkey sanctuary to sterilize donkeys outside the sanctuary.

 

[drrich2]

I remember there was quite a controversy over sterilizing donkeys; one factor alleged was that male donkey castration doesn't go as smoothly as for some animals (I don't recall all the details). I'm not so sure it was all about a desire to keep the wild invasive donkey population going.

That said, I was kidding. I like donkeys. None of which means they're not edible...

A number of goats run loose on Bonaire; wonder how many are owned by someone, and how many 'wild?'

 

[rmorgan]

I remember there was quite a controversy over sterilizing donkeys; one factor alleged was that male donkey castration doesn't go as smoothly as for some animals (I don't recall all the details). I'm not so sure it was all about a desire to keep the wild invasive donkey population going.

A number of goats run loose on Bonaire; wonder how many are owned by someone, and how many 'wild?'

I think the Bonaire donkeys were determined (or are suspected?) to be descendants of the nearly-extinct Nubian ass, and the capture-and-castrate program was pretty clearly at odds with the critically-endangered status of the species. Only two populations reportedly survive, including Bonaire’s.

as to goats, I’ve been told that they only belong to someone when they get hit by a vehicle and compensation is demanded.

 

[O-ring]

If the donkeys are off the table there is always iguana soup..