Bonaire Day 2: Donkeys, Dehydration & Dessert

It was a rough night for everyone. I blogged well into the morning hours (hello, 4 a.m.), and the boys bore the brunt of inadequate AC. D never managed to get his room cool enough, so he woke up hot, sweaty, and unrested a couple hours after I went to bed. Meanwhile, B wasn’t even running his AC—because he couldn’t find the remote. None of us could. It's still missing, and I’m starting to think it’s hiding out with all the other things that go missing on vacation.

Fortunately, I was sleeping in the room with two single beds so I wouldn’t wake D during my late-night writing session, and I offered B a bed in my room where the AC was going strong. We’ll definitely be more intentional about our sleeping arrangements tonight—no one gets good rest as they slowly dessicate.

Technically, the apartment does have air conditioning, but the messaging is pretty clear that we should try not to use it. And when we do, it’s about as efficient as fanning yourself with a dinner napkin. One other thing I’ve realized after our first night: the bathroom light switches are outside the doors. I have now peed in total darkness three times because I forgot to flip the switch before going in. And let me tell you, growing up with siblings, a setup like this would have been a weapon. The temptation to flip that switch off mid-bathroom visit would’ve been irresistible. So, yes, our honeymoon phase with the apartment may be over—but I’m not asking for a divorce just yet. It’s still a solid space for our needs.

I finally rolled out of bed around 10 a.m. and found D napping on the couch. I snapped a photo of the ocean from what was supposed to be B’s room and took some time to rehydrate and strategize the day. Given the poor sleep, we opted for a low-key plan: visit the donkey sanctuary, a quick gym stop for the boys, and an early dinner followed by about 8-10 episodes of Dexter.

Donkey Sanctuary Bonaire was an absolute highlight. B might have been a little wary of the enthusiastic, toothy greeting from the donkeys—he even got spit on by two of them—but he still walked away calling it a favorite. The sanctuary provides a safe haven for sick, injured, and orphaned donkeys, a vital mission on an island where these animals have long been part of the cultural and ecological landscape. We loved seeing them up real close and appreciated the work being done to care for them.

While the boys hit the gym (round two of Body Fit), I went on a quick walk through the neighborhood in search of forgotten essentials—dental floss and Dramamine. I didn’t find either, but I did find a gorgeously painted wall and enjoyed the solo stroll.

For dinner, we headed to Between 2 Buns, an adorable café serving up sandwiches, smoothies, salads, and pastries. The boys ordered burgers, and I went for the “Fight Club” sandwich: ham, cheese, deli chicken, bacon, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and mayo. It was tasty but not quite enough to fill me up. I was this close to asking the waitstaff if I could rescue the untouched fries from a neighboring table of divers (seriously, who doesn’t eat their fries?). So when B asked if we could get dessert, I didn’t hesitate. I ordered a slice of passion fruit cheesecake and devoured it immediately. No regrets.

Back at the apartment, I took a few minutes to explore our private coastline. The tide pools were teeming with sea urchins and tiny fish, and the ocean—wild, rhythmic, relentless—was the perfect place to wind down.

Now today's blogging is done, and I’m determined to get to bed at a reasonable hour. We’ve got kayaking and snorkeling lined up tomorrow, and I want to be ready for it all. Until then, wish us good AC and sweet dreams.