Easy is the word of the day

So you throw some fins, a snorkel and a wetsuit into a suitcase. Maybe some comfy bike shorts and a couple of tank tops and t-shirts and some sandals along with no more than three pairs of undies can fit too. Easy.

Wear the rest of your outfit, in my case a long skirt with thigh high socks from American Apparel. Socks are easier to deal with than tights because you can put them on or take them off pretty much anywhere. Layering is key, a light long sleeved top, a hooded sweater with a light jacket replaces a heavy coat. Once I added my tuque and scarf, I was pretty much indistinguishable from the rest of the winter-weary commuters in Montreal. 

For footwear, I have a pair of waterproof Merrell sneakers which although they aren't particularly warm, have excellent traction for negotiating down an icy, snowy hill carrying a 28kg duffel and a carry-on tote. Yeah, I made the duffel a bit heavy by packing a week's worth of food rations. Cans of tuna and a pound of pasta are not hard to come by in Bonaire but I'd rather schlep it by plane than lug it home from the grocery store in the heat.

Luckily, my home is a seven minute walk to the bus terminal where I can catch the 747 shuttle to the airport. The fare is covered by my monthly transit pass but if you're from out of town, you can buy a single ticket for around 10 dollars in coins only. At the airport and at the bus terminal there are machines and certain electronic parking meter stations can issue you a ticket and you can pay using a credit card but god forbid you show up and hand a purple $10 bill to the bus driver. He'll be sure to cuss you out in Quebec's official language. I'd like to say "easy" but, due to bureaucracy, not so much.

Airport check in at YUL is hit or miss. I was there ridiculously early for my late afternoon flight and enjoyed zero waiting time. Bought my travel bagels right at the gate...that's convenience! Flight time to Newark is just around one hour but some air traffic and ground crew issues meant an extra hour gate to gate. Still, pretty easy considering how iffy the weather can be in winter. The duffel came off the baggage carroussel and I whipped over to the handy Air Train monorail to catch the airport hotel shuttle. Next morning, I reversed the procedure, shuttle, monorail, checking my bag back in and breakfast!

Pro-tip for those in the middle seat of an airplane. Acquaint yourself with a toothbrush before boarding. Oy. The guy next to me had such stinky breath that I had to keep my handkerchief over my mouth for the duration of the flight.

Luckily, the time passed quickly and I worked on crocheting a cotton lace doily which is relaxing and somewhat productive.

Before I knew it the ice chunks in the ocean turned into yachts and dive boats as we approached for landing.

My cab was waiting for me in the terminal and the driver handed me my key to unit #1 at Bonaire Oceanfront Apartments. 15 minutes later, I was in the dive shop purchasing my Marine Park permit to snorkel. For ten bucks a year, I feel good about supporting STINAPA, the organization that protects the reefs. Not even an hour after clearing customs, I was back in the ocean in my favourite place in the world. Now that's easy.