Just returned from Bonaire

When you check with the dive shops at any hotels, there are boats that go
out. Many of the people shore dive after a first boat dive for the day.
Every hotel has a dock where people just jump off and dive the reef. I have
yet to see any diver say 'no you can't join our group on a dive. If you are
sitting around the pool bar, everyone shares their story and meeting others.
If someone asks to join us, we always welcome them.

Just an aside, I am not in the travel industry. I am not in advertising.
We are just recreational divers who have had great experiences in Bonaire.
We have also been to Fiji, Cozumel, Belize, Grand Cayman, Bahamas, and
Honduras so are not just awe struck by our very positive Bonaire travel.




"Caribbean Girl" <nothanks@microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:6aztg.1$iP1.0@bignews2.bellsouth.net...
> What do you mean "there are always plenty of people that you can join up
> with"? Is it people you find at the dive sites? They don't mind you
> diving with them? It's good to hear about how safe it is. I would just
> rather he dive with someone.
>
> Thanks!
>
>
> "ginmill01" <ginmill01@cox.net> wrote in message
> news:v3itg.111645$TK1.100619@fed1read06...
>> We have been to Bonaire 5 times. It is VERY safe. We have NEVER had
>> anything stolen. We heard on one item stolen the week before we got
>> there. Some guy left his t shirt on the hood of his truck...maybe it blew
>> away! We shore dive and never have problems. There were plenty of
>> families there when we went. Some folks we met were on their 4th trip.
>> They brought their 2 sons, 6 and 8 and had plenty to do. They stayed at
>> Buddy Dive, which is where we stayed. They raved about how wonderful it
>> was. They swam, layed by the pool, hiked, read, bowled, and told us that
>> it was the best. Yes, the Plaza probably has more for the kids because
>> it is bigger. As for the diving. It is and can be safe if the diver is
>> smart. Walking can be dangerous if done wrong. Bonaire is a very safe
>> place to dive. Again, there are always plenty of people that you can
>> join up with if you are traveling alone.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> "bullshark" <bullshark@gmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:1152538318.380733.306610@s13g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
>>> Caribbean Girl wrote:
>>>>we're trying to figure out if it'll be a good trip for the whole family
>>>>to go on.
>>>
>>> No. Bonaire is an arrid desert.
>>>
>>>> We have a six and a one year old.
>>>
>>> Lucky you.
>>>
>>>> Is there anything for the three of us non-divers to do there?
>>>
>>> No. Bonaire is an arrid desert.
>>>
>>>> Is it safe for him to do the shore diving alone?
>>>
>>> No. Diving is never safe. Shore diving is less so, and doing it alone
>>> in a
>>> strange place is not a good idea.
>>>
>>>> Is there a good hotel you would recommend?
>>>
>>> No.
>>>
>>>> One last
>>>> question: What's the best way to get there? We live in Atlanta GA and
>>>> there
>>>> we haven't found any really good flight options.
>>>
>>> There is regular nonstop service to Bonaire from Amsterdam.
>>>
>>> The current route is via PR on AA using American Eagle small commuter
>>> turbo props. They are bumpy, loud and small. The service is not daily,
>>> so if
>>> your connection is late you get to spend *days* in PR.
>>>
>>> Dive resorts are no place for an infant, or a small child. Taking your
>>> children there would be a huge imposition on the other guests. Believe
>>> it or not, some people think infants should nurtured at home. There is
>>> hardly anything less appreciated or more feared than the aircraft seat
>>> next to an infant or small child, unless its the seats in front or
>>> behind.
>>>
>>> For every dottard that isn't offended, there are a hundred pairs of
>>> rolling eyes and silent prayers promising anything in hopes of not
>>> being
>>> afflicted with your smelly, screaming, snotty, puking mess, which is
>>> probably incubating eight kinds of contagion since that's what babies
>>> do,
>>> pretty much continuously, until they are 6 or 7, when they reduce to 2
>>> or 3.
>>>
>>> It's such a treat to be in restaurant on the balcony overlooking the
>>> sunset and have the whole meal and mood slaughtered by a
>>> screaming child. Why is it that the handlers never want to reimburse
>>> me for ruining our evening?
>>>
>>> Then there's the inevitable thoughtless placement of a bassinet or
>>> baby carrier. On the bar. On the table. It's so very special.
>>>
>>> Lets not forget the baby's health. My best friends son is profoundly
>>> deaf, because he had to take him on a plane trip to show him off.
>>> The poor kid had an undetected blockage caused by minor illness
>>> and cabin pressure blew his ears out. He was abnormally cranky,
>>> but unable to talk. Even if he could, what would he say. "My ears
>>> hurt. Land the plane."? Of course arriving in a strange place on
>>> vacation the child went untreated since they had no way of
>>> knowing what had happened or even that the baby was seriously
>>> injured. In any case, how do you find a trustworthy pediatrician
>>> in a strange land where they treat croup with chicken blood?
>>>
>>> You wanted a baby. You got a baby.
>>> Infants are delicate. What are you thinking?
>>>
>>> Leave the baby with a friend, your sister/brother/mother. Maybe you
>>> can hire a house sitter/nanny. Failing that, maybe a kennel
>>> will take it.
>>>
>>> Bonaire is not for you. That's the price you pay, don't share the cost.
>>> Stay home. Love your child. Keep it safe. Drive to Disney.
>>>
>>> bullshark
>>>
>>
>>
>
>

This sounds cool. I'd be a lot more comfortable if he could join someone.

Thanks again!

"ginmill01" <ginmill01@cox.net> wrote in message
news:e_Btg.111656$TK1.98222@fed1read06...
> When you check with the dive shops at any hotels, there are boats that go
> out. Many of the people shore dive after a first boat dive for the day.
> Every hotel has a dock where people just jump off and dive the reef. I
> have yet to see any diver say 'no you can't join our group on a dive. If
> you are sitting around the pool bar, everyone shares their story and
> meeting others. If someone asks to join us, we always welcome them.
>
> Just an aside, I am not in the travel industry. I am not in advertising.
> We are just recreational divers who have had great experiences in Bonaire.
> We have also been to Fiji, Cozumel, Belize, Grand Cayman, Bahamas, and
> Honduras so are not just awe struck by our very positive Bonaire travel.
>
>
>
>
> "Caribbean Girl" <nothanks@microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:6aztg.1$iP1.0@bignews2.bellsouth.net...
>> What do you mean "there are always plenty of people that you can join up
>> with"? Is it people you find at the dive sites? They don't mind you
>> diving with them? It's good to hear about how safe it is. I would just
>> rather he dive with someone.
>>
>> Thanks!
>>
>>
>> "ginmill01" <ginmill01@cox.net> wrote in message
>> news:v3itg.111645$TK1.100619@fed1read06...
>>> We have been to Bonaire 5 times. It is VERY safe. We have NEVER had
>>> anything stolen. We heard on one item stolen the week before we got
>>> there. Some guy left his t shirt on the hood of his truck...maybe it
>>> blew away! We shore dive and never have problems. There were plenty of
>>> families there when we went. Some folks we met were on their 4th trip.
>>> They brought their 2 sons, 6 and 8 and had plenty to do. They stayed at
>>> Buddy Dive, which is where we stayed. They raved about how wonderful it
>>> was. They swam, layed by the pool, hiked, read, bowled, and told us
>>> that it was the best. Yes, the Plaza probably has more for the kids
>>> because it is bigger. As for the diving. It is and can be safe if the
>>> diver is smart. Walking can be dangerous if done wrong. Bonaire is a
>>> very safe place to dive. Again, there are always plenty of people that
>>> you can join up with if you are traveling alone.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> "bullshark" <bullshark@gmail.com> wrote in message
>>> news:1152538318.380733.306610@s13g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
>>>> Caribbean Girl wrote:
>>>>>we're trying to figure out if it'll be a good trip for the whole family
>>>>>to go on.
>>>>
>>>> No. Bonaire is an arrid desert.
>>>>
>>>>> We have a six and a one year old.
>>>>
>>>> Lucky you.
>>>>
>>>>> Is there anything for the three of us non-divers to do there?
>>>>
>>>> No. Bonaire is an arrid desert.
>>>>
>>>>> Is it safe for him to do the shore diving alone?
>>>>
>>>> No. Diving is never safe. Shore diving is less so, and doing it alone
>>>> in a
>>>> strange place is not a good idea.
>>>>
>>>>> Is there a good hotel you would recommend?
>>>>
>>>> No.
>>>>
>>>>> One last
>>>>> question: What's the best way to get there? We live in Atlanta GA and
>>>>> there
>>>>> we haven't found any really good flight options.
>>>>
>>>> There is regular nonstop service to Bonaire from Amsterdam.
>>>>
>>>> The current route is via PR on AA using American Eagle small commuter
>>>> turbo props. They are bumpy, loud and small. The service is not daily,
>>>> so if
>>>> your connection is late you get to spend *days* in PR.
>>>>
>>>> Dive resorts are no place for an infant, or a small child. Taking your
>>>> children there would be a huge imposition on the other guests. Believe
>>>> it or not, some people think infants should nurtured at home. There is
>>>> hardly anything less appreciated or more feared than the aircraft seat
>>>> next to an infant or small child, unless its the seats in front or
>>>> behind.
>>>>
>>>> For every dottard that isn't offended, there are a hundred pairs of
>>>> rolling eyes and silent prayers promising anything in hopes of not
>>>> being
>>>> afflicted with your smelly, screaming, snotty, puking mess, which is
>>>> probably incubating eight kinds of contagion since that's what babies
>>>> do,
>>>> pretty much continuously, until they are 6 or 7, when they reduce to 2
>>>> or 3.
>>>>
>>>> It's such a treat to be in restaurant on the balcony overlooking the
>>>> sunset and have the whole meal and mood slaughtered by a
>>>> screaming child. Why is it that the handlers never want to reimburse
>>>> me for ruining our evening?
>>>>
>>>> Then there's the inevitable thoughtless placement of a bassinet or
>>>> baby carrier. On the bar. On the table. It's so very special.
>>>>
>>>> Lets not forget the baby's health. My best friends son is profoundly
>>>> deaf, because he had to take him on a plane trip to show him off.
>>>> The poor kid had an undetected blockage caused by minor illness
>>>> and cabin pressure blew his ears out. He was abnormally cranky,
>>>> but unable to talk. Even if he could, what would he say. "My ears
>>>> hurt. Land the plane."? Of course arriving in a strange place on
>>>> vacation the child went untreated since they had no way of
>>>> knowing what had happened or even that the baby was seriously
>>>> injured. In any case, how do you find a trustworthy pediatrician
>>>> in a strange land where they treat croup with chicken blood?
>>>>
>>>> You wanted a baby. You got a baby.
>>>> Infants are delicate. What are you thinking?
>>>>
>>>> Leave the baby with a friend, your sister/brother/mother. Maybe you
>>>> can hire a house sitter/nanny. Failing that, maybe a kennel
>>>> will take it.
>>>>
>>>> Bonaire is not for you. That's the price you pay, don't share the cost.
>>>> Stay home. Love your child. Keep it safe. Drive to Disney.
>>>>
>>>> bullshark
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>

On Fri, 14 Jul 2006 12:01:37 -0400, "Caribbean Girl"
<nothanks@microsoft.com> wrote:

>This sounds cool. I'd be a lot more comfortable if he could join someone.
>

<snip>

My wife and I have been to Bonaire 5 times. We have stayed at Lion
dive, Buddy dive and Sand Dollar. Get a rental pickup truck to
facilitate shore diving. Do not lock the truck or close the windows it
will get broken into. Talk to the dive shop at your hotel there will
be people you can hook up with and dive I do it every time I go, my
wife does not dive. If you have a non diver have them come along and
they can make sure no one goes through your stuff, this will allow you
to bring cameras etc and beer for after the dive. Crime is not an
issue if you understand that up north in the one way road area there
is an industry of liberating valuables from visiters, one woman I met
and went on a couple shore dives with at ol Blue and here really cool
multi function tool and her underware taken while we were diving.
Cigarette lighters and camera seem to be their favorite targets. I
guess the dark red thong was more like impulse shopping. And oh yes, I
will be going back this comming winter.

"Lee Bell" <pleebell2@bellsouth.net> wrote in message
news:uzqtg.20915$Oc5.7374@bignews4.bellsouth.net.. .

> Pardon me for saying this, but you sound like a commercial advertisement.
> Your comments are inconsistent with a long history of comments by other
> divers.
>
> Bullshark, on the other hand, has a long history of very precise and
> accurate posts in this forum.

a) You haven't been to Bonaire, have you?

b) Other than mixed comments about petty theft on Bonaire, bullshark's rant
is one of the only negative posts you can find about the "arrid" island.
How precise and accurate can he be when he can't even spell arid?

c) What's wrong with deserts? I just spent several days diving around the
arid desert islands of Komodo National Park. Sure beats the rank, dank
humidity of islands with climates similar to the mosquito-infested swampland
you both call home. And the diving wasn't too bad either.

d) Bonaire is a [relatively] safe place to dive. Bonaire is a [relatively]
safe place to visit. I've never had anything stolen there. Buddy Dive is
supposed to be a great resort. I'm planning on staying there this March,
after choosing Bonaire for a second visit because I preferred the diving
there over several other places I've dove in the past. Hope that doesn't
sound too commercial.

On Mon, 17 Jul 2006 09:05:10 -0700, "Greg Mossman" <mossman@qnet.com>
wrote:

>"Lee Bell" <pleebell2@bellsouth.net> wrote in message
>news:uzqtg.20915$Oc5.7374@bignews4.bellsouth.net. ..
>
>> Pardon me for saying this, but you sound like a commercial advertisement.
>> Your comments are inconsistent with a long history of comments by other
>> divers.
>>
>> Bullshark, on the other hand, has a long history of very precise and
>> accurate posts in this forum.
>
>a) You haven't been to Bonaire, have you?
>
>b) Other than mixed comments about petty theft on Bonaire, bullshark's rant
>is one of the only negative posts you can find about the "arrid" island.
>How precise and accurate can he be when he can't even spell arid?
>
>c) What's wrong with deserts? I just spent several days diving around the
>arid desert islands of Komodo National Park. Sure beats the rank, dank
>humidity of islands with climates similar to the mosquito-infested swampland
>you both call home. And the diving wasn't too bad either.
>
>d) Bonaire is a [relatively] safe place to dive. Bonaire is a [relatively]
>safe place to visit. I've never had anything stolen there. Buddy Dive is
>supposed to be a great resort. I'm planning on staying there this March,
>after choosing Bonaire for a second visit because I preferred the diving
>there over several other places I've dove in the past. Hope that doesn't
>sound too commercial.
>
>
Greg;
Buddy dive is getting rather worn from use, you might check
out Sand Dollar or Bel Mar. Sand Dollar has it's own dive shop, I
believe Bel Mar uses Buddy dive. I haven't stayed there, but last Feb
I heard Capt Don's is showing wear and tear also.

Rod wrote:
> Buddy dive is getting rather worn from use, you might check
> out Sand Dollar or Bel Mar. Sand Dollar has it's own dive shop, I
> believe Bel Mar uses Buddy dive. I haven't stayed there, but last Feb
> I heard Capt Don's is showing wear and tear also.

When we were in Bonaire last year, the Sand Dollar was looking pretty
shabby, and it just wasn't the same place it was before Lenny. I stayed
there several times in the 90's.

Plaza is definitely the nice place on the island. They seem to cater to
a more European crowd, and we had some language difficulties with them,
but they did try to please us.

I didn't see much of his place, but I liked Bruce Bowker. I had a small
problem with one of my regulators, and Bruce sold me the part I needed
to put it right at a very reasonable price, even though I was staying
and diving somewhere else. If I were to go back, I'd definitely give
his place a look.

"Rod" <log_dog@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:44bccfe1.340446750@news.verizon.net...

> Greg;
> Buddy dive is getting rather worn from use, you might check
> out Sand Dollar or Bel Mar. Sand Dollar has it's own dive shop, I
> believe Bel Mar uses Buddy dive. I haven't stayed there, but last Feb
> I heard Capt Don's is showing wear and tear also.

Capt. Don's was showing wear and tear back when I stayed there over the
2003-2004 New Year's. At the time, we spent our New Year's festivities
largely at Buddy since they were much nicer. A little wear and tear doesn't
bother me, and I don't care about luxuries on a primarily shore-diving trip.
In fact, since I primarily do liveaboards, I regard a one-bedroom
"apartment" that doesn't bob up and down as palatial accomodation for a dive
trip. Plus, every report but yours calls Sand Dollar a POS. Maybe I'll
live to regret it, but Buddy is where I'm headed in March.

Greg Mossman wrote:

> a) You haven't been to Bonaire, have you?

I don't know about Lee, but I've been there twice, most recently in
March.

It's a fucking desert; mostly a Salt Desert. It's the most desolate
dive destination I've ever been too. I get a kick out of reading the
restaurant reports. It translates to
"Hubby brought me here for vacation and thinks I'm gonna cook and do
dishes".

> b) Other than mixed comments about petty theft on Bonaire, bullshark's rant

The comments about petty theft are not "mixed", they are uniform, and I
didn't make them. Personally I suspect that Park rangers and Police are
the chief perps.

I've always planned on thievery, prepared for it by leaving nothing of
value in the vehicle, and consequently I've never had anything stolen.
Surprise!

> How precise and accurate can he be when he can't even spell arid?

More than twice as accurate as you, since
1) I've been there twice as much as you
2) I've been there this year.
3) I didn't resort to spelling and grammar to make points, *loser*.

> c) What's wrong with deserts?

Nothing as long as you're a lizard, or an ass.

> Sure beats the rank, dank humidity of islands with climates similar to the mosquito-infested swampland you both call home. And the diving wasn't too bad either.

No it doesn't. It just seems that way when you're living the pampered
care-free life of a super luxury liveaboard, and you don't have to live
there. Having just spent a few days in Bali doesn't hurt either.

> d) Bonaire is a [relatively] safe place to dive.

It all depends. I think the shore diving is deceptive. There are two
principal dangers:
1) navigation - South dives in particular require excellent navigation
skills.
Its my opinion that this is why so many divers "prefer" the far less
beautiful North sites. The danger here is surfacing, LOA, and having a
long long surface swim. It's not a good idea to do this solo.

2) Entries - The bottom is hard, uneven , littered with large rocks and
holes.
Even in small waves, getting to water deep enough to be "safe" can be a
challenge with all the gear on. Falling will produce only minor
scrapes, sprains and an occasional break, with the unlucky ones
planting body parts on the common urchins and scorpion fish that are
found there. It's not a good idea to do this solo. If you haven't
fallen down diving Bonaire, then I'd have to guess that you haven't
done any shore diving there.

That is the primary reason I think it unsafe to shore dive alone.

3) the slope-to-shelf contour so typical of Bonaire dive sites is an
invitation to missed safety stops and unintended rapid ascents. Again I
see this as more of a problem with the Mid-to-South dives, where it's
compounded by divers bobbing to the surface trying to find out where
they are, since they inevitably don't know.

> Bonaire is a [relatively] safe place to visit.

It might be the safest place I've ever visited. I'd put it right up
there with Volin, SD.

>I've never had anything stolen there.

Neither have I. I make it my mission to not have anything in the
vehicle worth stealing. I follow the instructions provided at
orientation, I follow the instructions printed on the dashboard of the
rented vehicle. Far from being a myth, petty theft is an institution.

> Buddy Dive is supposed to be a great resort.

It is, but it's not for everyone. I would give them an "A+" if I gave
such things, but I don't. "A+" is an ideal. They get an "A" though.

Their dive masters let you dive as you like.
Their boats are comfortable.
Their Nitrox is abundant, inexpensive, and even available in ean36.
Only the bedrooms are air conditioned.
The house reef is a reasonably good dive.
They are well situated for North or South diving.
Their trucks are roomy, economical and recent vintage with all parts
working.
They have plenty of clean safe water. It's all RO, made on site.
The biggest negative is that they don't know what coffee is.
The Lions Den finding a restaurant for dinner unnecessary.

I'll probably diver there again before you get there next March. It's
not my favorite Caribbean destination, but Dec-Mar I don't know
anywhere else that has warm water.

bullshark

On Tue, 18 Jul 2006 08:10:25 -0700, "Greg Mossman" <mossman@qnet.com>
wrote:

>"Rod" <log_dog@verizon.net> wrote in message
>news:44bccfe1.340446750@news.verizon.net...
>
>> Greg;
>> Buddy dive is getting rather worn from use, you might check
>> out Sand Dollar or Bel Mar. Sand Dollar has it's own dive shop, I
>> believe Bel Mar uses Buddy dive. I haven't stayed there, but last Feb
>> I heard Capt Don's is showing wear and tear also.
>
>Capt. Don's was showing wear and tear back when I stayed there over the
>2003-2004 New Year's. At the time, we spent our New Year's festivities
>largely at Buddy since they were much nicer. A little wear and tear doesn't
>bother me, and I don't care about luxuries on a primarily shore-diving trip.
>In fact, since I primarily do liveaboards, I regard a one-bedroom
>"apartment" that doesn't bob up and down as palatial accomodation for a dive
>trip. Plus, every report but yours calls Sand Dollar a POS. Maybe I'll
>live to regret it, but Buddy is where I'm headed in March.
>
>
The Dive operation at Sand Dollar was a problem, the rooms were nicer
than Buddy and they had screened in porchs.

"-hh" <recscuba_google@huntzinger.com> wrote in message
news:1153253099.329230.156290@75g2000cwc.googlegro ups.com...

> Greg's been there. Its been a few years since my last time there. I
> find that its just enough of a hassle to get there that combined with
> having to keep the "city radar" engaged while visiting doesn't position
> it as a particularly relaxing trip that makes it rank high on the
> vacation priority list.

After my last trip, Bonaire sounds like a piece of cake. LAX to IAH on a
737, a long enough layover for dinner at Pappadeaux, then a 737 red-eye to
BON, arriving Saturday morning in time to make the mandatory dive brief and
get the plastic thingy. If Continental delays my leaving LAX for four hours
(like they did enroute to Bali) then I'm terribly screwed (like I was
enroute to Bali) because they don't do the trip again for another week. But
four-hour delays leaving LAX are rare, and in a worst-case scenario I could
probably get to Aruba or Curacao and take Exel.

> Its really arid down south in the salt pans. Up north, there's enough
> cactus-types to pass for a semblence of green before you look more
> closely.

I'm there for the blue. We don't like diving in green seas, so who needs
green on land? I'll see that pretty green swath of trees from the plane as
I land in Houston. And I arrive in Bonaire on St. Pat's Day, so there will
probably be plenty of green that day and night.

> Bonaire's hardly unique in this regards, but the "unlimited shore
> diving" bug does tend to attract cheapskate divers who think that they
> can be happy living on Peanut Butter & Jelly sandwitches for a week.
> YMMV.

The fridge can come in handy, though. Nothing like a cold beer before an
early-morning solo house reef dive.

> I've seen evidence of it on every trip we've gone there on. The last
> time I looked into it (a few months ago), there was a new police chief
> and comments that it might finally make a significant difference.
> However, the general trend over the past half decade seems to be that
> there's now more room break-in's these days. Since the "room safes"
> are rarely big enough for my UW camera gear, this causes a dilemma.

Why bring the camera? It's not like there's anything worth shooting in the
Caribbean and cameras are a real PITA on shore dives.

> Particularly when there's any current running. There have been some
> instances of diver "disappearances" where they were last seen entering
> at Pink Beach, etc.

Two divers disappeared when I was there, never to be seen again. But I
didn't realize that happened so often. They sent out helicopters and
everything.

> And generally more exposed to wave action down south too. OTOH, there
> is a dive operator who's running boat dives out on the East side, which
> sounds interesting.

I met "wild side" Larry at the bar at City Cafe and he had convinced me
after only 4 Amstels that I needed to dive the East. I then convinced five
of our group to join me, which we planned for Jan. 2, but they flaked out
and when I called Larry to cancel, he told me that he was already planning
on canceling due to weather, though I'm not sure he was going to call and
tell us. Maybe I'll give it another try in March.

> Greg has previously complained about nasty surge pushing him into a
> Bonaire dock piling and its fire coral nailing him, so that would count
> as a "minor slip". His elbow was injured at City Cafe

Which counts as a "major slip". Elbow hurt for a year after. Fire coral
scab went away within a month.

> Each place has its pro's and con's. I've considered using Buddies, as
> well as Bruce Bowker's Carib Inn. Maybe in 2007 or 08 if there's
> meaningfully good news on the crime front.

I'll see you there in March '07, and personally guarantee your freedom from
petty theft as long as you don't leave anything in your rental vehicle and
you leave your camera and all other valuables at home.