We've been doing our annual Bonaire trip for over 17 years or so! Somewhere along the line we started our own private Happy Hours in the 3 rooms behind the bar and half way between the dive shop and the lobby OR MOST RECENTLY IN THE STUDIO ROOMS RIGHT BY THE DIVE SHOP. The original rooms we've used in the past are handicapped rooms so if someone needed them then we could have them so changed to the STUDIOS NEAR THE DIVE SHOP. Chez Neal was named after one of the guys that hosted it for the first time and then every year after that for a number of years... aka Neal. The name stuck and we'd like to do it again this year.
How Does It Work?
1. We choose a location (the rooms by the dive shop or other) and we meet there after diving to socialize, have a drink and either wait for dinner if its an included meal OR decide where to go if its not an included meal.
2 People bring the beverage of their choice as the STUDIO'S HAVE FULL SIZED REFRIGERATORS IN THEM and/or buy booze at duty free and either leave it at Chez Neal or just bring it back and forth with then when they come hang out. BOOZE IS NOT REQUIRED and you can BRING ANY BEVERAGE OF YOUR CHOICE! (WE WILL HAVE OTHER BEVERAGES FROM The LOCAL STORE AVAILABLE AS WELL!!)
3. People buy mixers and beer at the local store about 2 blocks away and usually we leave them in the refrigerators of the people who have the appointed Chez Neal rooms. (If we have no volunteers I will do it if my poor roomie does not kill me! Again you can bring them with you when you join the fun. THIS IS A GOOD THING TO DO SATURDAY SINCE WE CAN NOT DIVE!
4. If we have enough interest we can collect a few bucks from everyone i.e $5-10 and use this to buy cups, mixers, snacks, etc. for the Happy Hours. Again not mandatory but if it sounds like fun then this helps to make it all work out. And 5-10 bucks is very cheap but should help defray most of the costs for the week. Let's just say its a lot cheaper than the resort's bar.
What we need?
1. We need volunteers to HOST Chez Neal
2. We need volunteers to help get mixers, beer, cups, snacks
3. We need people to buy DUTY FREE BOOZE for themselves and maybe to share
4. We need people to bring snacks from home i.e nuts, party mixes etc as they are hard to get on the island
5. We need people willing to help clean up after Chez Neal and/or as we go to help keep the burden off the hosts and hostesses.
6. And we need people to PARTICIPATE!!!
VERY IMPORTANT NOTE..this is ONLY a social opportunity:
...
1. We are NOT a diving club with a drinking problem
2. We are NOT drinkers with a diving problem.
3. The first drink you have is the last dive of the day.
4. Chez Neal WILL close at a reasonable hour so that people can get plenty of sleep.
5. We invite EVERYONE to come by and hang out. Don't drink...no worries. Didn't buy a bottle at duty free? No problem THERE IS USUALLY TOO MUCH BOOZE THERE ANYWAY. Come by anyway and just hang out! AND any extra booze is given to the dive shop staff... YEP...they love us!
So who's game to join us? Please reply below!
1. Kamala aka WreckWench (I will also host if no one volunteers to help. (Its a great way to meet other people and help the group out!)
2. Scott & Teresa will help co-host the HH if rooms line up as the Wench wants!
3. Monica aka waterchild - Will try to bring some snacks and R-OH. I get in late on Saturday - can "Club Soda" be added to the list? I drink a lot of it!
Edited by dive_sail_etc, 27 February 2023 - 12:15 PM.