My wife and I visited Aruba for the first time that same week (as Natalee). We had a great trip, and our hearts go out to the Holloway family, and of course, hope is that Natalee is found.

I can honestly say that the people of Aruba are indeed friendly, almost sweet, and were much more helpful than most anywhere I've traveled.

Their willingness to help out in these circumstances is astounding. I'm hearing now that Aruba's civil servants are joining the search en masse, along with those who have already been scouring the island all week. I can’t think of many other places where that would happen. Impressive!

If anything about this could stick in my craw, though, it would be the time that went by before this level of effort kicked off. In defense of the authorities, it’s a pretty laid back place. On a bus tour of the island, our guide talked about how some tourists come and never do leave. I’m paraphrasing here, but it went something like this:
“You can even find work here, but the immigration officials will come one day and ask you for your work permit. If you have left it at the hotel, they’ll give you a ride to the hotel. And if you don’t have one, they’ll also give you a ride-- to the airport.”

It makes me wonder, when I hear quotes like that and those of Commissioner Jan van der Straaten, “After four or five days you are afraid a crime has been committed.” Yes, indeed. How much time did go by before a real search was started? I get that Aruba is laid back, and cases of people not wanting to leave are common, but Natalee’s bags were packed along with her passport. The authorities could see that on day one. Why would it take “four or five days” to wonder if there might be a crime?

It’s not known to me for a fact, but it also sounds like all of the “chaperones” left on their chartered jet last week. If that’s true, they’ll just have to live with that. I sure hope I’m wrong about that and that I just got the wrong impression, and at least one stayed behind to raise hell and get the ball rolling looking for Natalee.

The place is also spitting distance from Venezuela. You only have to take one look at the US State Department’s travel advisory on Venezuela http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1059.html “Safety and Security” section to see why we did not even consider our usual day trip to neighboring places. You can see Venezuela from Aruba, it’s that nearby. Hopefully, private inquiries are underway, and reward offers being made in there as well.

We’ve combed our film of the trip, but alas, not one picture of Natalee. Guess our paths never crossed at the same time. I wish we could have offered something useful, but our prayers and hopeful thoughts for Natalee and her family are certainly there. I would only add that the people of Aruba are to be commended for the effort that was and especially is now underway. That is really something!