On the other hand I thought afterwards that being bonded for 5 years could have held me back for something better down the track.
Could be where you lost it. It costs a lot of money to train a pilot, and they want a return on their investment. Yes you are bonded and they will get some of the cash back if you leave early, but they wont get back the extra time now needed to replace you, nor will they get to use the experience that you gain while flying for them.