Day 28: Easter Island

We got up at 6:15 this morning so we could be at Tongariki (the "fifteen") for the sunrise. It was well worth the agony of an early alarm clock, as we got to seen the sun rise over the ocean behind the 15 moai.




Here is the cove right behind the moai:




This is Frank, Richard and Archana waiting with the other scattered tourists for the full sunrise effect.




We decided to drive further up the coast so we could get a better view of the sun and the water. Here is the view back down the coast of the beautiful sunrise we were lucky enough to get on the one morning we got up early. And not a bit of rain!!




I even got a bird to fly across at exactly the right moment:




Here Frank and Archana wait patiently for me and Richard to stop taking so many photos:




Once back in town, we decided to check out the local church which is an interesting combination of Catholicism and local culture.




In the afternoon, we went to a restaurant overlooking the water called Au Bout du Monde ("at the end of the world") where we were the only ones there (not unusual at this time of year in Easter Island).




We walked further along the coast to find a grassy spot in the sun to sit and read. It was near the moai we visited on our first day when we came to watch the sunset. Here the gang tries to deal with yet another random dog.




Here is the group of moai that we camped out near to enjoy the much-appreciated sun.




This picture shows the very common occurence of a random troop of horses galloping down the street.




Here Frankie walks back up toward our hotel on the second most "main" street in town. Note the partially covered drain along the side of the road where the dogs often run while the group around us.




All in all, a very successful day and wonderfully sunny! Our only non-pictured adventure involved trying to get additional cash to pay our hotel bill given that their credit card machine was broken. The one island ATM wasn't giving Richard or Frank cash, so we needed an alternate plan. Archana and Richard were able to skip the probably-hour-long line at the bank when we found out that travelers' cheques could be more easily cashed at the gas station where no commission was required. Frank and I ended up having to use dollars we had been saving for China. (Another obstacle is that my ATM card had expired while we were in Santiago - my sister is forwarding it to me so it is waiting when we get back to Santiago tomorrow night, but for now I am useless in the cash-providing department.)

We had a lovely gelato break this afternoon down by the water with only minimal dog annoyance and then borrowed the Chez Joseph snazzy red Jeep to pick up our laundry and go to dinner. One last drink at Cafe Ra'a before we leave the island for good tomorrow! I think our 5 days here were very well spent and we ended up really loving the amazingly beautiful countryside and the stunning sights of the quarry and volcanos. But we are also looking forward to a few more Santiago adventures before heading to NZ.

And Caragh, I am considering kicking Frank in 20% of his body now that he made the recent proclamation that we are that far along on this trip. As predicted, it is flying by...

ILM