Off to Easter Island Oct 23, 2016

Another very early morning with breakfast at 6:30 local time and consisting of pre-made  little triangles of cheese and ham on thin white bread. There was also a cup of unsweetened plain yogurt which was very strong tasting and very good. Hard as it may be to believe, neither of us took a photo of it, though with it being white bread and white yogurt on a white plate it wouldn't have made very good photo anyway. Considerate Bob.

After that we stood in line. No, really, that's what we did. Being Sunday, there was only one flight to the Island, but it was on a 787 that completely full. First we waited to get our boarding passes. The line extending far out into the terminal from the back and forth marked off area. While we waited in line our guide was doing all she could to have our luggage on this flight. It had arrived from Miami, but the big question was would it be transfered to our flight before we pulled away from the gate. If so there will be smiles in the baggage area on the Island. If not then what will be will be. I have learned from this baggage incident that a woman can do without most anything, but if she doesn't have a hair brush it is the next closest thing to the earth ending. I have also learned that suggesting she merely run her fingers though her hair is positively the wrong thing to say. Badly Scorched Bob.

There actually wasn't any backup at security, but when we reached the entrance to the concourse our gate was on, the doors were looked.  This time the wait wasn't as long to check in, so the wait was only a little over a half hour. It was just that there was no where to sit so we once again stood for the entire time.

The morning couldn't end without another wait, this time to board the plane. Did you know you wait in line for a long time when your group is the last one to board. Patient Bob. Not Quite So Patient Linda.

In the end we did board the aircraft as our selfie documents. Today we were in the center three seat section with Linda on the aisle and her ever faithful companion occupying  the middle seat. You can't say I don't know my place. Well Trained Bob.

The flight to Easter Island takes 5 hours and is two time zones to the west. Looking at the map it comes very close to being in the proverbial middle of nowhere. It also makes Chile a lot bigger than it appears, 3,000 miles north and south and 2,000 miles east and west. And it is actually on 200 miles farther from Tahiti than it is to Chile, which is 2,000 miles to the east.

Meanwhile, Latam Airlines was saving breakfast on board.  Neither Linda or I eat a big breakfast, preferring just enough to break the normal over night fast. It will be interesting to see what a typical Chilean breakfast is like.

The view from the back of our section of the plane shows people engaged in a variety of persuits. I was surprised to find a photo of myself on Linda's camera. You will note that I am pretending to be asleep, when I  am actually reading the notes about Easter Island. Pinocchio Bob.

Before long it touchdown on one of the planet's longest runways, completely designed and built courtesy of the  US taxpayers as an alternate emergency landing field for the space shuttle. Speaking of touchdowns I took this photo just before Linda touched her foot down all on Easter Island for the very fist time. And I only had to shove one little old lady out of the way to beat Linda down the ramp. No jet ways here, everything is in the open air for the one plane a day lands.

In the baggage claim area it was Happy Days are here again, as both our bags arrived when we did. Annie deserved all the credit as she had really worked to make it happen if it was possible.

After a late light lunch that included a new way to drink lemonade, cut back on the sweetener and add some fresh grated ginger, we were off on tour of this end of the Island. Today was about history and different cultures that had inhabited the Island during the past 1500 years. One thing that stood out was the shear beauty of the island. The thing was how little we knew about the actual history of the Is land.

I Realize everyone thinks of the statues we they think of Easter Island, so I included one photo of Linda beside a statue. This one was 7 feet tall with nearly all of it buried in the ground. Tomorrow will be a day filled with statues, so it will likely be overloaded with photos of Linda next to one statue after another. It's a very long day and we are both beat, so I'll wish everyone a good night from Easter Island.