Monthly Archives: October 2015

Our second day on Easter Island was some what better weather wise. I got up very early to go with our professional photographer to take photos at sunrise at the big Moai site. We left the hotel at 6:45 AM, thankfully the sunrise was not early. We got to Tongariki and Chris helped us set up. I was one of the few with just a point and shoot camera. There was a slip of a moon over the Moai and then the sun started to rise. It was not a very colorful sunrise but I was able to get a few nice photos. The wind was still blowing hard.
Then it decided to start raining. As we were heading back to our mini bus, a beautiful rainbow appeared, so I got to try and get a picture of that too. We then went to Rano Raraku, the quarry where the Moai were carved. I met up with Bob there since he had to tour with a group that did not do the early morning photography option. That allowed us to get a picture together at last. My last stop was at Ahu Tahai, a religious site right at waters edge. Bob visited all the same sights, just in a different order.

We then all met at Anakena Beach for a bar-be-que. Then it was off to the airport to start the “longest” day. 

Fitbit – 7101 steps, 3.36 miles and 35 floors.

    
    
    
    
 We had to fly from Easter Island to Tahiti to refuel. Then we flew on to Samoa. The first flight was 6.5 hours and the second 3.5 hours. We left in the afternoon of October 8 and arrived in the evening of October 9. We are now in “tomorrow” while those of you who are reading this are in “yesterday”. Yes, crossing the international date line makes for confusing writing.

Just wanted to answer some of the questions that I am sure you all are asking, about this fabulous trip we are on.  These were some of the things I wondered about.

Yes we go through security.  When we left Washington, DC we left from a private terminal and we had to have our bags inspected and go through the rectangle scanner.  Poor Bob, he gets patted down every where because of his titanium knee.  Today leaving Easter Island, after being scanned we just walked onto the tarmac and out to the plane.  The other stops have been a mixture of jetways and just walking on the tarmac to the plane.  We are currently in row 12, but will move to row 5 after Cambodia.

The first day when we got on board we were greeted with champagne and a caviar service.  Sadly that was only the first day.  Since then we have been greeted by baskets of snacks like – bags of chips, granola bars, bags of pretzels, M & M’s, dark chocolate Dove bars and other items of that sort.  When we get to our seats we get hot towels and can make a drink request.

There are 3 pilots, 8 cabin crew, a chef, a chef’s assistant, 2 technology people, a dedicated luggage person and 2 engineers.  The entire crew is from the United Kingdom since the charter company for the jet is located there.

We are fed sumptuous meals – for example today’s menu is:

• Starter – Roasted baby beets, horseradish lentils, Greek yoghurt and dill dressing
• Entrees – your choice from:  Mushroom flour dusted beef tenderloin, port wine jus, potato purée ( mashed potatoes), garlic green beans…OR Seared Pacific salmon, tomato lemon butter, roasted parsley new potatoes, green asparagus…OR Smoked Western black bean chili, braised white and wild rice, cilantro creme fraiche 
• Desserts – Peach lattice or Chocolate brownie or Cheesecake shot or Assorted cheeses, dried fruits, crackers or Seasonal fresh fruit

There is wine offered with our meals too.

We have lectures on each flight leg about where we are going.  These are some amazing people and they do the activities with us and eat at meals with us.  Donald Johanson is a paleoanthropoligist who has explored the development of human culture and the origins of humankind all around the world.  He discovered in 1974 the 3.2 million year old skeleton known as “Lucy”.  Jack Daulton is a popular lecturer on the cultural history of non-Western civilizations and is also an attorney.  Chris Rainier is a National Geographic Explorer and acclaimed documentary photographer specializing in documenting indigenous cultures around the world.  The National Geographic host will be Terry Garcia who will join the trip in Cambodia.  He is the chief science and exploration officer for the National Geographic Society.

There is a closed circuit wifi system on the jet that hooks into the iPads we received with all of the power point lectures on it.  The lecturer is “live” and we follow on the iPads with the slides they have prepared.  On long legs we have 2 lectures.

There is also an expedition staff that gets us to our activities.  There are 4 of them and they handle all the logistics and keep us moving.  We also have a physician traveling with us.  He has his little black bag filled with medical goodies and is unfortunately kept hopping.  Montezumas revenge and bug bites that have become infected are the ones I know about.  After we board the plane he comes around to make sure we are all okay.

Someone told me that the average age on the trip is 74.  I would guess that at least 70% are in their 60’s with 25% in their 70’s and 80’s.  There is 1 “young” couple – very interesting and charming – she works for Google and headed the development of the Chrome browser and he does software design selling his last company to Dell a few years ago.  I think they are in their early 40’s.  Lots of interesting well traveled people.  

The jet is a 757 with 90 business class seats.  They are arranged 2 X 2 with 5 rows forward, 12 rows in the middle section and the remaining in the aft section.

One of the very nice things being done for us is that at each hotel waiting for us is a pre stamped postcard and an envelope with $10 in local currency, so we have cash for incidentals.  If we don’t spend the money we can return it to our tour leader and it will be donated to a charity. 

Our first day on Easter Island was – as one of my fellow travelers said – fluid.

We awoke to a storm with very high winds and lots and lots of rain.  The tour director flipped our schedule since the second day schedule had some indoor activities.  Bob ended up working out in the morning and I joined a tour to Aka Hanga a dramatic coastal site of an unrestored village and Moai site.  Because of the rain there are not many photos.  After that we had a guided tour of the anthropological museum.

Bob went in the afternoon to Orongo crater. Photos to follow when I get his camera 😀

In the evening we had talks by 3 of the original archeologists who have done most of the restorations on Easter Island, Edmundo Edwards, Claudio Cristino and Patricia Vargas.  This was followed by a performance by the Kari Kari Rapa Nui dance group.

Bob was picked to dance with them.  There is a video, but I can’t download from my camera.  This may have to be an update when we get home.

Fitbit – 5837 steps, 2.76 miles and 9 floors.

We were so busy when we arrived in Cusco that I am just now getting around to telling about our time there.  Our first stop was at Sacsayhuamam archaeological site.  We toured and saw some excellent examples of Incan architecture.

After lunch at the hotel, we toured Korikancha, the Cathedral (no photos allowed and no post cards sold) and the central plaza.

We had a short rest – altitude – and then a tour of the Museo donArte Pre-Colombino and a weaving exhibition of local artisans.

Back to the hotel for dinner and an early turn in for our day to Machu Picchu.

Here are some additional photos from our time at Machu Picchu.  Somehow the technology did not work this morning 😕 

WOW!

Today (Monday) we traveled to Machu Picchu.  We took the very lush Hiram Bingham train from Cusco to Alta Caliente ( not certain if that is the correct name).  We were met at the rail station with champagne and pisco sours me simians and dancers.

Brunch was served on the train and then we arrived at Machu Picchu.  

Bob got to do the big hike up to the sun gate.  It was about 3,000 feet above the Machu Picchu main site.  He then toured the main area after hiking down.

Bette did the “regular” tour.  According to my Fitbit I climbed 168 flights of stairs, walked 4.25 miles and took 8,968 steps.  We learned a great deal about the Inca’s and how they lived.  

In the town of Cusco there are a great many Inca remains and they use them for the foundations of their current buildings.

We had dinner on the train ride back to Cusco.

We left Washington, DC early on Saturday morning bound for Lima, Peru.  Upon getting on the private jet we were offered champagne and caviar.  A perfect start!

  
The flight was 7.5 hours and immediately upon arrival we started touring.  We went to the Museo Raphael Larco Herrero.  Sr. Herrero had a wonderful collection of Incan and pre-Incan artifacts.  The building was also beautiful. 

   
   
Bob and I at the entrance to the museum.

We then went to the hotel for dinner and an early night because we once again had an early morning start.

2,982 steps, 1.41 miles according to my Fitbit.

After a very early morning start, we arrived in Washington, DC in a rain storm.  We checked in with the Expedition group and then went to the National Geographic headquarters for a briefing and cocktail reception.  Dinner back at the hotel, the Hay Adams.  Big suitcases out by 10 PM and rollaboards in the lobby by 6 AM – this is NOT a vacation.

Tomorrow we leave at 9:30 AM for Lima, Peru.

   
   
Top photo  in the lobby at National Geographic headquarters.

2nd was the view from our dinner.

And the last one, some guy who was saying Go Ave Maria women’s basketball.