April 30 .. EASTER ISLAND or Rapa Nui

At long last, after 5 days aboard the ship and nearly 2 hours late getting on our tour we set off. The single most incredible sights on Easter Island are the statues or Moai which makes the island world famous. There are 887 of them around the island. Many damaged and some still at the quarry where they were made. Incredible to be seen and an awesome experience to be here. Built between 1250 AD and 1500 AD each is different. All face inward to protect the inhabitants and represent ancestors except a very few. Some are on bases called ahu. Here we go ....

The group ... 

At the quarry ...

Our tour guide Gina ...

The flowers ...

Gayle

Kris, Elsha and Wendy

Norma, Jim and our tour guide

Enjoying fresh fruit along the path to the volcano crater ...

The beautiful volcano crater ...

The most famous grouping of Moai - Ahu Tongariki boasting 15 of the statues

At the middle is a close-up of the intricate fingers and nails and on the right is a page from the guidebook showing the lengthy base of the statue usually underground.

And then for empanadas at the beach ...

Bob enjoying an escudo

Dick and Pauline up front...

And back to the ship for an early night. Tomorrow is day 2 of our tour....

April 29 .. Day at sea part 2

Here we go again. Another full day at sea on the way to Easter Island. Today at 10:15 am we had the second compulsory safety drill and all of us assembled with our life vests at our muster station.

As we have had for the last two days, each night we set our clocks ahead as we go through the time zones. Each day we have to get up an hour earlier. It's such a hard life.

There was a challenge between the officers and guests going on as we walked around the upper deck walking track.

For lunch today it was on the deck grill restaurant for salads, panini and Kobe beef burger. We were served by our new favourite server from Italy...Guilia

Frank is becoming well known onboard especially with all the bar servers. He is known as Mr Frank!

In the afternoon it was something they called Gala Tea Time. One of the most incredible displays of food I have ever seen! The chefs who oversee the preparation of the tea ...

And all this just a few hours before we go to Red Ginger .... Asian restaurant. Will my stomache be able to handle the pressure? As the comedian said this cruise should be called the "float and bloat".

In the evening we had a 7:30 pm reservation at Red Ginger ... The best yet! Even Frank called it "pretty good" which I think is the highest rating ever given by him for food!

The last item at bottom right is the most amazing salad I have ever eaten. Crispy duck over watermelon and it was incredible. It is their signature dish. 

Tomorrow we are going yo Easter Island. It is hoped we can wear off done of this food, incredible as it may be.

c Gayle Jones Photography - All rights reserved

I thought it would be a good idea to include Gayle's photos thus far. Deb's photos will follow at a later time. Starting with Tahiti.....

Frank...Did you make Kris cry?

Bloody Mary's in Bora Bora ...

Life onboard ...

April 28 .. Day at sea

Here we are again. Travelling all day at sea for 2 days. The distances are great and we need to travel almost 3000 miles.

Same routine. Breakfast followed by instructional lectures followed by lunch followed by relax time followed by happy hour followed by supper followed by the show lounge followed by sleep.

Early morning sunrise...

A Greek cooking demonstration

Frank working out ...

After a strenuous workout, it was off to our stateroom for room service and a lunch consisting of salad, cheese plate, crackers and fruit.

In the late afternoon Frank and I attended the Captain's reception uninvited (by mistake). 

After the reception it was of to the Italian restaurant Toscana for a magnificent meal ... Wow!

And after the meal...off to the show lounge to hear a comedian/singer and then a nightcap and sleep.

Tomorrow is another full day at sea, the second safety drill and our second of 4 booked specialty restaurants. I will post a second submission today. I will include Gayle's pics.