Thursday, May 8

Today we woke up at the same time as always and had breakfast, and then we all met out by the pool to get dance lessons from the dancers who had dome the dinner show for us the night before. Basically, it was totally unfair because the guys got to go off and be all manly and shout and jump around a little bit, while us girls had to make complete fools of ourselves trying to move our hips like crazy while keeping our hands calm and pretty which is honestly just impossible and sad. We still had fun though, laughing at ourselves and our incapability of moving our hips in any form remotely close to what our teachers did so easily. After an hour of dance lessons, we were turned loose for free time.

Sally and I put on our cool Chilean pants (which are totally not socially acceptable in the US which is exactly why we bought them), and walked into the center to buy a couple souvenirs that we still needed. Katie H and I ended up separating from the group and walking to this gorgeous beach (but without sand) where we found some of our friends surfing.

Then we found Terrence on the shore with a Pascuense man using an exacto knife to cut sea urchin spines out of his foot because he had apparently stepped on it while surfing. It wasn’t a pretty sight. We waited for the dudes to get out of the water, and then walked with them back to the hotel for lunch (Terrence got picked up in car because he couldn’t walk). After lunch, we had more free time, and this time we had a plan to take advantage of as much of it as possible. A group of about 10 of us walked quickly into town and rented bikes. Sally got a map, and led us up to this row of 7 moais which is famous because they are the only moais facing toward the ocean and not inward toward the island. We were told that the ride would take about 45 minutes, but we did not factor in all the hills and the intense heat of the island and the fact that we aren’t exactly seasoned bike riders.

We eventually made it, but by the time we got there we were all dead tired with read faces and sweaty backs. We took pictures of the moais, and then rode quickly and easily back down the mountain and back to the beach where Katie and I had found people surfing.

We got a much needed ice cream cone from a store by the water, and then changed into bathing suits to go for a swim (it was much to strong of a tide for us amateurs to try surfing).

I had forgotten my bathing suit, so I went in my sports bra and underwear, which was totally fine until we found one of our counselors tanning on the rocks and I suddenly felt very naked and awkward.

Anyway, after swimming and chatting with Katie H while sitting on the rocks and watching the surfers, we rode the bikes over to that same row of 5 moais that I had seen on the first day, and sat there to watch the sunset. By that time, our group had dwindled to 4 people—me, Marlene, Madeline, and Katie H, but we had a great time talking and watching the amazing sunset.

We met a 21 year old guy who was sitting near us who told us all about how he had been traveling the world alone for 9 months, working in whatever place he was to save money for the plane ticket to the next country. He told us about all the crazy things that had happened to him in Nepal and Thailand and so many other places, and I just got more and more sure that I want to keep traveling forever. It’s not even a want, it’s a need that I have to see the world, to meet its people, and to have unforgettable experiences in all its remote corners. I have without a doubt discovered my passion in life, and it is travel. Anyway, we walked back to the hotel in the dark after the sun had set, and ate dinner with everyone. Then, we all sat outside for a long time since it was the last night. We had all either bought Rapa Nui flags or brought Chilean flags or journals for people to sign, and we went around signing everyone’s flags and journals and whatnot. It was a pretty sad last night just because after this trip, there is no guarantee that we will see each other again, and a lot of people are leaving very soon. I tried to put that out of my mind and just enjoy being in such an amazing place with such amazing people for one more night.