Okay, the good weather comments jinxed me!! Just kidding, but i did wake up at 06:30 to torrental rain and a rooster. So, i went right back to sleep until 08:00. Ate breakfast the hotel, which was included and then headed out. I had made my mind up to see the rest of the island and the other moai rain or shine! On the way out of town, I went by the museum hoping the rain would slack up or stop. Then i headed to the East Coast and North. This may sound simple, but it really isn´t. I don´t know how you are supposed to find your way out of town. The only way I did today was because yesterday i found the eastern road and followed it in. You take a right off this nice road and then travel down dirt roads for 3 km before you get back to downtown Hanga Roa. Also, there are at least 2 or 3 forks in the dirt road along the way. Yesterday I made the mental note of turning right at the yellow fire hydrant and that is the only way i found the road today. Guessing correctly at all of the forks, i was on my way to the beach and more moai.
I intended to go to the quarry and tongarki first, but missed the turn and so i headed up the middle of the island and then went clockwise again. Anakena Beach was beautiful and actually it stopped raining along the way and i got to enjoy a little sunshine. There is an ahu with moai there right on the beach. Palm trees give it a different feel from the volcanic rocks everywhere else. I took a bunch of pictures and then had lunch. It started clouding up while i was writing in my actual journal and eating. I had just written that i hoped the rain holds off until i finish my granola bar. It couldn´t have been more than one or two minutes after swallowing that last bite, the bottom drops out!! and so i head to the car and move on! so much for the sunny beach.
I left Anakena and rode over to Ahu Tongariki. These are 15 maoi on the coast faing away from the ocean on the east side. They actually face the moai quarry which is found at Rano Raraku (another volcano). I was totally alone, but for a fancy couple that entertained me. She had on black capri pants and high heels trying to walk around and look at this phenomanal site. They didn´t stay too long and i got some good pictures i hope. I couldn´t believe no one else was there. Just me and the horses. It is so fantastic when you are looking at these amazing statues that are just HUGE and the horses just run right by or stop and graze for a while. Truly fantastic.
Leaving Tongariki is when i ran into my friend that is driving the tour group around. I headed to the quarry, but from the map i have been using, i went the wrong way. So, i realize this pretty quickly. It is so beautiful though that i decide to enjoy the North coast for a short bit and pull off and find a rocky outcrop overlooking the ocean. It was incredible. The sun was out. The water is just so blue and nothing in site anywhere you look other than this island. It was so relaxing. I journaled there for a little while and read a few chapters of a book i brought along. Facing Your Giants by Max Luado, which i found humorous today when looking at the giant moai. :)
After consulting my second map, i realize where i need to go and head to the quarry. It is situated on the volcano Rano Raraku. Here lie moai in all stages of being created. It is like someone dropped toy moai out of the sky and they landed there scattered around. I had read about going into the center where the moai are also littered around the lake center. So, of course, i head inside. I follow this well marked trail around to the side and then basically climb up the side of this volcano and go in. It was a steep hike up and with my camera equipment, but worth it. The views from inside are awesome and you can look over to the Ahu Tongariki and then to the endless ocean behind. And the weather was cooperating so it was fantastic! Leaving the quarry i see 2 new people heading on this path but in the opposite direction of where i had come from. Sure enough, there is a well kept "path" that is not steep at all heading into the crater. So, basically, i just literally scaled a side of a small volcano for no reason other than it was there and why not go that way¿ i had to laugh!!
Then i had seen almost every moai on the island so i headed back to town. Rain again on the way here, but for now it is not raining. I´ve been back to the mercado and finished shopping. I picked up a few post cards and have now updated this journal. It is 19:10 so i think i am going to upload a few pictures and then go to Tahai and see if i can time the sunset a little better this time! Hopefully i can have dinner before 23:00 also. we´ll see.
Tomorrow i have to leave after lunch, but it has been a great 2 days!!
