We Fly to Easter Island

January 27: Santiago, Chile

We got up early and headed to the airport. All was smooth sailing until we had to go through passport control. We booked this adventure so long ago that we forgot we got new passports about a year ago, so our passport numbers had changed, and they didn’t match the numbers on the documents that our travel agent produced for us to show the authorities in Chile. I am so grateful for my tech savvy husband! He refilled the forms in record speed and we were on our way. I would probably still be there looking for my glasses.

My goal of being disconnected from social media and sorta get away from the world while we are down here is challenging. It’s eye opening to me how attached I have become to my phone. 

Nancy and Tom Caruso are the defacto leaders of our group. Nancy is the brains behind the operation. That woman is amazing. She can effortlessly wrangle a group of independent adults into getting where we need to be ON TIME! She works with a lot of kids so she has mad skills. Tom is struggling a bit with his back. He tweaked it awhile back and he hasn’t gotten over the pain yet. He will be our photographer for the trip, so I imagine he will forget about his pain as soon his camera is in his hand, at least for a time. I recognized long ago that his photos are the ones that capture the beauty of the trip. It’s such a gift not to have to experience a place through a lens and you just get to be present.

Steve is one of Nancy’s board members with Get Inspired and he and Tom are great friends. They enjoy teasing each other. He has similar energy to a dear friend of ours so he feels comfortable to be around. He is a charming man with a great sense of humor and a gentleman vibe. Steve ended up seated next to Keith on the flight and graciously traded with me, which may have been a favor to him: we have an unhappy baby in the row in front of us.

I have to wonder if the baby is unhappy because of the pressure on his ears or if he’s just cranky. I can really feel it in my ears on this flight. His dad has been walking with him every time he fusses. I just heard somewhere that one of the greatest gifts that feminism has given to men is the opportunity for them to spend more time with their children. This man with the baby has been so tender it’s delightful to see.