Susan and John Ruff, Fantasy Authors

When I was young, there was an adventurer/archaeologist whose stories of daring and discovery captured my imagination. I watched him on the big screen and read about him in books.

And, in case you are wondering, his name was not Indiana Jones. Yes, I think Dr. Jones is great. But years before I first watched Harrison Ford flee from a giant boulder, I was already a fan of archaeology, in part, because of the work of one man: Thor Heyerdahl.

Even fifty years ago, when I first read Heyerdahl’s books, some of his theories were controversial. But that didn’t bother me at the time and it still doesn’t — I will always love the adventure of his storytelling. His writing helped open my eyes to the wonders of ancient civilizations and distant lands. In particular, I was entranced by his book Aku-Aku that discussed his archaeological investigations on Easter Island (Rapa Nui). After I read it, I wanted to travel to the island to see the giant statues and find out more about the fascinating history and culture of the people there.

For most of my life, getting to Rapa Nui was a very difficult and expensive proposition. The island is one of the most remote places in the Pacific. Even today, almost no airlines land there and the big cruise ships tend to stop there only on month-long grand voyages.

But a few years ago, I heard about a tour company that led groups to the island for an entire week. I was very excited to learn more . . .

. . . and then the pandemic hit . . . and I wasn’t going anywhere.

But last month, after 50 years, I was finally able to travel to Rapa Nui and see the wonders of the island first hand. The trip was even better than I had hoped. There are places in the world that truly live up to all the stories you read about them. Rapa Nui was one of those locations.

The Moai (the giant statues) were as impressive up close as they had always looked in the pictures. Our guide was very knowledgeable about all aspects of the island’s history and culture. The local people were friendly and helpful, and the tourist sites were never crowded. There were no long lines of people waiting to enter an archaeological area. In short, it was a wonderful vacation.

The food was also good — I particularly enjoyed the fruit and the fish dishes. The little family-run hotel where we stayed produced amazing pastries, including a type of banana bread that I fell in love with.

At one point, we had some free time, so I decided to try a dish I had seen advertised at multiple restaurants on the island — tuna empanadas. I went to a cute little restaurant overlooking the water. In addition to the tuna empanadas, they also made a beef and cheese empanada. I love empanadas, so I ordered one of each. I was expecting the type of empanadas we have at home — usually about the size of a small apple turnover. Instead, the Rapa Nui empanadas were each about the size of a dinner plate. And I had ordered two of them!

Because I am a fantasy author, not a travel journalist, I usually like to have a tie-in to our books in my blog posts. While my week at Rapa Nui did not inspire a specific scene in one of our upcoming books (at least, not yet), I am certain John and I will find writing inspration from that trip in the future. Traveling to fascinating, exotic locations is always the best inspiration for me.

Talk to you in December!

-Susan 11/3/2023