The good news was the flight was only 2 hours long. The bad news was the flight left at 4:45am (no wonder the vacation package was cheap) and public transportation stopped at midnight. So we had to take a taxi to the airport at 2:30am. But the kids did pretty well considering… 
We arrived at 8am (1 hr time change) and our room was not ready so we went to the beach and then the pool. Many of the beaches on the island of Rhodes are covered in large, smooth, stones, but not much sand. Elora had fun giving Daddy a “hot rock massage”.
While laying out on the beach we saw a strange structure in the distance that looked like a big sand castle, so we walked to it. Turns out it was a World War 2 bunker from when the Germans were in possession of Rhodes (Italy was in possession of the island, but gave it to Germany to defend). 
After our walk we got some ice cream. Yum! Since meals and snacks were included in the trip, the kids were spoiled with ice cream cones quite often. This was Ollie’s first ice cream cone he didn’t have to share and he loved it.
The rooms still weren’t ready so we went to the pool next. Oliver really enjoyed swimming, and would jibber and jabber while pointing or splashing at the pool. Elora was excited to use her floaties that helped her “not to sink”.
We also got Elora a little swim ring, and enjoyed playing with it more outside of the pool rather than in it. 
Ollie having fun with Mom’s sunglasses (which he broke a couple days later).
Back at the room, we put the kids down for a long nap since it had now been about 12 hours with no sleep. Elora admired the view from the balcony first. The water in Rhodes is amazingly blue and clear.
And finally, every night there was a “mini disco” for the kids where they performed choreographed dances the kids could dance along to. Elora, who is not a performing monkey and can not be made to “follow the leader” didn’t know what to do. She really wanted to participate,
but was just as happy to twirl around in her own little world. So when the kids were all told to line up like a train and march through the tunnel, Elora, being the nonconformist that she is wouldn’t actually stand -in- line but to the side of the line instead.
All in all, it was a great first day!
