Easter Island

OK, sorry but this entry is going to probably be a bit long and very photo heavy. Just to give you and idea about the extent of the photo snapping that we did on the island, we changed our batteries on the first day, and by the fourth day the red "your-batteries-are-about-to-die" light started to flash.

In the airport we bizarrely ended up sitting next to an English couple, Amy and Eric, who are best mates with one of the guys we'd met in Valparaíso. We got chatting and agreed to meet the night after for drinks.

After landing we were picked up by the people who owned the campsite. They adorned us with fresh flowers, which despite the slight tackiness was pretty sweet. When we arrived we were really stunned. The ground had the most perfect setting, only 20m away from a small drop into the sea, and the waves crashed below us with mesmerising force. There was also a large outdoor dining area and a veranda dotted with chairs and tables facing out westward to the distant horizon. We pitched our tent in a prime position, and immediately started to walk up the coastline in search of Moai.

So much mystery surrounds the island and it's massive stone heads. Easter Island, or Rapa Nui, is one of the most isolated inhabited islands on the planet. It is made up of three extinct volcanoes, which lends the landscape lots of undulating volcanic scenery. There is much speculation of exactly when, how and why these were created and transported by sheer manpower. Whatever the answers, this was an impressive a feat.

It didn't take long for our first encounter with one as there are two statues just ouside of the main town Hanga Roa. We found a site further north where there were ahu (alters) with two solo statues, and then another ahu supporting five more. We spent a lot of time marvelling at these and taking a ridiculous amount pictures from all different angles, despite the fact the the light was not with us. We knew that we'd need to return one of the mornings to get some decent snaps.

Day two saw us hiking up to Ranu Kau, the vocano nearest to the town. Whilst this was only 410m above sea level, James pointed out how much tougher it was trekking in the 30C heat compared to the cooler climates that we were accustomed to. It didn't help that there was little or no shade for most of the walk, but this did make for some beautiful vistas of the town below us.

When we reached the top I think we both took a sharp intake of breath. Sun glinted on the crater lake below us, where thick totora reeds had weaved patchwork patterns across the surface of the water. There was a large section missing from the opposite end of the crater, where the sea had bitten chunks out of the side of the dead volcano, giving a perfect view of the electric blue pacific ocean on the other side.

Further round we entered the Orongo ceremonial village, which was created for worship by the birdman cult. The houses are cylindrical and overlook some beautiful islands just offshore. There were also some fastinating stone carvings of bird men perched right on the edge of the vertical drop into the ocean, and the views were incredible from here. These guys sure knew how to worship!

That evening we cooked dinner at the campsite and sat on the veranda watching the sun slowly sink in the sky. The waves had become even more ferocious, and dramatically crashed in front of us, whilst way in the distance the sun drew closer to the horizon. Whilst the sun was a golden ball, the clouds began to turn stunning hues of pinks and red, and my fingers couldn't click fast enough trying to capture the ever changing scene. The sun gradually crept below the horizon, and we walked along the shore enjoying the remnants of the paint pallet sky as we went to meet up with Eric and Amy.

The four of us went for some slinky little pisco sours (famous Chilean cocktail) in a couple of local bars. However, the lack of places open and the crazy prices kept us sensible. We hatched a plan to hire a 4x4 on our forth day, and so arranged to meet up with them again the following evening to sort everything out.

On day three we started hiking north to view the moai we'd already seen, but this time in better light. Continuing north and the path became less obvious as it was not well trodden, hugging the coastline, and even cutting precariously close to the edge of the steep cliffs. We were struck by how many horses had been left to roam free and feed on the coastline.

Eventually we came to a peninsular with fabulous views. There were also pitch black caves that we were unable to explore due to the fact we'd forgotten our torches. Further north the landscape became more rugged, with grass growing through the troughs of lava and volcanic rocks covering the area like giant black marbles. We found a huge ahu with many moai which had been toppled down.

Cutting inland we went to Ahu Akivi, which is a fantastic alter with seven standing moai. These are the only statues on the island which look out to sea, and apparently during the Autumn equinox the sun sets directly in their eyeline. After taking at least a million photographs (OK, maybe a slight over exaggeration) we started the long walk back to the campsite.

The forth day saw our adventure in our 4x4. Luckily Eric was driving, as I would probably have hit every pothole in the road, and James would probably have used every bump as a launchpad! The island is that small that we were able to drive from one end to the other in around 20mins, but we had so many sights to see that it took us considerably longer than that.

We started by visiting the many ahu and fallen moai dotted along the southern coastline, after which we were treated to a visit to Ahu Tongariki, the largest alter on the island. It was restored after a tsunami hit Rapa Nui, scattering the pieces inland. With 15 standing moai in total, perched alongside the cobalt blue sea, the sight really is a gem. There we sat, munching our packed lunches and relaxing in the sun.


We digested our lunch at our next stop, the volcano Rano Raraku, which is often called the "nursery" of the moai. This was the qurry where most of the stone for the moai was sourced from. We read that there were nearly 400 moai located in the area, and looking along the slopes we could easily believe it. Even from the distance the giant sculptures sprouted up from the ground, including a huge one which was lying on it's back as if sunbathing.

On closer inspection we were even more taken aback my how prolific the moai were, and just how close we could get to them. Some were partially burried , others jutted out at odd angles from the ground, but all were beautifully crafted. There was one moai which stood out as it had legs (none of the others do) and a goatee beard, and it is believed that this is one of the latest carving to be created.

We took the short walk into the crater, which had another lake and scores of horses. It felt like we'd stepped onto the set of Planet of the Apes, as the scenery was so otherworldly. Here there was a labaryth of unfinished moai, which we were able to get even closer to. You could almost see the different stages of creation, as some appeared to be closer to completion than others. We tried to get our heads around how they had been able to carve and transport these to the various sites around the island, it really was unbelievable.

Our day was completed with a trip to Anakena, a beautiful beach on the North side of the island, which had, you guessed it, another ahu with standing moai. By this point our main focus was on relaxing on the silky sands and plunging into the cooling ocean.

Amy and Eric came up with a brilliant plan; the next morning we should get up to see the sunrise on Ahu Tongariki, which is supposed to be one of the highlights of the island. So at 6am they picked us up, all of us still rubbing the sleep from our eyes whilst bumping along the coastal road. We were surprised to see how many others had had the same idea as us.

There we waited, scoffing our breakfasts whilst awaiting the sun. As the sky started to lighten we began to wonder whether the clouds were too thick for the beams to break through, but our patience was rewarded. Bright amber light illuminated the sky, silhouetting the 15 statues perfectly. It was well worth the early morning scramble out of bed, and really was one of the most memorable moments of the trip.

After saying our goodbyes to our new friends, we packed up and caught our flight back to Santiago. James was particularly sad to be leaving this strip of land, and we agreed that we'd recommend a visit to everyone else we met during our trip.

Only one night in Santiago before heading back into Argentina - a land flowing with the good stuff....