One of the world's most famous yet least visited archaeological sites and must I add....paradise!!! So glad I took the opportunity to go here, the place is complete paradise and so peaceful. It has the most basic of things, its in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with 1 supermarket on the hole island but you could easily travel the island in 2 days....and check this out, u cant even find it on google map!!
A 5 hour flight from Santiago, 1 flight every 2days and the smallest airport I have ever seen, it was like a little lego builiding. On arriving to Easter Island we were greated with hula necklaces (real flowers) and a freshly squeezed orange juice!! This is one of my best trips so far, the island is completely magical!!! Everything about it, the people, the history, the beaches and language it really is a once in a life time experience. And im sure it isnt anything short of hawaii. I knew I had arrived in a different culture when the cops were wearing hawaiin shirts with their badge attached and hula shorts, (this is one example of hundreds of how relaxed this tiny island is).
We stayed in a apparment which grew bannanas, oranges, coconuts, pineapples, u name it they probably had it, and heres something new, on the island they grow over 15 different types of bannanas, impressive eh?! Nothin in my hole life compares to Anakena Beach, it was just out of this world!! PURE golden sand and crystal clear water, palm trees...I have been to Paradise!!!
As the island is filled with so much history I took a tour of the island soI could learn all about its heritage, culture and people. The pictures say it all, honestly I cant help but smile when I talk about this place. Im sitting here writting and I could go on and on forever trying to explain my time here but words really cant explain it!! We visited caves, Moias (the huge statues), volcanoes and beaches, my tourguide Ian was great he lived in England for 20 years but is originally from the island. What i loved about the island was thta every shop, every tour group, every tourguide where all natives, u could only own a place if you were a native, that way they are keepin their own special culture alive! Every street had a story and with every story their was something magical! The natives are very protective and very proud of their culture and love to tell travellers about it.
Although Easter Island is part of Chile, it is very independent and has its own idividual identity. The people look very different to Chileans, the marjority of them are verrry beautiful (im not saying chileans aren't).
On the island I got to do so many things, climbing caves, exploring volcanoes, horseriding, moutainbiking, surfing, SCUBADIVING and living a non materialized life!! I loved it!! Being there made me really appreciate the simple things in life, such a beautiful place cant be spoilt with such things like Malls, TVs and bascially money. Everything about Rapa Nui was soooo relaxed, life here has no boundaries, no backdoors, life is life!
The fields were like organised jungles with the most beautiful and colourful flowers ever.
Trying to experience the culture I went to many dance shows, known as the Polonesian shows. The instuments they used were unbeliveable, the music and the daners were incredible. Of coures the girls were stunning in all the different outfits and the guys dressed in no more than a loin cloth. I also went to church service and again every1 was dressed in hula shirts with shorts and flipflops, even the dogs came to repent their sins, lieng at the front of the churches, dogs where everywhere!! Although there were hundreds of dogs, horses were the main source of transport here, forget the car, horses ruled this island. It was normal to see a sign on ever street "caution wild horsee, keep watch". it was also normal to see a man on a horse with one hand on the reign and the other hand with a can of Escudo (beer), no laws for drinkin and driving here!!
Another sign which made me laugh "Caution, coconuts and limbs may fall on your head", and for a little pep talk before I went scubadiving the instructor kindly told me that more people die from being hit on the head with a coconut rather than dieing from a shark attack.
This was def the perfect place to spend my last day of 2008 and the first day of 2009. Driving along the coast, around the island, into the sunset was a great way to end 2008 of course followed by a traditional Rapa Nui party. As for scubadiving.........WOW!! I never new so many colourful fish existed....and I got to swim with a turtle which was huge!! I would really consider scubadiving as a career (eh danielle). The peacfulness of swimming down 20m in the pacific ocean was the best experience of my life!
Well that was an extremly short blog on my expericne in Rapa Nui...if u ever have the chance dont hesitiate ...GO!!!!
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