Blogs from Easter Island, Chile, South America - page 11

PÄÄSIÄISSAARI 2.-7.2.2010 Kirjoitan tätä nyt jo Tahitilla aika väsyneenä, koska saavuin tänne viime yönä. Tietokoneeni Suomessa ajassa oleva kello kertoo, että on 9.2.2010 klo 7.15. Mutta täälläpä on vasta 8.2.2010 klo 19.15. Elän puoli vuorokautta teitä jäljessä. Pääsiäissaari vasta pieni paikka oli ja kaukana. Kaksikymmentäneljä kilometriä kertaa kaksitoista ja asukkaita vain 4200. Etelä-Amerikan rannikolle oli matkaa 3700 kilometriä. Lähin asuttu saari, Pitcairn, on sekin 2000 kilometrin päässä. Saaren lentokenttä valmistui vasta 1968. Sitä ennen ainoa fyysinen yhteys ulkomaailmaan oli Valparaisosta kerran vuodessa käyvä laiva. Silloin saari oli vielä täysin puuton ja kellanpunakarvas väriltään. Nyt se on pikemmin vihreä eroosiota vastaan istutettujen eukalyptus-puiden ja lisääntyneiden sateiden vuoksi. Täytyy ihmetellä, miten saaren pääkaupungista Hanga Roasta on voinut ... read more

Cuando llegue al otro lado de la isla encuentras el valle de los Moais que se llama Rano Raraku, aun se ve algunos a medio hacer y se ve perfectamente que eran esculpidos horizontalmente en la montaña y luego extraídos. Como lo transportaban es aun un misterio pero hay un sin fin de teorías. De ahí ha quedado un precioso valle verde con una infinidad de Moais repartidos como si hubieran caído desde un avión, todos perfectamente conservados y casi todos aun de pie. Es impresionante y mi sitio preferido de todos en la isla, ahí mismo hay también un volcán. Ahí conocí a Alex, nos conocimos haciéndonos fotos cuando el guarda no estaba mirando y saltando la zona prohibida para salir en las fotos mas cerca de los Moais. Al llagar al hostal, coincidencias de ... read more

Well, following my blistering trip through Asia, it was time to change continents and make my way to South America. I decided to make a connection in Europe to catch up with a few friends in Germany. Getting to Germany wasn´t too bad. Coming from India, I arrived in shorts, a t-shirt and flip flops. Well Lets just say it was about 27 degrees F. I was wondering why everyone was mean mugging me walking through the airport, but figured it was the shorts, I hope! I spent a week there and cannot tell you how much the hospitality meant to me. I couldn´t find a hotel after the first few days, as there was a huge conference in the area which booked all the rooms in every hotel I called or went to. A friend ... read more

The next place I visitied was a little bit special. Easter Island is one of the most isolated places in the world, located as it is a 5 hour flight off the Chilean coast. Flights to the island are controlled by LAN, and as there is no competition, they are prohibitively expensive on a backpackers budget. Luckily, on my RTW ticket, it simply counts as a stopover on the journey between South America and New Zealand, meaning I had the chance to visit. It was with palpable excitement that I boarded the plane in Santiago, and a thoroughly enjoyable 5 hour flight later, it was an even more excited Stewart that touched down (still inside the plane) on Easter Island. Having found the cheapest place on the island to sleep (in a loft next to the ... read more

Arriving quite early at the bus station in Santiago 5am exactly I noticed(luckily)there is a bus from there run by Tur Bus for the airport leaving every 30 minutes starting at 6:15am and takes half hour to get to the airport which is perfect for me as the plane for Isla de Pascua leaves at 8:10am, saving me at least $25 for the taxi. It was cold and decided to just sit inside for awhile other people are also there waiting for their connecting bus. The counter for the airport shuttle lit up but not open yet, the woman over the counter still putting her make up on, eventually we bought tickets at 6am when they opened. Fpund out when i arrived at the airport that the flight is full, for off season that was amazing. ... read more