Around Easter Island

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Today, I elected to take an orientation tour around Easter Island, which was fabulous. It was great to have a guide explaining the sights and she was excellent in making sure I understood what was being said. The group was pretty small at 10 tourists and two guides. We split into two smaller groups of 5 at each site.

The tour kicked off at Vinapu, very close to the airport for a single Moai, then we moved along the east coast, to Vaihu and Akahanga, both sites had Moai to admire, both unrestored. One had fallen. afterwards, we moved to the "Moai Nursery", Rano Raraku, the quarry where the Moai were created before being moved to their Ahu. Here, it is stunning - Moai everywhere in all sorts of readiness for moving to their eventual destination. Finished and unfinished Moai. Our guide explained how they were made (using a stone to bash a shape into the rock) and when the top bit was finished, somehow or other (no-one is sure how) the back of the finished Moai (which would still be part of the much bigger, solid rockface) would be moved and flattened. Hard to explain but when you look at a Moai in profile, all the shape is in the face and front. The back is rod straight - they´re not terribly wide in profile. The more recent Moai have hands folded under the chest area and some even have bellybuttons! Some also have coral eyeballs with obsidian rocks for pupils, which gives a somewhat startling look. Fascinating!

A bit further from here, we visited Tongariki with its´ 15 Moai on a long Ahu (ceremonial platform) Only one Moai has its¨ topknot, the other red topknots were very close, on the ground, waiting to be placed atop a Moai. Stunning place with the deep blue sea behind the 15 Moai. After spending time photographing and admiring the place, the tour moved to Ahu Te Pito Kura, where the largest Moai outside the "Nursery" rests. Unfortunately, it no longer stands but is lying face down, its ears alone are more than 2metres long. Nearby is a magnetic stone. The scientific explanation went over my head, but it´s a lovely spot.

Lastly, we rested ourselves at Anakena Beach, one of only two beaches on the Island. It´s gorgeous with pink-tinged sand and beautifully clear water. I definitely had to remove my shoes and have a paddle in the clear water! Nearby is a solitary Moai - apparently some European chap called Thor Heyerdahl thought it would be a doddle to raise this Moai.

He needed the help of a dozen or so Islanders and it took them a good 20 days to raise the solitary Moai back onto its Ahu using wooden poles, stones and rope.

Bet he needed a good, cooling beer after that bit of exertion!

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