Easter Island

So is it worth the hassle of getting here? YES!!

This Island has been at the top of my bucket list for 40+ years, ever since I read Thor Heyerdahls books (Kon Tiki Expedition, Ra Expeditions and Aku Aku).

This island is covered in shrouds of mystery around the huge stone statues, called Moai that are all around the coastline. 🗿🗿🗿

Who carved them?, how did they get from the quarry to the platforms they stood on?, and many other intriguing questions.

There are more questions than answers and although we have learned an enormous amount, the mind is still boggled at the enormity of the numbers of platforms and statues.

We landed after our long journey (and no sleep) and were met at the airport and driven to the Explora Rapa Nui Hotel. No peace for the wicked here. It's check-in to your room, eat your lunch and the get in the van for your first excursion! This was to Ahu Tongariki, the platform with 15 standing Moais. Ahu means platform in Rapa Nui language, and Rapa Nui is the local name for Easter Island. Ahu Tongariki has been restored. ALL Moais were toppled and lie face down for hundreds of years before work started in 1956 (by Thor Heyerdahl and his archaeological team) to raise one. Now there are around 45 Moais around the island that are erect, but hundreds remain lying on their fronts, many broken into 2 or more pieces.

Next day we walked along the north east and north coast (each excursion is a guided tour) from Ahu Mahatua to Anakena. This is a 7km hike along the coast, passing many platforms and lying Moais. Anakena is the only sand beach on this volcanic island, and was Thor Heyerdahls base when he was here in the late 1950s. Here is a platform with restored, erect Moais. We took a swim here....good to cool down after the walk!

In the afternoon we visited the famous quarry where the Moais were chiselled out of the hillside.

In the evening we had a Rapa Nui dance and singing show, with tasters of food prepared by cooking in the ground, called umu pae.

Og de kjekke danserne vi hadde😛

The next day we got up early and drove to see the sunrise at Tongariki.

Soloppgangen i Tongaraki der solen kommer mellom de 15 skulpturene og fuglene synger sine vårkåte toner. Det var så man kan miste pusten.

After breakfast we visited the collapsed volcanic caldera. The bottom of this is full of fresh water and many fruits are grown around the waters edge.

The mud in the crater has special antibacterial properties that have now been recreated in laboratories for the pharmaceutical industry. The mud bacterial properties even help to delay the effects of some cancers, e.g stomach cancer.

I dag brsøkte vi er vulkan krater som hadde kollapset. Rano raraku heter stedet. Ca 300 meter ned og 1,5 km brett er krateret. Her var ferskvann i bunnen og også levende planter.

The crater is 1.5kms across.

On the edge facing seawards there is a village associated with the birdman culture that replaced the Moai culture. Google this if you want to find out more.

In the afternoon we visited another Moai site and then went into a cave used by the Rapa Nui in times of inter-clan wars etc. At the entrance was a large beehive.

Ettermiddagen var vi på en annen Moi camp og gikk inn i en grotte som ble brukt av Rapa Nui folket ril å gjemme,seg i da det oppstod kriger mellom stammene. I en,av inngangene var det et stort biebol, biene lever ikke i kasser som hjemme.

After visiting the cave we went to see the only Moai where the eyes have been remade and fitted, to show how the finished Moais actually looked.

Til slutt i dag fikk vi oppleve den eneste Mohien på øya som,har øynene i behold. De hvite øynene er laget av koraller. Grunnen til at de tok ut øynene var at disse ånder av forfedre skulle tilbakelevert til havet hvor de går når de dør. De var veldig spirituelle.

Next day we visited the "town" which is basically one street of souvenir shops. Easter Island's economy is 100% dependent on tourism.

Tettstedet besøkte vi formiddagen etter, og det var egentlig fort gjort..

In the afternoon we visited the quarry where the top-knots were chiselled out of the rockface. These are red in colour and were only used in the last 300 years of Moai production.

I ettermiddag besøkte vi steinbruddet det topp håpret ble skjørt ut av stein. Disse røde,hårskallene ble bare brukt de siste 300 år av Moai produksjon.

Finally we visited another two sites with Moai and a replica of a Rapa Nui village.

In the evening we attended a lecture at the hotel with a PhD Archaeologist who has, with his team, solved the mystery of how the Moai walked from the quarry to their final destinations on the Ahu (platforms). Fascinating stuff!!

Den siste kvelden var i så heldige å delta på et foredrag der PHD arkeolog med team,foreleste om om hemmeligheten hvordan Maoiene kunne gå. Da fra steinbruddet og helt til sin destinasjon The Ahu, sin plattform som kunne være mer enn 1,2 km borte. Veldig fasinerende.

This morning we had a late breakfast and relaxed while waiting to depart for the airport at 1200. I went to take photos of the hotel and felt a bang on the back of the head as a hawk decided I was too close to its nest (wherever that was!). He swooped down at me two more times. That woke me up!

Siste morgen koste vi oss lenge, og Al gikk utenfor for å ta noen,siste bilder da han 3 ganger ble angrepet av en hauk, som hadde unger i nærheten. Godt han,ikke drog med mannen sier bå jeg🤣🤣

Disse dagene har vi gått mellom 12000 til 15000 skritt hver dag i all slags terreng, og også en dag 17600 skritt. Hurra for alt vi har sett og gått, nå venter nye eventyr.

This has been four amazing days with very knowledgeable guides and a fantastic hotel. We have learned a huge amount about the

Easter Island mysteries, but soooo many questions remain! A really action packed program.

Vi har lært så enormt mye, sett så mye spennende, truffet de mest interessante reiselader mennesker som oss. Det har vært mye moro, slit, god mat, vin og herlige samtaler. Vi glemmer aldri dagene på Påskeøya.