8th December – Easter Island

We were up earlier to go on a walk to do the Northern route of the island. It was a clear and hot sunny day so we were well-armed with sun-cream, water and an enthusiasm to see the more remote sections of the island.

We took to route past our Maoi friends from yesterday, following the coast and stopping occasionally to admire the flawless blue sea and the rocks below from the vantage point of the cliff edge.

Our first real stop was at Anakakenga, where it’s possible to crawl through a small opening like that of the houses of Orongo, and into the caves below. Once inside, the cave opens out into two grottoes, each leading to apertures which enable you to stand suspended part-way down the precipice and over-looking the ocean. Matt went in first so I could get a picture of him perched high in the air above the crashing waves. Had it not been for the smell of the decomposing cow nearby it would have been perfect!

After Matt emerged it was my turn. I went in with a German couple and we had nothing but the torch in Matt’s phone between us. I wasn’t quite so brave as Matt and though I got close enough to the cave opening to see the sea, I was no way brave enough to stand on the edge of what essentially the middle of a cliff, with such a sheer drop into the crashing waves below me.

We followed the path for a while before stopping for a nice picnic at the last point before the path turned inland, and just before Ahu Tepeu, where we explored a platform with a few fallen Maois near a village site with remains of a few houses similar to those found at Orongo.

We followed the dusty path for several kilometres before reaching Ana Tepahu. We entered through a ‘Polynesian horticultural complex of sweet potatoes, bananas and taro’ and reached the two former cave dwellings.  

We had a look around the first one and took photos of the less-accessible second one and were just about to leave and get back on the road when a guy told us that the first one was actually about 400 metres long. We went back to explore its length and were glad that we had. We enjoyed poking around the lava tubes, apparently created when rocks farm around and moving stream of molten lava, were fascinated by a tendril of steam that loitered and rose in an small patch where a single strand of light streamed in through the roof.

We exited in the middle of a field and made our way back to the road and along the way a little to Ahu Akivi where there are 7 standing moai. It is the only inland Moai and only one where statues face out to sea. They are assumed to have astrological significance since, at the equinox, they look directly at the setting sun.

This was the first site of the day that was busy with tourists coming and going by the bus-load.  The Moais were an impressive sight and the whole experience was enhanced by the observation of the cultural collision of clothing choice between the sun-proof long-sleeves, jackets, hats and headscarves simultaneously sported by the Chinese, and the European students in their tiny shorts, tinier bikini tops and with nothing but a pair of sunglasses to cover their modesty.

We planned to climb the tallest peak of the island, the volcano Amunga Terevaka. However, partly because of the heat and partly because I didn’t fancy following a pack of near-naked student-types to the top, we gave it a miss and continued our circuit instead.

We were now quite far inland and without the ocean breeze it was super-hot. I was applying sun-cream constantly and cowering in the shade of my knackered Thai brolly but still struggling. We were determined not to miss out on the last stop of the route and so headed to Puna Pau – the site of the quarry where the top-knots for the statues were made before being transported to the sites around the island.

We hadn’t fully realised that the quarry was not exactly on the route and so would involve retracing our steps if we couldn’t think of an alternative. After dismissing the idea of nicking the bicycles carelessly left unlocked by another pair of tourists, we rested on the quarry-top for a while before deciding to risk taking a farmland trail that looked like it might possibly head in the right direction.

Undeterred by the log that appeared to intentionally block the route and in deep discussion about what Chilean trespass laws and what form local sanctions might take, we tramped our way across private land until we reached a dirt road.

The problem was then how to get to the dirt road. With the help of an old man who came out of his battered caravan to point us in the right direction, we worked out the ‘gate’ – a simple process of temporarily dismantling a barbed-wire fence in order to get out.

After about 7 hours, 20km and 1600 calories later (thanks Endomondo!) we arrived back at the campsite, with just enough time for a shower (with a miraculously appearing door that didn’t exist when we left that morning), a cuppa and a piece of fruit before heading out with the campsite crew to the evening’s entertainment.

The Rapa Nui Kari Kari dance is a ‘folkloric ballet of great strength and endurance’ but we were expecting something totally tourist-oriented and affected. It was no doubt very touristy but there were also no question about the power and the stamina of the performers. The women were graceful, energetic and beautifully dressed, but the men really made the show. They were all muscle, potency and intensity and had the most superb traditional dress.

I couldn’t help thinking of the lads at school and how they would respond at the idea of dancing, singing, wearing ‘skirts’ and yet even they would not have been able to dispute just how macho these guys were.

As well as a combination of vigorous and sedate (mostly female-led and quite honestly a bit dull in comparison) dances, there were also a couple of instances of audience participation. We studiously stared at the floor as they passed. As much as we fully commend the bravery off all who took part it, these exercises are pretty much designed for humiliation and it was impossible not to laugh at other peoples’ efforts - especially the guy who just shook his knees like a petrified chicken throughout the whole routine.

Back to hostel it was time for a long-overdue Pisco and a good chat with Elena and Marcal from Spain. They had done a similar route to us but had also worked in India for some time and so we had lots to talk about. They were too tired to make the most of the Pisco so we rescheduled a date for tomorrow.

I was just about to go to bed when I realised that despite my best efforts, I had managed to get myself a good dose of comedy sunburn. Due to my high, round-necked t-shirt, I now looked remarkably like the Cluedo-piece, Miss Scarlett. Thanks sun.