Index
Day 1: Flying
Day 2: Arrival
Day 3: Easter Island
Day 4: Easter Island
Day 5: Easter Island
Day 6: Santiago
Day 7: Return
Easter Island
Finally decided to photograph breakfast first thing in the morning. The buffet isn't the most elaborate spread, but it most certainly satisifes given the average three night stay most guests seem to spend. About the only thing I would skip is the made-to-order omelets, which did the job but were not terribly interesting.
Puna Pau, the top knot quarry, started off the day. The largest source of red scoria on Rapa Nui, so much material was removed that there's now a substantial pit on top of the hill. The view of the town of Hanga Roa isn't bad either. Ahu Hanga Poukura, another platform with unrestored moai, was the next stop. Honestly had more fun enjoying the rugged coastline this morning, with pounding waves over the dark rocks. Final stop was a restored village at Ahu Hanga Te'e, where we got our only real glimpse of what the wood and thatch buildings might have been like 500 or 600 years ago.
Then it was off to the airport, where there was time to enjoy the airport courtyard, including a recently (circa 1975) carved moai by local sculptor Manuel Tuki. Walking out on the tarmac to a Boeing 787-9 is always cool too.
What was decidedly less pleasant was the massive lines at the airport, where not one but two LATAM 787 flights operating today made for one hell of a crowd. This was topped off with significant turbulence in-flight on the way back to Santiago, where water and wine glasses did their best to overflow. At least lunch in LATAM business class was reasonably good for airplane food, with a somewhat overdone piece of beef to go with an ample bit of smoked salmon and a rather wilted looking salad. Considering that we left Explora Rapa Nui before lunch and the airport was mobbed, lunch on the plane was quite welcome.
Late evening arrival in Santiago plus a long walk from where the Easter Island-bound LATAM 787 gates (on the international terminal side?) back to the domestic terminal meant no dinner and not much in the way of amenities at the airport. The ride from the airport to the hotel also took 50% longer than Google Maps predicted, despite the driver mostly following the predicted route. A bit odd but so late at night, it was good just to get to the hotel and not have to worry about it.