Rapa Nui, Isla de Pascua, Easter Island

Call it by any name, this lonely little island is magical! After a luxurious 4.5 hour flight from Santiago (including fancy schmanzy meals and free wine, beer, and personal selections of movies, games, and music)... we found ourselves being whisked away from the tiny airport to a quaint hospedaje tucked under banana trees near the coast. Within a 2 minute walk from our brightly colored room, we could already see the mysterious stone statues looming not far in the distance.

Afternoon 1, we strolled along the coast with virtually no one around allowing us to respectfully soak in the magnitude of the scenery- the ancient heads with their peculiar grin and the crystal blue ocean with crashing whitecaps behind. Naive to the skills of island budget eating, we picked the nearest ocean front restaurant and ordered what the people next to us were having- fresh fish and cold wine. It was an Easter lunch of sheer bliss, but when the bill came we realized our mistake too late- our entire day budget for food disappeared in one meal! We tried to make up for lost pesos by buying groceries for dinner, but the only place open was a small tienda selling substandard dried food for triple the normal cost. Over the next few days, however, we became more savvy and enjoyed our meals for under budget- including our first stab at ceviche! Raw fish soaked in lemon juice and served with vegetables is a local delicacy- another culinary delight that we just could not quite wrap our taste buds around!

Day 2 we rented mountain bikes and set out to explore the far side of the island, stopping to admire statues (Moai) and their ceremonial platforms (ahu) as well as the fantastic coastline. Many of the Moai have been raised from their faces where they had fallen and laid resting for hundreds of years. Some have been touched up, whereas others are still ruggedly natural. They apparently served as symbols of ancestors watching over local villages which is why they face inland rather than towards the sea. We ditched our bikes and headed to 2 sandy white beaches for part of the afternoon. The only semi-casualty of the trip was when I made my best attempt at a scene from Baywatch and walked casually out into the surf on an isolated beach where we later noticed no-swimming signs. As I strutted my stuff, I turned to smile demurely at Cullen when a giant wave came out of nowhere and tossed me to the ground like a rag doll. I came away from the rip tide without injuries and without my sunglasses- a donation to the water gods in true Schneider fashion! That one is for you, Dad!

Day 3, we were exhausted from our marathon bike ride but the rainy and cloudy day left us few options. So instead of lounging on the beach again or seeking more Moai, we took a taxi to the far side and began the foot journey back to town along a rugged and sometimes not visible trail on the north side of the island. Again, our calculating skills were rusty because our host mom told us the trek would take 7 hours and we left at 2pm without headlamps. When we finally did the math, we decided to take long strides and hustle at more than a comfortable pace. We passed lots of desolated ground peppered with thousands of volcanic boulders and horses (yes thousands of each), but little else. It rained sideways and the wind blew hard as we walked gingerly above towering cliffs that dropped off into the now gray waters. We never saw another soul and the quiet walk was beautiful in its own way. We were thoroughly wiped out,however, by the time we got home and after making ourselves a quick dinner of pasta we fell fast asleep.

Day 4, we decided to give our poor legs a break and rented a scooter- aka un moto. Just like on our honeymoon, we cruised around the island with gigantic helmets on and even bigger smiles permanently spread across our faces. The breeze was cool and we jetted around to all of the highlights on the island including two volcanoes, an ancient ceremonial village, the beach, and the final most spectacular Moai. The day was perfect from the crepe and jam breakfast all the way to our oceanside glass of wine watching the sun set over the horizon.

Day 5, we departed for Santiago... the adventure continues!