Formed by three separate volcanic eruptions several millenia ago, which gave it a distinctive triangular shape, Rapa Nui or Easter Island, as it is more commonly known, derived its name from Jacob Roggeveen, a Dutch explorer, who sighted the island on April 5th 1722 which day was Easter Sunday and consequently christened it "Easter Island". The native population who are of Polynesian stock call the island 'Rapa Nui' and in turn refer to themselves as the 'Rapanui'. However, oral history tells of the name 'Te Pito O Te Henua' (literally "The Navel of the World") as having been the island's original name...whatever the name, there is no doubt that the island is in a very isolated position on the world's map....it takes a huge effort to want to go there, but because it is there, dark, mysterious and mystical with stories of giant stone statues standing darkly brooding, yours truly and wife decided that it would be interesting to add it to our list of travel destinations actually reached and visited in our lifetime... sort of 100 and more places to visit before one gets too old and decrepit...!
And so we went...as the pictures in this gallery will show....was it worth the effort? Yes, yes and yes...the place is expensive but the people are warm and hospitable...and the giant statues are mysterious, the views are gorgeous...the food is nothing to write home about, but hey! you can't expect to have everything...!!