Yup, that¹s a cell phone ad about texting on the island. Rapa Nui, and
Chile, for that matter, are as crazy about their cell phones as Americans.
I saw my first iPhone on the island a day after I arrived, and was
contemplating getting a prepaid cell during our trip here, but didn¹t want
to spend the US$240. However, I might opt for getting a SIM card from Entel
Chile for US$10.

Everyone uses a prepaid system here (because the air minutes are so
expensive). Once you have a phone, you don¹t have to pay unless you call
out on it. Only the caller pays for air time. But cell phone reception is
limited to the area around the main town of Hanga Roa and from the top of a
few hills.

No one has built cell towers in the countryside yet… Thank goodness for
that.

In recent years the National Park System and the Municipality have improved
the way they educate tourists about preserving the Rapa Nui sites. A
pamphlet was handed out as we approached the Mataveri (IPC) runway which
gave the ³rules² of the parks: Don¹t touch the moai (statues), don¹t step on
the ahu (platforms), and don¹t take anything. Large signs have also been
placed near the ahu and at the entrances of the parks to direct visitors
around designated paths.

In the past there have been many individuals who have mistakenly damaged the
sites. Since they were unaware of the rules it was difficult to fine them
for the damage. Others, however, have been aware of the rules and have
still decided to carve their names into the statues or take important stones
back with them as cheap souvenirs.

It is great to see this big move towards better controlling the tourists.
With so many coming for the eclipse, one can only hope that they will read
and pay attention to the signs.

After some crazy turbulence over Central America, we made it safely to
Santiago, Chile. Then, hopping onto a LAN flight, we headed to Rapa Nui.
The flight was excellent, and actually being served a free meal on a flight
made me think of the glorious Œ90s.

LAN Chile is the only airline that currently flies into the island. A
certain amount of time is required between each flight to the island, in
case a departing flight needs to turn around and make an emergency landing
(there is no other stretch of land between Rapa Nui and Santiago, Chile).
LAN has been able to dominate the industry on the island by filling all the
available spots with a flight. The monopoly has allowed them to charge 3
times the normal price for a ticket to Rapa Nui during the eclipse. The
freight cost has also been greatly increased, so foods that are imported
(which is a great majority) cost more. They claim that the price increase
is due to the limited amount of planes available because of the increased
flights to South Africa (for the World Cup).

Who gets hit by the hike increase? Both tourists and locals. And if the
tourists don¹t stand for it, the business owners are the ones who have to
face the chopping block. In the past, some local businesses have opted to
buy their own cargo ships and start private shipping industries in order to
get their cargo across the 2,500 mile stretch of ocean. But there are still
some products that need to be imported via plane.

Plans have been created for a second landing strip and a larger terminal.
This would allow enough space for a second airline to move into the market.
But the funds have not yet been acquired, and so a start date has not yet
been set.

After some crazy turbulence over Central America, we made it safely to
Santiago, Chile. Then, hopping onto a LAN flight, we headed to Rapa Nui.
The flight was excellent, and actually being served a free meal on a flight
made me think of the glorious Œ90s.

LAN Chile is the only airline that currently flies into the island. A
certain amount of time is required between each flight to the island, in
case a departing flight needs to turn around and make an emergency landing
(there is no other stretch of land between Rapa Nui and Santiago, Chile).
LAN has been able to dominate the industry on the island by filling all the
available spots with a flight. The monopoly has allowed them to charge 3
times the normal price for a ticket to Rapa Nui during the eclipse. The
freight cost has also been greatly increased, so foods that are imported
(which is a great majority) cost more. They claim that the price increase
is due to the limited amount of planes available because of the increased
flights to South Africa (for the World Cup).

Who gets hit by the hike increase? Both tourists and locals. And if the
tourists don¹t stand for it, the business owners are the ones who have to
face the chopping block. In the past, some local businesses have opted to
buy their own cargo ships and start private shipping industries in order to
get their cargo across the 2,500 mile stretch of ocean. But there are still
some products that need to be imported via plane.

Plans have been created for a second landing strip and a larger terminal.
This would allow enough space for a second airline to move into the market.
But the funds have not yet been acquired, and so a start date has not yet
been set.

After some crazy turbulence over Central America, we made it safely to
Santiago, Chile. Then, hopping onto a LAN flight, we headed to Rapa Nui.
The flight was excellent, and actually being served a free meal on a flight
made me think of the glorious Œ90s.

LAN Chile is the only airline that currently flies into the island. A
certain amount of time is required between each flight to the island, in
case a departing flight needs to turn around and make an emergency landing
(there is no other stretch of land between Rapa Nui and Santiago, Chile).
LAN has been able to dominate the industry on the island by filling all the
available spots with a flight. The monopoly has allowed them to charge 3
times the normal price for a ticket to Rapa Nui during the eclipse. The
freight cost has also been greatly increased, so foods that are imported
(which is a great majority) cost more. They claim that the price increase
is due to the limited amount of planes available because of the increased
flights to South Africa (for the World Cup).

Who gets hit by the hike increase? Both tourists and locals. And if the
tourists don¹t stand for it, the business owners are the ones who have to
face the chopping block. In the past, some local businesses have opted to
buy their own cargo ships and start private shipping industries in order to
get their cargo across the 2,500 mile stretch of ocean. But there are still
some products that need to be imported via plane.

Plans have been created for a second landing strip and a larger terminal.
This would allow enough space for a second airline to move into the market.
But the funds have not yet been acquired, and so a start date has not yet
been set.

After some crazy turbulence over Central America, we made it safely to
Santiago, Chile. Then, hopping onto a LAN flight, we headed to Rapa Nui.
The flight was excellent, and actually being served a free meal on a flight
made me think of the glorious Œ90s.

LAN Chile is the only airline that currently flies into the island. A
certain amount of time is required between each flight to the island, in
case a departing flight needs to turn around and make an emergency landing
(there is no other stretch of land between Rapa Nui and Santiago, Chile).
LAN has been able to dominate the industry on the island by filling all the
available spots with a flight. The monopoly has allowed them to charge 3
times the normal price for a ticket to Rapa Nui during the eclipse. The
freight cost has also been greatly increased, so foods that are imported
(which is a great majority) cost more. They claim that the price increase
is due to the limited amount of planes available because of the increased
flights to South Africa (for the World Cup).

Who gets hit by the hike increase? Both tourists and locals. And if the
tourists don¹t stand for it, the business owners are the ones who have to
face the chopping block. In the past, some local businesses have opted to
buy their own cargo ships and start private shipping industries in order to
get their cargo across the 2,500 mile stretch of ocean. But there are still
some products that need to be imported via plane.

Plans have been created for a second landing strip and a larger terminal.
This would allow enough space for a second airline to move into the market.
But the funds have not yet been acquired, and so a start date has not yet
been set.

After some crazy turbulence over Central America, we made it safely to
Santiago, Chile. Then, hopping onto a LAN flight, we headed to Rapa Nui.
The flight was excellent, and actually being served a free meal on a flight
made me think of the glorious Œ90s.

LAN Chile is the only airline that currently flies into the island. A
certain amount of time is required between each flight to the island, in
case a departing flight needs to turn around and make an emergency landing
(there is no other stretch of land between Rapa Nui and Santiago, Chile).
LAN has been able to dominate the industry on the island by filling all the
available spots with a flight. The monopoly has allowed them to charge 3
times the normal price for a ticket to Rapa Nui during the eclipse. The
freight cost has also been greatly increased, so foods that are imported
(which is a great majority) cost more. They claim that the price increase
is due to the limited amount of planes available because of the increased
flights to South Africa (for the World Cup).

Who gets hit by the hike increase? Both tourists and locals. And if the
tourists don¹t stand for it, the business owners are the ones who have to
face the chopping block. In the past, some local businesses have opted to
buy their own cargo ships and start private shipping industries in order to
get their cargo across the 2,500 mile stretch of ocean. But there are still
some products that need to be imported via plane.

Plans have been created for a second landing strip and a larger terminal.
This would allow enough space for a second airline to move into the market.
But the funds have not yet been acquired, and so a start date has not yet
been set.

Last Goodbyes, originally uploaded by marafilms.

It’s tradition to give flower leis to those arriving in Rapa Nui, and shell
leis to those who are leaving. Even now, as they did when I was a child,
the bright flowers smell incredibly sweet and the sharp shells pinch and
scratch the skin. After the flowers have wilted away, and the memories of
the island have faded into sepia, those shells always seem to remain. They
serve as a vivid and painful reminder that there exists a beautiful culture
and people whom I cannot be near to.

It has been several visits since my last trip to Rapa Nui. Now, with the
coming of the eclipse in July, it seems even more important to rejoin my
community and help the island through this event with uncertain outcomes.

I cannot wait to smell those fresh flowers again.

Mara Films has launched a new project to document this event and the impact that it has on Rapa Nui.  Stay tuned for new updates and posts.

A nice video to brighten up my Saturday. NPR hosts, producers, and directors spoof “Telephone” by Lady Gaga.