“A flight over water to an island surrounded by oceans.
Strange cloud formations overhead, dramatic reflections of the sun
I am a visitor to this strange land, walking on history
and only glimpsing a piece of it’s beauty.”

– Heather Markel, May 2019.

When I booked my trip to Easter Island my heart literally beat faster with excitement. Who on earth gets to go to Easter Island?? It wasn’t even on my list until I met my friend Jackie in Thailand last year. Because of her I learned there is a CHRISTMAS and an EASTER island!! So, I just had to get myself to one of them. Easter Island is one of those places I probably wouldn’t get to on a vacation from New York since it’s so far. But I found myself in Santiago, Chile and the flights, normally around $1,200 USD round trip were under $300 round trip!! So, HELL YES!

My excitement was, at first, because I was getting to go someplace that seems unique and in the middle of nowhere. Honestly, I’ve heard of those big statues, and they look so cool in photos, that was my main reason for wanting to go. But, I actually learned so much about the culture and history of the island that not only did it astound me but I feel like I received a real gift in getting myself there.
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“So much more than I expected.”

One of the first things I was delighted to learn about Easter Island wasn’t actually about those statues. It was about the cows. Both horses, and cows, roam the island freely. Horses would frequently be eating grass in people’s yards, but more comically, in front of the stores on the main street, at all hours. But COWS roaming freely? There is no dairy industry on Easter Island and the cows and horses are actually a reminder of history – originally they were used to get around the island and pull heavy objects before there were roads and equipment. Now, they all just walk around like the dogs and people, and enjoy their lives. This meant that every day as I roamed the island, I had the fortune of meeting a cow, somewhere. Pure heaven.