The exorbitant cost of living on Easter Island becomes apparent the moment you step off the plane.
The weather on Easter Island during the summer truly tests a traveler's mettle. One second it's clear skies, and the next, a downpour ensues. The afternoon thunderstorms are particularly intense, with the town flooding in less than five minutes. The coffee-colored muddy water rises rapidly, reaching up to the knees and making it seem like cars are traversing through chocolate syrup.
I arrived at the airport two hours early, prepared to catch a morning domestic flight to Easter Island. With plenty of time to spare, I leisurely enjoyed breakfast and then proceeded to customs at a relaxed pace. At the gate, not only was I asked to fill out an entry form, but I also found myself in a queue that seemed to move at the typical pace of international flights.
I once believed that the owners of Taiwanese seafood restaurants, the sushi chefs in Japan, and the cooks at Spanish and Portuguese seafood restaurants were the best experts in preparing seafood in the world. Now, Chileans have joined their ranks!
During the four-day, three-night trek through Torres del Paine National Park, I met Ellen during dinner on my first day of the hiking challenge.
During the four-day, three-night trek in Torres del Paine National Park, I was able to secure a cabin for the first night, while the remaining two nights were spent in a tent at the campsite. As someone who had never set up a tent before, I was worried about how I would set it up on my own before the trip. However, upon arrival, I realized that I had been overthinking it because the campsite tents had already been set up!
I never thought that I, someone who couldn't even tell directions in Kaohsiung's Chaishan, would one day complete a four-day, three-night hike in Chile's Torres del Paine National Park.
Considering the mountain hiking and high-altitude regions on my trip to South America, this is the first time I have scrutinized the insurance so seriously.
For my upcoming journey to South America, I will be entering the Amazon Rainforest in Peru and ascending Rainbow Mountain, which stands at an altitude of over 5,000 meters. To ensure my safety, I registered at a travel clinic, received the yellow fever vaccine, and obtained preventive medication for diseases such as malaria and altitude sickness.