Tristan da Cunha, is located in the south Atlantic Ocean, the 8-mile-wide British overseas territory is the most remote populated island in the world. The nearest mainland city, 1,743 miles east, is Cape Town in South Africa and the nearest inhabited island is St. Helena at over 1,200 miles away. The travel from there takes five to seven days by boat. Traveling by air is not an option, as there is no airport on the island. There is 270 residents that all live on the islands only settlement, Edinburgh of the Seven Seas. Established in the early 19th century, the village is located on the north coast and home to 70 families, all of whom are farmers by necessity as they have a general store but supplies must be order months in advance. The island survives on potatoes, which can been seen across the island in patches and their livestock of cows that roam freely. Daily life is peaceful with a few major exceptions.
An active volcano right in the middle of the island that lurks over the settlement. It hasn’t erupted since 1961, and for the 270 permanent residents lets hope that it stays dormant. There beaches are not safe to swim. It rains 17 to 26 days of the month. The nightlife is nonexistent as there are no hotels or restaurants though there is a small pub along there only dirt road throughout the island. There are no credit cards. All the residents share nine surnames: Collins, Glass, Green, Hagan, Lavarello, Repetto, Rogers, Squibb and Swain. There is a hospital equipped with x-ray machines, a labor ward, operating theater, emergency room and dental treatment facilities takes care of most health concerns, but patients requiring more specialized treatment must be evacuated to South Africa or the UK. You trade these items and amenities in for complete isolation and peaceful existence.
In this short documentary, you will meet lifelong residents explaining the joys of living on the island: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4ElF8awm90
Categories: Uncategorized
Tags: British, Collins, cows, Glass, Green, Hagan, Island, Lavarello, potatoes, Repetto, Rogers, South Africa, Squibb, Swain, Tristan da Cunha, UK, Volcano
I like the idea of a peaceful existence but being this isolated is too much for me. And the threat of that volcano, no thanks. I will stay here on the highly populated, polluted, over priced land.
LikeLike