Imagine being told that in order to go live somewhere, you must first have your appendix removed. It would sound like something from a science fiction or dystopian story, right? Well, it is a reality right here on Earth if you’re looking to relocate to Villas Las Estrellas, a very remote settlement in Antarctica.
Villas Las Estrellas is a small little settlement that consists of a school, a post office, a tiny cluster of homes, and not much else except wilderness. It is one of the few places to have long-term residents that don’t live there for only a few weeks or months at a time.
Because it is so remote, the appendix removal is essential. It’s a precautionary measure for long-term residents since the nearest hospital is over 625 miles away – further than the King George Island on the other side of the Southern Ocean’s very icy waters. There are a few doctors in the town, but none of them are specialist surgeons.
The settlement of Villas Las Estrellas is comprised of about 100 people – most of them being scientists and other personnel on rotation from Chile’s air force or navy. Those who are doing longer assignments with the military will often bring their families with them to the location – hence the need for a school, a post office, a bank, and a couple of other basic facilities.
As for what everyday life is like in Villas Las Estrellas? BBC Future went on a mission to find out. Upon arrival at the settlement, the first thing visitors will notice is a column that has the names of various cities around the world plus the distance you’d have to travel to get there.
The gravel airstrip is the main mode of transportation in and out of the settlement. And when flying in, there isn’t much to see but an expanse of cold, dark ocean.
The yearly temperature for the area is about 27.8F – surprisingly warmer than the Antarctic mainland!
It is definitely a harsh and unforgiving environment, but as the Spanish name suggests, at night it is a place of beauty if you only look up to the sky and see the multitude of stars. But, don’t forget that if you’re going to live there long term, you’ll need to say goodbye to your appendix first!