Solomon Islands

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Solomons chatter

Well, after getting home on Easter Sunday and then popping into reserves on Tuesday to see what time and where to parade, it was mentioned that they needed a Transport Supervisor to go to the Solomons with them. Soooo, within 2 days of being back in Australia, plans were already underway for me to be off again within a week or two for four to five months. I got to stay in town for the christening of my nephew, now my godson, and also my other new niece and a very quick time to catch up with family and friends. 2 weeks later I was off.

After a couple of days in Sydney, it was off to Solomons for a few months. First few days I was here it was lovely weather, not as hot as I was expecting and beautiful bright blue sky for a couple of days - word was it had rained the previous 3 days straight. Beautiful beaches scattered with ships that had washed ashore in cyclones and left there. Lovely locals shaking their arms off to wave at you. Roads that could definitely do with work but far from the worst I’ve seen and a place to stay that is called a resort, that is an overstatement but you stay dry at least when you are sleeping. After the few days of sun, you could set your watch by the rain. One night it was raining that hard that long the place was a little glass lake. The locals who chew beetlenut - which is lots of them, have great red smiles - I will aim to do a photo of that one day.

Work, well that is good. Trying to settle in the first week and meet everyone and learn everything at the same time as doing the job takes a bit but then I seemed to settle in. Although, every time I thought that, someone had a devious plan. Now a week and a half in I have had a few early nights but mostly to go straight to bed. Had a plan to do heaps of training and get fit while I was here, but that lasted a few days and mornings were too early and 3 nice meals a day was too much. Now my plan is just to fit into the same clothes until I get home and as usual work on it later.

And then another nice sunny day - good for views but muggy hot - give me the rain any day. Got out for drive last day or two and has been great, waving to locals and checking out some of the country roads, some which end in great views. Tongans got into a couple of bogs/slips that we got out of - good fun in my mind. Did creek crossing and after 3 rock paper scissors undecided with Kev, he just walked in. Then after we dug ourselves out of a bog, we were driving through water and then locals just came in truckloads and started bathing.

Oh, the other thing. At home, you rely on locals for info about crocodiles. My theory is locals know best - if they don’t swim, you don’t, if they are, then it’s okay. Well, crossing a bridge, one of the locals was yelling crocodile and asking us to shoot him (no RSPCA over here), but also too much paperwork. Anyway, then about a week later, a local was taken by a croc while fishing about 3am in the morning. The croc swam around with him for a while until the police unit went out and shot the croc. Might have to add ‘Australian’ locals to my theory.

Anzac Day was great - drove into town and did cenotaph with 1 Tongan, 2 NZ and 1 Aussies, drill was different but same timing and nearly same position which would’ve been cool. Then gunfire brekky, one rum and milk and then back for sport comps. Watched touch footy because they had enough players, then played soccer and then a quick game of volleyball. NZ won the cup, but if Tongans had been eligible they would’ve flogged us both, fast, strong, agile - nearly broke my fingers in spike at volleyball. Then NZ had been doing a Hungi all day and we had that for dinner which was awesome. Probably my best Anzac Day ever.

Couple of weeks gone by now without an update. The dry season seems to be a week on and week off with rain, other than the few pour downs at night seemingly out of nowhere. Weather is quite nice though - no real complaints. Have had a couple of Sundays off and got to a war museum, a local café and one of the many shipwrecks, this one only 50m from shore and an awesome snorkel with loads of fish and pretty coral. On another note, have signed up for a soccer comp here with the boys and I scored in our first game win over the locals 2-1. Have been doing a little bit of sport but have been eating a good three meals a day so not losing any weight!

Got my camera I ordered to use as a webcam and took ages to setup but got there, and the mp3 I ordered, I thought with radio doesn’t have radio and blue screens my computer so I have the 2 songs it came with on the 2gb drive……. After a bit of playing, it turns out the drivers for my camera are the dodgy bit and I either get the camera or any USB… Am working out a quick way to rollback to get both.

3 June there was a 6.1 earthquake on a nearby Island of the Solomons. It rattle and shook all our building here, but it was around 3am so I didn’t feel it! There was one about a month ago though which felt like someone was shaking my chair to get my attention but noone was there. Weird but cool.

Oh winter came though, was apparently 22 degrees one morning and I got out of the air con because it was cold and it was chilly outside too. I am from Townsville though and winter is normally in the late teens anyway.

Was just before dinner one night and we got a big shake, those who were awake for the 3am shake said it was as rough but only about 3 seconds not like 10 seconds. Is weird to feel building shake like it has been hit by a truck.

Friday 13th - they have never affected me before now but this one was special, I had half o my vehicle fleet grounded and then when trying to get them all back, a road was closed for about an hour. All sorted in the end, but a local here was killed in a road accident involving an off duty police officer so all in all a bad day.
Another time, we practiced a mass casualty and had 2 of our vehicles called out to assist, and even though it was only about 1km away, the vehicle I was driving broke down. I will never ask ‘silly questions’ again in training saying ‘yeah I know, but it would never happen!’.

The next thing was slaving all night serving the bosses dinner, very busy but quite a good night. Weird to be on a ‘special night’ in the grass - lucky the rain held out.

And still more! I was prepping for the FACE tour which had heaps of transport tasking, and then got a message from home that my dog was in pound for being let out and killing a Chihuahua, then there was plans for a huge march on the Friday so may have lost drivers from Thursday on - the main FACE timings, then we had a breakdown that afternoon (as well as trying to squeeze in a soccer final which was also high on priorities ).

25 June to 30 June we had FACE tour here. Now hopefully I haven’t missed anything for the past few weeks because all that is important to me at the moment is that the last week I was drive the performers around for a concert tour - Beccy Cole with her band, Claire Clarke n band, Cass Eager and Jan, and Big Brother Little Brother. It was great getting to know them just chatting and being friendly and then along with the long days to get them and their gear places just having to be there and see every concert!  Ok, that was the bonus part. Great bits - the pidgin intro from the Brothers, the park dancer…, Bec pushups and Chorley on Cass’ shoulders, running amok at Maritime concert.
Other exciting things to come out of this tasking was parking a truck within 6 inches of a plane, hitting a bird (possibly the rare jumping dodo pheasant) and cracking the windscreen but seeing the truck behind me pull up and be out of his truck chasing the bird before I looked up again from ducking, getting out from behind my desk and doing a battlefield and base tour and walking around through communities with the children. Then the sad goodbye and loading at the airport, watching the locals bumping the door of the plane with luggage and the pilots trying and then just giving up, running in and out of terminal and on and off the plane, can never imagine that at any other international airport…. ???

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Photos

Claire Beccy Me Cass
The party girls with no party to go to!

Solomon Locals
I have to refer to Africa because it keeps coming to mind - super friendly locals sometimes you hear screaming hello's but just wave because you don't see where it is coming from.

Nemo kissing me
One of many shipwrecks, this one at Bonegi Beach.

Vilu War Museum
The museum we visited before the wreck at the beach.

Is that a plane?
How cool is it to park within inches of a plane!