The Wisdom of Solomon


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Oceania » Solomon Islands » Guadalcanal
January 15th 2019
Published: January 16th 2019
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As the years pass by and I gradually add to the number of countries visited, it seems a more spontaneous travel approach is beginning to flower within your intrepid travel correspondent. I'm happiest when the experience of a country begins to unfold as a result of my visit, and lately have shied away from burying myself in information about countries prior to arrival. It goes without saying the occasional surprised look comes my way in the first few days after arrival, nevertheless I bury myself in each destination and the experiences on offer to ensure I'm enriched by the country and her people. The inaugural visit to Solomon Islands has been the latest example, where it all magically unfolded for me over the course of ten days, and what a wonderful experience it's been! For a country that's so close to the east coast of Australia, the profile of Solomon Islands is not nearly as prominent as her near neighbour Papua New Guinea, so every day has been full of wonders.

I flew to Honiara from Auckland at the conclusion of a wonderful trip to Tonga, with a stopover in Brisbane. It's a little over two hours flight north east of Brisbane before the plane arrived in the capital Honiara a little ahead of schedule. I was greeted by my homestay hosts Janet and Junior, who to my surprise already had a bike for me at the airport. Now this is a first, we piled my bags in to the car and I was straight in to it negotiating local traffic and the prodigious potholes, as we drove out to the hills of Honiara and the beautiful serviced apartment on offer. With stunning views of the city from the balcony in a lush setting, I felt this was going to be a special experience. My hosts got me sorted for data via a local sim card, and within hours I found myself with an apartment, a motorbike and internet access. My hosts invited me out to a resort for a drink, and then to a delicious Chinese restaurant to top off a memorable introduction.

The next morning we drove out to tourist information, and planned an itinerary together for the duration of my visit. We stopped to try betel nut by the side of the road and then went for lunch again, and it became apparent that despite having four children, they're intent on doing everything possible to make me feel welcome. Apparently the kids love being spoilt by their grandma anytime just next door. I sheepishly mentioned stomach problems after lunch, and to my surprise my hosts seemed as proud as punch. Betel nut is renowned for cleaning out the digestive system, and it was just a one off event. So there you have it, betel nut is a natural cure for constipation as well as other ailments according to Dr Google. My hosts introduced me to the staff at a five star resort, and I spent my free hours each day lazing by the pool; it was wonderfully relaxing. I soon discovered the beaches around Honiara are not suitable for swimming, and tourists tend to hang out by the resort pools.

The next morning we went to a car rental company, and my hosts offered to guide me to the Western Battlefields once I had a car to ride in. We scored a Suzuki crossover with air-conditioning, and headed out across Guadalcanal to visit the Vilu outdoor museum and see the war wrecks in the jungle. Guadalcanal was the turning point of the Pacific War, where for the first time the Japanese were halted by the US and her allies as they inexorably swept towards Australia. It was a grim and bitterly contested seven month campaign by land, sea, and air. There's a pervasive sense of history that's hard to describe in Guadalcanal, and I found myself thinking about those brave young men from the war every day, who fought under terrible conditions to preserve the freedom and way of life we take for granted. The museum and the local guide who appeared out of the jungle helped make it an awesome experience, although the mozzies were swarming like mad after the rain stopped. We stopped off in Honiara for an awesome lunch - huge in portion and tiny in price, then pushed on to another museum. Finally we paid our respects at both the Japanese memorial and the US memorial to cap off an unforgettable day.

The next day was one of downtime, and I enjoyed myself visiting a few sites and lazing by the pool. Janet was quite insistent on cooking for me, although I was equally insistent she has enough on her plate with her family to consider, However after a while I graciously acquiesced, and she cooked a delicious meal that evening; her well won reputation for culinary delights now have another convert. Then it was off to an evening of entertainment at the King Solomon hotel, with wonderful Polynesian dancing and a singer with a sublime voice to cap things off. Later we kicked on to Iron Bottom Sound for a live band cranking out quality rock with a reggae feel for the crowd of party goers, all of it in the company of my generous host Junior. As I got to know my hosts, I began to realise my visit wasn't an imposition at all, as the bonds are so strong between Australia and the Solomon Islands. I'd also like to pay tribute to the RAMSI forces who helped bring the Solomon Islands back to peace and stability after the ethnic troubles of 20 years ago, for which the local people are eternally grateful.

The plan for the next morning included a visit to Savo Island, just an hour from Guadalcanal, and the site of a famous World War ll battle. Unfortunately there's been cyclonic activity in the region so the boat trip was cancelled, Seemingly in a random decision with minimal communication, the day morphed in to a visit to the Central Highlands of Guadalcanal, where I hooked up with a guide for the trek to Tenaru Falls. This felt like being transported back in time, it's hard to describe the feeling and I don't wish to bung it on. But events transpired to have a powerful effect on my psyche, and I felt I was following in the footsteps of the young soldiers from the war for a snapshot of time after we commenced the hike. As soon as we headed in to the jungle the heavens opened up in a torrential downpour and I struggled in the mud, slipping and falling on my backside on one inglorious occasion. The mozzies started flying straight at my eyes which was completely bizarre, my guide said it was to protect them from the rain, I broke the strap on my sandal after another fall, then almost lost my phone in the creek. To be honest I felt humiliated considering what the soldiers went through in these very jungles, but my young guide said I was doing fine. So was the hike worth it - oh my god, the falls are magnificent, especially after heavy rain. I took photos and videos like a man possessed, and went for a swim in the waterfall to cool off. The hike back uphill was hell, with my hosts back at the mountain lodge shocked by the appearance of their bedraggled and exhausted guest; nevertheless it was a day I'll always treasure!

At the suggestion of my hosts I went to the Solomon Islands parliament next morning to introduce myself. They took my details and promised to call later, only to confirm that a tour was not possible on this occasion. Nevertheless I thanked the kind lady for taking the effort to let me know, and wished her a nice day. This ensured another day of downtime, and I visited the museum and the botanical gardens, as well as taking a mandatory swim at the local resort. At dinner one evening my hosts introduced me to a local gent in t-shirt, shorts, and thongs. He was a surprisingly young man but was introduced as the Attorney General. Well, life can be full of surprises on the road! Another day we were relaxing by a hotel bar at the poolside, when my hosts pointed out a group with a distinguished gent at the head of the table, that's the former Prime Minister they informed me!

Junior took me out for another night on the town that evening, to more of the happening spots in the Solomon Islands. He is on a new year resolution with his wife, so just settled down with a coke, but as always is great company. On the final day he took me to the Vouza memorial, and I was keen to pay my respects to this local hero from the war. Sir Jacob Vouza was captured and tortured by the Japanese, but managed to escape and didn't betray any information to the enemy. The coast watchers and scouts helped turn the course of the guadalcanal campaign, and we remain forever in their debt. The coast watchers were formed by the Australian Navy in 1934, and the expats gathered intelligence on Japanese positions assisted by local guides as the war escalated. They also rescued countless Allied combatants during the course of the war, including the future President of the US John F Kennedy.

I've been powerfully moved by my experiences in this wonderful country. The people are kind and friendly, my hosts are complete angels, and the historical significance of Guadalcanal will live on forever in the annals of military history. I hope I can visit again soon, my hosts assure me there are white sand beaches galore in the Western Provinces. So until next time my dear friends, basically all of you should be here now!


"The guys who won World War II and that whole generation have disappeared, and now we have a bunch of teenage twits." Clint Eastwood


As I continue my travels, until next time it's signing off for now

Tom

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16th January 2019

Another amazing blog!

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