Standard air travel time, 5am wake up in christchurch + time differences leads to a tired arrival in Honiara. I noticed a couple of things on the flight between my snoozes though, trying to look out for signs I think of what was to come.
1) That everybody on the plan and I mean EVERYBODY appeared to be an expat
2) The expat community is very very small!
I ended up sitting beside a programme coordinator for the Australian volunteers who knew everybody in VSA in Honiara. Really lovely lady who gave me my first insights into the country that felt really real, everything I already knew seemed to fall out of my head. Mainly because I was about to land on Solomons soil in the next 40 minutes.
I woke up pretty sharp when it was my time to stand up to leave the plane! My one and only concern was... the HEAT! I was bracing myself hard and even stopped before turning to face the open door of airplane to try and savor the air conditioned plane. I expected it to hit me like a glue I couldn't get away from- all consuming. When I stepped off the plan I had the tiniest little smile on my face, I though haha.. its true prepare for the worst and you will be surprised with anything less! The heat wasnt as bad a I had imagtioned! And I though- Yea! Go me- I can do this!
Like anywhere new, your senses are on overdrive! The smell of burning wood?!, staff wearing sandles and half wearing high vis shirts. The casual nature of everybody, nobody had any great air of importance about themselves. I do remember feeling really on edge, and nervous about the place- it was casual but yet so foreign to me.
A big smiley face at immigration asked me 'Your first time to the Solomons?!' and with a shy yes laugh, he settled me a little bit with a big 'Welkom' :)
1) That everybody on the plan and I mean EVERYBODY appeared to be an expat
2) The expat community is very very small!
I ended up sitting beside a programme coordinator for the Australian volunteers who knew everybody in VSA in Honiara. Really lovely lady who gave me my first insights into the country that felt really real, everything I already knew seemed to fall out of my head. Mainly because I was about to land on Solomons soil in the next 40 minutes.
I woke up pretty sharp when it was my time to stand up to leave the plane! My one and only concern was... the HEAT! I was bracing myself hard and even stopped before turning to face the open door of airplane to try and savor the air conditioned plane. I expected it to hit me like a glue I couldn't get away from- all consuming. When I stepped off the plan I had the tiniest little smile on my face, I though haha.. its true prepare for the worst and you will be surprised with anything less! The heat wasnt as bad a I had imagtioned! And I though- Yea! Go me- I can do this!
Like anywhere new, your senses are on overdrive! The smell of burning wood?!, staff wearing sandles and half wearing high vis shirts. The casual nature of everybody, nobody had any great air of importance about themselves. I do remember feeling really on edge, and nervous about the place- it was casual but yet so foreign to me.
A big smiley face at immigration asked me 'Your first time to the Solomons?!' and with a shy yes laugh, he settled me a little bit with a big 'Welkom' :)
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