The walks are really hard to find, the details are always passed on by word of mouth or by trawling through some expat blogs on Pineapple Post- you never really know where your going until you get there. And your never really certain your not going to break a leg on the way but man, its worth it because they are amazing!
We set off on a Sunday morning at 9am to find Mt. Austin and after a couple of U turns and asking some locals along the way, we arrived in a village up the hill. Hopped out of the car and soon on our way down the hills with a whole family to guide us.
Having the trail runners really makes a difference (NOT!) you cant help but laugh about how useless you are compared to the locals when trekking through the bush! In flip flops they patiently guided (well really just me) down the slippery slops that could have been the end of you with one wrong step! I find laughing when you look like Bambi on ice, really helps and gives the guides the 'go ahead' to laugh away too!
Well this was our final destination.. And my god, I had to stop to take it all in.
After climbing to under the waterfall with the gang and making like we were in a Peter Andre Music Video, Romain touching his abs- me an Ashleigh shaking it in the background! Our guides must have wondered what was wrong with us. After our short performance, we all fell (literally down the hill) and bombed into the water again to remove the muck from ourselves!
The kids that came along as our guides were totally amazing, just like all Solomon kids- its amazing to see them do back flips and climb up rock faces better then I walk normally! We don't make kids like that in Ireland and I'v seen some good rock climbers in NZ but this is just like their natural environment and they know how to use it!
The way back we traveled down the river and our guides brought us to a WWII cave where the Japanese soldiers hit out for 2 months. The cave was tiny! I was holding back from getting down into it but as I'm a 'fear of missing out' individual I made my way through the cave on my belly. Strategically handing my tourch to our guide so I couldn't see the cockroaches and whatever else would have set me to panic mode!
Now that I'm out of their, it was quiet the comedy show. Our guide followed by Romain, Ashleigh and Me and then the rest of the family on our bellies going through this cave. Every now 'spider' would be called for the next person. Which sent a fit of giggles through the cave, and an increased excitement get the hell out of there!
OTHER HIKES
Another hike which we had to stop in the end as the water was too high, Tenaru Falls. I'm glad we did in the end because there was a really heavy shower after we decided to turn back. Flash floods on the brain!
Still an amazing walk up Teneru falls.
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