Hiking in Honiara

One of the great things about Honiara is the great WWII walks  you can do around the place.

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. 

Simbo Simbo

Simbo Simbo Simbo!! 

Having just arrived in the country for 2 weeks and meeting a lovely group of volunteers and expats working in Honiara, I jumped on their trip to Simbo Island. It was a very last minute trip- but one of the most amazing trips I have been on EVER! From the very start I couldn't believe how lucky I was to get to experience this little piece of paradise. 

You will be seeing a lot more videos from me instead of the classic blogger essay, you have got to know your strength and descriptive writing is not one of mine. But I do love the camera :P 

And first stop was the airport- Thank you Downer! Great job! :) 

After an hour and a half on banana boat we arrived in Simbo Island.. 

A picture of paradise, and it really was! Island life is very simple. You eat, work, laugh, play and sleep. We were thrown into Island life as soon as we got off the banana boat (ok- minus the work side of it), ALL of the island greeted us on the shore when we arrived and then a mass exit of the kids to the water to have some fun. Our pasty crew, put on the white war paint and went to join them soon after. We spend the evening splashing about it the water, throwing kids about and finding star fish as big as our own heads! 

The most amazing part of the experience was the pikonini (kids) on the Island from 6 in the morning to their parents hunted them home at night they hung around our house just dieing to play and so excited by the visitors to their island. Our trip wasn't to a guesthouse or motel/hotel it was to the home of a friend of a friend. There are no guesthouses on Simbo, so man did we feel special to get to stay there!

This is the crew waiting to jump on the boat for a hike up the volcano.

On the activity side we had the most amazing trip to the volcano at Simbo, hiking up to the top of the volanoe, passing lagoons and some springs coming out of the earth that we boiling hot. The top of the volcano smelt just like Rotorua in NZ, like smelly rotten eggs.. AHHH NATURE! :)  It was a geography nerds dream, but a pale persons nightmare. We took it all in a then headed for shade! I will let the pictures do the talking, but just incase it hasn't come out enough- the smells, the sounds, the eagle soaring overhead and crystal clear water... that what I'm trying to get across!

 Our guide Violet showed us the sections of the Island where steam was rising out of the ground, before our hike she had wrapped some potatoes and megapod eggs in banana leaves in a basket and we tucket into lunch. Never had free range eggs like them. Check out the yokes!  

Our Easter weekend in Simbo definitely felt like an Island celebration. The village had a band which they performed for us every night we were there. The pikonini who were very shy to start of with but were flying by the end of it. Reminded me very much of the Celili's we would have in the Halla Mor, in the Gaelteach in Ireland! 

Some of the teenage boys on the Island must have got some aftershave for the occasion and after an hour of so got the courage to ask their guests up for a dance. Their grandparents and parents, well pretty much the whole Island was their to dance the night away! We laughed our heads off and sweated buckets. Here is band performing for us during the day! 

We said good bye to Simbo village after experiencing so much of their little Island paradise, it felt quiet strange to leave. It felt like we were leaving a lost world untouched by the west. In some ways I hope it never gets found and I can hid there in tropical paradise with them too! 

Other HAHA’s in Honiara

A shop outside my work near the lime lounge that blasts Westlife all day everyday! (Alot of people know just how happy this would make me, and if they were their we’d probably try and do Karakoe out side it). Forgot how good that Maria Carey, Westlife collaboration was!

The lovely ladies in the market laugh their heads off when you try to buy less then the stack layed out. I think I’m going to do that from now on because unless I’m reading it wrong they really               think its hilarious. And it will mean I am really funny! ;)

Cooking- So every time you move to a new country 'its your chance' to improve yourself as a person and of course that means learning to cook all these new wonderful dishes! .. 

         

            After organizing a my kitchen rules in our house, yes I did it to myself! I learnt one thing and one thing only. NEVER cook crab! We all have those visions of what our masterpiece will look and taste like. I mean I hardly ever cook, so go all out. It will be actually easier because I dont cook that often because I will be concentrting that much more! ... NO! Within 10 minutes of having the things out of the pot, it was a brown crab juice massacre in the kitchen. An hour and a half later, 16 crabs in, less then a handful of crab meat and a smell that could make the ants run away, and I'm not even talking about me! I knew I wasn't going to win, the food tasted more of my sweated off sun cream then actual food. Humidity, crab steam and a newbie to the heat.. It wasn't the step ford wives, apron wearing dream I pictured. But it was  alot of fun, reliving it with a cold bear in hand the next week! I do really like and appreciate when crab is cooked for me now!  

Don’t buy SB, its the dutch gold of the Solomons. I bought 24 cans, before anyone could stop me, not very swap-able/ sharable. Although it is the locals drink (maybe not of choice), its cheaper then Sol Brew and a good 2% stronger. Not a good choice for a secret Irish light weight!

Building here, well if you dont laugh you will cry! No, its not really that bad. But this one did make me laugh! Check out the front page of the building specs! 

















April fools jokes are different here, in a friends office the funniest thing in the world was telling everybody theh driver was dead. Like HILARIOUS, even going so far as ringing on of their co-workers to collect flowers for the family! I’m actually lauging now at how funny that is, only funny that they think its funny or maybe its actually funny?! No No.. not funny but hahahahaah..

Kids here! Well, if ya know me- ya know I like to be the leader of a choreographed dance group where ever I can. And I’v been missing that side of myself since being here. So I found myself creating a simple dance routing that kids can follow while drinking on a beach in Gizo. I wasn’t that intoxicated- the kids were safe! I mean one of them started coping me and then when I had all three doing the sprinkeler.  I thought.. Well, I’m now a world wide renowned choreographer! Once I had all three I couldn’t stop, I mean I actually felt pressure to keep producing dance moves! Song after song, it became more and more serious I’m pretty sure for both of us. I lost alot of fluids that night but I hope to see the sprinkler spread far and wide through out the land very soon! 

Talking Pirish- I mean its always drunken, and man do I feel like a cultural thespian when I do it. But there is just something so funny about speaking Irish and mixing it up with Pidgeon. hahhhhha.. Its really quiet beautiful! And you get the air of cool, playboy gangster about you when you speak Pirish.

Being scared here is kind of funny too- I was a bit freaked out locking the gate outside our house, i-phone torch in mouth trying to get the damn thing to lock.  I saw a shadow move- panicked and in flight mode overdrive, I kicked that gate I was trying to lock and emergency ran away. Like really ran.. and then nearly as the front door I started to emergency laugh! I just ran away from my own shadow! Wish I caught that one on camera! haha 

Some more to come.. 

Tsunami’s, Earthquakes and Cyclone

Well I cant say I wasn’t warned... 4 days of a pre-departure briefing, 4 days in country induction, a personal emergency plan to complete and a drive around my new location identifying ‘safe houses’ like the NZ high commission, higher ground locations on both sides of hate river. Knowing where the SAT pohehs are, warning of always having credit and how to respond to earthquakes, situations of political unrest. Emergency evacuation procedure, what to have in your grab bag, suggested stores of food in your accommodation. Even a life jacket wit ha GPS locating device for each volunteer. I remember thinking on ‘ehm, are these all from past lessons learnt?!, So I listened intently with side eyes, pen in hand!

Even as soon as I arrived off the plane I was handed a Sim card with credit and ha phone list for all emergency services and in country volunteers. Taken to get food supplies, informed of safety requirements at the house I was staying at. Wow writing all that down and thinking of the rest, - again, you really cant say you weren't warned!

And all too soon the evidence of past natural disasters is in front of my eyes and a week later cyclone Pam hits the Solomons and Vanuatu. Tow weeks after that hI get a text message saying ‘ Earthquake in PNG, expected Tsunami in 40 minutes. 1meter high, no need to move to higher ground. Stay available on phone and text back to this message’. Which is exactly what my briefing had said would happen. But you know we all think its just like that once in a hundred year flood (which I suppose did happen in Christchurch!), the Sellafield disaster then (please don’t let me have jinxed that with this blog- We did all get iodine tablet in Ireland so I’m sure we are fine). Basically all the warning in the world cant take away the initial panic you feel when its really real!

I remember thinking that living in NZ was living on the edge and my ‘poor sheltered family in Ireland’ :P would ask how I could live with the earthquakes in Christchurch- ha! That feels like cotton wool compared to this.

The country is only now in its recovery from the flash floods that hit last year when its potentially facing another natural disaster from cyclone Pam. I am still getting to understand the affects of the floods and my role in the recovery for education infrastructure. I remember being in the downer graduate conference and Simon, who I didn't know at the time gave a small talk on his experience of the VSA assignment which I am now carrying on a year later. His experience changed dramatically in one day, after watching one of the main bridges be washed away in front of his eyes. As the floods destroyed the area the bridge was left in a state where the only thing holding to together was the asphalt that lay on top. I hope I haven't drama-sized what I heard too much, it makes Simon sound pretty heroic so I’m sure he wont mind me rolling with it! Seeing the state the bridge was in and watching cars que up to cross the bridge he stood in front of it to stop them before they dumped right into the river. I remember thinking after that talk ‘FAAAACCK’ don’t think I could be dealing with that!!

And less then a year later..  I’m standing on the same bridge looking and picturing the scene that was described. I'm on a new bridge of course, I haven't taken over his lolly pop duties! (JOKE!) A new bailey bridge a fine specimen of a bridge, built in the strongest Valerian steel (I have just watched Game of Throwns- I’m not thinking straight). The bridge was actually built by the fine people at Downer! Thank you very much Mr. Downer. A really vital piece of infrastructure in the Solomons and something that really might never have been rebuilt.

Just like my first couple of months living in Christchurch, its hard to comprehend the extent of the damage a natural disaster has on a country. I mean you know there was an big earthquake, you have done some research into your new home! You can see the shell of a city and wonder why there are so many bloody car parks! It takes working in a rebuild capacity to really feel the effects and see the impact on those who will live through the repair. Meeting those people who’s reality this is,hearing and feeling their experiences really makes it real for those who weren't there.

Everyday I walked to work for two weeks over the bridge, I saw the buildings hanging over the edge and falling into the river but that was really all I saw in terms of damage. Its status as  a disaster only took affect when I started my role in the asset management team in MEHRD. The extent of the damage spreads much further the that bridge and those buildings.

I start to become familiar with the list of flood affected schools that are being repaired, Tuvaruhu, Mbalasuna, Tomorora, King George are but a new additions to my thoughts. Site visits to contractors completing the repairs brings me to many schools both in Honiara and up to 40km outside, past the palm olive plantations. Schools where classrooms were washed away and are now operating with UNICEF tents that can be hotter then any sauna I have been in. And I'm only describing schools here, the affect on homes and livelihoods is further reaching still. 

The programme of work for the flood affected schools takes up a considerable amount o fte AMD resources.  Something that could not be planned for but is a reality that needs resources to return capacity to schools as soon as possible. On my visits to the schools, meeting princliples and completing these repair works. I realise the job, the focus is on returning function to the schools. All the other strategies/ objective/ plans are on hold/ are not priority for another year. And a million and one development and other thoughts come to mind on that one. I’m sure some of my other blog post will paint a picture of what that means for education in the Solomon's and the knock on to its developement on the whole as a country. But sure you know yourself, and before I get too off topic or delve any further and start to sound like an intellect or worse a politician. 

I’ll end this one with.. We are wrapped in cotton wool compared to my new friends in the Solomon's

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Happy St. Patricks Day Honiara!!

I have been here a week and had a St. Patricks Day celebration which turned out waaay better then expected.

The onset of the party looked like, nobody was coming and ehm.. no music. But had a great little holley in the honiara house! Ken, one of the accompaning parteners on VSA turned out to be abit of a ceoilitoir! We had the Coors blasting and Ken with a sound system and electric fiddle rocking the place 90's style! Mixed up with some Pogues, Westlife, Sinead O'Conor.

The Kiwi and Auzzie crowd to encouraged/forced to lep about to a classic diddily-i tune while I mixed up a load of songs to make a hybrid Ceili in the kitchen! Great craic had by all and super job by my new house mates who admittedly did most of the work- I'm a PM to the core!

AND SHOCK HORROR- There are more Irish in Honiara! We really are everywhere! Its great! So had a stand in Michael Flatley for Irish dancing in the form of a country Cork man! The rest of the Irish are still to be hunted down!\

Proud to be Irish! 

So Im here then

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' :)

See ya soon Bealey B's

Super Send off to the Solomons filled with all the foods I'm clearly never going to eat again and must eat as much as possible of now. Its for my own future health an well being! 

Thanks to the Metro gang and fans! Much appreciated! Check out the epic Solomons Flag cup cake and whopper cake! :) mmmmmm...

Cake aside, I really don't have many expectations or a picture created about what its going to be like over there. I decided I got enough of that from when I did the training in Wellington with VSA. From this point on it will be all my own experience and my own eyes that take in this new adventure. And I feel like I really need it right now, so timing could not be more perfect! Things always work out for a reason so lets just see how this one works out!

There we go!