Solomon Islands SonShip trip 2005! - Part 2

Yep, still working on this one too

Once we had managed to board our plane, and I had gotten over the size of the plane, we were finally on our way again! We weren't flying all that high so we could see the islands we were flying over really well, it looked so beautiful! Also, it was a nice smooth flight too!
Up in our "big" plane... looking back at Honiara



Our plane..



Oh, i need to mention that our pilots had only flown in the Solomons a couple of times before, a very comforting thought.... and so they had their maps out the entire way!

Some of the small islands we flew over



Braden demonstrating his "physic knowledge"... and see Clinton, we did think of you... if only once! :oP



Unfortunately, i don't have any pictures of the airstrip that we landed on (but i'll find one for you eventually) but i can tell you that it was a TINY bit of land! It wasn't a comforting feeling coming closer down and all you can see under you is water... and then you can see the corral... and the details of the corral.. and then finally - LAND!

We were glad to see Helen and Trevor who met us at the airstrip!
The entire team on the tiny airstrip!



Once we had collected our luggage and carried.. yes, carried - not wheeled, it to the boat, we went on our way to Gizo. This is the boat that we travelled everywhere in.



At Gizo we were given 10 Solomon Dollars, which is half a days wage, to find lunch with. The markets were open, as well as some shops. In the end, most of us ended up buying Cream buns (real cultural food hey..) and some various other thing.

After Gizo we hopped back onto the boat and headed for Kolumbungara (don't ask me about the spelling!), which was the Island on which we were staying. Instead of going straight to the SonShip house, we went to Kukudu, where we had a lovely welcome and "refreshement" waiting for us.






All of us recieved lei's too, which were just beautiful!



We tried to convince the kids to play us a tune on the bamboo pipes, but they weren't convinced! But they were cute anyway!



Then we started on the "refreshments". That's a running joke in the team. Everywhere we went there was "refreshment"... however, their version of refreshments equally a meal to us! We were extremely well fed!!

And then started the obsession with the babies! Their gorgeous dark eyes and skin just had all of us girls.. well, obsessed!



And even Braden had to admit they were cute!!



After our "refreshments" and a quick tour of the Clinic (photos of that to come later!) we jumped back onto the boad and headed over to the SonShip house!



We lined up all the lei's we'd been given in the past two days, and it looked so lovely - not to mention it smelt great!!



Now, for a quick tour around the SonShip house....

Inside(kitchen is to the left, bedrooms and bathroom just to the left and straight ahead, veranda to the right)



The "girls" room, where Oralae, Ruth-Ellen, Steph, Kim, Becky and I slept



The kitchen



The "boys bedroom"



Some of our "substitute mums". They were great on the trip, always looking after us and giving us "mum hugs" when we needed them.



Cooking in the SonShip house was great fun....



Just as was guessing what we were cooking with!



Best of all though, was our view from the house. It was so refreshing to just sit outside and enjoy the view.

Solomon Islands SonShip trip 2005! - Part 1

First off, the majority of our team all met at Hillview church.


We had to have a max of 20kgs each, including hand luggage. This was a huge concern for me, because i wanted to take things to trade and had to take some extra things that didn't get sent over with the container! So, we all piled into the bus and a car and drove to Newcastle airport. However, before we'd even gotten past Cooranbong on the freeway Steph became really ill. We had to pull the bus over on the side of the freeway and dragged an unconscious Steph outside. We then put her into the car to see if she'd travel better that way. Turns out she didn't and had to be taken to the hospital. She had an allergic reaction to some cold and flu tablets she had taken. It was quite scary, she was screaming out in pain, couldn't breathe and would keep passing out! So Steph and her mum were at the hospital while the rest of us were at the airport (including her brother) hoping that they would be able to make it, considering the flight had been delayed. Turns out she was allowed to leave the hospital and they tried to rush to the airport, but wouldn't have made it in time only by around 15 mins. In the end they drove all night with Glynn to Brisbane and met us at the International Airport!

Meanwhile, we had flown from Newcastle to Brisbane and was staying the night at Springwood Church in the hall. We had to wake up nice and early the next morning to head over to Brisbane International Airport where our flight was once again delayed. So, after breakfast and some 'retail therapy' we boarded our plane to Honiara, the Solomon Islands.




After a nice flight we finally arrived!!! Honiara International Airport, and didn't we feel the temperature difference! You almost had to swim through the air!



Becky, Ruth-Ellen and Me looking rather hot but glad to finally be at the Solomons!



Once we'd cleared Customs (the customs officers lived across the road and just walked over when a plane would land, and then walk home again) we waited outside for each other. I was given a Lei by one of the ladies. We then piled into the "Taxi", which was the ADRA truck. We, being all 21 of us (plus some locals) and our luggage...



Once we'd dropped off our luggage where we were going to stay that night, we jumped back into the truck for a tour of Honiara. It was great fun sitting in the back of the truck, driving over all the pot holes. On the way up to the war memorial lookout, some locals jumped onto the back of the truck as we crawled up a hill. Ruth-Ellen and I wasn't too sure what to make of them!



Looking over Honiara from the war memorial.


Our first night in the Solomons at Honiara. The SDA youth put on a lovely program for us just a short walk down from where we stayed.



The next morning was a very early start (5am) as we had to head to the "Domestic Airport" to fly to Gizo. After sleeping in a room with Becky and Ruth-Ellen that had 3 beds and airconditioning we weren't feeling too bad.
The Honiara "Domestic Airport"...



After such an early start and no sign of food anywhere, we were not the least bit impressed to find out our flight had been delayed around 3 hours! Some opted to go for a walk, other sat (on the 6 chairs in the airport!), while some tried to sleep (on the floor).



When it did come time to check-in, we found out that there was some mess-up about the weight of luggage! But thankfully, we were all able to get our luggage onto the plane. First though, we had to weight our bags and then ourselves and our hand luggage! Now that was fun... And then, we continued to wait... and wait... and wait...