Solomon Idyll

Once again I’ve deviated from the usual tinnitus article centered around the latest treatments and reinforced my ardent belief that an involved, interesting, and healthy lifestyle is the most beneficial way to combat your annoying buzz (or whatever your current noise may be).

I still have the greatest sympathy for those of you who have recently been afflicted and remember well my first years of struggle. But this condition is not life–threatening. You can overcome your fear of having to cope with it all the time, and you can actually improve  your health and well being by meeting the challenge of learning to make your mind stop concentrating on your Tinnitus all the time.

BEWARE of rushing out and spending lots of money on the latest aids. Money which could be better spent on a good quality hearing aid (if you have a hearing loss) and especially to the cultivation of a great diversional hobby or interest.

Meanwhile a short travelogue on my recent diversion – another romp around the Pacific.

There are very few beautiful  places left on the face of this globe that are untouched by large-scale commercial tourism but I have just had the pleasure of visiting the Solomon Islands for the short period of two weeks. Two weeks of immersing myself in the culture of the capital, Honiara, and enjoying the sheer beauty of some of the 992 islands over an area of 1.35 million sq.kms of warm tropical ocean on Australia’s doorstep. 

The Solomon's are not on the tourist agenda because of the recent “troubles”, but away from the capital Honiara ,which is definitely in need of a face lift, the islands and the ocean are untouched.

We flew from Melbourne on an early flight, caught the Air Vanuatu flight from Brisbane and were at our hotel, the Kitana Mendana, having a drink before dinner beside the waterfront pool and watching the sun set over Iron Bottom Sound.

Honiara, the Capital is on the Island of Guadalcanal and The scene of a large World War II battle between the Allies and the Japanese. Iron Bottom Sound is well named because of the preponderance of iron in the many ships and aircraft which lie on the seabed. A Mecca for divers all over the world, it's water is warm and clear.

I spotted quite a few elderly American men, some in wheel chairs, accompanied by carers or family, obviously making a last pilgrimage to the scene of their youth. What memories, both happy, sad and regretful, they must have been evoking as they looked out over the bay.

There are many World War II sites to visit around Honiara but we were keen to see outside the town. Apart from a visit to the town market which had the best and freshest fish and fruit and vegetables of any I've seen in the Pacific, rides with the local folk on the town buses, and a wander around the trade stores there was little to interest us as tourists. There was an obvious police presence but while the local lads could look a little intimidating (they are a well-built race) we found the people very friendly and welcoming.

We flew out two days later on a small plane to the New Georgia Islands, about a one and a half hour flight from Honiara. The view from the plane was incredible – myriads of palm fringed islands surrounded by coral reefs set in azure tropical seas.

Occasionally a particularly denuded area indicated where indiscriminate logging had taken place. In their great need for money to support infrastructure these people are being robbed of their environment by greedy, ruthless nations.

We landed at Gizo airstrip which is an island adjacent to the main town ,where our launch (a 19 ft. banana boat) and Rita, who was to be our hostess ,were waiting for us.

We were quickly transferred to our own small island paradise 10 minutes later. This was a new 5 star tourist enterprise called Sanbis (for web enthusiasts). There were only 5 bungalows set on the waters edge, plus the P. A. D. I. dive school and the main restaurant and reception area with a lovely pier and barbecue area running out into the beautiful lagoon. We had quite a few meals and a few drinks out on this pier which over looks the little Kennedy Island of P. T. 109 fame where former US President John Kennedy was marooned when a Japanese destroyer rammed and sank his boat.

What followed was a week of sheer rest. We were the only guests (tourism is in its infancy )although a few international cruise boats did call into Gizo and circumnavigated Kennedy Island. Most days we took the boat over to Gizo (a frontier town.) and we bought fruit at the local market and had lunch at the local hotel. One day we hired a boat and went to visit a mission on Kolombangara Island where Brother Tony escorted us around their enterprise. They have a large complex which involves teacher training, trade schools, poultry, beef and pig raising, and the beginnings of a teak re-forestation industry.

Plus they were building bungalows on the beach for future tourism. A tropical storm drenched us along the way but we soon dried out. The fishing on the trip back was not good but next day Jack went out early and caught 4 big ones. The food was excellent at the resort. Lots of fresh fish - fillets as thick as steaks –as well as oysters, lobsters and prawns. After dinner, off to bed with the lagoon lapping under our bungalow and the moon rising over Kennedy Island. I wish these people all the best for the future, no more “troubles" and lots of Aussie tourists before the rest of the world discovers it.