Lonely Planet™ · Thorn Tree Forum · 2020 |

# Things to take... Country forums / Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea / Solomon Islands
surfingyogini 23:17 UTC 01 Apr 2008 | So we've finally got the leave date and will be moving to Munda at the end of May and staying there for 18 months. Would LOVE any suggestions about what I should take over there for our little family (me, husband and 18 month old)... So far I'm thinking: snorkelling stuff, our inflatable kayak, surfboards, mossie nets, crayons, toys and books (as well as some clothes of course!). What else??? |
ozziegiraffe 11:50 UTC 02 Apr 2008 | Basically, take anything electrical that you can't live without. Any sort of appliance is expensive and poor quality -eg an electric kettle I could by in Australia for $20 was being sold there for the equivalent of $100. I found a sewing machine was a great asset, as I could not easily buy suitable clothes. Cotton fabric is available locally. Local t-shirts are quite OK. Take decent underwear - the cheap Chinese junk available locally is just that - cheap and nasty - I am always taking my friends undies and bras from Australia. Even the ones from our chain stores are 100 times better. Also, USB memory sticks are much cheaper in developed countries. Take good bed sheets - again, the cheap K-Mart ones were much better than anything I could buy in Honiara, and most of them were too small for the beds. Buy generic paracetamol and take it with you - you can only get the expensive Panadol brand in th pharmacies and stores over there. If you use camera bartteries, take a supply - the ones locally available are not powerful enough even to take a photo, and even the alkaline ones you can get in a few places are very poor. If you read, take plenty of books - there are NO book shops - anything you don' t want when you leave can be left with locals and will be much appreciated. That is a start - I will probably think of more over the next few days - please ask anything - no questions considered silly. | 1
ozziegiraffe 10:28 UTC 05 Apr 2008 | I forgot to mention, if you are bringing electrical appliances, they need to be the same as Australia, 240 volts, 3-pin plug. | 2
surfingyogini 20:51 UTC 13 Apr 2008 | Thanks OG! Would you recommend a life vest for my son or am I being an overprotective mother??? | 3
katalun 14:23 UTC 28 Oct 2008 | About life vests, depends what kind of sea journeys you are expecting to do, but if you're going on the open sea I would advise life vests all around - I rode out the April 2007 tsunami in a canoe, and although I didn't end up in the water I was glad I had it! You can buy adult ones in Gizo but they only come in extra large, so might be best to take them with you if you have space. I took a rower's lifejacket, which comes in a little package that you wear around your waist, and pull on a cord if you need it. | 4
ozziegiraffe 12:18 UTC 29 Oct 2008 | The only places life vests get supplied is on the ferries (ships) - and probably not enough for the number of passengers they actually take. If you want them, do take your own, especially if you have children. | 5