Solomons for an Expat

I am considering a contract in the Solomons, any tips?

Lifestyle?

Golf??????

Beer???

food?

Solomons lifestyle, apart from during the Tensions I don't think any-one in Solomons ever died from stress related problems. They have a unique way of doing things based around solomon-time, where by if a start time is given as 0800 things will start slowly to happen by about 0915 and every-one considers this a good if not early start. First thing you need to get when you arrive is a pair of rubber thongs (universally called "slippers") and when you walk in them if the heel flicks up and hits/touches your foot your going to fast! I worked there from '03 to '04 and at first had trouble getting my western ideas to reconcile with this approach until a Solomon friend explained to me that to a Solomon Islander the destination is nothing, it's the journey getting there that counts.

Golf, Don't play myself but there is a large good looking golf course in Honiara at Ranandi very popular with the ex-pats and there always seems to be some sort of competition on.

Beer, SolBrew is the most popular of the local brews and is a very good beer if you can find somewhere that serves it cold enough. S.P. is the other I dont like it as much and it was actually developed to be drunk hot as outside of the major towns there is little or no refrigation. SolBrew now comes on tap, in bottles and in cans and each tates distinctly different, allegedly the best of the brew is now reserved for draught, the next best for bottling and the worst for cans. My experience is that's about right.

Food, good, plentiful, reasonably cheap although in the better hotel restaurants getting dearer. The bigger hotels all have very good restaurants attached each seems to have it's own house speciality. Quite a few stand alone restaurants as well with a wide variety between them. During the day a huge amount of "cafe" style food outlets. Cooking for your self, the central markets are huge and sell most vegetables and fruit available in the Solomons as well a couple of larger (Relatively) super market style shops sell a bit of stuff brought in from Vanuatu, Australia, etc.

If you go to the Solomons don't make the mistake so many of the ex-pats make and hang out exclusively with other ex-pats mix with the locals it enriches the experience of being there and will create friendships which are far more "real" than you'll get out of many of the ex-pats. The locals are wonderfully forgiving people but take the time to learn the local customs especially social customs and if in doubt, ask, they take it as a great compliment that you are interewsted and are usually only to happy to explain.

Enjoy the Solomons and if you have any further questions drop me a line.
Bill.

Harry-I'm sure you'd do better if......you went into business for yourself!

thank you.

Harry

Before you go - get a copy of a book "Solomon Time" by Will Randall.

As an Aussie who has much travelled to the Solomons, I still get a giggle - it's so very real! The Book will fill you in on "Solomon Time" and the way things run there.

Hubby and I love the Solomons and it's people, most are wonderful, although there is the usual amount of corruption among those at the top.

Learn to SCUBA dive - some of the best diving in the world is right there.

cheers

Carol

I am in Honiara at the moment - everything is quiet and peaceful. Trips around rural Guadalcanal and Malaita indicate the rural areas are pretty well back to what they were before the tension - people are happy, and friendly.
Despite the travel warnigns, I have seen no sign of anyone doing anything remotely serious even though parliament is sitting and what is coming out of there is pretty farcical.

haha.

I got used to Tonga Time when I worked there.