Quick Solomon Islands update.

I posted this on another thread, but thought I should make a new one.
Returned from 16 days in Solomon Islands on Sunday night. As I am going to hospital for a knee replacement tomorrow, I will not be able to post much until after I recover.
The West Guadalcanal road is sealed now as far as Tambea - I could actually sit on 100kph without worry!
There are several beaches (pebbly sand) along the part of this road nearer to town where you can go and swim (and probably pay the landowners a small fee).
Tambea (alas) is no more.
We visited Auki and the village of Fiu on Malaita. Stayed at Rarasu Motel - great rooms, but some problems with the reliability of the separately-owned restaurant. We travelled on 360 Discovery. Several other cheaper ships do the Auki Honiara run weekly, and the planes are running again. My companions got sick between Boromole and Auki on the way over, as the sea was running sideways. Several days a week, Discovery now stops at Tulagi, and Taroaniara as well as Boromole in Gela, en route to Auki. It leaves Honiara daily at 8am, and Auki daily at 2pm.
The old Sydney ferry (Lady Wakehurst) is doing fortnightly runs to North Malaita - a big improvement on LC Dragon.
We also stayed a night at Sunset Lodge on Savo, where my friends climbed the volcano and saw the megapods. Transport is provided from Honiara to Vila village, near Visale, then boat from there (about 40 minutes. All up cost (inclusind 3 meals about $900 SBD per person. Big drawback for me was the long concrete staircase to the sleeping lodge, followed by another internal staircase. The concrete stairs are of varying heights, and some slope, and there is no handrail.
Goot great service renting cars from Avis, which is now franchised by Ela Motors.

Thanks for this - and best wishes for the surgery.