Visitor MO0302 
| Visitor |
| Sex? |
male |
| Profession/occupation? |
Tourism consultant |
| Home country? |
Netherlands |
| What made you want to go to
Solomon Islands? |
A youth spent dreaming about the South Pacific |
| Did you go alone or in company? |
alone |
| Arriving in Solomon
Islands |
| When did you arrive in Solomon
Islands? |
January 2003 |
| Did you encounter any
bureaucratic difficulties? |
yes, but my working permit was facilitated by my
employer. |
| What was your first impression
after arrival? |
Wow, so this is Honiara! |
| Living in Solomon
Islands |
| What did positively surprise
you? |
Shy friendliness of people, their love of country music,
religion, interest in "the waetman". |
| What did negatively surprise
you? |
The betel nut stains, the ex-rebels in their large
trucks, the rubbish "olabaot". |
| What took longest to get used
to? |
The heat. |
| What did you miss most in
Solomon Islands? |
- |
| What should you have brought
along? |
A CD or MP3 player |
| What did you do to prevent
malaria? |
I took pills the first 3 months. |
| Place and province where you
spent most of your time? |
Honiara, Honiara-City |
| Other places/provinces where
you stayed? |
Western Province, Rennell-Bellona |
| Where did you stay? |
United Church Resthouse |
| How long did you stay at each
location? |
6 months |
| How much did you pay for
each? |
about SBD 65 per night (paid for by employer) |
| Where did you usually eat? |
In the evening self-cooked vegetables, tuna, chicken, or
simply a sauce bought on the market |
| What did you typically pay for
a normal meal? |
SBD 20 |
| What local food/beverage did
you like most? |
SolBrew, samosas, coconuts, "fish
& chips", etc. |
| What local food/beverage did
you like least? |
Rice |
| Mobile
phone services |
| If you brought along a mobile
phone, which services did you successfully use? |
none |
| Comments? |
Did not get any coverage |
| Money
matters |
| Used ABN Amro Bank debit card
to get cash at ATMs |
| Comments? |
- |
| Working in Solomon
Islands |
| How did you usually go to
work? |
Just a 5-minute walk from United Church Resthouse |
| Where did you work? |
Solomon Islands Visitors Bureau |
| What was your occupation? |
Tourism consultant |
| What were your working days and
hours? |
8:00 to 17:00 |
| What was particularly difficult
in regard to your work? |
Remaining patient. |
| Did you feel accepted by the
locals? |
yes |
| What did you usually do in your
spare time after work? |
Playing darts with the locals, meeting Swiss and local
friends, socialising mainly. |
| Leaving Solomon Islands and
looking back |
| When did you leave Solomon
Islands? |
July 2003 |
| How long was your stay? |
6 months |
| How do you judge the length of
your stay? |
too short |
| What did you learn from the
locals? |
To be patient |
| Your advice to prospective
visitors? |
Go! Just DO it! |
| What did you miss most when
back at home again? |
The people, the islands, boat trips. |
| What did you enjoy most when
back at home again? |
The cool weather, the abundance of everything, the
privacy. |
| Would you go back for another
stay? |
Anytime! |
| Estimated total cost of your
stay (including travel costs)? |
EUR 4,000 |
| Additional comments? |
Solomon Islands is a poor country so travel experience or
a very open mind is recommended. Stay away from expats and
make local friends -- it will make your experience so much
better. Get out of Honiara as often as you can, the country
is so beautiful and Honiara is so ugly! |
