7th February 2009

After nearly 8 months of interviews, correspondence, trips to Wellington for briefings, medical checks, a slow trickle , well, actually a torrent of outgoing expenses, I'm finally away this Tuesday for 2 years in Honiara,

Packing has been a nightmare, I'm allowed 50kgs paid for, plus an extra 10kg for tools of trade, or textbooks, which I promptly blew out by 38kgs, so there went another $185

Things to take were cotton sheets, it's 30*c there almost year round, cotton /polyester doesn't work in that temp, plus the high humidity in Monsoon season. My Programme Officer in Honiara emailed last week, so on the packing list were good can openers, good knives, good surge protected outlet boards and voltage regulator, it's all diesel generated power there, with frequent power surges and blackouts.

Mosquito nets for the bed, lots of Deet, and a good supply of antibiotics. Thankfully the Travel Doctor group work with VSA to put together a good basic kit.

I know I'm going to arrive and find everything I really need is left behind, and what the hell did I bring this junk for. Oh well, live and make do with what you have.

I've got a good supply of veg seeds, capsicums, courgettes, chilli, coriander, dwarf beans, basil, parsley, cucumbers, so once that starts producing I'll be cutting back on the need for shopping, other than fruit and rice.

Fishing rods and reels are packed, 13; surf caster, and a 6' heavy full roller guide boat rod, Penn Commander reels, Shimano surfcaster reels, and a couple of Jarvis Walker combination reels.

Next update will be once I'm in Honiara, and can afford the charges for internet, $200 per month for 1mgb adsl, or $0.75c per minute for Dialup