It is about the size of a small soccer field, crammed full of tables covered in bundles of fruit and vegies. We were quite the spectacle - all six of us walking along together. Every table we walked past, the people commented, mostly at the girls, saying hello and wanting to touch them. Brianna smiled at everyone and went along with it, following our lead, but the others just stared. Elora was very intimidated, and would not let go of my hand. It WAS fairly daunting - very little room to move, and lots of unfamiliar fruit and vegies to choose from. I was disturbed at the number of children I saw who were not at school. (School is not compulsory over here - you have to be able to afford it.) Other things too, like the fact that many of the store holders sleep there, with their food, until they have sold enough and can go back to where they live.
We also did a bit of food shopping at some other shops in Honiara. It was crowded, dirty and run-down. Very different from just driving down to Woolies! I also had to get my head around the prices - I had to divide everything by six to get an idea of what it was costing in Solomon dollars, for example, a dozen eggs is $28. By the time we were finished, we had spent almost $1000 (solomon!) But now we are stocked up with food, and can actually cook proper dinners.
Today we delivered eggs to a lady we had never met, who sells them. Thank goodness Geoff does all the driving - the thought of navigating my way around Honiara does not impress me at all! Hopefully it will be quite a while before someone sends me up the street by myself!
The internet is very slow today (didn't work at all yesterday), so I've put the photos in the lowest quality possible. I don't have any of the markets (not sure if I want to get my camera out there - I feel conspicuous enough as it is!)
The girls have had a great time every afternoon playing with the kids who live on the base, or live nearby. Here they are on the back of the truck, pausing during a game of hide and seek. It only took them a day to ditch their thongs and run around everywhere bare foot!We are all finding the heat hard. The girls are getting heat rash, and Geoff and I felt sick yesterday. We are doing our best to drink, drink, drink! And we are thankful for this wonderful opportunity to experience life in the Solomon's!
Oh Amanda this is so much fun to be able to go on this trip with you, Geoff and the girls. You are right, being in another country and getting used to the new rhythm of the life there is daunting. Not to mention getting used to the heat after the chilliness of the Highlands.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for sharing
Caroline :)