Solomons Adventure

My 2 month medical elective placement at Lata Hospital in Temotu Province in the Solomon Islands. What an amazing place, where people who have nothing have everything. I still remain overwhelmed by the generosity I was shown by these people.
There is no running water. You are reliant upon the next rainfall filling up the metal tank next to your home, same goes for the hospital. In fact we had to close the hospital because it hadn't rained for several days. God bless the NHS!

Although the serious purpose was to work at the Hospital, the adventures that punctuated my 2 months are embedded in my memory. Never have I experienced such fear as crossing the Coral Sea to the Reef Islands in horrendous conditions in a small boat that suffered engine failure (our amnesia-suffering driver forgot to put oil in the engine). So much for my risk assessment! -no coastguard, no life-jackets etc. 8 on board, incl. 1 post-op female and a 2 day old baby.
Hopefully, I'll get chance to put other stuff up here at some point. I need to find the video of the man who had a pigeon living in his hair. Classic!

PS. If anyone knows details of the music tracks to the film, let me know please. It was taken from a boot-legged CD a friendly islander gave me in a bar in Honiara. Tanggio Tumas.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Solomon
• Islands
• adventure
• Lata
• hospital
• Solomons
• Temotu

[lakiurang]

me missim solomon island......ma waka lo there 2008 till 2009....me man lo malaysia na man...

[strugglingman1]

barata...man aeee...very interesting na small trip yaman....good to see lata for the firstime..yaman me missim na island songs being played entirely lo this video...cheers to u the uploader...God bless solo and even the adventurers (or Doctors) ...tagio tumas for helpim people blo mifala...

[AgentMucha]

We were there in summer 2007! Aside from the crocodiles, the earthquakes (7.2 & 6.7!!) and the cyclone threats, a canoe crossing in open sea really had me terrified. It was only when I couldn't tell what was sky and what was sea that I realised we didn't have any life jackets. Glad we survived, can't believe it's still like that everyday for everyone there!

Miss you Lata! (not the bucket washes though!)

[andreboogie]

Hem gud tumas!

[kate2mate4sale]

Yeah, a really good vid man, Pagasa's island boy soundtrack n Saba 10 dollar beach. He!he!he! Especially the dolphin part.

[caslok]

i would like have some xperience like that thanks for make part of this adventure i really enjoy alot..greetings from mexico

[Ruks8]

Thanks for posting this video. you are a champ..

[arearegirl]

glad you enjoyed your stay there.expats only ever want to stay in honiara and want to avoid the reality of life out there. it can be harsh but it makes you appreciate how lucky you are with the NHS. island boy pasgasa and 10 dollar beach by saba.

[KoSka1901]

Thanks for posting this. I am glad you did experience the 'the typical island style of practising medicine'. The boat ride between reef island and Lata is sometimes tricky.

Recognised a few faces on this clip. Sr Doreen is a wonderful nurse. Dr Gunter though austrian has been in the solomons for almost a decade. Hard working man, making a difference to the lives of the rural folks. hope to see more posting...

[wakuboi]

lol nice vid brah

umm first song was island boy by pagasa.

second was by saba but im not too sure of the title ...probably 10 dollar beach

anywayzzz glad uzz had fun back home...cant wait to go back myself