For kiters, surfers and divers, the many islands of the Solomons offer spectacular promise as well as wonderfully wholehearted people.
“MISS, PLEASE STEP ON THE SCALE”. The lady behind the check-in desk shot me a betel nut-stained smile.
You know you’re flying somewhere remote when they weigh you as well as your bags. That impression was confirmed when my precious board bag was belted down across several reclined seats by the co-pilot himself.
Further east than New Guinea, the Solomon Islands are truly offthe beaten track, seeing only about 6,000 tourists a year. I quickly discovered that photographer Stephan Kleinlein and I were among the first to come to this South Pacific archipelago of almost 1,000 islands, searching for wind and waves.
On first impressions, Honiara, the capital, was a little intimidating. Dusty streets were mined with massive potholes and choked with traffic. Throngs of people filled the pavements, dreadlocked and black-as-soot, many with little betel nut bags around their necks, periodically gobbing blood-red jets of spit.
It didn’t help that I was shaken out of bed quite literally by a 6.7 earthquake at 6am on my first morning. The early start was handy though, as we were meeting Simon Downing, a diplomat at the Australian High Commission, who took us freediving on the 135-metre Kinugawa Maru, one of scores of wrecks that litter this corner of the Pacific, on land and in the water [see box, right, for more on diving].
Downing told us how on his last visit, he and his girlfriend were chased by a saltwater crocodile. Climbing onto the only small part of the wreck above water, they were marooned there for hours as the slate cruised round them.
Bu hikaye Action Asia dergisinin March - April 2019 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye Action Asia dergisinin March - April 2019 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Policing Paradise
Palau’s President Tommy E. Remengesau Jr has established his country in the vanguard of global efforts on ocean conservation, in particular with the 2015 designation of much of its territorial waters as a marine reserve and no-take zone. Policing this vast area though remains immensely challenging.
The Not-So-Silent World
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Once Were Warriors
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The Secret Life Of Pangolins
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Feast Your Senses
The Alta Via 1 is the classic Dolomite trail, bringing the peaks within arm’s reach as you hike between homely refugios and historic war-time fortifications.
China's Olympians Show The Way
WITH 40 RIDERS FROM 12 COUNTRIES, THE KTA made its second visit to the Desaru Coast in Malaysia with its Asia Pacific Hydrofoil Tour Series , which welcomes amateur and professional riders a like . Chinese Youth Olympians Haoran Zhang and Jingle Chen took first places in the Men’s and Women’s classes, while Korean veteran Soon Ho Kwon was crowned champion in the Masters.
China's Masses Warming To Snow
TWO YEARS AGO, CHINA opened the world’s largest indoor ski slope with two black runs, a blue run, snow play area and beginner slopes all served by chairlifts and magic carpets. Interestingly, it choose to build this behemoth in Harbin, where real snow piles high every winter and temperatures plunge low enough to host the annual International Ice and Snow Festival.
A Quieter, Cleaner Everest In Store?
FOLLOWING RECORD deaths during the Everest climbing season earlier this year, Nepal’s government and the climbing community are suggesting a new list of preconditions for any summit attempt.
A Life List Of Adventure
There’s a first time for everything. But some firsts matter more: experiences that are life-altering, that change perspective, build confidence and teach you about all you can do and all you can be.
Virtual Reality As A Travel Sales Tool
Virtual Reality As A Travel Sales Tool