Bucket List

Today we had the most awesome day! We had read about some of the “untamed” areas here on Guadalcanal and talked to our friends Stella and Ellison at the Visitors Bureau (which by the way is one of the best we have ever been to) and decided to hire a guide and hike into Manatiko falls. Our travel book gave a description that made it sound like a fairly moderate hike with the end point being the falls themselves and then, after cooling off in the pools of water under the falls we would float lazily down the river to our starting point. Ellison, an older gentleman suggested we take the easier start, which would eliminate some of the distance. We were sure we could make it either way so we hired a guide to help us through the jungle and into the falls. I love the way they do things here in the South Pacific. A guide was contacted, Nati, and he was to meet us between 8:00 and 8:30 at the church over the bridge in Lelei village. Easy to find Ellison said, just go toward the end of the main road and turn right on Tuvaruhu (not really a street but an area) just past the second turn about. We thought we might catch the bus as it is less expensive and we always love doing what the locals do but at the last minute decided to get a cab as the directions seemed a bit vague the following morning. We had the nicest cab driver, a young man who owned his own car, and he knew exactly where we wanted to go. Certainly worth the $30 SD ($3.50 US) we gave him. As we pulled up to the bridge, our guide was nowhere to be seen. Our taxi driver gave a quick call and we were instructed to drive a little further up the road. Not that Honiara, the capital here is terrible sophisticated, but we were suddenly deep into the rural village life. No surprise really, having just spent a week living in Fijian villages this felt like home to us. Here we met Gabriel. It seems as if Nati couldn’t make it and had asked another guide to take us. We haggled for a few moments ensuring there was no change in the price and then began our hike. For just a fleeting moment we wondered if he knew we were not taking the most strenuous hike but gave up on that idea as he began walking through the village and over the river. We carried a small bag with water and a camera and he carried a waterproof container and two small inner tubes. We crossed the river where the women were bathing and washing clothes again remembering the Fijian village life. Soon we were trekking up the mountains in grass thigh high and the early morning sun beating down on us. Gabriel walked a decent pace and we kept up with him. I remember thinking as the grass and rocks scratched our legs that he was bare foot. I asked him about this and he said that this was how he always walked and was really much easier than with shoes.

One of the reasons we chose the Solomon Islands to visit is that Tom’s father and Uncles had served in this area during WWII. He had often heard the stories as a young boy of this area and that had partially influenced him to join the Navy. So hearing the history, seeing the battlegrounds and walking where the soldiers had been was quite an experience.

Our ascent was over Hill 54 and then onto Hill 57. During WWII numbers named the hills and it remains that way even today. When we reached the top of Hill 57 we could imagine what it was like during wartimes. Incredibly hard, hot, insects swarming you with every step, sharp blades of grass cutting you as you passed and then, the enemy shooting at you from…everywhere. I remember at one point having to stop and take a potty break. Leaving the 8-inch trail and stepping less than one foot away I was completely unseen. I was glad we had our guide, as we would never have been able to do this without him. The foxholes that the US soldiers hid

in were still evident although covered with long grass. We had to be careful along the narrow path as one false step and we would suddenly be in one of those foxholes. We were quiet as we hiked, recalling all we had read and learned about the war in the Pacific. When we reached the top, Gabriel pointed out strategic locations and essentially how the war was won by being in control of these areas. You could block off the water source, the top of the hill gave a great vantage point etc. He was very informative.

In the far distance on yet another hill we would take a rest break. It looked like we had not even made a dent into the distance we had to travel but on we went. Gabriel said that often times people get to this point and turn back knowing that they still had a greater distance to travel. We smiled. We had already come this far. He said that Tom was strong and I was sturdy so onward we went. At the top of the hill was a small house and a family lived there. There was no one or anything else in view and we imagined how isolated they must feel. I will never forget the moment it struck me that we were out in the middle of nowhere with a guide we had just met this morning sitting in an isolated home where all of the kids had machetes.They offered us coconuts and we said yes of course and thank you very much. (Was there any other answer?) In a matter of minutes a young man and two children scurried off, climbed the coconut tree and brought us fresh coconuts. Then with great skill they shucked the green husk off with their machetes and cut the top off and we were drinking the cool sweet milk of the nut. It was awesome. Tom lay on the small tube with his head on the waterproof container and napped while I took pictures ofthe kids. They loved seeing themselves and I realized that this was certainly a novelty for them. I sat with the mama trying to make small talk for a while and then it was time to proceed onward. We thought the hardest part was behind us…

Onward we went, silent in our own thoughts about what it must have been like for the young men here nearly 70 years ago. It certainly gave us an appreciation of how hard the men must have fought and how scared they must have been. That war was fought so very differently than the wars of today. It was hand-to-hand combat with guns and bayonets. We meandered deeper and deeper into the jungle and here is where I get to check off an item on my bucket list. I have

always wanted to travel to the Amazon River and drift down it. And suddenly, I was there. Everything I have ever seen and imagined was right before my eyes! I didn’t even have to leave Guadalcanal! It was lush and dense. You could smell the plants and moisture around you. At times I would look up and not even be able to see the sky because of the greenery surrounding me. The sounds were …unique and I tried not to imagine what I had thought it might be. The ground under our feet suddenly turned red and slippery and we would grab onto anything to hold us steady. The spider webs were huge and strung across the narrow path with some of the most beautiful spiders I have ever seen (thought about you Mike!).

We would now begin our decent to the falls and the trail went straight down! One thousand feet and we could not even see the bottom. We turned around and went feet first holding onto vines and roots as we went. There were times I would grab onto…anything and small lizards would run across my hands.
Dragonflies would buzz in front of my face and I could see nothing else. The ground was red and slippery and soon we were too. One false move and we would be off the trail and I am not sure if we would have made it back on.

Soon we were able to hear the water below but never able to see where it was coming from. I will never forget the moment I turned around and was able to see he falls and cool jade colored water. I was the first down so I set my stuff down, shucked off my mud and sweat coated clothing and jumped into the water.

It was perfect. Now, for the next part of my bucket list and things I have wanted to be able to do. I have always had a little water issue and I have always wanted to get over that. In my mind I am sure there are always leeches, snakes, piranhas…even in my own swimming pool at home (I had asked the guide about this earlier in the trip and was assured there were no such creatures in the water). So, for a moment I hesitated and then, the voice of God. “No worries Nancy, you are safe. Stay in this moment and don’t let your thoughts wander off. By being in this moment and experiencing this now, you will be OK”. So at that moment I was swimming under a beautiful waterfall deep in the Amazon jungle right on the Island of Guadalcanal. It was awesome! I didn’t once think of leeches etc but swam around contently absorbed in my surroundings. I looked up and saw…butterflies. The biggest and most beautiful ones I had ever seen and in a variety of colors that I cannot even define. Some were the size of small birds in the most beautiful shades of purple. There were red ones, yellow ones and even orange ones.

We enjoyed our swim and drank the juice from our last coconut and then would begin our river drift back.

We had envisioned a rather lazy stroll down the river allowing ourselves time to relax after the grueling hike. When we started off towards the river I wasn’t exactly sure where we would begin this venture. All I could see around me were large boulders and more waterfalls. Our fearless guide hopped across the rocks and water and waited for us to join him. Here is where I got to practice living in the moment. Don’t speculate on all that could happen, keep focused on this moment and go on. So we did. To give some perspective, Tom had thought he would rinse off his sweat soaked hat when we got to the river but as we climbed down the falls the water rushed over his head and soon his hat was completely washed! The rocks were wet and slippery and at times we clawed and slid down them until at last we found the river about 120 feet down. The water was cool and again the most beautiful shade of jade. We could see small fish swimming around us as we began to meander down the Manatiko River. Not a soul in sight just the sounds of the jungle and all the beauty that it brings with it. I thought of many things and thanked God again for the blessings in my life. I also realized that if I met a leech…I would be fine…no worries. In fact, comparatively speaking, that worry seemed quite small.

Six hours after we left we walked back into the village. A little worn from the experience but so very happy we had done it. I likened this to running a marathon… there are a few moments when you hit the wall and wonder why are you doing this. And then you remember…Because you can.

We got back to our hotel, swam in the pool, showered twice and ordered room service to our cool room. We chatted for hours about the day so very happy we had made this trek and vowing to do it again when the opportunity arises.