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By
Richard Moore
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What
is the Solomon Islands dollar worth?
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HEALTH
AND MEDICAL:
One
of the most exciting things about travelling to the Solomon
Islands is that it is like taking a journey back in time.
Of
course it has quality accommodation and restaurants for
visitors, but it is also a largely undeveloped country
where you can't always get what you need.
This
being the case it is worthwhile - and sensible - to ensure
you take with you certain things.
That
includes a small first-aid kit that includes some antiseptic
ointment. In the tropics even small cuts can become infected
and you are better off being safe than sorry.
You
should also be immunised against Hepatitus A, Typhoid
and have begun a course of anti-malarial tablets. Making
sure your tetanus protection is up to date is also a good
move.
Some
anti-malarial tablets make you very sensitive to the sun
- silly when you are needing them for hot climates and
mine did leave me with some small skin blisters on my
arms - but it is a small price to pay for avoiding malaria.
Do
not forget to take motion sickness tablets if you get
air or sea sick, sunscreen, a hat and mosquito repellent.
DRINKING
WATER:
Do
not drink unbottled water.
Ever.
Even
in hotels.
And
avoid drinks with ice in them.
I made it a policy of using bottled water even when brushing
my teeth. I nearly forgot to do that a few times and was
once instantly reminded when the water coming out of the
tap was red!
BITEY
THINGS:
Being
a series of tropical islands the Solomons does have a
number of things that can bite you.
There are snakes and large spiders - which I did not see
even when trekking through jungle - but the most dangerous
things would be salt water crocodiles.
Be
wary around still waters near the coast and if the locals
warn you away from an area make sure you listen to them!
LANGUAGES:
English
is the official, but is spoken by only 1 to 2 per cent
of the population.
Melanesian
pidgin is lingua franca spoken in the islands.
There
are also 87 indigenous languages.
Visit
Solomon Island Visitors Bureau website by clicking
here.
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