Climbing Kolombangara

On the weekend Ben and I attempted an incredible feat… we attempted to climb Kolombangara, a nearby volcanic island. It was undoubtedly one of the most challenging hikes I have ever done (it came very close to hiking the Kokoda trail). It was two days of hiking through dense vines, mosquito infested swamps and lush jungle, 1700m to the summit. We were accompanied by three guides who smoked marijuana like it was going out of fashion, which made for some interesting moments.

We spent the night camped out on the rim of the crater, with an amazing view over Gizo and its surrounding islands. The following morning we feasted on a fruit cake, which our hiking buddy Will had hauled up the mountain to celebrate Bens birthday… it was quite amusing when we broke the news that Bens birthday is in July!

After a hearty breakfast of rice, baked beans and birthday cake we began the 2 hr climb to the summit of the volcano. It was so hard that it was just ridiculous! We had to use every muscle in our bodies to get through the steep, dense jungle… over logs, up rocks and along narrow ridges. Unfortunately the jungle got the better of Ben and I… we reached the point where we literally could not go on. So we sat and looked at the amazing view, while our crazy friend Will pushed on to the summit, where the crater can be seen. We were disappointed to have made it so close to the end, but we were defeated. When we made it back to the base, completely exhausted after 8 hours of walking (and sometimes sliding), and looked up to the jagged mountain slope we had just come from, I felt proud that we had even come so close. Its definitely not for the faint hearted!

I do not recommend attempting such a trek in a pair of chucks… my feet ended up covered in festy blisters and I walked the last part of the track barefoot. I also lost count of the number of times I slipped over coming down the steep muddy incline. We definitely had fun though… although we don’t have any photos to prove it. Ben dropped and broke his camera as we were getting on the boat, so all of our memories are in our mind… somehow though, I don’t think I will ever forget climbing Kolombangara!

A month of firsts

What a month… I don’t even know where to start, so many new and exciting things have happened… In the last two weeks I have been robbed for the first time, spent my first Christmas overseas, experienced my first earthquake, had kittens for the first time, seen my first active volcano and the biggest first of all… been proposed to!!! That’s right, I am engaged to the wonderful, handsome Herr Drieschner!

So I know you are all wondering how he did it… Well, I met Ben at the airport on Christmas Eve and we went out to a fancy restaurant and had a nice romantic evening. We went to a church carol service, had a nice romantic stroll thorough the streets of Honiara, got picked up by the cops because a guy was following us… anyway, he told me he had a surprise for me in his bag… of course I knew what it was but pretended I didn’t. He made me wait until Christmas morning, and I begged him to give it to me. He made me close my eyes, and when I opened them he was down on his knee with the most beautiful, perfect ring I have ever seen… the rest is history! Needless to say, neither of us has stopped smiling ever since… earthquakes and all!

I cant explain how wonderful it is to have my Benny with me… we are having so much fun! We went out to a little volcanic island where we stayed in a village with no electricity for two nights… it was beautiful. We saw boiling water coming up out of the ground, swam in waterfalls, swam on a beach with black sand, played with the village kids and came up close and personal with the local dolphins. It has also been great to show him around my little island home, Gizo. This morning we both experienced our first earthquake… it took us both a while to realise that’s what it actually was! Apparently it even generated a small Tsunami on a nearby island… there was a Tsunami warning issued for Gizo but nobody in Gizo knew about it… my housemates girlfriend called from England because she heard it on the news… that’s how we found out!

We are due to head off to a nearby island for another adventure later this week, but the word has just come in that there has been some damage from the earthquake where we are meant to be staying and apparently their boat has been sunk… apparently its also just a rumour, so we will find out I guess! Stay tuned for more on the adventures of Mr & Mrs Drieschner (to be!)