Honiara is going through some rough patches at the moment in its daily running. First there are the huge price hike in Rice and Public Bus Transport!

The price costs more than double and is disruptive of most already tight family budget. The Bus fare for example did not change by means of any law but was only tempered with by general consensus of most private bus owners ( who manage and run most town bus transport in the town). The cost of $2 for adult and $1 for students and children was announced and confirmed by the town council this morning as as effective is $4 for adults and $2 for students and children! While the main argument by the bus owners is the increasing fuel cost and vehicle maintenance and parts there are concern that the doubling price increasing of bus fare is unfair and unrealistic of current livelihoods and earnings. This means that a returning cost for a working adult of one stop is $8/day. $48/week. $152/month!That is too much! There were some temporary civic disturbances that occured in public buses, with those boycotting bus rides and walking to offices and schools. For some its just a good excuse to be late. But seriously there is no Act to control such public transport price. But in true Honiara style it will absorb into daily routine soon.

The Price of food is also climbing. Rice price however is causing more waves because most people nowadays regard rice as main staple diet.The usual buying of rice is in its bulk form of bag. The 10 kg bag of rice is most popular and affordable by the family standard in Honiara  and can often last a family of five up to the next pay cheque. So with the price of a 10kg moving from $55-60 to $100-120 nowadays life is getting tough here for food. Not to mention that the 20kg bag of rice has climbed to $200. There goes the money.

There was a sense of panic in the first few days of the price announcement. Although there were protests and outrage from individuals in media, there was no marching and placards display. People  just quietly took in the bad medicine, becuase for most they see that all of these changes are beyond the governments control. This is a global crisis so what is a poor country like Solomon Islands can do.  We do best what we always do in these situation. Adapt and improvise.

 

10 things that still costs $SBD1 in Honiara

Im still raving about the food price here you might think. Well we really can’t allow the country to starve you know. This recent list is of some light though, there still some things in Honiara that you can still get for a dollar. One of the best things in life, apart from a good sleep, is getting a bargain and buying things for a dollar. So here is the list of things that you can still get for a dollar in Honiara …well for now.

10  things that still cost a $1 in Honiara

10. A box of match- yep you can still light a fire for $1 ..put away those rubbing sticks!

9. Lollipops- sweet tooth be happy

8. A cigarette roll- ok this is unhealthy but for smokers it is a break

7. Betel Nut and Leaf- Betel nut chewing is still alright if its a dollar…or whatever.

6. Chines fruits- preserve fruits from China, a favorite and nice treat.

5. Ice Block (small)- who in Honiara does not crave an ice block once in a while.

4. A small packet of cool aid- make colourful and sweet drinks that children love.

3. Cucumber- real small ones, healthy and ready to eat, wash first of course.

2. Ngali nuts- Yes… those nice small parcels of fresh nagali nuts are still affordable!

1. Heap Peanuts-  get a heap of peanut instantly at the central market fresh and fulfilling!

Food In Honiara

Today I am inspired to talk about food. You can make a whole blog dedicated to food in Honiara, but despite the temptation to do so, food is a very delicate subject in Honiara in that food price are expensive huge factor influencing food ingredients and production in homes. OK to get the picture this is a typical Honiara family daily food menu.

Breakfast- Sweet Tea (or  Instant Coffee/Milo cocoa), bread ( or breakfast cracker/biscuit) and Butter ( margarine) this is often optional( or unavailable).

Lunch- Boiled Rice and Tin Tuna (Taiyo) usually fried with fresh vergetables such as pepper, shallot, tomato,cabbages, onion along with instant noodle (yay!).

Dinner- Boiled Rice , or any Boiled root crop, with stewed Chicken, Meat , Fresh Fish ( depending on family budget because for average people in Honiara these are very expensive to get and are often treats) but usually its back to Taiyo, noodle and Rice.

Snacks- Fruits, Biscuit, [betel nut..hehehe], coconut

There is actually a blog that talked about food in Solomon Islands by someone from Devon, UK, who has more detail of eating rice, noodle and tuna and other national dish other than focusing on Honiara.  Hope that person don’t mind me putting the link here for others to check out how people see the food that we cherish so much over here. The Picture above is also from Frolicking Foodie Blog ( note- there are some fantastic Photographof local food there as well). I would have go on and on about food but there just seem to be no pictures or other links to website or blogs out there about food in Honiara so…Hey anyone from Solo out there, please make one big local food blog so that we can have some place to drool on.

But during  weekdays on lunch hour nothing beats this all time favorite of Honiara…drum roll…Fish N Chips…it is the most glorified food in town. But unlike other fish n chips, Honiara’s fish n chip is slightly modified, since the chips are often sweet potatoes and cassava chips and the fish…are well deep sea fresh fish…yep and those green vegetables are fresh water cress from clean flowing rivers…it is a compliment if you get anything green with your fish n chips becuase we dont really believe in side dish dressing you know or salads for that matter..This picture is dedicated to those of you who haven’t seen it yet and for those of you who haven’t tasted it for awhile…wipe that saliva off your face…

You can’t go wrong after that with a cold sweet green coconut drank from a plastic straw, doing the waving hula to keep away flies and talking with shiny greasy lips. This is as close as we can get to fast food culture. Believe me it is the fastest we got in Honiara. Apart from that Honaira or the whole of the country for that matter really believe and love their local food…true ya…