EXCEPTIONAL WEDDING IN THE HAPPY ISLES

 

               Adam and Erin

 

HERITAGE PARK HOTEL hosted an unique wedding ceremony on the 1^st of November 2016 for Australian Couple, Adam Steven Frew and wife Briohny Erin Cook from cairns Australia.

The fascinated couple tied the knot at the Hotel’s Splash Bar accompanied by daughter Ruby Frew, after they had signed the marriage certificate at the Honiara’s Magistrate court upon arrival early in the morning on board P&O Australia operated Tourist boat, Pacific Eden.

They travelled to Honiara on the cruise ship via PNG and are amazed at the welcoming culture and friendly atmosphere in the tropical Solomon Islands.

The bride said that their first plan was to organize their wedding on the grand Cruiser.

However, googling for Hotels and Resorts in Honiara during the cruise directed them to the Hotel’s website (www.heritageparkhotel.com.sb).

 They had wanted to begin their honeymoon in an unique setting, so they changed their plan for a magnificent wedding at a world class hospitality provider in an idealistic tropical setting.

She said, what impressed her at first glimpse is the picture of the Splash Bar’s Poolside and while at the Hotel, prior to exchanging wows with the groom, she was satisfied that the real life scene confirms the pictures on the website.

Not only is that but the couple are more satisfied that they had chosen the best hotel in the capital with pleasant atmosphere.  

The bridal procession was graced by Panpipe Music, young escorts in traditional costumes, local Hotel attendants and aides from the Solomon Islands Visitors Bureau (SIVB).

 The intrigued couple who fulfilled their plan and begin a new journey in their life in the Tropical Island Country said that Solomon Islands is truly a happy isle. “Solomon Islands is one of the friendliest places we’ve been to,” Mr Frew said.

“Just like the picture, the weather is perfect,” the bride said.  I like the heat, a perfect place to be,” the groom added.

Briohny said, the happy isle is incredible and they were blown away by the culture and friendliness they discovered in Honiara.

She said, they are informing their families and friends in Australia and New Zealand about their Tropical wedding, on Social Media.

The “one of a kind” wedding ceremony was conducted by United Church Minister Reverend Willie Maezama. Reverend Maezama who owned a rest house in Honiara is a keen promoter of Tourism in the country.

He upholds that the advantage of conducting marriage outside the church is the freedom of meeting the tourists to assist them in their new experiences as well as helping them to be more aware of the happy isle.

He suggested the government have to be lenient and amend the existing applicable laws to allow other avenues for the hosting of Marriages. 

ENGLISH TOURIST SIMON SMALL 2016

 

        

           Simom Small

30 years old Englishman Simon Small had travelled to almost 40 countries. As a kid, he’s interested in atlas and flags of different countries and he started travelling at the age of sixteen to New Zealand on a school exchange. As he said, in Aoteoroa schools are 90 percent Polynesians and Melanesians and that’s also when he began to learn about the Melanesian Culture from Fijians, Ni Vanuatu, and PNG as well as Solomon Islands Students studying in New Zealand.

The school Teacher arrived in Honiara early 2016 and went to Langa Langa Lagoon in Malaita province on an arrangement to witness the culture and tradition of the shell money producers. However his first impression of the Happy Isle was from a documentary he had seen in the Arab Television Channel Aljazeera.
“I learned about Solomon Islands through television. I saw a documentary about Malaita on Aljazeera, it was about the dolphin teeth.” He said.

One of the reasons as to why he had to select which places to visit in the Pacific islands is not only the preserved traditions and the tropical serenity, but as he had mentioned he’s much more absorbed to communities in which are not so popular to  foreign tourist visiting the Melanesian Island Nations.
He said, tourist are really interested in places like Cambodia with a lot of cultural sites, however he said that the popularity of traditional sites also makes them difficult to be preserve as Tourist visits them frequently.
“Travelling is my Hobby and I travelled to almost 40 countries.” He said.“I like the fact that there are not a lot of other tourists coming here.

 I only went to New Zealand, Australia, Raratonga and other Asian Countries.

                    Small and Malai

He chose to travel to Malaita because it is close to Honiara as well as because of his interest in cultural site and traditional way of living.

“I haven’t had enough information about Solomon Islands, he said. I only have information about Honiara and Western Province; tourism should produce more information about the country. ”I’m not interested in resorts, he said. In Malaita I can visit Traditional and custom sites.
“I went to Langa langa Lagoon at the Busu cultural village I met chief Thomas Dakuo Butaisi and he showed me around. I've learned of how they make the shell money. I also went to Riba cave where the ancestors’ warrior lived.”
I went to Lilisiana just to experience the life and the culture in the Solomon Islands and travelled as far as Kwaibala water fall Fiu river and Osi lake with the assistance of a tour guide Mr. Silas Malai.
Simeon said he absolutely enjoyed while in Auki especially in langa langa as he stayed at the Auki Motel.
“I feel like that’s really Solomon Islands, because my impression of Solomon Islands is a small community where people live in a traditional way with beautiful villages.” He said.
“I think it’s important for tourists not to spend so much time in Honiara and that’s why I want to have more information about Solomon Islands.”
The Caribbean descent, said that Solomon Islands similarity to the Caribbean is not only the tropical climate and fruits but also the pace on which everyone is doing something. He said our slowness in doing things also connected to the climate.
“You can’t run or rush into doing things, because it is hot.” He said. Another similarity in Solomon islands compared to the Caribbean is, the villagers are warm and welcoming.” He added.

He said the Caribbean people also live in small communities and the culture is quite similar as people live in big families and when they married they remain in their families.
My impression of Solomon Islands is extremely relaxed in movement he said. It is a country where people respect their roots.
Simon small arrived in Solomon Islands on Monday 22 February 2016 and left for England on Sunday the week after.
He also said that Solomon Airlines is very expensive as well as keeping up to schedule is another problem for transport service, as he recalled when he had arrived on the exact time to travel to Malaita on the 360 Discovery, but had to wait for another 45minutes.

WHI