Stranded in the Solomon Islands, domestic flights cancelled

[Tiki]

The QF flight is break even. Old ticket refunded in full, new ticket same points and taxes. There probably won’t be a receipt from Mendana because they rolled over the other prepared nights. There is $200 excess per person per event. I can try to claim what I can but I’m not holding my breath.

It’s funny, I feel like I was voted off Survivor and went to Jury Villa. Now I can eat anything I want but I get full easy. I’d actually like to maintain that. I need to drop some kgs. Husband no such problem. He stuffed himself silly at the buffet but to be fair it’s his island culture food. He misses it. And the music is similar to his Cook Island music, really perked him up. The swimming pool helps too!

Birding this morning was amazing, got at least 3 lifers, Red Lory, Yellow-bibbed Lorikeets and one I have to look up because I don’t know what it is.

Tomorrow off to Parangiju for more amazing birds! Not sure how good the connection will be but at least no more crises to overcome!

 

[DC3]

And watch out for the mozzies. Some nasty stuff there.

But you would be aware of that anyway.

 

[Quickstatus]

Any photos of the birds?

Or post Here

 

[Tiki]

Hi wifi is only in the restaurant area. Let me get back to Brisbane and caught up and I will post photos. Nice interactions between Solomon coughatoos and Eclectus!

 

[Tiki]

We are back home in Brisbane, now to get caught up on real life! QF Alliance E190 right on time, such a relief! Thank you again to everyone who followed this saga and helped out with advice and kind words.

 

[Flyfrequently]

Welcome home @Tiki
Thanks for sharing your journey and hope the past 72 hours helped ease the distress of the previous days.

 

[Quickstatus]

@Tiki

Now that you are home.....

So you got out of Rennell Island on the oldest aircraft in the Solomon Airlines fleet.
It is also the 4th oldest operational Twin Otter in the World
Significantly it is also the oldest Twin Otter still operational after a major crash.

Abbreviated history:
Year of manufacture 1968 but rolled off the producton line 1970 = 56 years.
For a while operated by diamond miners in Africa
Was damaged in Lesotho in 1974

Operated by Air Queensland in 1982-1988 and then Australian Airlines in 1988

Crashed into trees at Dunk Island 1988 while taking off (James Strong was CEO of Australian Airlines at the time)
The wreck was unrepaired until the carcass was transported to PNG in a container and repaired there in 1992

Spent some years back in Queensland with Flight West Airlines in the 1990s and serviced remote communities in QLD
Was leased to the RAF for some months

Then purchased by IE Solomon Airlines in 2001,
Later on sold to PNG then Kiribati before returning to IE Solomon Airlines ownership in 2021


ATSB Dunk Island accident report and discussed in the AFR

 

[luxury-lizard]

Oh dear @Quickstatus - thank goodness @Tiki did not know the above history before flying.

 

[Seat0B]

welcome home @Tiki - what an adventure you've had!