The 46th Harry Brittain Fellowship
17 May to 24 June 2004
PRIESTLEY HABRU (Solomon Islands)
Trip to Wales
After two hours trip on the train from London
Paddington station on the morning of Thursday 3rd June
2004, we finally arrived in Cardiff. Somebody within
the group had joked that we would need passports to
enter Wales, which scared few confused fellows to
death.
On arrival at Cardiff Central train station, we were
met and welcomed by Thomson Foundation consultant
Norrie Drummond. We started right away on the day's
programme by visiting the Welsh Assembly and
Exhibition Centre at Cardiff Bay. We checked in at the
Holiday Inn just after mid day and had a delicious
lunch with our hosts - the Thomson Foundation.
We had earlier learned that we would not be able to
visit the Millennium Stadium, but we would visit
'Amgueddfa Werin Cymrum' instead. We had become
accustomed to the Welsh language in just a few hours.
The above three letter words are actually translated
as the 'Museum of Welsh Life'. The Welsh Life was
truly portrayed in the different types of buildings,
lifestyle and environment in the park. All of us were
just amazed at how beautiful this living museum was
and wandered about admiring the exhibition.
The busy day's schedule was eased with a dinner at
Valentino's Italian restaurant. Wines, peroni,
lemonade with two ice cubes, carlsberg, smirnoff ice,
karaoke bar hunting and dancing were enough to end our
third week on a high note.
Wilton Mamba amongst some newly found friends in Wales |
But what lies ahead the next day, would give us deep
insight into some of Wales' hidden treasures.
We visited Y Pwll Mawr (Big Pit) in Blaenavon, an
underground coalmine that has become a national mining
museum. The tales unearthed inside the 300metres deep
pit from our tour guide were both fascinating and
surprising for me personally.
We 'quack quaked' our
way through the different underground channels with
our safety helmets and headlights. 'Quak quak' was the
phrase our guide uttered whenever we need to bend low,
almost to the stage of squatting on the slippery
tunnels.
We nearly came to a standstill at one stage when the
Swaziland fellow Wilton Mamba slipped and nearly hurt
himself, but our saviour from Gambia, Francis Pabai
saved him in time.
Fast track back to history, we found ourselves inside
the Caerphilly Castle, which is one of the biggest in
Europe. My only memories of castles and kings were
from reading books and movies. Now it was for real.
The castle portrayed a true living fortress, with a
strip of water around it and high walls supposedly to
protect its inhabitants from enemies. It reminds me of
my forefathers who built their fortress in the rugged
mountains of Santa Isabel island in the Solomon
Islands, to fend off enemies during our head hunting
and cannibal era.
There are no castles in my part of
the world anyway, but I think it symbolizes
protection, war and power, that saved lives.
Fortunately, Norrie was just another fotress as he
saved another Isabelian life when he commanded us to
take leave quickly back to Cardiff in time for lunch.
I was dead hungry! Thomson Foundation Director Gareth
Price realized it: "You eat like you have never eaten
before" he said during the lunch.
My colleague from
Swaziland and Mr. Price found it amusing and I agreed,
but I could have eaten any human being, if I had
stayed longer at Caerphilly Castle. But my great grand
father who had a taste of human flesh did not teach me
to do it.
Apart from that, here I was in a beautiful city called
Cardiff and a country called Wales. I was miles away
from home and had no choice but to accept and embrace
the type food, people and environment that I will have
to encounter in the next three weeks.
We were able to
farewell Mr. Price, Secretary Press Division Sara
Maheri and Drummond before catching the train back on
the afternoon of Friday 4th June. Jemima Taylor of
the Commonwealth Press Union who accompanied us dozed
off to sleep in the train, as the photo shooting goes
on. That is one aspect of being a journalist, I guess.
Being curious and also to take photographs from any
angle. I hope the curiosity does not kill the cat.
Despite the short and tight schedule, all the Harry
Brittain fellows enjoyed the trip to Wales. It was
just one of those experiences that had broaden our
knowledge personally and professionally. Both the
Commonwealth Press Union and Thompson Foundation have
fostered an opportunity for the development of close
international relationships amongst us, as
first-timers to this beautiful part of the United
Kingdom.
The six weeks fellowship helped cultivate some rich
new knowledge into my career in journalism. It was
just one of those experiences that I will ever be
thankful for.
For further information on the training programme,
contact
Jane Rangeley -
jane@cpu.org.uk
Tel: +44 20 7583 7733 Fax: +44 20 7583 6868.
