A taste of Europe in the South Pacific!

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When you consider New Caledonia is only two and a half hours flight from Sydney, visitors are really in for a pleasant surprise upon arrival in the country. The usual custom for Australians who want a taste of Europe is to get on a plane and travel half way around the world before we can enjoy the benefits of the fine cuisine, languages, and culture Europe is famed for. But right here in Noumea you will find cars driving on the right, people talking in French, patisseries and fine dining, first class roads and top rated hotels. It's all on offer when you visit this beautiful island in the South Pacific, just a hop and a skip out of Sydney. Qantas flew me direct to the capital, and the plane was full to capacity in the lead up to Christmas. I had a close call with accommodation as my confirmed host on AirBnB pulled the plug on my booking, leaving me in the lurch during the peak season. However, I scrambled on to the internet and was fortunate to find a reasonably priced room at the Nouvata Park hotel, one of the top hotels in the country.

And so the scene has been set for a relaxing week in Noumea, including celebrating christmas in this gorgeous pacific paradise. The airport is a solid 40 kilometres out of town, and I guess that was the closest flat piece of land to Noumea. A shuttle bus is there for international arrivals, and they will take you right to the door of your hotel. Coming into town on the bus was like getting an informal tour, and the driver dropped off passengers gradually at the major resorts. Everything is so clean, so modern, so well organised. In fact Noumea does not really feel like the South Pacific at all, but that is part of the charm of this wonderful island. My hotel is one of the top ranked hotels in Noumea, and I was thrilled to check in with the friendly and professional staff. I was situated on the fourth floor, with balcony views of the magnificent pool and garden that make up the courtyard of this massive complex. The room is more like an apartment, with a huge living area and bathroom. It's without doubt one of the best hotels I have ever had the privilege of staying in.

I spent the first few days in Noumea exploring the beaches around Anse Vata, and also took the bus into the city centre to explore Noumea proper. The city is lovely, with a central park and gorgeous architecture on display. I have always found French speakers to be charming and helpful, especially if you know the fundamentals of the French language. The locals greeted me in a friendly fashion, and would go out of their way to assist regarding any specific enquiries. It's great to get down to the port where the massive cruise ships come in, and be amongst the hordes of tourists who are disgorged each day to explore the city. Wow, it is really big business and I'm sure the cruise ship clientele provide a huge boost to the local economy. The ships nowadays are so huge it's like a small city has arrived in port, and they all have money to spend. The food has been superb in Noumea, and every meal has so much flavour and variety I feel like I'm in heaven.

The local bus to and from Anse Vata takes around 15 minutes, and it's a convenient and efficient service. Tourist information close to the hotel informed me trips to the famous Isle of Pines etc are booked out until the new year, so I was unable to get out to any of the other islands on this occasion. So I had to come up with a plan B, and that involved the use of a hire car to explore the main island for an extended period of time, which proved to be just as enjoyable an option in the end. I was amazed when the lady from Budget rocked up to the hotel in a brand new Peugeot 207 with only seven thousand kilometres on the clock. This was for all intents and purposes a new car at my disposal, and the fact that she is a manual made it all the more exciting. To be honest I was slightly overawed at first, but once I got on the road and got used to the stick shift being on the other side the car was an absolute joy to drive. The speed limit around the town centres is 50 kilometres per hour, but you can fairly scoot along on the main highways at speeds of 110 kilometres per hour. The little towns to the north and south of Noumea are so lovely, and it was a great experience to get out of the city and explore all that New Caledonia has to offer. Everywhere I went I found the streets to be very clean, structured, and organised. It's amazing to consider this level of infrastructure is the norm in a South Pacific island, but this is the standard you can expect right across this beautiful island country.

While I was getting accustomed to driving on the left and dealing with a manual for the first time on this side of the road, I took a conservative approach with my driving and probably maxed out around 90 kilometres per hour. But it's amazing how quickly a driver can adjust, and by the end of the first day on the wonderful local roads I was keeping up with the rest of the highway traffic without a problem at all. When most travellers come to New Caledonia, it's obvious that resort life can take a hold on your attention, with a visit to the other islands always an attractive option. However, I found hiring a car and getting out of the capital an immensely rewarding experience, and like in so many countries this is when you get a real feel for the local way of life, and what really makes the local people tick.

On Christmas day I enjoyed just another day on the road in the absence of friends and family. Nonetheless, every day is a good day when travelling and I enjoyed driving around, then bought some beers to celebrate later on in the evening. As the night progressed I went out to the balcony, and there seemed to be a mermaid in the hotel pool beckoning to me. Perhaps I was going slightly troppo, but her arm gestures were quite pronounced and there didn't seem to be anyone else up on the adjoining balconies. I even imagined her to be gesturing as she took dives in the pool. I quickly grabbed my towel and swimmers to answer her call, but by the time I got down to the pool my Christmas mermaid was gone. Was this all an illusion, well I shall never know but she did look mightily enticing from the hotel balcony. Anyways, my time in New Caledonia is rapidly drawing to a close and the past week has been one of the best travel experiences I've had in many a year. There is fine dining on offer, superb accommodation, plenty of culture, excellent infrastructure, and friendly local people to ensure a visit to the country is an experience to treasure. Let me think about it for a moment, basically all of you should be here now!

Let us always greet each other with a smile. For the smile is the beginning of love. Mother Teresa

As I continue my travels, until next time it's signing off for now

Tom

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Comments

[D MJ Binkley]

Fantastic
How many years have you been on the road again.

[Tom Rooney]

Years on the road
Hi Guys, the best part of two decades on and off, but certainly not non-stop.