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Published: October 19th 2006
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Partly cloudy & strong winds - 25c
It has begun!!!!
On arrival at La Tontouta airport I needed to find out where the bus stop was, so I asked in my best french and got a reply I'd never heard before: ‘Il ny’a pas buses.. something something’ (translate: there are no buses.. something something). Very strange?!
I asked someone else and got the same reply. I looked up the ‘something’ word in my phrase book, it read "strike". The buses were not running because the workers demanded an extra 5mins lunch break (seriously... 5mins?!?) and were on strike. It cost me nearly $50 to get to Noumea which was only 35mins away, damn those well thought out travel plans!! I complained about it to a local and got the reply 'Il est Noumea maintent' (translated: 'this is Noumea now'). Yes, it certainly was, budgets go out the window and plans are thrown into chaos on a daily basis.
I guess my first few days of traveling overseas have been about slowing down and getting used to the travel pace. My only firm travel plan was to spend a day at the beach but even that was near impossible. The
That's My Flight
QF91 to Noumea (yes.. I'm a plane nerd) weather here has been quite simply ‘crap’, raining on and off but remaining windy as hell the whole time. Of all my plans for New Caledonia the one thing I wanted to do was hang at the beach but it’s a little hard when you’re wearing a jacket and jeans nearly the whole time.
On the upside, the hostel I’ve been staying at is awesome. Spotlessly clean with heaps of showers & amenities and overall the people staying there are pretty cool. A pretty good introduction to the world of budget travel! My dorm has 4 beds, of which I share a room with Marc & Christophe - both French nationals who have moved here to look for work. The hostel is an odd mix of people seeking work and mixed nationality tourists. On my first day here I met the only other aussie traveler who also happens to work in music & media (can u believe that?? I can’t escape radio!). Isobel works for Stellar Inflight and is in her early 20’s, I’ve tried to keep the radio talk to a minimum but it’s hard!. I guess you could say she’s my first travel buddy and we’ve been
My Room
Getting used to my dorm for my next 5 days hanging out semi-regularly when there is nothing else going on. Sharing transport, walking around or just having the odd drink at the hostel. She speaks French a lot better than I do, so sometimes the translations come in handy!
My flight to Vanuatu tomorrow is exceedingly expensive, so I tried (without luck) to hitch a ride on one of the massive aussie cruisers / yachts that are docked at Port Moselle in Noumea. I put up a notice in the office and had a chat to a few yachties.. but no luck. Ahh well. It was fun talking to people at the docks anyway. Parents who’d packed up and taken their kids around the world and were still going 2 years later. And I thought my childhood was interesting!! Damn you mum!!
The kids I met were the most well rounded & polite kids I’d ever spoken too. Guess that’s what living on tin can in the ocean with your parents drives you too.
That’s the general jist of the trip so far. It’s been more about meeting people than seeing the sights (I’ve been here before anyway and done most of the touristy stuff). What else have
Place Des Cocotiers
The main square in Noumea on a rare sunny day! I been doing??
Went to the beach yesterday for the first time and managed to get sun burnt before all hell broke loose and it started to blow a gale again. French nurse Sylvie attempted to show me how to cook French toast last night before I burnt it. I’ve been swapping my duty free vodka for food and drinks (tip if you want to save money!!). Enjoyed a few chocolate and banana crepes in Place Des Cocotiers (Coconut Place) which is a massive park in the middle of Noumea. Apart from that, just been chilling out and making a few friends at the hostel.
Tomorrow I say goodbye to all of that and head for Vanuatu where there will be more on my “to do” list. Found out this morning via Marg that there was a massive earthquake in Vanuatu. I visited the Australian Consulate today and they put my worries to ease. There are no travel advisories against travel to Vanuatu and the earthquake hasn’t caused any major damage. All very good news!!!
My last night in New Caledonia should be wicked, tonight is “Thursday Night In The Centre Of The City”. They have bands, food,
Port Moselle
Where I tried to hitch a ride.. no luck stalls, beer etc.. It’s like a mini festival in the main park in town. Should be a fitting farewell!!
More to come from Port Vila soon where my accommodation goes a little upper class for less $$ (Coconut Palms Resort). Speak to you than from the pool side bar & hello to everyone I met in Noumea who is subscribing to this travelblog!!!
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Morbid Mary
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Taking a leaf outta my book
Good to see you've got some sad stories to share Mattykins!!! Hope you've still got the digital camera....and did you remember to get travel insurance this time? Otherwise KT will have to have words with you. Don't forget to get KT and I soveneirs (preferably eatable ones) from every stop! Don't care if you have to sell your body to do it! :)