The Tour of Caledonie

WIth the countdown to our exit from New Caledonia underway, it's time to stop talking and start doing.  So the first thing we've done this year is take the little Fiat out for a big spin.  Here's a little summary of what we did...

Noumea to Kone
3 hours
The drive takes you up to Bourail and then you're nearly there...really...just another hour to go.  The West Coast is pretty much the same.  The road gives you some glimpses (so very tantalising in the heat) of the lagoon but largely goes inland.  The mountains of New Cal rise up on your right and the road stretches out in front.  The only real excitement is waiting for the next nutty driver to overtake on a blind corner, pull over with out indicating in a 110 km/hour zone or just sit on your tail until we slam on the breaks. Ha ha!


So what's in Kone?  To be honest, not much.  It's a town that's booming with the new mine being built.  The mine's impressive, with a massive new coal electricity plant, and a HUGE conveyor belt that will dump the nickel-filled soil in front of the smelter.  And it takes up a big corner of a very pretty beach...I wonder how that will look in ten years time?


Kone to Poum
2 hours
With the kids in the car we were cruising.   The road winds up and over the hills and the vegetation gets stragglier and the landscape gets rockier.  Suddenly, the road drops down and you're right outside Poum.  


We stayed at the Malabou Beach.  It was perfect.  A nice little beach, very good service (so very rare in New Cal), and lots of stuff to do.  






We loved the kayaks and the pool.  The restaurant was fine, with an evening buffet.  For us (and the kids) the best thing was the fresh pasta cooked on demand.  Nothing flash - but who wants flash with two under five year olds?


The bungalows are nice and some have great views.  We all fitted nicely.  Well, the kids thought it was nice - mum and dad could do without having the kids sucking on their toes at 3am...


Poum to Poindimie
5 hours

We did this day really slowly because it was stunning.  I hadn't really appreciated just how big New Cal is before we looked out over the massive plains up the north.  From there, the road narrows down and seriously winds up and over the Col d'Amos.  


And wow - the views from up there are gorgeous.  The East Coast has fabulous waterfalls that crash down from the mountains (highest at 1600m) and into the sea.  


There are white sand, palm tree-lined beaches and all along the road are little stalls selling fresh fruit and soapstone carvings.  Everyone waves at you as you pass by and people stop to chat.  It is just so laid back and just about my ideal picture perfect place for a pacific holiday.


We stopped to buy stuff and take a dip at the bottom of the spectacular Tao Waterfall.  It was breathtaking.


Our little fiat did us proud.  I was nervously counting the kms as we neared Hienghene (and the petrol station is 12 kms after Hienghene, just to double my nervousness...).  We didn't fill up in Kone or Poum so we were running on vapour by then.  That didn't diminsh the fun of crossing the Bac de la Ouaieme.  There's no bridge, so you get ferried over on a little barge.  Fantastic!  


Poindimie to Noumea
5 hours (including a wee barf from max and lots of sanity stops)

Man, it can rain on the East Coast!  It was pouring when we left the very picturesque Chez Simone's.  We all squeezed into her new but traditional-style bungalow.  The place is gorgeous with little paths and carvings all over.  We felt like we were in a warmer version of NZ with all the pungas around us.  I would have loved to have spent a few days up there with no kids!  This picture is taken from the balcony of her bugalow. Lush.


The trip back was long.  The car's a bit smelly now but we had fun.  A stop at the Saturday market in Bourail for some tropical flowers, brochettes and for Polly to play hide and seek under the tables was a good move.  The local ladies loved her...I was a little less happy about chasing after her in 33 degrees.


So we came home with a pack full of stinky clothes, a full memory card on the camera and a nice relaxed attitude to 2011 and all the great stuff we'll do.  


On y va!