Hitching with some New Caledonian French back to Noumea, I went back to the boat to live with Stephane, and his recently arrived wife. Somehow I think they’ll have a very long lasting marriage.  Both free spirits, passionate and fiery with very kind hearts.  They drift from place to place, job to job around the pacific, occasionally spending time together for a few months, and then parting company again.  They’ll never get sick of one another. I got some laboring work in Noumea, but nothing substantial as it would have       …..More Crumbs >>

Convincing me to hitchike around a country I’ve only just heard of with very limited French, I put my faith in the in my captain again. It certainly paid off.  Hand on my heart as an Englishman, the French ain’t that bad.  Infact they’re bloody cool.   My French improved a hundred fold & I met some real interesting characters. I intended on reaching Bourail on the first day, but departing at 3pm from Noumea didn’t give me much chance to get past La Foa.  Having travelled with another hitchhiker,       …..More Crumbs >>

I had ample time before reaching our destination to read up on the history of this remote island. At first glance, New Caledonia is a complete oddity.  A slice of France on a tropical island, and my first real experience of genuine imperialism.  I’ve unfairly directed all criticism towards the British empire, because travelling through the pacific you start to realize they were all at it.  Even the Americans.  I thought they were more into subversive tactics of spreading American influence and culture, but somewhere along the track they occupied       …..More Crumbs >>