- Get up, have breakfast & drive to airport. No parking, so park on divider. Others do the same.
- Jerome say be careful with sacred-looking things, as some years ago, a (crazy?) person killed a Japanese tourist for standing on a sacred rock, but no witness.
- Check in, but say need pick up ticket, even when they have all our info.
- Make check-in last minute, but then wait for late plane: "island time."
- No assigned seats, but we didn't know. Ticket was red paper with hand written number.
- Short flight. As with prop planes, take off very steep and strong.
- See Noumea & Ouvea when below clouds. Shaky but surprisingly gentle landing.
- Pick up bags from outside. Found forget guide, so get tourist brochures.
- Start walk to main road, but found was few km, when reach a read branch. Thought only one.
- Hitchhike to chez dydyce: 1st car stopped for us. sit in back of pick-up.
- Weather not as clear as we would like.
- Recommend set tent close to fence, but windy, so set next to main building.
- Modern toilet blocks. Ate lunch. The camera crew from plane is here. They make doco about world heritage site, and ask if ok we get filmed.
- Jerome was going for nap, but then changed mind. Called dive centre. Closed due to trip to Noumea. Walk to aquatic activity centre.
- Walk along beach. Very long, fine sand, blue water, but overcast. Can only imagine colour when not overcast.
- When see buildings, go to road. Many disused buildings. Old large churches. One had plaque saying certain missionaries came on island there.
- Aquatic centre closed. Open tomorrow. Go far swim, water smell. Jerome nap in rain.
- See Kanak graveyards on walk back. Gendarmarie with small monument.
- Store: bought water & food for breakfast. Baguette & cheese/cream thing.
- Played the African game Jerome got in Senegal for a while.
- Sent to store with one of the people who lives here to find SIM card. Jerome not go (read book, "French practise"). They have only recharge card.
- Jerome read book, I Write in trip journal. When slightly more clear, test camera & Gorillapod. Beach looked like daylight!
- Dinner: fish. 1900F! Expensive, but Jerome say cheap for NC! Treat Jerome to dinner.
- Talked. Cold & rain. Go to sleep relatively early.
- Wet tent, closed rain flaps. Hard ground. Loud wind. Earplugs useful.
Photos available at: http://mandarinmanmarktravelbriefs.blogspot.com/
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