Recent stop over in Noumea

[It'sNotWorthComplaining!]

Apart from the locals being somewhat rude to foreigners, they did have one good thing going, I spotted hundreds of Defenders being driven around.So the frogs do have a good choice of what 4wd they choose? to drive. Only saw 1 rangie and one toyota amongst all the renaults and citreons

Oh tried to be polite and try to speak my limited french.
I went to a store for a couple of soft drinks.
I said, "Bonjour, trois Coca Cola, un diet coke"

that meant I wanted an ice cream cone apparently to the girl standing next to the coca cola fridge even though I also had 3 fingers up and pointing to the coca cola .

should have been. "bonjour, trois colas de coca"
The coca cola company needs to have their brand name reinforced around the world;)
PS the young teenagers were offered drugs on 4 diffenrent occassions in the city.

[TwoUp]

Maybe that's worth complaining :D

I have no frog lingo, but had a warm reception there. In the mall, up the park in the city, in the shops and at the cultural centre, last year.

Did see the defers and especially 90s' there.

Cheers,
PeterW

[It'sNotWorthComplaining!]

Yes, lots of 90s, some looked worst for wear , others showroom

[bob10]

Visited Noumea in the 80's, for an Aussie., the place to go was the Noumea squash club, full of Aussie. Kiwi @ Brit. expats. they pointed you in the right direction as to how get on . Don't know if it is still the same, but if it is, go there , the local French people will look after you .Bob

[ramblingboy42]

they understand english perfectly.....I did not try once to speak in french when I was there.its amazing how much they can understand when you open your wallet

[It'sNotWorthComplaining!]

I liked the locals in Vila, even got the grasp the local Bislama language, they also speak French & English
on the pier it had a sign in 3 languages. English, French and Bislama
Bislama seemed easy to decipher
eg.
English You must not Dive or Bislama "Yu non daeva"
English "You must not run" or Bislama "Yu non ron"

[olbod]

Noumea and the surrounding islands have always been my favourite holiday destination.
People very friendly and those island women are just the most beautiful.
Even the older ones with their wrap arounds and long hair are magnificent.
I am a bit biased because my Granma, on the old man's side, was from Paris so I get by with the language.

Cheers.

Robert.

[It'sNotWorthComplaining!]

Noumea and the surrounding islands have always been my favourite holiday destination.
People very friendly and those island women are just the most beautiful.
Even the older ones with their wrap arounds and long hair are magnificent.
I am a bit biased because my Granma, on the old man's side, was from Paris so I get by with the language.

Cheers.

Robert.
many passengers I spoke to during dinner table talk on board all agreed Noumea was a waste of time, by pass it and go to the other islands, they all found the contact with the locals on Noumea rude. May be it was just the day when our ship arrives and it was National Noumea PMS Day celebrations. It did rain that day maybe they were peed off.

Vanuatu a different story, more than friendly reception, loveliest people we have ever met.

[olbod]

I dont know about other places as I havent been.
I have seen Aussies having a hard time in Noumea many times.
Its always because those Aussies addopt a superior look down the nose attidude. I am a tourist in your little dump spending my money so I deserve special treatment and reserve the right to be RUDE !!!
The term ugly American should apply moreso to some of us.
I have been somewhere a few times watching these creeps in operation
and have quitely appologised in french to the recipient and always got a nod and a shrug of understanding. I have also observed in some of their service industries, and attitude of coldness to all Aussies but at the same time a different attitude to those of other nationalities.
Says a lot about us.
I love those New Caledonians and Betty was a favourite with them. They would flirt outragiously with her.
I wont be going back again now tho.

Cheers.

Robert.

[PSI250]

I was also there last week, you weren't on the Pacific Dawn were you??

Funny thing i noticed about Noumea, cars over 5-7 years old were scatched, beat up, panels hanging off etc.
Seemed there was the group of new cars, then anything over 5-7 years was an old banger, then you had some of the older cars which had obviously survived a bit better then others.

From walking around, dual cab utes were popular.