New Calédonie - très chic!

15 May somewhere between New Caledonia and Papua New Guinea. We had about 10 hours of rough seas during the passage from Vanuatu to New Caledonia (and apparently we were also nearly over the epicenter when the recent earthquake struck), so we were especially glad to reach our liberty port. Picture 2.5 days of French chic in the South Pacific. It’s a French colony of 300,000 residents on a path to independence, its residents are French citizens, and the official language is French. Nearly everything is expensive, and the food is magnifique. The downtown area of the capital city Noumea near the commercial port where we docked is a mix of shops, nice buildings and slums. It’s vibrant during the day but not a desirable area to be after dark. The ship had also arranged for frequent free bus service from early morning to late night to the lovely beach communities, so there were plenty of interesting places to go throughout the day and evening. I got a darling French haircut and hat, a few other stylish clothes within my meager budget, tasted gelato second only to our friend Massimo’s brand “Gelato Massimo”, and ate the most divine French pastries. Unable to stand another cup of the ship’s coffee, I bought a French press (here labeled a ‘coffee plunger‘) and some good coffee, and I’m gaining a fan club in the officer‘s mess. I enjoyed the city tour arranged by the ship, which also included a French wine and cheese tasting. The tour guide, one of only 17 Americans living in New Caledonia, pointed out the many reminders of WWII. The weather was a pleasant change from Tonga and Vanuatu - humid but cooler. Liberty in NC was good for the body and soul.

We said our good-byes in New Caledonia to personnel who had joined PP 11 for only the first rotation of the mission, and we were joined by fresh new faces for the next rotation. Three HOPE nurses arrived, plus a family practice physician and a pharmacist. They’re trying to get their sea legs during a rough start to the 5-day passage to Papua New Guinea (PNG). There is some apprehension about the upcoming mission as Port Moresby in PNG is considered by travelers to be one of the more dangerous places to visit, and we're unlikely to be allowed any liberty. A shame because there's a botanic garden with an large orchid section, and PNG is the center of the orchid universe. But we’re hoping that the humanitarian purpose of our visit affords us a peaceful time in PNG.

Cheers to all!