Well, Tom and Amanda show no signs of wanting to leave the dock so we are being tour guides and showing them the sights. Monday we went to the Musee de la Ville de Noumea - a really interesting coverage of Noumea and surrounds since European settlement. It is in many ways a parallel to European settlement of Australia - similar steam-roller treatmenr of indigenous customs and structures and similar "Terra Nullius" attitude to land ownership.
What is often not realised is the very multi-cultural nature of early New Caledonia. Large components of the developing non-indigenous population came in from Australia, Italy, Germany, Spain, and also from Japan and Indonesia. Even today, the Indonesian-origin population here is substantial and influential. Just as in Australia and the USA, local Japanese (even third generation people) were interned without warning or mercy at the outbreak of hostilities in World War 2. Their property was forfeit and many were forced to move to Japan after the war - where they were without roots or assets.
A bit of retail therapy on Monday afternoon then on the bus Tuesday to the Tjibao Cultural Centre which Tom and Amanda found fascinating.
We'll probably hang about the town, staying on the marina, until the kids head off home on the weekend.
Don't forget the photo gallery - click here.