Last Day!

We have been lucky enough to have another stunner for our last day.  We walked around to Baie des Citrons where it is very sheltered and the kids swam out to the raft and had a great time jumping and bombing off that for a couple of hours.

We all ate a filled baguette for lunch on the waterfront at Anse Vata beach - fitting right in with the locals.

The afternoon was spent shopping and swimming, with some going  paddleboarding again with Baz.  The last part of the afternoon we spent by the pool here at the hotel then it was goodbye to our longstayers at 6pm. They were fine as we sent them off with their host families. It was delightful to see Mark with the little 'sister' who looked about 4 or 5. She obviously thinks he's wonderful and stood there holding his hand swinging it as we were talking.

Everyone was tucked up with lights out and all silent by 9.30pm.  They know that their wakeup call is 3.45am!  Yoiu will have some tired chickees home tomorrow night!  We will txt the school office about 2 hours before arrival but I'm picking it will be about 5pm.

Au revoir for the last time from sunny Noumea!  

Sun, Sea and Snakes

As you can see, it was a stunning morning when we pulled out of the harbour at 8.30am. The sea was flat calm all the way over to Phare Amedee and the kids all enjoyed it.

The first thing everyone wanted to do of course, was get changed into togs and dive into the water. They headed to the toilets to change and Emma had an experience she won't forget in a hurry! She shut the door and started to change when she saw something start to appear out of the toilet!!  She didn't feel like sharing her changing space and I can tell you that there is absolutely nothing wrong with her lungs and her vocal chords are in fine fettle also!

The kids loved the trip out on the glass-bottomed boat and also out to the reef a bit later to feed large fish.  New Caledonia has the largest lagoon in the world and it now has World Heritage status.  The outer reef  is another 25 minutes further out from the island. Scott had his day made when we saw a group of guys surfing the reef! You would have to be pretty good I would say. Falling off wouldn't be an option!

Snorkelling was a highlight though and they saw a great variety of sea life. 

                                          A massive sea slug that grossed everyone out!

Unfortunately the lighthouse was closed to the public  for maintenance so they were unable to scale up the 260 odd steps but they enjoyed the tropical feast and concert to follow.

We had our farewell function in the school canteen at 5.30 and it was nice to meet the host families and thank them personally for all they had done for our students.  A big group photo was taken and then after performing our waiata and haka for them, we walked back to the hotel.  They were all given 45mins to be organised and in bed and this was achieved with no hassle whatsoever! They are all tired after late nights and early starts and today was a big day.  We will see what the weather brings tomorrow and if it's calm we will take them down to the beach for some more paddleboarding as they all loved it yesterday.

Two more sleeps to go and we will be back!   In the Nouvata Parc hotel we are now staying in, my room is directly above the club or bar and tonight must be salsa night as the music is pumping and  they are all Latin American dancing - very, very loudly!  It's 11.30pm with no sign of the noise stopping so goodness knows what time I'll get to sleep tonight!

Au revoir!

Chocolate and Paddleboards

                                         

                                                                In Place des Cocotiers

The kids had classes until 9.30am when we took the bus into the Centre Ville (city centre) today.  They experienced other curriculum areas this morning. Even though the instructions etc in text books were hard to understand, they realised that geometry is geometry wherever you are in the world!

We had 45 mins to spare before we had to be at the chocolate factory so we walked up to Place des Cocotiers so the kids could look around, then headed back to Morand where everyone had amazed looks on their faces as we stepped inside Monsieur Morand's shop and saw his creations all  beautifully laid out in the traditional glass display cases. If you have never travelled and been in a french or Belgian chocolatier's shop, let me tell you, it is a sight for sore eyes - especially for the eyes of chocolate lovers! Chocolatiers have a very respected trade and their imaginations and creativity for decorating cakes and chocolate is fantastic. Monsieur Morand is a true artist and every single little cake or chocolate is an absolute work of art. It is so interesting listening to him describe how he combines flavours of different cacao. He showed the kids the large packs of chocolate bits he leaves on a special machine overnight to melt and Abbi asked if he bought them from Countdown!  They looked like cat biscuits! We all laughed as he said he buys all his raw ingredient from France and South America. He likes combining the flavours from the two places and is reknowned as the best chocolatier in New Caledonia because of the quality of his chocolate and also the creativity in his designs.

The weather was great at the beach by lunchtime and we were able to paddleboard as well as windsurf.  Most kids had a go  at both and loved their time out on the water.

                                              Baz teaching them how it's done

Great fun had by all!   We all meet at Jean Mariotti in the morn where we'll be picked up and transferred to the wharf for our trip out to Phare Amedee. We have the farewell party at 6pm and then the kids are back with us for the last two nights.  They are besides themselves with excitement at the prospect - Baz and I not so much so!  We are relishing the peace and quiet tonight as I blog. Tomorrow evening will be an entirely different story.....

Au revoir!

Being Rock Stars!

A very busy day was had by all today!  The kids all turned up at school looking very smart in their formal uniform ready for meeting dignitaries and eating breakfast with the Mayor.  The first part of our visit to Hotel de Ville (City Hall or Council Chambers), was spent in the very flash council chambers.

We then moved into another room for us to do our waiata and haka and then have breakfast.

At 9.30 the bus collected us for the drive to Daniel Talon primary school. We had our usual warm welcome and then each class presented items for us that they had been practising for weeks.  They all cheered when it was our turn to get up because they knew the haka was coming!  The boys especially were so wrapt to see it and even were doing some of the actions while our boys performed.

After that our kids played for some time with them in the 'playground' - a rough gravel area that must claim a few victims now and then. Poor old Olivia came a cropper after playing chasey and took some bark off her knee.  In groups of four or five they then went into classrooms and did a craft activity or played football or volleyball. 

Learning the haka

                                                                   
                                                             

Performing for TIS

Singing Oma Rapeti

The cool dudes

Leaving the school was an experience our kids won't forget in a while. The whole school was cheering and yelling as we went through the gates. Once in the bus, Tyla said " I never want to be famous! This would be a hassle everywhere you went!"

They were collected  by their billets at Jean Mariotti with now only a couple of nights left staying with them. We spoke to our kids today as we did at home, about the reasons why they and parents were asked not to skype or ring home while they were here because it only makes homesickness worse.  We know this from years of experience bringing kids here so we ask that you please do respect our wishes. Those students who have been slower to settle and affected by homesickness this trip have been speaking on the phone or skyping home on various occasions and this hasn't helped them adjust.  

They are in countdown mode now and are really looking forward to staying at the hotel with us. They were all brilliant today interacting with the primary kids, talking to them, playing games with them and teaching them our songs.  Once again we were very proud of each and every one of them.

Here's hoping the rain is gone tomorrow!  Au revoir from a wet Noumea!

                                                          Le Grande Farewell!