Daniele Somenzi's New Caledonia

New Caledonia (Pacific) The UTA DC10 lands on time after 4 hours of flight from Sydney; this, after Air New Zealand, was the only airline in the world that let you go around the world without changing airline. And this precisely because New Caledonia is French territory like French Polynesia; here they have the Pacific franc, but almost all goods arrive from France by air or by sea; this is the reason why prices are so high on the island, just as in Polynesia and also in Japan if you like.

Michela and I take a white Fiat Uno rental for a couple of days; here it feels like being in France; indeed not only is French spoken, but the road signs are obviously with writing in French.

Many people come here also to visit the adjacent Isle of Pines; it's strange in the middle of the Pacific Ocean in equatorial heat to find pines.

We venture to the north of the island on the side facing Australia, to be clear, in search of a beach, which we don't find; there are only mangrove trees, which anyway I was seeing for the first time. Here with the shifting tide, it gives nourishment to these strange plants; they're the only ones that live with both fresh water and salt water.

We also head inland, up into the mountains; the earth here is very red, it reminds me a lot of Australia; surely millions of years ago New Caledonia was stuck to the great land of the kangaroos.

We return to Nouméa, the capital, and sleep in the youth hostel of the moment; there are many other backpackers, for the most part English and Australian as well as American and a few French, but no Italians at all.

We walk the next day through the city and quickly realise that even just a coffee costs you a salary; for an egg you need 2 euros.

There are many foreign tourists in transit today, and we soon understand why: a cruise ship is docked in the port. I'd like to take one one day, I thought.

The shops along the promenade are the typical ones you also find at Forte dei Marmi, except the prices are much higher; here too anyway there are our most renowned brands, Benetton etc.

Heading south, we find a little beach to relax; we stay until sunset, beautiful photos with the sunset and the serenity of the place.

Off to bed for the second night; the hostel is a bit full of people, too much confusion.

Here, being French territory, even the hospitals are well equipped and up to date. Those who are well-off and live on the adjacent islands like Vanuatu or Tonga come here to have surgery or anyway to be treated. In 1853 New Caledonia became a French penal colony, practically as the Australians did. The Melanesian Kanak natives have been asking for independence from the French for decades, and it's been decided there'll be a referendum by 2018, but since the indigenous people are 40% of the population, it'll be hard for them to get it.

The McDonald Douglas DC10 of UTA arrives from Sydney and takes us away from the French island.

bye bye