fuck this merci beaucoup

[Oakie]

We're heading to Raro later in the year. We have discovered that there is no Rarotonga TT lap record so we will be setting about to lay one down. Competitors are myself, my wife (a former nzsra winner & multiple battle of the streets podium) & a couple of other KB members who are both very handy on a bike.
This will be based on one full lap of the island on a AN 125 scooter from any start point, returning to that point.
For groups, bikes will be set off at extended intervals, between two & five minutes. Full gear essential.
results will be posted.
There's a good reason for Raro, to attempt to break our record.

I'm sure you know it all anyway but in case you need a reminder:

A) Watch out for the cops. I think they ride Kawasaki 650s but I could be wrong. There is a police station about halfway down the west coast in a big concrete building.
B) The place to pick up most speed is just past the western end of the airport. Smoothest piece of road on the island and a bit of down hill to pick up speed. Even Mrs Oakie saw 70kph on her speedo at that point.
C) There is a Harley on the island. I believe he would hold the record. (Although...)

Oh, not that we were racing at all. That would be wrong.

[sidecar bob]

I'm sure you know it all anyway but in case you need a reminder:

A) Watch out for the cops. I think they ride Kawasaki 650s but I could be wrong. There is a police station about halfway down the west coast in a big concrete building.
B) The place to pick up most speed is just past the western end of the airport. Smoothest piece of road on the island and a bit of down hill to pick up speed. Even Mrs Oakie saw 70kph on her speedo at that point.
C) There is a Harley on the island. I believe he would hold the record. (Although...)

Oh, not that we were racing at all. That would be wrong.

Yeah, we're quite concerned about losing our licence in Rarotonga.

[Black Knight]

Noumea is not cheap for eats and beer--Went there on a yacht trip and thought NZ$27 was a bit rich for a jug of beer,I would have loved a genuine Chateaubriand steak,but forget that one.I think a coke was about $6.-We ended up buying French bread from a bakery-yum-and meats,fruits and veg from the local market at reasonable prices,only way we could afford to eat really.Other than that great place,nice beaches and lovely tits everywhere.

[Kickaha]

Done Raro a couple of times and it is great as it's just a laid back and easy place to be on holiday. We will go again for sure. Just aware though that we don't want to be blinkered by how great Raro is and miss some other good places. Looking at Tonga, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Niue. Done Samoa ... won't do Fiji. Tahiti ... too expensive.

The only person I know who has been to both Raro and Tonga said Tonga was a shithole compared to Raro

He was under house arrest for suspected murder at the time so that may have skewed his outlook a bit

[Madness]

Tonga is a shithole.

[Berries]

Tonga shithole however is quite big in Holland.

[cold comfort]

I'm 2 weeks away from a mid summer visit to Europe. Dresden. Vienna, Budapest and Prague. No, I don't speak any of the languages, but so what.

Hi M. Leave Sat for Europe. Will be in der Alps late June. My wife's family are Polish and she really keen to go there. Be interested to hear your experiences for a future trip ( involving the IOM TT of course). For the record never had any issues with Vanuatu, Fiji, Noumea or Raro. All been great. Interesting thing abot Fiji is while the NZ press was demonizing and bagging Frank Bainimarama all the locals we spoke to were very happy with the improvements in their lives and the local govt corruption he stamped out.

[awayatc]

Merde......
it's pissing down.....
warm and very fuckin wet.
hired car and drove 400 kms to eastcoast......
poindemie and hienghene....
great roads, nz like scenery at times.
new peugeot 208 for $25 a day
beautifull beaches, and staying in awesome resorty sort of place at beach.
Nice to very nice accomodation between $100 and $200
meals are nz price alike...from $25 for a main upwards
beer $2 a can in shop,
bottle of french plonk under $10...
locals are very friendly,
most French as well so far.
very clean and well organised island, more nz like then tonga.
great holiday, but entirely different flavour fro vanuatu and tonga....
on ferry to loyalty islands in next few days....

[awayatc]

2 weeks new caledonia done and dusted.....
weather was unseasonably wet in south pacific....
warm but wet.
hired car and done 1500 kms across grand terre...
Impressions:
Locals were very friendly and helpfull,
both the white French, and brown Kanaks.
Roads were very good
country side was very clean,
no rubbish as per Tonga..
lots of posers on bikes in Noumea,
Harleys, ducatis , bmw etc galore.....in shorts.
every youngster rides a scooter ( plenty 2 strokes)
Every frenchman and woman smoke....
skinny is fashion,
as is having dark hair and bent / crooked big noses.
everybody jogs, runs, swims and or does other slimming exercise stuff in between fags....
Porsche cayenne are as common as commodores here...
speedcameras don't exist.
lanscape nz like in places....central plateau, high dessert, Marlborough sounds, otago and northland...
ouside of noumea only small villages exist...
petrol same price as nz,
no registration cost
cars and bikes similar priced.
scooters, bikes and cars for hire.
new Peugeot 208 for $25 a day plus 28ct a km
or $65 a day 175 km included.
accomodation between $75 a day budget hotel noumea on the beach and
$180 a day on beach in resort flash place north east coast.
beaches and island galore, clean blue warm water with plenty of great
windsurfing, kite surfing diving and snorkeling.
supermarkets nz style and prices
restaurants nz price wise or bit dearer....
plenty of choices.
all up, great holiday, not cheap, but very well organised beautifull
french scented clean tidy south pacific getaway.
Beats tonga and vanuatu any time.....

[Oakie]

2 weeks new caledonia done and dusted.....

Thanks for that. Very helpful.

[awayatc]

Addition.....
booking through expedia way cheaper then showing up and pay listed prices.
French are meant to be unfriendly etc... bullshit!!
they were very friendly and helpfull, speak a bit of English, and love kiwis.....
love the all blacks...

[ellipsis]

...I spent some time there in the early eighties...I stayed in a small French hotel...I found the picture above the bed, a big photo of a mushroom cloud hanging over a small atoll which matched the huge one above the bar, a little amusing and disconcerting...I wasn't all that keen to let them all know I was a kiwi...it was a cool spot, very French Colonial and hard as rocks colonial locals...the Kanaks were rounded up by some very heavy and well batoned up gendarmes at 7pm and herded out of town and up the road a few k...I can still savour the taste of the real fruit juice from an outdoor vendor, early in the morning after drinking rum all night...my older bro's last deep sea voyage was up there, and he's just refitting to go back again...