3 days stop over in Sydney!!

Dear all,

New Caledonia was such a nice break...landing in Sydney was a bit hard...especially with a bit of rain, tall buildings, loads of people, it is such a big city...but thanks to its diverse areas, its beaches etc...Sydney is probably a city where life must be really cool. Bondi beach, the opera, the fish market, Surry Hills, our friends from Marseille that we met on the Pines island in New Caledonia...a bit of the Australian Open shown on outdoor big screen...that was our programme...For more pics, go to the New Zealand section. 

Last day in New Caledonia at the Amedee Lighthouse: swim with turtles and a shark

For our last day in New Caledonia before heading to New Zealand (via Sydney), we spent one day at the Amedee lighthouse which is on a small island 22km far away from Noumea. We had the chance to get closer to the coral reef (once again...as we did during the fishing trip and our diving sessions), to have a great view on the ocean from the top of the lighthouse and last but not least to swim with turtles and a shark... This island is really a pearl...really worth a visit if you love the aquatic life (anywhere you go, it is like an aquarium..it is truly amazing...)...Anyway thanks again to Gaelle & Jerome. Check out a few new pics under the usual sections: New Caledonia, Portraits and Foodies. 

2 weeks adventure in New Caledonia!!

Dear all,

After a few hectic weeks in Myanmar, we are enjoying 16 days in New Caledonia where it is truly a paradise underwater. Sharks, turtles, rays, moray eels, dolphins  etc. I wanted to swim with sharks and this mission is completed even if we still have 4 days to enjoy and probably do some scuba diving before we will head to New Zealand. We enjoyed the Pines island where we shared a few evening with the local tribe. If the local people seem a bit cold at first, after a few minutes, you will get a big smile and warm welcome. Tribes are everywhere (don't imagine traditional tribes...they are like families owning fields, beaches etc.). Anywhere you go, a beach for example or anything you pick from a tree, like a colourful and juicy mango, it is better to ask to the local tribe which probably own the area. We then discovered  the West and North coast of the island where we have been riding horses, deep sea fishing, snorkelling with sharks...etc. I am currently uploading a few pics and producing some short videos that will be available shortly. Big thank you to Gaelle & Jerome, our local hosts! Feel free to check out a few pics under New Caledonia, Foodies and Portraits.

Last days in Myanmar: Magical Inle, mysterious Bagan and...final work on our report!

Dear all,

First of all HAPPY NEW YEAR to all of you!!

We are writing you from Bangkok airport (on the way to New Caledonia). After one month and a half in Yangon focusing on our project, we enjoyed 8 days away: 4 days at the Inle lake and 4 days at Bagan...8 days during which we finalised our report for Green Shoots. This included an overview of the current context/environment in Myanmar (Economy, Microfinance, HIV etc.), a definition of the Need for the People Living With Aids from a Yangon clinic thanks to the 108 interviews we have made there, and included an overview of the current Microfinance players, a short list and recommendations on the implementation for Green Shoots, thanks to meetings with INGOs, local NGOs, international organisations like the UN, the World Bank and IFC, some local cooperatives and some full-profit organisations. 

We started our break at the Inle lake, where we enjoyed some amazing bicycle rides during sunsets, the delicious Shan noodle soup and the life on the lake from early mornings....we then went to Bagan for a similar programme to enjoy the mystery of this vast site. Nevertheless Bagan started weirdly after an hotel being not able to see our booking on New Year's Eve night ;-) We ended up sleeping at the hotel employee's home...The next day, we hired a small fisherman boat to see the sunset from the river on the temples...beautiful...but unfortunately our boat engine broke at night...we were stuck 2 hours during which we used Agnes' iPhone SOS option to call for help ;-)...We loved it...true.

All in all we are now sad to leave Myanmar, our friends and Yangon, a city where we felt at home thanks to the amazingly warm welcome from people. To see pics, please click on Myanmar, Foodies and Portraits...