We headed out after breakfast to catch the bus to the City Markets, at Port Moselle. We’d caught the bus here on Monday so were confident we knew what we doing.

I took this photo on Monday when the markets were closed, but this morning when we arrived there were a lot more cars and small vans crammed into that carpark. But I’d have to say, the markets were quite small, with many of the stalls empty.

Some of the produce looked less than pristine, but Mick assures me that the bananas for sale here were different varieties to some of those we have back in Queensland. Those small ones he is pointing to were for sale for 495 francs per kilogram or $6.80/kilo. I thought that was expensive for bananas that looked like they were destined for a smoothie or some banana bread.

Mick was not here for the fruit and vegetables though, he was after fresh fish. In a separate pavilion he found what he was looking for, and once he had had a look around he claimed that it was the best fish market he had been to.

Most of the names for the seafood that was on sale were totally foreign to us – but luckily Mick being a fisherman, was able to decipher his way through the options. And unlike the fruit, the seafood was very fresh and well priced; crabs caught this morning, the size of footballs, were selling for 1800 francs / kilo (or ~$25/kilo).

Mick settled on a fish that he thought looked ‘familiar’. And once he’d selected it and it was weighed, it was whisked off for cleaning. It cost 1230 francs (or ~$17).

But that was not to be. This was Port Kuendo! Mick is waiting in the shade before we had to cross the road to get the bus on its return. The driver had stayed in the bus for about 10 minutes before turning around to pick us up.

Despite the disappointment about Kuendo Beach – our bus took us past a few key places in Noumea including the hospital, the jail and the university.

Dinner this evening was fresh fish, perfectly cooked by Mick, We are not actually 100% sure about what it was – but there was nothing left over!!