Michele's Travel Blog: Wednesday Dec 28th

Today Marika and his eldest daughter Asenaca (she is 18) pick me up to visit the waterfalls. There is one main road on Tavueni. The road does not go all around the island nor is it paved all the way. The journey to the waterfall is a beautiful but long drive. I guess it may of taken us at least 1 1/2 hours. The area is unspoiled, undeveloped and inhabited only by the local native villagers. After we pass the small development occupied by expats, it is nothing but tropical jungle and small settlements of the local natives.

We pass a small group of boys that have sarongs on. Asenaca informs me that these boys have been recently circumcised. They are headed to the ocean to help with the healing. The culture here is to circumcise between the ages of 6-8 and in some cases as old as 10.

We arrive in Lavena which is where the road ends and where we start our coastal walk to Wainibau Falls. This three-mile (one way) hike passes through the village of Lavena, and after a steep climb at the end, emerges the Wainibau Falls. You can jump in the river and swim up to the falls. And, if you are brave enough hike up to the top of the falls and jump into the pool of water. The trail hugs the coast for a considerable distance where there are several fine, secluded beaches. The Return to the Blue Lagoon was filmed in this area.

It is the rainy side of the island and we encounter the warm tropical rain as we get deeper into the hillside. Is was invigorating! The closer we get to the waterfall, the more it begins to rain. I learn that this is their rainy/hurricane season. High season with sunshine all the time is April through July. By the time we finish the hike, I am drenched. It was well worth it. Both Asenaca and I are starved. She missed breakfast and says she could eat a whole chicken. I had breakfast, and I could eat a half a chicken. We stop at Audrey's Bakery who is an expat from Sacramento and bakes for a living. She settled here 23 years ago. I guess her age to be early 70's now. I learned about her from Brother Jack. We make this our final stop as there is no roadside restaurant to grab a bite. A little desert will work to reward us for a good hike. It was fabulous...chocolate coconut bars and pineapple coconut cake! Yum Yum for the Tum Tum.

Enjoy the photos