Tuesday 21 June Brouma Waterfalls

David, pig whispere

lower Brouma waterfall

Andrea, Ryan, Cari, David in taxi

With packed lunch, drinks and swimming costumes we arrived in Vurevure village to meet John, our driver, at 9am as planned. However, John wasn't there and Louis was going to take his place with a van with Lai written on the door. Chris, Christine and I got to ride in the cab and David rode in the flat bed with the children.



Swimming upper pool

Ten minutes later we were dropped off at the Brouma Waterfall visitor centre to pay our F$15 (£5.00) pp entrance fee in exchange for a hand drawn map of which paths to take to reach waterfalls number 1 and number 2. It was explained waterfall number 3 was a tough 40 minute scramble over rocks and mud which would be too challenging.

Waterfall number one was only a 5 minute stroll from the road with changing rooms and a pleasant picnic area. We decided to hold off on swimming until we had been up to the second cascade and therefore would climb in dry clothes and appreciate the cooling swim at the end. The climb was steady along a well marked path littered with croaking frogs. At one place we had to cross a stream using the boulders to step across and a rope hand rail. It was slippery stuff. Forty minutes later and we arrived at the falls, another crawl over the moss covered rocks, stripping off to our bathing suits and we were in. The water flows into this elevated pool at such a rate you have to strike out to reach the area under falls like swimming in an exercise pool. Of course David was first n followed by me and the children. We found the best route was to sidle up to the falls along the side wall then you had something to hang onto as the tons of water fell onto your head and obliterated all vision. It as pretty and the water cool.

Ryan crossing stream

We returned to the lower fall using the alternative path which didn't include negotiating a torrent. There were lots of palms, ferns, lots of frogs, lots of spiders webs and spiders and lots of mud. Of course the children were fastest and reach the lower pool 10 minutes ahead of us. Just as we got dry from our walk we got wet again in the first falls. In this one you can swim behind the falling water and come out the other side. We'd been told they'd filmed some of Return to the Blue Lagoon at these falls.



Back to the visitors centre where we sat by the river and ate our sandwiches. David made friends with the resident sow, tickling the back f her ears until she keeled over in delight. He is the Pig Whisperer.

Our car turned up thirty minutes later than we'd agreed – that's island time – and as a change to plans drove us 5 miles further up the coast to Lavena Bay. Here there is a 5km walk along the coast and inland to another waterfall. As we'd already done two waterfalls and a long, asking the children and especially 6 year old Cari to walk 10 kms was too much. Instead we took a stroll on the beach and came back to the car where we were beckoned into the visitor's centre for them to try to extort F$15 (£5) each for walking on the beach. We protested and a nominal sum was given as a 'donation' to the village. F$15 is the fee for doing all the walk and visiting the falls.

on Lavena beach

Our driver Lai took us back to Vurevure village where the agreed F$7 fee magically changed into F$50. It was a lesson in check the cost before you ask for any add ons. Our mistake and a fine lesson in checking the small print when a sub contractor takes over another job. It wasn't about the sum, it was about the principal.