Walking to waterfalls, waterfalls and waterfalls
leaves of the banana, breadfruit trees with the round green globes and the vivid flowers of the hibiscus and the bird of paradise.
But others are new to me, like the yellow flowers of the candlelight tree, the enormous ribbed leaves of elephant’s ear and the calabash tree.
She points out the mighty African tuliptree with its spectacular red flowers that light up the greenery like a flame. This tree is beautiful but is not a welcome introduction, as mosquitoes like to breed in its branches. I’d been careful to bring plenty of mozzie-repellent with me on this trip but was surprised how little I needed it.
Soon we plunge up and into the forest. There’s a sort of track which Yvette is able to find but much of it is overgrown with dense ferns and creepers. At times we pick our way over boulders, scramble up steps of rocks or tree roots and try not to slide on slopes that have been made muddy and slippery with the overnight rain.
Yvette tells us, on a rare flat area, that this site is where ancient rituals were carried out. The Polynesians worshipped a group of gods before protestant missionaries, quickly followed by the Catholics, arrived. (Other denominations followed - there’s an incredible number of churches in Tahiti and Moorea).
At a clearing we come across our first waterfall - a gush of water that squeezes out between rocks. Yvette splashes in at once. Others in our group take a plunge too - a short one, though, as this water has come from the mountains and even in this part of the world “it’s freezing” says one of the Americans.
Back in the wilderness, we tackle a