TAGIMAUCIA FLOWER

In the high mountains of Taveuni, known as Fiji's Garden Island, there is a beautiful lake.  We have not been here yet but hope to go.  A flowering plant called Tagimaucia is found only on the shores of this lake and any attempt to transplant the vine has failed.  The Tagimaucia is one of Fiji's most beautiful wild flower, the bunches of red flowers have a small white center.  The legend goes like this....
   "There once lived a young girl with a wild spirit and a tendency to be disobedient.  On one fateful day, her mother lost her patience with the girl and beat her with a bundle of coconut leaves, saying she never wanted to see her face again.  The distraught girl ran away until she was deep in the forest.  She came upon a large vine-covered ivi (Polynesian chestnut) tree and decided to climb it.  The higher she climbed, the more entangled she became in the vine, and unable to break free, she began to weep.  As giant tears rolled down her face they turned to blood and, where they fell onto the vine, they became beautiful white and red tagimaucia flowers. ......"
   The 5 kilometer Coastal Walk is in the book 1000 Places to See Before You Die.....so of course, I would like to do this also.  It follows the forest edge along a white sand Lavena Beach ( known as Blue Lagoon to the locals), then along a volcanic black beach, past peaceful villages, before climbing up through a beautiful landscape to a gushing waterfall.  There is good snorkeling and kayaking.
   The International Dateline twists its way around Fiji, but the 180 degree meridian actually cuts straight through Taveuni,  It might be fun to be here on New Years and we can jump from one day/year to the next!
 Taveuni has also achieved mythical status among divers who come to see the incredible coral, fish, turtles, whales, sharks.  The most famous of the soft-coral sites is Ranibow Reef.
   Lots to see and do.......  This is part of Peace Corps also!!!