Busy weekend

Sunday 16th November 2008

I've had the weekend off from teaching because I was invited to accompany a small group of college students on a trip to the Cat Tien National Park on Saturday. I was to meet Lai at 7.0am at school so she could take me to her College to meet the others and wait for the coach to take us on the journey of approximately 100 kilometres north of here. As I know that Lai uses a bicycle I went on mine so I could get home if we arrived back late, when Mark would be teaching. Lai informed me that the coach had been delayed and we had time for breakfast of Pho Ga, the usual noodles with chicken, beansprouts and greens, which was very good. The girls then showed me around their dormitories in their very extensive school. Their accommodation is spartan, sleeping eight to a room without even private lockers, but they all seem very happy to have the opportunity to study.

Finally the coach arrived, its 15 seats fully occupied, but we were all squeezed in anyhow! Three matrons in the three front seats were unceremoniously told to shove up and make room for me and I claimed my allotted space with one buttock. At frequent intervals, even more people were squeezed on; they keep little plastic stools for people to squat on in any available space, which isn't much. It was certainly an experience, travelling most of the way like that!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_Tien_National_Park

I'd like to tell you that Cat Tien was amazing and teeming with wildlife, and it certainly was. We were warned about bloodsucking leeches and biting insects, naturally, not to mention the kind that like to get in your ears, so the girls pulled the hoods of their jackets tight. To tell the truth, in the bit of primeval jungle where we walked, I was more concerned with what was underfoot than marvelling at the trees around.There was no chance of seeing elephants or rhinoceros with five squealing teenage girls getting freaked out by leeches on their legs! You'd have to stay in the park and be guided to the more remote parts to see anything so exotic.

I'm sure I could see these trees at Kew gardens or other botanical gardens in greater comfort! In fact, I can appreciate how ordinary people who want a life of least discomfort want to clear the wilderness away to grow crops and build houses. That's the problem with nature! It's not always people friendly!If this publishes OK, I'll tell you more tomorrow...