Last night we got off the bus in Dalat at about 9pm local time. The first thing I remember thinking is something along the lines of how cold it was. Going from a monsoon climate to a really cold, "put some warm tracky pants on" climate in a matter of hours was pretty insane!
The hotel we are staying in is the best so far. Clean rooms, free internet, breakfast included and best of all, a hot shower and a normal flushing toilet you can use toilet paper with!
So guess what we had for breakfast? VEGEMITE!!!! Did not think I would have that over here..
That was followed by a meeting to just talk about everything we had done, seen, felt, smelt and experienced in the last week, along with some serious talk, but not much of that last one.
We than headed out for the day to get those last minute things for our big hike tomorrow.
We had noodles for lunch and later we found a bakery which made the best muffins! We also got to try out our rain coats for the first time.
Later that afternoon we met with the people organising our treck and sorted everything out.
Dinner was a bit exciting. We decided to just walk into one of the local places and just order food until we were all full. I think we had something like 5 big plates of rice and 2 big plates of beef. It was great! Than its back to the hotel to let everyone back home whats going on in Vietnam..
So tomorrow we go on our big treck, it sounds a bit scary but thats part of the experience.
The next post should be coming your way next week provided we have internet in Hoi An.
PS- Can someone let us know who wins origin? The boys are quite sad they miss it...
PPS- Jye is a mad dog (according to him)....
Sunday, 26 June 2011
Day 5
We woke up to our fifth day to a breakfast of french style bread rolls with omlette and watermellon. Like most of our meals here, they dont last long...
Packed and ready to go, we played games once again created by our park guide to build bonds in our team. We than took a tour of the long house we had slept in the night before. We were showed ropes that were used to catch wild elephants, how the locals ferment their rice wine and were than lucky enough to be treated to a traditional musical performance by the village elders. It was a couple and the man was 93 years old but was never out of breath when playing. You would never have guessed his age!!
We than left to go and ride some elephants. Everyone was quite excited. It was a wonderful experience. They took us along small dirt paths up hills and through the forest, we even done a river crossing and the elephant Mrs Lelay and I were on decided it wanted to dive a bit deeper than was planned, soaking the man riding at the front. The elephant Boyde and Chloe were on decided it just didnt want a swim, so they had to go around the long way. There was another river crossing where Meggan and Brooke's elephant decided it was a good time to go to the toilet, leaving a trail of giant floaties.
The whole ride was longer than expected, about an hour or more. We than drove to a coffee and peper plantation where we learnt that the worlds most expensive coffee was actually made of squirrel droppings. Back in the city we had a lovely lunch at a resterant to celebrate Callum's birthday, which both he and Mrs Lelay forgot about until about this point..
Than it was onto another bus for a long, windy, bumby trip up into the highlands to reach Dalat.
Packed and ready to go, we played games once again created by our park guide to build bonds in our team. We than took a tour of the long house we had slept in the night before. We were showed ropes that were used to catch wild elephants, how the locals ferment their rice wine and were than lucky enough to be treated to a traditional musical performance by the village elders. It was a couple and the man was 93 years old but was never out of breath when playing. You would never have guessed his age!!
We than left to go and ride some elephants. Everyone was quite excited. It was a wonderful experience. They took us along small dirt paths up hills and through the forest, we even done a river crossing and the elephant Mrs Lelay and I were on decided it wanted to dive a bit deeper than was planned, soaking the man riding at the front. The elephant Boyde and Chloe were on decided it just didnt want a swim, so they had to go around the long way. There was another river crossing where Meggan and Brooke's elephant decided it was a good time to go to the toilet, leaving a trail of giant floaties.
The whole ride was longer than expected, about an hour or more. We than drove to a coffee and peper plantation where we learnt that the worlds most expensive coffee was actually made of squirrel droppings. Back in the city we had a lovely lunch at a resterant to celebrate Callum's birthday, which both he and Mrs Lelay forgot about until about this point..
Than it was onto another bus for a long, windy, bumby trip up into the highlands to reach Dalat.
Day 4
For the first time this whole trip, we were eating bread!
With jam, penut better and there was even cheese if you felt like it. We also tryed a fruit which tasted like grapefruit but sweeter!
To warm up for our walk, our trecking guide made us do some activities. I cant even put into words how funny some people looked. The first 4 people to get out had to stand in a line, put one hand through their legs to grab the hand of the person behind them and than move around to become a "machine".
Than we were off and walking once again.
More mud, still humid, the chance of a monsoon shower and bamboo foresrts so thick, many of us would get caught and have to break branches to get out. I tripped over many times in the mud, it was actually quite funny.
Patrick's sleeping mat picked a fight with a bamboo tree and came out second best. Also, Callum's new nickname is Harry Potter due to the new small scratch on his forehead.
We saw some huge elephant footprints and encounted a heard of water buffalo lounging in a small water hole. Lunch was sandwitches and some fruit.
Towards the end we crossed a large river in a dug out canoe and entered the village we would be staying in.
We decided to spend the rest of the day (once we had set up for the night in the Long House) planking on play equiptment, we have some great photos (we were safe of caurse). There was also a string bridge and dinner was traditional Vietnamese dishes with good old chips! We even got to shower which was nice.
With jam, penut better and there was even cheese if you felt like it. We also tryed a fruit which tasted like grapefruit but sweeter!
To warm up for our walk, our trecking guide made us do some activities. I cant even put into words how funny some people looked. The first 4 people to get out had to stand in a line, put one hand through their legs to grab the hand of the person behind them and than move around to become a "machine".
Than we were off and walking once again.
More mud, still humid, the chance of a monsoon shower and bamboo foresrts so thick, many of us would get caught and have to break branches to get out. I tripped over many times in the mud, it was actually quite funny.
Patrick's sleeping mat picked a fight with a bamboo tree and came out second best. Also, Callum's new nickname is Harry Potter due to the new small scratch on his forehead.
We saw some huge elephant footprints and encounted a heard of water buffalo lounging in a small water hole. Lunch was sandwitches and some fruit.
Towards the end we crossed a large river in a dug out canoe and entered the village we would be staying in.
We decided to spend the rest of the day (once we had set up for the night in the Long House) planking on play equiptment, we have some great photos (we were safe of caurse). There was also a string bridge and dinner was traditional Vietnamese dishes with good old chips! We even got to shower which was nice.
Day 3
This morning we were in a bit of a hurry to catch a bus to Yok Don National park for our first treck, but that didn't stop us from having breakfast in a little resterant down the street from our hotel.
The bus ride to Yok Don took an hour. The whole time we were talking and joking, so it only felt like ten minutes had passed when we arrived.
We were first briefed on where we would be walking and on the National Park itself.
Yok Don is actually home to some minority tribal groups which still live out in the rainforests hunting for food and keeping away from civilisation.
We walked 8-10km and it hot and humid! The terrain was flat but most of the time we were walking through mud and by the end of the day, our shoes and pants were filthy.
We had luch just before we arrived at the camp. Sticky rice wrapped in bamboo with pork kababs and fruit.
The hut we stayed in has one room and was above ground.
We went for a swim in a river which was nice and cold after a hot day of walking and dinner was made for us once we had set up our beds. It was like a feast!
Plates of chicken, pork, fish, rice, bamboo shoots, and different veggies were set out on a tarp which we sat around.
That night, we sat under our mozzie nets and laughed at the jokes Jye kept coming up with until our leader came up at which point we all decided it was a good time to fall asleep.
The bus ride to Yok Don took an hour. The whole time we were talking and joking, so it only felt like ten minutes had passed when we arrived.
We were first briefed on where we would be walking and on the National Park itself.
Yok Don is actually home to some minority tribal groups which still live out in the rainforests hunting for food and keeping away from civilisation.
We walked 8-10km and it hot and humid! The terrain was flat but most of the time we were walking through mud and by the end of the day, our shoes and pants were filthy.
We had luch just before we arrived at the camp. Sticky rice wrapped in bamboo with pork kababs and fruit.
The hut we stayed in has one room and was above ground.
We went for a swim in a river which was nice and cold after a hot day of walking and dinner was made for us once we had set up our beds. It was like a feast!
Plates of chicken, pork, fish, rice, bamboo shoots, and different veggies were set out on a tarp which we sat around.
That night, we sat under our mozzie nets and laughed at the jokes Jye kept coming up with until our leader came up at which point we all decided it was a good time to fall asleep.
Day 2
Many of us were still half asleep in the morning when we were planning our transportation to Buon Ma Tuot.
The team split up, one group going out to buy a phone while the other group thought about what we could have for breakfast.
When everyone returned, we ate bananas and pineapple scrolls. The bananas were delicious and so were the scrolls (to most) and didnt last long. All up we spent a whole $2 on breakfast for all of us!!
We were slightly late for the bus, which had no seats, just heaps of small beds (which the taller people in the group found to be quite uncomfortable).
We were on that bus for a total of 9 hours, stopping half way to eat and use the toilet (a squat toilet).
Once again we would have a late night. We stayed at a hotel called Duc Phu which thankfully had aircon.
Dinner was an experience in it's own, eating chicken soup with the locals.
The team split up, one group going out to buy a phone while the other group thought about what we could have for breakfast.
When everyone returned, we ate bananas and pineapple scrolls. The bananas were delicious and so were the scrolls (to most) and didnt last long. All up we spent a whole $2 on breakfast for all of us!!
We were slightly late for the bus, which had no seats, just heaps of small beds (which the taller people in the group found to be quite uncomfortable).
We were on that bus for a total of 9 hours, stopping half way to eat and use the toilet (a squat toilet).
Once again we would have a late night. We stayed at a hotel called Duc Phu which thankfully had aircon.
Dinner was an experience in it's own, eating chicken soup with the locals.
Day 1
Where to start?
Well, once all the parents left, the build up day consisted of mostly unpacking and repacking.
Te trip to the airport could be described as chilled. No one was bouncing up and down with excitement, yet.
Our flight was a bit delayed, but that just gave everyone more time to grab some skittles and a drink.
The flight itself was okay. A bit bumpy and no in flight entertainment made it a little bit uncomfortable.
There was great feedback on the plane food though, with Jye claiming he was eating "the best mashed potato he had ever had!"
In Vietnam, we were pretty shocked at how hot it was, think Darwin in the monsoon season, but worse!
We were also shocked at the traffic and power lines, hopefully we can get some photos up.
The hotel we stayed at had no aircon and we were all sweating and were quite confused when it came to using the toilet (you wash your bottom with a hose and dont use toilet paper)...
The next day we were up bright and early to move onto Bon Ma Tot.
Well, once all the parents left, the build up day consisted of mostly unpacking and repacking.
Te trip to the airport could be described as chilled. No one was bouncing up and down with excitement, yet.
Our flight was a bit delayed, but that just gave everyone more time to grab some skittles and a drink.
The flight itself was okay. A bit bumpy and no in flight entertainment made it a little bit uncomfortable.
There was great feedback on the plane food though, with Jye claiming he was eating "the best mashed potato he had ever had!"
In Vietnam, we were pretty shocked at how hot it was, think Darwin in the monsoon season, but worse!
We were also shocked at the traffic and power lines, hopefully we can get some photos up.
The hotel we stayed at had no aircon and we were all sweating and were quite confused when it came to using the toilet (you wash your bottom with a hose and dont use toilet paper)...
The next day we were up bright and early to move onto Bon Ma Tot.
Saturday, 25 June 2011
Teacher
Hello Everyone,
We are in Dalat and it is 11 at night. Our accommodation people have organized accommodation with free Internet and now they are all on emailing their parents and posting on Facebook. I'm on my phone with 50% battery left. I'd say it will be a while before I will get near a computer.
Well it is only week one and I feel that everyone has had the most amazing experiences of their lives. Julien is absolutely amazing the way he stands back just asking the questions to encourage decision making and action. Yok Don amazing we have had the most wonderful,skilled park ranger he was terrific with all the kids. Today we had breakfast by a waterfall, slept in a long house last night, rode elephants, had a wonderfull lunch in Buon ma Thout then caught the bus to Dalat. As I am writing this with one finger I'll finish up and in the morning Demi will post snippets from her diary. EVERYONE is happy infact on a high. Hope all is going well in Humpty Doo.
We are in Dalat and it is 11 at night. Our accommodation people have organized accommodation with free Internet and now they are all on emailing their parents and posting on Facebook. I'm on my phone with 50% battery left. I'd say it will be a while before I will get near a computer.
Well it is only week one and I feel that everyone has had the most amazing experiences of their lives. Julien is absolutely amazing the way he stands back just asking the questions to encourage decision making and action. Yok Don amazing we have had the most wonderful,skilled park ranger he was terrific with all the kids. Today we had breakfast by a waterfall, slept in a long house last night, rode elephants, had a wonderfull lunch in Buon ma Thout then caught the bus to Dalat. As I am writing this with one finger I'll finish up and in the morning Demi will post snippets from her diary. EVERYONE is happy infact on a high. Hope all is going well in Humpty Doo.
Wednesday, 15 June 2011
Teacher
Build up day this Tuesday. We will book our accommodation on this day and transport. We need to decide as a group how to spend the money we have raised. $1500 definitely has to go to the project as it came from RSL.
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