Tue, Jan 30 – to Nam Cat Tien National Park

I got confused and jumped out of bed at 5 AM, got dressed, only to be reminded by Bob that the alarm wasn’t set to go off until 5:30.  Joined David and Hil for a wonderful breakfast of plate-sized crepes drizzled with the Villa’s honey and a dash of lime.   We ordered more – more than we could eat - and checked out full and happy!  

Delicate and delicious crepe pancake

All rolled up and ready to devour

 

We are leaving the Dalat Plateau (~3000’) for the lowlands (~1500’).   We drove on the main highway south and west through long strips of retail and small towns, stopping at a large grocery store where Bob picked up a life bird, White-winged Starling.

  

The residences in both north and south Vietnam, are usually very narrow and long, often with a store in front who's advertising often contains English words: message, beauty, wedding, makeup, pharmacy, bakery.   These are stores for locals, not tourists, so it’s a mystery as few people, at least the adults, speak English.   No sign of French language anywhere, maybe some French influence in the architecture, and, of course, in the bread!

 

Signage in English & Vietnamese

We entered a little town where we stopped to say hello to Bom’s mother – Bom is going to stay with her for a few days while we visit Cat Tien NP.  No non-park vehicles are allowed in the park, so Bom dropped us off at a river crossing where we unloaded all our luggage off the van and helpers carted it aboard a small ferry.  

Heading to the larger of the 2 ferry boats - for a very quick trip across the river

Within a few minutes we were across, and were met by a park jitney that drove us a short distance to Forest Floor Lodge, a real tropical jungle lodge with all the sounds of the tropics!  (Right now the tree frogs are roaring!).  We settled into our basic, spacious field station-like room.   The humid heat will take a bit of getting used to after a week in the highlands.

 

Dining area

Our room

We met up at the second-floor dining area overlooking the river for a delicious lunch of great spring rolls and crispy onion crepes.  

 

At three we set off in a larger open-air truck with five metal bench seats, so we all had plenty of room -although not much knee room as we’re all pretty large (well, tall) people.   Tien’s son joined us as he’s in training to be a bird guide like his father and this is a good opportunity to learn how to work with clients.    

 It was really too early to go out as there was no bird action for about an hour, but then things picked up and we got great views of Green Peafowl (green peacocks) and other species.  And we saw a Red Muntjac, a small reddish chunky deer.  

We returned at 6 PM.   I wanted a shower before dinner and stood for a while running the water hoping it would get hot.   It finally did and as I was soaping up, a large black scorpion came zooming out of the drain!   I should have photographed it in the interest of science and the daily list, but didn’t, and with Bob’s help, put a plastic glass over it so I could continue my shower, hoping Mrs. Scorpion and all the baby scorpions weren’t going to follow!

We left for dinner and informed Roy, the English entomologist owner, about my bathroom trophy and that we couldn’t get the AC, which runs a few hours a night while the generator is on, to work.   While we had a dinner of chicken curry, he fixed both problems, and we are now sitting in a cool room getting ready for bed.