Well, i guess i better start from the start of laos, which seems like a year ago, but really it was about 2 weeks ago.
I arrived in laos by boat, crossing the mekong at chiang kong – huay xai. I had arived at CK at about 5 and i wasnt sure when the border closed, differnt sources quoted from 4:30-6, so by the time we pulled up i was a bit agitated as to whether i would have enough time to get over the other side and initiated into the close gibbon experience circle – which departed early the next morning.
Luckily, i was stubborn and extracted the nessescary information from our bored bus driver as to where the crossing was, followed his incorrect directions (with a swedish couple who were in the same boat – or who wanted to be...), and found the crossing. The sun was going down, and our first view of the mekong was something like seeing lake george, a lotn bigger than we thought it would eb. They were used to people crossing with huge bags, and we made it in no time. I was wondering what teh consequences would be if we arrived in laos after the office closeed. Would we be stuck in no man’s river until the next day? A kind of south east asian purgatory for beliving that everythign would run on time?
The compulsory forms were filled out and we wanderedc up huay xai’s main street (ha! Main!) and found the gibbon place where i was asked to come back later. So i had time to find a room in teh same place as the swedes and have a beer watching the sun go down, before heading back for a quick briefing at teh office. We were tld what to bring, and also paid – handing over 5000 baht.
I think i’ll skip forward to the next morning, when i was awoken at 4 am by roosters having a crow noff. This was to be common place in laos, and even some roosters who crowed as early as 2:30. anyway, at the gibbon office i met charlie and colin, and pippa and steve (as well as the other 6 or so people), my budies on teh experience. We clamboured into the songkeow (ute with 2 bench seats along teh tray) and endured the 3 ½ hour dusty journey to the base of the walk where we trudged an hour up steep stairs, corn and sugar cane, over rivers and through a village.
At teh top of the walk we came to what was to be known as the kitchen, where the staff prepared our meal before they were delivered to us in the tree house. At the kitchen we harnessed up with little fuss (minimal instruction). It was then that we caught sight of the zip line top tree house 1. it was about 50 long, and at the time we considered it high off the ground – terminating in treehouse1 40 m above the ground. We were find out that this was one of the smallest lines.
So we zipped over with little trouble and had an introduction to the wonderful program, people, treehouses, and zip lines. Liz, who read us through the simple instructons, was happy to answer all the questions – she also taught the staff english.
That afternoon, we zipped 3 lines over to treehouse 2 to deliver the american couple who were to stay there that night (it only housed 2), and also see the other 5 off to treehouse3 which slept 4-5. the zip lines were about 200 metres max length and at least 8o m off the ground in some places. Although the form we had signed before we left said they were up to 300m and 100 high, i;m not sure that they were. Aaaanyway, pip, steve, charlie, colin and i headed back to the treehouse 1 (sleeps6) for dinner and relaxing. We zoomed in just as it was gettign dark, and we were tired from the early morning, long day, and great home cooked food (sticky rice and stirfry stuff).
The next morning, we were woken early by the vibration of the tree as one of the laotion guides zipped over with some pre brekky. We went with him on a ridge walk with teh hope fo spotting the gibbons (there are only 80 left in the park/world) but with no luck. We returned for laos brekky – ricepotato and greens, before heading off on the long walk. There were only 5 of us, and i think everyone but me underestimated how long and hard it would be, (about as hard as lower ballenjuey, with a bit of extra distance and crappy paths). We passed by a small village of about 3 huts where the guides family lived and he dropped in to see mum and dad. Estou (the guide) had also brought the pet monkey with him, which rode on my shoulder a lot fo teh way, and was so human...
We made it though after 3.5 hours and had lunch before heading down to the waterfall for a freezing swim (the water was v cold), and also the actual waterfall was a little dissapointing. But then again, i am spoilt with waterfalls...
We also checked out the new and very remote treehouse 4 which was not yet complete. It has a beutiful view over the valley and river where the waterfall is.
Unfortunatly steve had hurt his right knee, later amaturishly diagnosed as having ripped his ACL (is that right...?). so the guide took us a shorter route home (theres a shorter route) but understandably steve had lots of trouble, and had to use a improvised crutch. Twice, the guide – estou, who wouldn have weighed much more than 55kg, carried steve (maybe 90-100kg, no offense steve) 100m don a steep track, at a pace i culdnt keep up with. Amazing.
After a long climb (at least 40 min) up the stairs to the base of treehouse 2 steve and i set out to treehouse 3 where we arrived in teh dark, to a warm dinner and bed. I was knackered, but steve was very uncomfortable...
The next morning, we were agin woken by the two ladies zooming in to clean the house, and we zippe doff ourselves, adn then walked back to the zip lines and zipped to treehouse 1. there we had some more to eat (and coffee), before heading down tot eh songkeow. Steves leg wa very painful, and so the guides made a makeshift hammock strecher, which was basically a stretcher hung on a large tree truck which they carried over their shoulders – through river and down teh steep slope – always laughing and joking. They were so strong, and so generous.
Steve was more comfortabel in teh car, and we drove down to where the others had left their bag. On the way, charlie and colin suggested that i semi abandon my plans to come with them up north and then go to luang prabang on a different route. I was umming and arring, and eventually decided it was a great opportuntiy with really fun people. So i went. And i was so glad i did. We had a great time everywhere we went. Travelling in a small group made us flexible but alkso gave us some bargaining power. I was always entertained!
