Okay, so where to start? It's difficult to sum up the three days, two
nights we spent in the Bokeo Nature Reserve and really do it justice in
a few paragraphs (I feel that I could write for years!). Fingers
crossed that it will be easier now than a few days ago when we were
still in withdrawal ("why don't I always live in a treehouse in the
jungle???"). I've made my blog search-able on google now, just because I
want to dispel some of the rumours from blogs that I had read about the
awful experiences people seem to have had- guys, it's not always like
that!!
So here we go, I shall try to be succinct!
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We caught a minibus from our guesthouse in Chiang Mai (450 baht)
to the Lao border, via the White Temple which is a slightly odd, newly
built place of worship with movie characters painted on the inside walls
and strange sculptures outside- such as a huge 'Predator' emerging from
the grass! Once in Huay Xai after a quick long-boat trip across the
Mekong from border to border, we met up with Dave and his Norwegian friend Anne-Sofie and spent the night at B.A.P Guesthouse, slightly average beds but mega
cheap, cosy and with a very helpful (and a bit eccentric) owner!
Checking in with the Gibbon office was easy and they gave us a
run-down of what to expect. Needless to say, we were all a bit
apprehensive when they explained that the ziplines can be up to 200m
high and 400m long! Especially with the Lonely Planet stating that we
should double-check the knots in our harnesses! [they were absolutely
fine and the guides geniuses at what they do, Mum!]. We were to 'trek'
an hour into the jungle, fly hundreds of metres on these ziplines and
sleep in wooden treehouses accessible only by zipline. Basic safety
instructions: don't go down the red cable, be sure to wear gloves for
comfort and socks against leeches, always put the safety cable on first
and if your hair is "long or crazy" tie it up. [This seems complicated
when they first show you the video, but after one go on the zipline it
makes total sense and becomes easy- and this is coming from someone
afraid of theme park rides!]
With us were two friendly-seeming Canadian blokes that we had run
into the night before and an American girl traveling on her own. Other
groups had left before us: 23 people in total, 4 groups to be chosen
later. [It seemed like a lot of people and although we thought it to be
too many, our group of 9 was perfect. There was a honeymoon private treehouse, one of 4 and one of 8 as well].
Our first day involved a short but fairly evil hike up some
pretty steep hills, only for an hour or so but pretty relentless,
particularly for the chain-smokers in the group of 23. The scenery was
stunning from the very beginning- rice paddies that were brown because
of the dry season juxtaposed against a pristine green forest, rocky
tracks not spoiled by any man-made steps or railings and the sky was the
bluest blue (just for us!). We stopped at 'the village' (seemingly the
only one in this part of the forest) to get our harnesses (yay!) and
split into groups.
[Damn! This isn't precise at all! And it's dinner time, the most important time of day!!]
Treehouse 7 was formed! Andy and Robby from Canada, Jenn from the
USA, Yuri and Max from Russia, Anne-Sofie from Norway and the three of
us Australians- what a great crew :)
The next two days we spent hiking through different parts of the
Reserve, doing some hikes that were really tough slogs until the perfect
final moment when we reached the next zipline! But trust me, from
someone who doesn't go to the gym and can't remember the last time she
played sport: each steep and painful climb is absolutely worth it when
the reward is flying across a beautiful valley, wind in your hair (hair
NOT in the brake!) and the jungle hundreds of meters below. It is just
the most amazing feeling. The first zip is quite a leap of faith, but
after that it's a piece of cake!
Our guides were also fantastic. Tong B and Pochua, both Hmong men
whose English was far from perfect, helped us check our lines whenever
we asked, told us which ziplines needed the brake and when, always went
first to show us how [how the PROS do it!] and gave us the choice of
continuing on or resting until later if we had had enough.
Treehouse 7 is one of the bigger options, and not as far from the hillside in zipping distance as the others.
One of the other treehouses (number 5 I think) actually had a line that
went straight out a window of the main floor which is awesome but we
stand firm in that ours was the best. Just for the shower! I wish that I
could attach a photo because it is hard to explain, but our shower was
on the bottom floor (oh yes, did I mention it was a 3-storey treehouse?)
so it was secluded from the main sleeping and eating area. It has no
walls just a wooden railing and the floor is wooden beams [similar to a
verandah for those who what I mean] so you can see the forest below and
on three sides- and the forest can see you. It's a vulnerable place to
be in, naked and for the whole jungle to see your cheeky bits, but it makes you realise how far away from civilisation you are! Here I am, world! The water runs like rain straight through the floor into the canopy below- incredible!
It would be remiss of me not to mention the food, which was
always more than enough and totally delicious. Every meal was delivered
to our treehouse dining table by the loveliest Hmong women, who are also
pros at ziplining with food in hand!
Both mornings we were given the option of doing a dawn hike to
look for Gibbons and other wildlife. There are plenty of fascinating
animals in the jungle- apparently tigers and bears as well as the usual
snakes and bugs not that we saw anything larger than.... GIBBONS!!!!!
Yes, we were lucky enough to see two gibbons on the second morning. They
were at the very top of a very tall tree and asleep for the most part,
but it was very cool when Tong B pointed them out to us after a good
hour of bushwhacking through the jungle. Our guides had told us that a
Gibbon sighting probably only happens 2 or 3 times a week (there are
groups that leave almost every day of the week) so we all went in with
low expectations of seeing or hearing anything. They were two little
fluffy black and white balls, cuddled up quietly until they were awoken
by our loud crashing. Much to our surprise, they were also pretty darn
noisy when they swung away through the trees. No, gibbons are not
graceful! [It would also be great to report that one pooed on Dave, but
we did definitely see one poo in the vicinity of him...]
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Maybe time to round this one up? Sean kept me company for the first hour of writing but maybe it is time to go have dinner now!
I'll try to conclude...
-for us, the dry/winter
season seemed to be a perfect time to do the Gibbon experience. We saw 2
leeches, the weather was perfect and it wasn't too cold.
-safety is very important to the guides and they are very sure to
make you feel comfortable and secure. If you ask for help, they will
give it and otherwise it is on you to make sure that you are hooked up
properly.
-any attempts to make the sleeping arrangements, trails or meals
more 'civilised' [read Westernised]- as has been mentioned by many a
whinger on the interwebs- would spoil the essence of the experience.
Expect to rough it and you will be pleasantly surprised at the
luxuriousness of your stay.
-although the Gibbon experience is expensive, it is worth every penny. Absolutely.
-failing any of this, take some advice from our Treehouse 7 gang and DWAI [Don't worry about it!]
Nastrovia!
