morning on the mekong

morning on the mekong
Originally uploaded by douglasnz.

So now for a slow boat down the mekong, for two days to get to our next stop.

willy the gibbon

willy the gibbon
Originally uploaded by douglasnz.

This is Willy, he is a baby black gibbon that was rescued from a local market.

It was incredible to be up so close to a gibbon (as we were never able to get close enough to see them in the mornings). To watch willy move around the trees, swinging and jumping was really cool. The plan is to re-habilitate him and settle him in with some of the local ladies.

Jeff (the guy who set up the project) is looking to provide a viable alternative economic option for the locals to hunting the animals and logging the wood.

So far it's working well, and an entire village now supports this project, all working for it in various ways. The government has noticed that it is working well (ie making money) and so are keen to help him expand the project throughout the park, and maybe even extend to others.

treehouse gang

treehouse gang
Originally uploaded by douglasnz.

sunset in treehouse

sunset in treehouse
Originally uploaded by douglasnz.

sunrise in treehouse

sunrise in treehouse
Originally uploaded by douglasnz.

This was the morning view from our deck in the treehouse.

The reason it's called the Gibbon Experience is due to the small group of Black Gibbons that live there. These are endangered and it's thought that the 100 that live here are the only ones left.

In the morning along with the sound of all the crickets and birds, the gibbons start singing at about 6am. It sounds like low slow whooping noises that get faster until they sound like a toy laser gun. This goes on for about 20 minutes then you'll hear nothing else from them for the rest of the day.

So in the morning when they start you have to jump on the zip lines and try to get to where the sound is coming from if you want a chance is find them.

Zip line over a valley

Zip line over a valley
Originally uploaded by douglasnz.

This one is 400m long and in the middle you're 100m up in the air. You can look out over miles of jungle, it feels like you're flying.

Originally uploaded by douglasnz.

You zip from tree to tree along a course that runs for about 2 km.

The pre-flight safety demo

The pre-flight safety demo
Originally uploaded by douglasnz.

Was by zip line.

This is my childhood dream....

treehouse

treehouse
Originally uploaded by douglasnz.

We then arrived at our accommodation - a treehouse 40 metres up in the jungle canopy! And the only way to reach it.....

on the trail

on the trail
Originally uploaded by douglasnz.

We started with about an hours trek uphill through bamboo jungle...

The Gibbon Experience

trek village
Originally uploaded by douglasnz.

After a major mission of a journey we arrived in Huay Xai. The journey involved overnight buses (broke down), tuk-tuks (went slowly) smaller tuk-tuks (went really fast), airplanes (smallest I've ever been on) and then hitch-hiking (back of a pick-up).

All this journey to get to a trek that was highly recommended by several other travellers we had met.

It's called the Gibbon Experience and was fantastic!

It started in a small village called Ban Thoup in the Bokeo Province National Park.

Not naked honest

Not naked honest
Originally uploaded by douglasnz.

At last a decent wash

At last a decent wash
Originally uploaded by douglasnz.

Managed to find a quieter part of the waterfalls to cool off.

Khon Phapheng waterfall (largest in SE Asia)

Khon Phapheng waterfall (largest in SE Asia)
Originally uploaded by douglasnz.

We are Ladies !!

We are Ladies !!
Originally uploaded by douglasnz.

Here are the girls, Sarah with Bex and Laura, two other Bristolian Adventurers that we met and explored the island with.

Pig roast

Pig roast
Originally uploaded by douglasnz.

We organised a pig roast through the guys who owned our hut. Complete with bread, crackling and apple sauce.

Our hut on the Mekong

Our hut on the Mekong
Originally uploaded by douglasnz.

At last some hammock time. We stayed here for 75p, no electricity, buckets of water for showering - and a man who sold banana doughnuts everyday. We spent four days here, as it's one of those places that people come to and then get stuck there (some for months).

Had a great time, reading and relaxing but also fitting in bicycle trips to waterfalls, kayaking, tubing and watching some very rare fresh water dolphins which live nearby.

4000 islands

4000 islands
Originally uploaded by douglasnz.

Next stop was Si Phan Don, the 400 islands that sit right at the bottom of laos on the border with cambodia.
its a beautiful collection of islands - big and small, inhabited and uninhabited, surrounded by the Mekong river. All fairly rural and very chilled.

Pha That Luang

Pha That Luang
Originally uploaded by douglasnz.

So here we are in Vientiane, Laos. To get here from Hanoi takes 24 hours on the bus. Now, we have enjoyed using buses, but began to feel we were neglecting other forms of transport.

So we flew

It was great! Check in at 8.30, depart at 9.30, arrive 10.30 and leave airport with luggage by 11.00.

Not loads for the backpacking tourist in Vientiane, but great french pastries and awesome Beer Lao. We hired a friendly tuk-tuk for the afternoon to try and see the main sights.

Pha That Lunag being the main one, pretty big gooden temple really, the tower you see is about 20m high. All painted gold, but sadly a bit overcast today so not shining away like usual.

Next was a version of their Arc de Triomphe, on which they have placed a plaque that reads, "This is a replica of the Arc de Triomphe, made from concrete which is not nearly so impressive when see up close" !! This was a bit harsh as I thought it was great fun.