The Road Warriors: The Gibbon Experience

So the reason I was in such a rush to get into Laos was because I had to confirm my reservation with the Gibbon Experience. Yeah, for the first time in the entire trip, Adam and I had made a reservation. This was absolutely important though because spots on the Gibbon Experience were very limited and we absolutely needed to get in. Making it to Huay Xai in Laos on the 6th was imperative, and thankfully I had just made it.

Laos immigration took a little longer than I was used to. I had to present a photo and pay a hefty fee for the visa stamp. I knew that Adam had already arrived because the border guards were using his photo as an example of what an acceptable photo should look like. Adam is quite exemplary, and the Lao people evidently agreed. I paid my hefty fee and cruised on in.

I bumped into Adam at an Internet cafe. He had already booked a room and confirmed his Gibbon Experience, I had to do the same. Easy process thankfully. I let out a hard exhale knowing that my long day of transpo on a deadline had come to an end. Tomorrow we had to wake up at 8, so we had a beer by the Mekong and called it a night early.

So you're probably wondering what the Gibbon Experience is. Well, every day, a group of 16 people, with guides, heads out into the Bokeo Nature Reserve and spends two nights in a treehouse. Zip-lining, swimming in waterfalls and lots of hiking are all part of the experience. I had seen videos of how crazy the zip-lining was, so Adam and I both agreed to sign up without hesitation.

Next morning, we brought all of our stuff to the GE office to be stored while we were on the trek. I packed light primarily due to my lack of a bigger backpack. As we waited, a litter of orange baby kittens climbed and fumbled around our gear. Waiting gave us a chance to get acquainted with our travel companions. Andy, Alex, Maria, Joanne, April and Jean-Marie; an American, an Aussie, A swede, an Irishwoman, another American and a Frenchman. Finally our ride showed up. A songthaew/4-door pickup truck hybrid. We were told the ride was 3 hours, and there was no roof in the back, so I wisely opted for a spot inside the vehicle to spare my tender flesh from the sun.

Halfway through, the ride got rugged. We drove through a river and onto dirt roads that wound up and down hills passing thatch huts and pastoral villages. Branches whipped at the poor saps sitting in the back. Laos was already very different from Thailand. No 7-elevens in sight. A good while later, we reached a large village seemingly in the middle of nowhere. As we got off, a group of 16 got on, worn and haggard after already finishing their experience. Pigs, cows and chickens freely roamed the village and a huge flock of turkeys warbled from beneath the hut we waited in. Eight more people arrived and waited with us forming our group of 16. Then the Lao guides showed up and had us split into two groups. We all decided to stick with the original eight we rode up with and took off into the brush.

It was a 3 hour hike ahead of us, one which wound up and down mountains and across rivers. Not too difficult, but make no mistake, it was dripping sweaty hot and I was tearing through my water supply. Our group was a mix of the eager, the reserved, the stoic and the calamitous. One girl was having exceptional trouble with the trek and continuously fell behind while two of the guys ran ahead of the pack until we met up with them again at the next fork in the road. About halfway there, our guide magically produced the most delicious sandwiches for us from out of his pack.

We ascended a hill and arrived at a cabin where we were handed our zip-line harnesses. These were not optional, as it was absolutely necessary to zip-line if you hoped to progress. About 200 meters further we encountered our first rail. Not terribly long, but it served as an excellent introduction to zip-lining. I went first without hesitation or braking, crashing into the tree at the other end like George of the Jungle. Nothing too bad. Adam followed, then the rest. I did another and sat in wait while the others finished the first. I could hear the calamitous girl warbling and having a hard time. Apparently she got freaked out and hit the break halfway down the line, leaving her dangling in the middle. The guide had to zip down and boot her the rest of the way across. When everyone got in, we resumed the trek.

After a few more zips, we came to the line that led to our treehouse. We couldn't see where it ended, but it looked very long. I hopped on and started zipping. I passed through treetops to a clearing and saw the treehouse standing about 100 meters up overlooking the scenery. It was unreal. Check the video. The rail lead directly to a small plank below the house to land on. I unhooked and entered via a trap door.

The others made their way in one by one while I walked around the treehouse. It was a marvel. Two stories high with running water and electricity, it was hard to believe we were in the middle of a jungle let alone way up in a tree. What a surprise! When everyone was in, we settled down for a snack. Lychees, rambutans and hot coffee were perfect. A few of us took to the zip-lines before supper.

Supper came zip-lining to us in the arms of a Lao girl who inhabited a hut nearby. She dropped off our meal and departed with nary a word. A hot, delicious meal was the cherry on the cake. Here we were, perched in a treehouse with a beautiful 360 degree vista all around, and our meals came zipping in, hot and right when we needed them. The Gibbon Experience had already earned it's money as far as I was concerned.

The sun went down and bizarre sounds came from the jungle canopy around us. The night creatures were out. Adam led the group in a game of "Mafia" which absolutely everyone seemed to enjoy, including Jean-Marie, the stoic Frenchman. Lightning began to flash on the horizon. Our bunks were no more than mattresses on the floor with thick mosquito nets that looked like blankets draped overtop. The whole setup resembled the kind of fort you'd make as a kid. Sleeping in a fort, high in a treehouse; I think everyone's inner child was brimming with excitement.

At around 10 we heard a noise coming from the zipline. Someone was zip-lining in. It was one of our guides coming to collect us. Apparently there was a storm coming and we weren't safe in the treehouse, so we had to go hangout in a nearby hut until it passed. So we all harnessed up and one by one zipped out into the blackness. I can definitely say that zip-lining at night is way scarier than zip-lining during the day. I had a flashlight, but it didn't help much. The platform flew up out of nowhere. After all of the others landed safely, we walked up the trail to a small hut in a clearing. Inside were the three women responsible for cooking our meals. They largely ignored our presence while we twiddled our thumbs and played cards. the storm never came, so after about 40 minutes, our guide directed us back to the treehouse again. As I glided along towards the black space, a flash of lightning lit up the sky revealing the silhouette of the lone treehouse overlooking the void. It was so so awesome.

Sleep didn't come easy that night. I tossed and turned. At one point Adam woke in a panic, not knowing where he was. A few minutes later, I did the same.

At 5:30am, the wake up call rolled in with breakfast. Rice, vegetables, coffee and lychees. It was a crisp morning and a slight fog hung over the jungle canopy. I took a cold shower while enjoying the panorama. Today we were to head out on a trek to a different treehouse as well as a swimming hole. Before gearing up, I did a few recreational zips to catch the morning breeze. A great way to wake up.

It was a hot day and the trek had some rough patches. At one point, a huge thorn got lodged in my palm. Halfway through, our guide, always full of surprises, walked into the bush with a machete and emerged with hand fans that he had fashioned for us out of broad leaves. The calamitous girl, who I secretly nicknamed "Foibles", was having trouble as usual. Andy and Alex zoomed ahead of the pack. We all met up at a fork, then descended some steep steps to a waterfall.

It was absolutely gorgeous. This waterfall lay nestled in between steep mountainsides and formed a perfect basin for swimming. Everyone dove in without hesitation. I climbed the rocks up to the different stages of the waterfall, at one point resting in a small basin just underneath. The water fell on my shoulders, my first massage in Southeast Asia. Others played with the large bamboo logs floating in the water. A couple of us climbed onto a large rock and leapt off into the water.Absolutely no one else was around, nor was there anything else to even suggest that this waterfall was anywhere close to civilization. A hidden swimming hole. Absolutely beautiful.

When we all got dried off, we ate lunch and our guide took us along a few more ziplines and into our second treehouse. Alex and I got there first, but the others were slow coming. I heard Foibles yelping in the distance. Soon the rest arrived. they had run into a giant snake curled up on a log. Adam got some pretty good pictures that I'm sure he'll put up on his blog soon.

The second treehouse was a bit smaller than the first., but no less impressive. the bathroom was below, next to the zip-line landing and there was no second story. Also, an animal had chewed the water pipe, so there was no running water. Our guide zip-lined in about 12 bottles for us. I, as well as everyone else, was completely exhausted by this point, so i laid down for a nap in the afternoon heat.

I awoke to a near empty treehouse. The others had gone down to the river, so I harnessed up to join them. I zipped along four or five lines in search of them. At one point, I glided over the river and could see Alex swimming below. I went across valleys and over mountaintops. One rail was 500 meters long! Soon, I found the path that led down to the river. On my way down, I ran into the guides walking back up with armfuls of fish to cook for breakfast the next morning. I jumped into the water and joined the others.

Back in the treehouse, dinner was waiting for us. We had seen the lady with the food zip by above us while we were swimming. Sticky rice and vegetables. Coffee with condensed milk. Adam found a fat leech stuck on his foot a little too late so when he ripped it off, he started bleeding heavily. He covered the wound with one of his gloves. OJ Simpson jokes ensued.

After the sun set, we lit candles. I guess an animal chewed the power cables as well. It was a quieter scene around the table. We watched as bugs one by one flew into the candles, drawn by the light, but killed by the heat. One moth was so huge, it snuffed out both candles, then flew off and got stuck in between April's glasses and her eye, fluttering about. At one point, Alex shone a flashlight on the roof and we could see several very large spiders scurrying about. Actually, very large spiders don't scurry, they lumber, and these guys were lumbering. Big, disgusting monsters. I can't even imagine having one fall on my face at night.

GAAAHHHHHH!

Before bed, Jean-Marie used the john and left the trap door open. It was pitch black, and of course yours truly took a dive straight down. Adam got front row seats to that spectacle. A little bruising here and there, but it became funny quite quickly.

It was shortly after that the storm started. This time it was real and there was nowhere to go, so we had to stay in the treehouse. And what a storm it was. Lightning flashed so often, we didn't even need to use our flashlights. the wind picked up and we felt the treehouse sway. In the distance, we heard trees succumb to the gale and fall with loud crashes. The rain came in sheets, at times blowing horizontally straight through the treehouse. A loud thunder crash sounded as if it were only meters away. Adam and I pulled up chairs and watched the madness from our perch. Foibles was absolutely losing it. Alex wasn't helping at all with his "if we die, we die" pep talk. She would constantly skit in and out of the other girls' tent to be consoled. Jean-Marie, who drew the short straw and had to share a bunk with her, was getting pretty fed up with the whole thing. Listening to him vent his frustration at her in his broken English was pure comedy. The whole debacle was pretty thrilling, and the storm let up soon enough so we could all get some sleep

We could smell the dampness in the morning. I had an excellent sleep despite a small bout of sleepwalking. Kind of a dangerous place to sleepwalk come to think of it. Breakfast was being served by the waterfall, and afterwards, we would trek back to the village, so we packed everything up and bid the treehouse farewell.

Overnight, the water had turned brown, and our guides advised against swimming in it. We ate fish and collected a fresh supply of water before beginning our three hour trek back.

Because it had rained, the leeches were out in full force. now these weren't the kind of leeches you find in North America that only get you when you're in the water. These guys crawled along the ground, like inchworms, and up your shoes onto your legs. Sometimes they even jump off of leaves to get at you. I wore long pants in preparation for this, but even then, I was continuously pulling leeches off. It was shocking how tenacious and unyeilding they were. We had to constantly be checking. Somehow, Jean-Marie got one one his johnson, which he nonchalantly flicked off. The jokes that followed helped pass the time considerably.

The trail was a little more rugged and had us crossing ditches and rivers. One river crossing had us taking our shoes of and crossing water up to our thighs. That's how we were able to see how many leeches had made it into our shoes too. I had at least six. Foibles had a tough time crossing one ditch. She slid down an inclined log bridge, but didn't let go of the tree branch she was holding onto so she ratcheted around, off the bridge and dangled above the ditch, warbling like a mad hen. It was quite entertaining until I realized that, being the nearest, I should probably help her out. She crossed fine after that.

The trail flattened out and we came across numerous huts and more perilous river crossings. The hardest one we did had only two small logs that crossed a strong flowing current. Stepping on the logs bent them downwards allowing the water to rush overtop. there was a flimsy log that would act as a rail, but it couldn't take any weight whatsoever. "Foibles is going in the drink for sure" we all thought. Alex even had his camera out and was filming in preparation. Surprisingly, she made it across. We all did actually, which is good because falling in would have meant a brisk ride downstream in filthy filthy water.

We knew we were close when we began seeing village kids out in the fields doing their chores. A few minutes later, we arrived at the village. A sturdy wooden bridge was all that was left to cross. After I crossed I heard a loud splash. Foibles landed in the drink.

We rode a songthaew back just as we came, over hills and through valleys. The river we drove through originally was much deeper this time. I looked like a homeless man riding in the back of that songthaew. I had only worn one shirt the entire time and salt lines measured the distance down my shirt my sweat had saturated during each hike. I had a ratty beard and a huge bruise on my thigh. I couldn't wait to get back to civilization.

The Gibbon Experience was over and it was, hands down, the highlight of the trip so far. So much fun, and even the hard times were good times. Great group of people too. I would do it again in a heartbeat.