For something completely different we decided to do the gibbon experience over christmas (www.gibbonx.org), which is a conservation project designed to give locals a different livelyhood than poaching while encouraging them to look out for the jungle and its animals. It has to be said though what attracted us to it was also the chance to sleep in treehouses and to Zipline through the jungle. We left on the 25th of December from Houai Xai for a three hour journey north over extremely dusty uneven roads. We came to a small village where we took a detour across a river and went uphill along a dirt track until we reached our destination - a small Hmong village on the edge of the jungle.
We started of on our trek fairly quickly and two hours of uphill slog, some dodgy bamboo bridges and a quick lunch we arrived at the main kitchen area for the entire organisation. The kitchen was covered in mesh wiring which was unique but we soon found out why as two Maccau monkeys came running down the hill. The Maccau monkeys are really playful animals and highly intelligent as we were about to find out - new arrivals meant easy access to the kitchen as we weren’t to know they were the reason for the mesh wire. They quickly grabbed some of the fruit laid out for us and scampered out of the kitchen before it could be taken from them. We were introduced to a Dutch lady working with the organisation who explained the do’s and don’ts of Zip lining. She was also carrying a baby gibbon (the only one we’d see on our trip!!) which was an orphan they were looking after. I found it amazing when she tried to hand the baby over to a Laos villager it started to cry and hang onto her (just like a real baby). The baby gibbon wouldn’t let up until a different villager (a young girl) came over then it readily went to her - obviously the baby gibbon had preferences!!
After our coffee and fruit we went outside to wait while our guides got set up. We were entertained by the two Maccau monkeys who’ve adopted the gibbon team as their family. Pretty smart monkeys figured out how to work the zips on our bags (as we were wearing them - they were jumping from one person to the next) so they could have a look inside. They also had a thing for hair clips (which they took out of one of the girls hair) and glasses. They ran off with the glasses knowing full well they weren’t meant to have them and hid up in a tree so they could examine them while the locals tried to coax them down - they were nobodies fool though, we only got them back cause they dropped them by mistake (luckily the glasses were still intact).
We were divided into two groups of seven with us there were three aussies, Randal, Adrian and Steven, a canadian called Emily and Glen who was english. We soon set off and were preparing to zipline for the first time - pretty nerve racking cause the harness looks pretty flimsy (but its really safe its just your mind playing tricks). Basically you put a harness on and connect it to a cable wire, when alls connected you just let the harness take your wait and push off. Amazing feeling passing over trees and having an amazing view of the jungle.
After that we headed up to our first zipline and took the plunge - it was amazing, had to build up a little courage to look down - we were fairly high up. Talk about adrenaine rush though - had to make sure i didn’t crash into the treehouse. Once we got to the first treehouse you had to immediately take off on another zip line which landed you on the hill opposite where you started (saved a couple of hours walk and again the view was amazing). A couple of ziplines more and we were off on a two and a half hour (mostly uphill) trek to the waterfall treehouse. When we eventually got there - absolutely exhausted we raided the snack box and headed down to the waterfall for a quick dip. Unfortunately i had a cold (which i needed to get rid off if i wanted to do a dive course) so i didn’t take the plunge the weather was fairly cool the water was freezing, when the other six got out (they only stayed in for a minute or two) they were numb. We had a rice dinner (which arrived by zipline) for christmas but we were that hungry from the trek we weren’t too upset there was no turkey!!!
We had great craic that night what with a bottle of rasberry flavoured vodka (kindly supplied by the aussies) and a few games of chinese/japanese whispers in a corner of the treehouse. There was no electricity or heating so it was fairly dark (except for the candles) and cold (there were no walls as such to the treehouse just railings - to stop you from falling out). Luckily we didn’t have to leave the treehouse to go to the toilet cause there was an emergency toilet available - would never do it justice trying to describe it you’ll have to check out the pictures!!!!! When we went to sleep you could look out of the treehouse and up at the stars it was fantastic - what a way to spend christmas…
Next morning we were up bright and early - thanks to Garretts attitude of sleep is a waste of time - however in this case everyone was in agreement we wanted more ziplining we’d become addicted. After breakfast we headed off on a three hour trek where we passed the other group heading to the waterfall treehouse (we were swapping treehouses) we scrambled up and down trails stone hopped across rivers and ended in a half hour tough uphill climb to reach our new treehouse. (By the way i was pretty impressed with my trekking didn’t fall off the path once!!!!!). The second treehouse was definately an upgrade from our previous nights accomodation - there were no less than three floors… and it contained a shower as well as a toilet (classy). After a quick lunch (we were extremely well fed) which again arrived by zipline, we spent a couple of hours ziplining in circles as theres a different line for leaving and entering the treehouse.
Later that night after dinner our guides joined us as they were staying in the treehouse with us and they had a great laugh at us playing Charades. As there were penalties for various things (drinking a shot of Lao Lao whiskey - which isn’t the tastiest) there were a few laughs. Early enough to bed cause we wanted to start early so we could head back to the main treehouses and spend a couple of hours on their zipline system.
The following morning we were up early and cause we wanted to head back to the initial treehouses it actually required us taking a not to often used route - which involved a lot of stone hopping (i managed not to get my feet wet Garrett wasn’t so lucky hehehe!!!) and a two hour up hill slog. It was all worth it though cause we got to spend a half hour on some really long ziplines before we had to head on. We got back to the main kitchen were we were greeted by the two monkeys and also by a moon bear (a baby - 8months old but huge - they’d rescued and hoped to reintegrate into the wild) who was allowed to roam around freely. He wasn’t aggressive although we were warned that if we wanted to play with him, because of his strength, we’d get hurt. He was as mischevious as the monkeys though as he tried to steal the washing off the clothes line….
Another two hours walk thankfully downhill and we were back at the village we’d set out from where the other group were waiting for us. We all had to get on the same jeep this time so Garrett and Adrian ended up sitting on the roof for a bit of the trip - Garrett was in his element covered in dust - was looking like an umpalumpa again. After we got back to Houai Xai and headed across the river (two minutes) to Thailand Chang Kong to be exact. We didn’t stay long got a minibus to Chang Mai straight away which took another 5hours. We arrived in Chang Mai around 1 o’clock in the morning - i was extremely thankful for the hot shower and soft bed (probably wouldn’t have mattered if it had been as hard as a rock i was out for the count in seconds).
The next day we just relaxed didn’t even feel like walking so just chilled out. It was great being back in Thailand ATM’s on every corner almost (of course you also had McDonalds, Burger King, KFC etc…. all over the place as well). In total we spent 8 days in Chang Mai we walked around the town visited some Wats and the night markets even took a cooking course (i managed not to burn anything!!!!!!!!!!) but mainly we just lazed around. For new years we met up with some irish lads we’d met in Vang Vieng and an australian they’d befriended on a trek. It was great seeing a different culture celebrating new years they’ve these paper balloons with a circular firelighter (paper coated in wax dipped in petrol) at the base which you light. You wait until the smoke fills the entire balloon and then you let go the hot air makes it rise up, loads of people are do it so you’ve thousands of these lights in the sky - they’re new year wishes. We had intended being down at tappa gate for the count down but decided agianst it when we heard about the bombings in Bangkok - however it didn’t stop us having a late night.
We had a unique christmas we’ll never forget and a fantastic new year but it wouldn’t have been the same without the people who shared it with us.
So a happy new year to Randal, Adrian, Steven, Emily and Glen. And to Kevin, Steve and Michael hope you’ve recovered from New years…
To all at home a happy new year as well
S&G