Loas

LUANG PRABANG  

We arrived in Laos by the tiniest plane (propeller driven) we had been on or seen even, just 2 seats in width either side of the aisle with just 2 air stewardesses. Landing in Luang Prabang we knew a visa cost us $34 U.S. at immigration, but we only had Vietnamese Dong currency. So after questioning the customs officers, they pointed, through custom control, to go outside the airport where I would find an ATM. Unbelievably I wondered through the security gates without being questioned to find the ATM and then returned again with no injection from any official worker.

When checking in to our guesthouse for the next few nights the manager informed us that tomorrow was the annual Dragon Boat Race on the backwater river. Thus, the following day we went along to witness the mania that was Laos celebrations. The streets were lined with stalls selling useless but appealing toys and souvenirs where it seemed the population of Laos were spending their well earned cash. The dragon boat racing was incredible. Now I've been to watch dragon boat racing and I've even partaken in one, which, was as lower league/amateur as you can get in comparison to the men who power these long, thin boats through the backwaters of the Mekong. Whilst the races were ongoing throughout the day, there were other floats/boats passing crowds along the riverbank with music playing, including a boat teaching people about malaria. We came across a bar which overlooked the Mekong river in a quiet street where we ordered our first 'Beer Laos', we sat back and relaxed and pinched ourselves to check that this was still all real! 

We visited the Quang Si waterfall on the Sunday which was a bad idea as so did every family in the local area, with their picnics and cool boxes full of beer. However, we got there early and before the 'rush' so it was peaceful.  The waterfalls had tiers of turquoise pools at different stages until you reach the 25 metre fall.  Then some wooden, precarious steps to the left of this led the way to the top of the falls, so we started to climb the steps, that could do with a bit of refurbishment, as water cascaded over them and our feet. As it was the end of the rainy season, the flow and strength of the water was very high which made it more of a challenge but more satisfying and exciting as we ascended. 

At the waterfalls, a rescue bear sanctuary has been set up to raise awareness and gain donations from visitors to the park. Bears are widely used across Laos for their bile as a medicine. They are kept in tiny cages with only just enough space for them, they can't even turn around, for the next 10-20 years they are housed this way whilst regularly having bile extracted via large needles into their abdomens. The sanctuary was excellent with numerous activities for the Bears to keep them occupied and streams that ran through their enclosure which they could play and bathe in.

We visited a factory called Ock Pok Tok which translates as East meets West. A British lady had the idea to set this company up a few years ago to work with local villages to help the families gain some income whilst sharing their knowledge and skills. We were shown how the ladies used looms to weave their clothes and other fabric items such as mats, bags, cushions and so on. We both wanted to buy most items in the shop at the end but resisted due to budget and space in our backpacks but they do have a website, where they will ship abroad, so I think I know where Rosie's wages will be spent on our return.  

We had then planned to take a two day boat up the Mekong river to Huay Xai via Pakbeng where we would have to spend the night. This local boat which travels the journey on a daily schedule was packed full of locals and few westerners. 

The locals were very intrigued by my Sudoku book...

In case you ever wondered what a Mekong river service station looks like...

The views along the Mekong were spectacular..

The first leg, to Pakbeng was 9 hours where we had pre-booked our accommodation; a hotel which overlooked the Mekong from our balcony and the restaurant. In the morning we heard the noise of elephants 'tooting' their trunks and on inspection saw a few across the river having a wash with their mahouts. So we had breakfast as we watched them playing and splashing around in the water. 

Then back to the boat for the next 9 hour journey to our final destination; Huay Xai. 

Arriving in Huay Xai..

On our boat journey we met a South African couple, Nat and Guthrie. They had been living in the UK and travelling around to their final destination Australia, where they planned to live for the next few years. We got on with them well and we were happy to learn they had the next few days planned the same as ours. Across the Mekong is Thailand and that was our next destination, except for one final expedition in Laos, which we had been waiting to experience for the last couple of years; The Gibbon Experience! 

A place high up in the mountains of Bokeo National Park where a days trekking arrives you at your 40 metre high treehouse with its own bathroom and kitchen area, overlooking incredible jungle whilst listening to its noises. Nat, Guthrie, Rosie and I decided to share a 4 bed treehouse, and we were so glad we did! 

Slightly smaller than the other larger tree houses, it had incredible views across the canopy where we enjoyed our evenings of chatting, star gazing, and eating 'armpit rice' - named because it smelt like B.O (we wouldn't recommend the food at the gibbon experience)! 

Not a bad view from the shower..

The other draw to this experience (aside from the armpit rice) is the maze of zip wires to get you to and from the tree houses which span across the valley of the jungle floor above the trees. Mainly though, to try to see the notorious Gibbon monkey.  

Our first misty morning we were woken at 0615 hrs by the sound of Gibbons calling to one another, it was an amazing and incredible sound which we felt immensely privileged to hear in the wild. They were close and we could just make out silhouettes swinging from tree to tree; we were silent in disbelief that we were witnessing and experiencing this. 

We set off for another day of trekking through the jungle and zip wiring to other tree houses located around the forest. 

At another tree house, the guide ushered us across the zip wire quickly and quietly as he had seen movement in the trees ahead. On inspection, we were again mesmerised by a family of Gibbons that were playing in the trees only about 50 metres ahead of us. Two sons and their mother and very young sibling clinging on to her. Our guide informed us that is was a rare siting in the rainy season, and we couldn't take our eyes away, we stayed until they left the playhouse of that tree for another, where they disappeared; but what an experience and memory that will last with us forever! 

Guthrie, Nat,  Rosie and I feeling exhausted at the end of an amazing 3 days in the mountains of the Bokeo national park..

The night prior to us embarking on The Gibbon Experience we realised we had left our small metal box containing our memory card reader, 2 memory sticks and memory cards for our camera and GoPro at our stop off at Pakbeng.  We therefore emailed the manager to state that we would return to pick them up in a couple of days when we get back from the Gibbons. To cut a ridiculously long story short; they had all been stolen! The box was found 'outside our room' containing nothing inside. The French manager suspected a tuk tuk driver and even brought him to us for questioning and we tried bribery alongside keeping his job if he owned up or returned them; but to no avail. We had always planned to make a short video with GoPro clips to show people that were interested when we got home, instead of boring them with hundreds of thousands of photos but these are all lost in conjunction with our photos. We also paid for a DropBox account that didn't upload our photos and videos despite numerous emails to them. Luckily we had shared our best moments on FaceBook and our Blog so we will have to guarantee the next 5 and a half months we build up our photos and GoPro videos to achieve what we originally wanted; onwards and upwards to Thailand!!!