Ooooook where to start with this unique and crazy adventure. First of all I got to experience it with two beautiful ladies, Jenny Lynn and Rachel Elizabeth. I met them at a bus stop in Luang Prabang after my flight from Cambodia. The stars were in our favour because I was set to land at 5pm in Luang Prabang (LP) and our bus north was set to leave at 7pm. My flight left early and I made it through the very tiny LP airport and to the buss station with hours to spare. I anxiously sat and waited for those girls to arrive. I saw them first and it was so weird but so exciting. We were so excited I was tripping on my bags and Jenny and Rachel were fumbling to get their bags off so we could hug it out! It was GREAT to see a familiar face. I didnt think I was in Asia anymore haha.
We then embarked on a 13 hour bus ride up to Huay Xai (way sigh) our departure point for the Gibbon Experience. This was anything but a comfortable and relaxing night bus. The windy roads of Loas and the many many stops which were accompanied by a very loud horn, blaring music and Bright lights did not make it easy to rest. I don't think the driver wanted us to sleep so he did everything he could to keep us awake, he was quite successful.
We arrived safe and sound, found a guesthouse and checked in for our gibbon experience! If you have any extra time google it because it was unforgettable. We spent 3 days and 2 nights trekking in and out of the jungle, swinging on 200-500m zipline aaaand wait for it..... Living in a treehouse!! Could we ask for more? No but we got it. We were awoken by Gibbons our first morning. It is such an unbelievable sound. Similar to a siren but they can get going and it gets loud. We were lucky enough to spend our early morning drinking coffee and watching the gibbons across the valley swinging from the trees. Following that we hiked and Ziplined through the jungle.
If I haven't said it already jungles are one of my favourite things. They are so green, lush, beautiful and pure. I look around me and can't fathom the endless discoveries that could be made. There is no place like it....except maybe other jungles haha if you have never visited a jungle add it to your bucket list!!
Ziplining was epic! Now the safety lesson was lengthy and boring...Wait that's not right... They actually spent about 2 minutes on safety! they showed us how to link our safety line and our roller to the cable and how to brake- which consisted of pushing down on a piece of rubber. I maaaaay have smashed into a couple trees haha. I think i was the heaviest of our group and perfected the way to gain speed with the help of Jenny. So yes a couple times I went a little fast coming into the small platforms...all went ok though no broken bones! We had no helmets either yet we glided through the air with the wind rushing past us. We had no worries in the the world. The feeling you got as you glide across the valleys of the jungle is indescribable as is the view.
After our morning of zip lining we had our afternoons to relax and chat in our treehouse and have the most amazing shower of our life!! I have to talk about the shower haha. It was a rain shower overlooking the entire jungle valley. The cool jungle breeze gave you a little chill but it was beautiful... Us girls may have captured this experience on camera ;)
Unfortunately our time in the jungle was too short as well as our time together. I had to catch a bus back to Luang Prabang and the girls went up to Northern Thailand. We had an amazing time together and will meet up again in the gorgeous island of Bali near the end of May. I miss familiar faces and have come to realize our experiences are only as amazing as the people we share them with.
Remember the people in your life are important in ways you don't know until they aren't there. I love my family-Mama Bear, papa bear and Adam, I love you. To my friends- there are too many too name I was going to try- you are amazing, please know you are in my heart and my thoughts often and I wish you could experience some of the unforgettable things I have already.
Xx from Loas!! And onward to Vietnam!!! 24 hour bus ride here I come...
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