The Gibbon Experience- Pt1

Amazing Morning Form The First Tree House
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Every one I talked to, did not stop raving about how good this gibbon experience was.  I whole idea behind the project was a few years ago it was believed that the 'black gibbon" was extinct.  This was incorrect, people have found several families situated in the Bokeo Reserve in Northern Laos.  The Gibbon Experience takes you right in to the jungle to hopefully see these Black Gibbons.

I met the others that were to be in our group.  There was 8 of us.  After a video explaining how to use the cable slides safetly, we left Houayxay.  It was a good 2 hours on the back of a tuktuk until we reached a little village In the Bokeo Reserve.  We began walking up into the forest.  Its was a pretty hot day so it was great to see there was lots of natural jungle cover.

Everyone was tripping out when we first slid into the tree house.

High Flying
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After around 30 minutes climbing uphill we reached a little hut.  This was the staff hut.  They gave us each a harnesses and showed us how to use the gear correctly.  We were introduced to our 2 guides. They were 'mong'  (from china) They could only speak very little english but we were lucky enough to have a dude from sweden that could speak Lao fluently.  He was going to be our translator for the next few days.

We put our harness on and set out again heading up hill for another 20 minutes.  We had reached our first cable.  Our guide in front hooked his safety line on then his slider to the cable.  He jumped off the Bamboo platform.  He sped off into the jungle between the trees.  It was a long cable.  We lost sight of him but after about 20 seconds we herd a yell "OK".  I was so skyed! I hooked on my safety line then the sliding peace.  I edged to the end of the platform.  I'de be lying if i said i was not nervous. i jumped off and stared flying down the cable.  It was so sick ! About half way i looked to the left and right.  I reckon i would have been 50-100 meters in the air above the forest canopy.  This was INSANE !!  i flew all the way over a massive valley.  This first cable stopped in a random tall tree.  I hooked off the first cable and onto the next.  At this stage i was just standing in a gigantic tree shaking with adrenalin.  The first guide had already gone down the next cable so i followed.

Inside The Tree House
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After those first couple of cables every one was pretty amped.  We kept trekking through the jungle.  Our guide pointed out a marking on a tree.  It was from a  black beer.  This was so wicked.  We continued the trek.  I was amazed with the abundance of wildlife.  The jungle was alive.  There were heaps of amazing butterflies and birds.  We hit another few cables before we arrived at tree house 1.  Everyone was tripping out when we first slid into the tree house.

Entering The Tree House
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We were at least 50 meters in the air above the forest canopy.  The tree house was decked out.  It had a shower, toilet, & a kitchen sink.  It was also two stories.  We arrived there about 1pm and were told we could do what ever we wanted to.  It was good.  We all chilled out in the tree house for the most part of the afternoon.  One of the american lads had brought a backgammon set which got pretty competitive.  It was surreal hanging out in the middle of the jungle so high up.  I felt like king of the jungle.  As the afternoon pushed on and the sun began to disappear the forest went crazy.  I could hear frogs, birds, cicaders and all sorts of other insects and animals.  It was so loud.  We all herd the sound of someone coming over to our tree house via the cable.  Dinner was served. This was so dope!  We chilled out for the rest of the night and entertained ourselves with a bit of poker under candle light.

Through The Jungle
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We had been told the best time to see or hear the gibbons was between 6.30 and 7.00 am when they were singing.  We all crashed out pretty early to hopefully see some gibbons the next morning.