Arrived into Laos border town of Huay Xai on the Mekong on 30 Dec. Greeted by a surly immigration lady who sniffed the $100 US that I handed over in case it was counterfeit. Welcome to Laos. The Laos people are hard to read; generally not as helpful and friendly as the Thais, however we have met some great laosians as well. I'd say it's been a pretty hard road for this country, including USA carpet bombing during the Vietnam war, poverty, etc
From Huay Xai we headed 3 hrs north into the Laos jungle for 2 nights in treehouses, and riding ziplines (see photos) from treehouse to treehouse and trekking through the jungle looking for shy and elusive gibbons. Without a doubt it was the most amazing experience we've ever done. Saw gibbons, monkeys, and yes one tarantula in our treehouse. Fantastic example of Eco tourism, with local villages employed as guides and money from tourists actually reducing destruction of habitat. I think in poor countries like Laos this is the only way to save habitat and endangered species.
The kids were scared at first, but soon got hooked on the adrenaline and scenery, and they were hiking long treks with the adults. Sleeping up in the jungle canopy and waking up to the jungle sounds was pretty cool.
After the jungle we headed back to the Mekong for journey down to Luang Prabang. The options for travel down to Luang Prabang are pretty crap, either take a nightmare 12 hour winding bus trip, or a 2 day cramped slow boat, or a hair raising speed boat in one day. We opted for the speed boat which I would definitely NOT recommend! Where do I start, knees tucked under chin in tiny seats for 10 hours; dilapidated boat doing 70 kph through rocky gorges with rapids and whirl pools, fuel line coming off and running out of petrol in the middle of nowhere, being extorted by the boat driver and old dude on the side of the Mekong to pay extra $50 for petrol or spend the night on the river bank; and finally limping into Luang Prabang just before dark and being dropped on the outskirts of town and ripped off again for tuk tuk into town. Well we finally made it but never again. Next blog.....Luang Prabang