How Laos Brown Cow

Me zip lining!

Garrett taking the leap backwards!

At the waterfalls

Reunited with Eppa Lea!

Arriving in Bokeo was a huge relief.  Before our arrival, we we all stressing out how we were getting there as the Internet was not very specific.  And at this point we also had not received a confirmation email from the Gibbon Experience for our reservation so on a leap of faith we just showed up.  Thankfully they took us in for the next day's tour and kinda knew we were on our way.  They periodically have power shortages so that was their excuse for the lack of timely responses, either way we were in!!  Bus departed the next morning. And we remembered that in one of Eppa's emails, she said she should be ending her Gibbon Experience today so with a little investigation she was expected back this afternoon at 3:30. As well she has no idea that we are in Bokeo the same time as she was since we were gonna meet her inVang Vien on the 15th.  Surprise greeting?  I think so!!!  

 Arriving in Bokeo was a huge relief.  Before our arrival, we we all stressing out how we were getting there as the Internet was not very specific.  And at this point we also had not received a confirmation email from the Gibbon Experience for our reservation so on a leap of faith we just showed up.  Thankfully they took us in for the next day's tour and kinda knew we were on our way.  They periodically have power shortages so that was their excuse for the lack of timely responses, either way we were in!!  Bus departed the next morning. And we remembered that in one of Eppa's emails, she said she should be ending her Gibbon Experience today so with a little investigation she was expected back this afternoon at 3:30. As well she has no idea that we are in Bokeo the same time as she was since we were gonna meet her inVang Vien on the 15th.  Surprise greeting?  I think so!!!  

Around 3:20 I show up at the Gibbon office expecting no one to really be there however there are a few people that look like they were just getting ready to dEpart or they just arrived.  Turns out the tour returned at 3 and everyone had already parted ways.  Thankfully the people there knew of Eppa and said she had headed down the street but was unsure of where.  Not asking any more questions I run down the street in her direction looking in guest houses or restaurants for any signs of her.  Nothing.  Knowing Eppa, she would either be in pub or updating her fb status so I start looking in pubs and Internet cafes.  Then I pop into an internet cafe and decided to send her a quick email.  Sure enough she had sent me one telling eschews staying just down the street and before I could even pay I ran out looking for her hostel.  Then i hear Eppa shouting my name from down the street.  I still couldn't see her until I ran up the street calling her name out to and out from behind this truck there she was.  It looked like a scene from one of those cheesy movies where two lovers are running towards each other through a tall grass meadow, and collide with a long embrace.  Yes that was us minus the grass meadow and the lover part.  Garrett watching from a far said it was quite the scene and wished he could have caught it on film.  Anyway we definitely got caught up on what we could for the next 8 hours filling each other in on our lives.  

Gibbon Experience: if you can afford the time and the money I would highly recommend this adventure!!! This comes highly recommended by Lonely Planet and by lots of other travelers and now by us.  Our time hiking through the forest amongst the beautiful mountain backdrop, living in the tree houses and zip lining high up in the trees was incredible.  Just to be surrounded by so much natural beauty and to be falling asleep to nature's lullaby was an overwhelming zen like feeling.  Throughout our 3 days, we spent most of the time hiking up and around through a labyrinth of bamboo trees trying to listen for nearby gibbons.  We came close a couple times but no sightings for our group.  However I can say how proud I am of myself for facing my fear of heights and literally taking a leap to zip line at least 150 meters above ground.  My first zip was one of the scariest as I didn't know what to expect or how I would react.  They gave us a quick lesson and we watched a video before we left but it didn't seem like any of that retained as I was actually zip lining.  I remember my heart was racing and my knees were shaking as my fears relied on cable and a carabana.  But I held on tight, held my breath and jumped!  Once I opened my eyes I realized that it wasn't as scary as I thought it would be even though we were really high and how amazing the scenery was.  All was calm until I started to spin off to the side and I started to panic.  Because I panicked, I forgot how to correct myself properly and my right hand was holding the carabana (this is used as your steering and braking) in an awkward position.  So when I was twisting, my right outside forearm just caught the cable slightly leaving a cable burn.  i walked off my first zip with a battle scar.  Oh well!!  At least it comes with a good memory and it was my only war wound traveling so far.  And while I was getting used to just taking off on the zip, many people from the group were seeing how gear they could push the envelope by going backwards, upside down, hands free, pushing themselves off on trees.  I was able to go backwards, let go of my hands and go upside down but not all at the same time like the other people.  Still a round of applause for everyone in the group, and a definite pat on my back for taking chances :D.