by Mandy 2013/1/31 Thursday Bokeo Nature Reserve, Laos Dear Diary, I am exhausted to death, so are my two friends, A.D. and Ruby. Today is the first day of our Tree House Experience in Laos, a backpackers’ recommended hotspot. We arrived at the border customs drenched in torrential rain. Pulling our heavy luggage, we reached the office where we completed the necessary documentation and were briefed about the upcoming three-day trip. Our mood was as heavy as the pouring rain outside. After signing an indemnity agreement, we knew our adventure was about to begin. We would soon explore rainforest hiking and experience zip-lining at the Bokeo Nature Reserve, located in northwest Laos. At the break of dawn, we hopped on a pickup truck and headed into the jungle. Five westerners were with us on the trip. The guide told us that if the condition of the road was too muddy we might need to get off the truck and go by foot. Ruby looked at us anxiously and said, “What should we do now? It sounds so scary!” “Did you notice that group of people behind us?” A.D. said. “Look at their professional-looking jackets and hiking shoes. They must think we came to the wrong place!” I realized that my only coat was thin and decorated with lace. We looked like a group of kids going on a school trip. After five hours of walking, we arrived. With the mist dissipating over the mountains, I could feel my heart thumping as I saw the actual jungle. After hiking in sweat and mud, we heard the refreshing sound of a waterfall. Some people immediately jumped into the pool using a rope hanging from a tree. My friends and I stood rooted to the ground as we feared for our safety. None of us could swim well; neither could we accept the idea of standing there like cowards. After embarrassingly asking the guide to catch us in the water, we decided to make a brave attempt. My heart leapt as I let go of the rope. The cold temperature of the water gave me chills as I went under. Soon after, a pair of hands caught me and pulled me safely to shore. It was a bittersweet feeling and I was eager to try it again. Getting out of the water, we proceeded with our journey and soon arrived at a platform that required us to zip-line across the forest. I started to feel a sense of anticipation. We equipped ourselves by wearing diaper-shaped ropes and a rubber brake. We stepped onto a platform that was built on the edge of a hill. The zip-line extended hundreds of meters across the entire forest canopy towards a tree house. Fear crept upon me as the height made me go weak in the knees. However, I gathered the courage to proceed. Everyone was waiting for me. Blocking out any negative thoughts, I attached the rubber brake to the zip-line and pulled it forcefully to make sure everything was ready. Taking a deep breath, I yelled “See you!” and jumped. In the midst of an adrenaline rush, I kept screaming profanities as loud as I could to ease my fear. I was moving so fast that I could feel myself flying. I opened my eyes to see the breathtaking scenery. As my voice echoed over the valley, I saw sunshine illuminating over the canopies with birds flying freely above. I was as close to Mother Nature as I could get. Upon approaching, I saw the tree house right in front of me. It was made of wood and branches and supported by a large tree trunk.I stretched my legs to climb onto the platform. 2013/2/1 Friday Bokeo Nature Reserve, Laos Dear Diary,
The morning air was chilly. Despite my drowsiness, I walked clumsily into the bathroom. It was plainly decorated and consisted of a shower, a toilet bowl and a washing basin. The toilet had no walls and was completely in the open. Looking out, I was immediately awakened by an astonishing sight. The whole jungle was covered by a sea of clouds, an amazing sight that has remained deeply embedded in my memory. The goal for today was going from tree house No. 3 to No. 5. Tree house No. 5 was the deepest in the forest and required a three-hour hike. I felt less energetic compared to yesterday, but still, I looked at my friends silently, took a deep breath and trudged on. The slope was so steep and irregular that I felt terrified every step I took, especially when we proceeded downhill. I grabbed at anything that could prevent me from slipping. As I was leading the pack, it was stressful because we were hiking like a group of soldiers and there were seven people behind waiting for me. If I took a break I had to try twice as hard to catch up. I’d been hiking nonstop for two hours. Trekking uphill was endless. My face was sweaty, my legs were sore and my lungs were burning. Whenever I had the hope that there would be flat ground in sight, I was disappointed. I wondered why none of them wanted to take a break. How could everyone else hike so quickly? The final leg was covered by zipping. Keeping the first zipping experience in mind, I was trembling no more. The second one was awesome and enjoyable. I took my hands away from the brake and extended them to feel the wind, the freedom, and the fresh air while being three thousand meters high in the sky. The distance was much longer and I could not see the platform on the other side. I took my time to look around and enjoy the scenery as my speed decreased. Oh no! I had not arrived on the platform, it was about thirty meters in front of me. My hands grabbed the zip-line tightly in case I slid back to the middle and was stuck forever in the middle of nowhere. Remembering what our guide had taught us, I turned my body upwards and made my back parallel to the line like a little monkey. Using all my effort, I slowly climbed backward using my hands. The process was laborious. I kept feeling the force of gravity dragging me back. All my weight was supported only by the rope and my own hands. The platform was in sight but my strength was depleting. I gave the guide an “I-need-your-help look” and he promptly came to my rescue. Zipping slowly towards me, he attached himself to me. I released my hands and we climbed backwards until we finally arrived. At seven o’clock the sky grew darker and the sun set. The forest was as quiet as midnight, with the sky a dark blue like a peaceful lake with thousands of stars. I never knew there were so many. They shined so brightly and seemed so close to me that I thought I could grab them with my hands. Finally, I felt an escape from city life. Amazed by the greatness of the nature, I realized that this experience would be a highlight of my life. As I lay on the mattress with a smile, I soon fell asleep. a
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May 2024
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