Sweet Dreams are made of Trees

by Alix Johnson (United Kingdom (Great Britain))

A leap into the unknown United Kingdom

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With a racing heart, sweaty palms and trembling legs, I took a deep breath and jumped. As the wind whipped through my hair, I heard screams of delight. It was only when I tasted the forest dew I realised my mouth was wide open and that sound was coming from me. I forced my eyes open to find myself soaring above the trees. The dramatic scenery was blurred by the breathtaking speed so when I came to a halt, I dangled - suspended 150 metres off the ground - and soaked up the bird’s eye views. Situated in Bokeo Nature Reserve in Laos, the Gibbon Experience is a conservation project which allows visitors unique access to the rainforest. Everything about it is exhilarating yet petrifying from the accommodation – a canopy level treehouse - to the transport – the only way in and out of the treehouse is via zipwire. After a quick safety demonstration in broken English, we were free to explore the jungle. We spent a high octane day surfing the jungle canopy, launching ourselves into the abyss, floating over valleys, gliding through a labyrinth of ancient trees. By the time I collapsed into bed, even the orchestra of crickets and bed-hogging creepy crawlies couldn’t stop me from sinking into the land of nod. The next morning, the jungle was shrouded in mist so flinging yourself off the platform involved a leap of faith but one which paid merit. Propelling yourself into the jungle wide-eyed is invigorating enough but doing it blind was pure euphoric. I’m not going to lie – this isn’t the easiest way to get your kicks. The steep trek through the dense forest to reach the network of zip-wires is torturous. The jungle is filled with cranky critters that bite, sting and suck, all of which insist on sharing your bed, toilet, food and even pants. The rain is relentless. And there are no guarantees you will see any gibbons. But if you have a head for heights and want to fulfil a childhood fantasy while laying claim to sleeping in one of the “Top 10 Most Precariously Placed Treehouses on Earth” I highly recommended this trip. Vertigo-sufferers need not apply.