Nong Khiaw - Zip Lining

Hi All,

One of our highlights with Beth was zip lining through the jungle of northern Laos in Nong Khiaw. After being kitted up, we were told to climb on a make shift wooden platform attached to the front of a tractor. Unsurprisingly, it was a seriously bumpy ride! We clung on for dear life as we chugged uphill, rollercoastered downhill (being hit in the face with trees) and ploughed through rivers. Somehow during all of this Danielle managed to drop off to sleep; claiming she had to shut her eyes because the sun was in them. An hour later and it was time to begin...

Zip lining from platform to platform through the jungle was absolutely incredible. The feeling of rushing through the trees and looking down 60m to the floor below was amazing. Over the two days, we completed 14 zip lines and an aerial assault course including: cargo net, ladder decent, rocky bridges and rope swing. Our favourite was undoubtedly the longest and fastest of the zip lines, measuring 400m long and looking down on the canopy below. Beth quickly overcame her initial worries and we all absolutely loved every minute swinging though the jungle feeling like Tarzan.

After 5 zip lines on day one we arrived at the camp for the evening. It was a couple of wooden huts in the middle of nowhere surrounded by nothing but nature and incredible views. Apart from camping, none of us have ever stayed anywhere so remote and without electricity. We used candle light to play cards and eat dinner that evening. Most remarkably was the delicious dinner the guides cooked up for us just using things they had carried with them in sacks while zip lining! We had delicious barbecued fish with sticky rice (obviously), spiced hot tomato salsa, chilli paste, vegetables and potatoes. This feast was laid out on the table, on top of a freshly cut banana leaf table cloth, for us all to dig into with our hands - no crockery in this jungle! Then as we all gathered round the fire, Don (our guide) whipped out two cups he had just cut from a bamboo tree and began to fill them with local whisky! When we could drink no more we headed off to bed in our little wooden hut. All our bedding had again been carried up in sacks by zip lining! Ross noticed that we were sharing the room with a massive spider the size of his hand but Beth was thankful he didn’t tell her until morning so we all managed to get a good nights sleep.

Waking up to the sounds and view of the jungle was so beautiful. We had coffee in more freshly made bamboo cups that Ross went and learnt how to make. Then another huge feast of fresh fruits, sticky rice and noodles - again served on a new banana leaf table cloth and chopsticks that had just been whittled from bamboo too.

As we came to the end of our last zip line, we were just starting to feel sad it was all over when we realised we were still on a platform 30m in the air with no obvious way of getting down. Time for the leap of faith! Our faces were a picture as we found our that we had to step off the edge and put all faith in the guide to stop us plummeting into he floor below. Danielle gingerly went first, her whimper turning into a scream as she fell. Beth had us all in fits of laughter as her high pitched screamed deafened half the jungle. And finally the guide was less kind to Ross than he had been to the girls and let him fall to just meters from the floor before pulling the rope to catch him.

We caught our breath and headed back to the tractor, an hour walk away through streams and dry rice fields. On our return to Luang Prabang by mini van we had to wait for what we thought were road works, turns out there had been a huge landslide. Instead of closing the road, there were 4 diggers clearing the debris followed by a steamroller to roughly form a path through the rubble, letting cars through every 20 minutes or so. We laughed at the thought of a 6 month road closure in the UK whereas here the problem was all in a mornings work for the Lao workmen.

Don't forget to check out the photos and videos underneath...

Love R, D and B xxx