We headed out at the very early hour of 6 am for the Flight of the Gibbon. A zip lining adventure company that shows people the jungles from high in the canopy. We were promised 3 hours of zipping, repelling, hiking and bridge traverses... As already mentioned on this blog, I am not a fan of heights, however, I am not ready to be a stick in the mud so I signed up along with the rest of my very enthusiastic family. High in the mountains, we experienced cool temperatures for the first time since leaving Canada. It was a pleasant surprise.
We had intended for Kate to be strapped to Paul for the day however, once she saw her very brave sister jump off the first platform into thin air, her competitive spirit got the best of her and she was hooked.
Kate and Mira zipping above the forest.
We all had a lot of fun. I only struggled with the repels and the guides, thankful treated me with kid gloves. The rest of the gang, my wee kids included were over joyed to be repelled at top speeds from towering heights only to stop suddenly just before the forest floor. Early on in our zipping, Mira was trying to learn how to zip upside down and headfirst. She was very brave.
Mira getting ready to guide.
Kate was a hit with the guides. She really looked tiny, zipping across huge valleys. She wasn't long before she was letting go to open her arms as she slid along. I think Mira was ready to sign up as a guide. We saw lots of tea trees, coffee, banana, fig trees and the big banyan trees. One tree was over 700 years old. The view was breathtaking - literally and figuratively. I would give you more photos but the batteries died.. murphy's law.
We had a nice Thai meal - "oh, I am so tired of rice" says Kate. We had a wee walk and then a ride of all rides back to town. Kate was ill and I had to use all my powers of concentration to hold my cookies down. The road was narrow, no, much more than narrow - the width of a single lane road with traffic going in two directions, blind corners and lots of up and downs. We survived -I think.
Paul.
Proof that I was really up there! No photo shop here!
We have decided to fly to Luang Prabang, Laos tomorrow. It is more money than we wanted but when faced with a 3+ hour bus ride and 2 day long boat ride we decided to go luxury. So our next words will come from Laos.
That's it for now, the karaoke is sending me into hiding. Sharon
Hi! Grandma, Alice and I are enjoying keeping up with your adventures! Grandma loved the elephants - much bigger ears than the African ones!! You are very brave girls!! xoxo Janet, Grandma and Alice
ReplyDeleteNice Playboy Bunny on the helmet of your guide. I guess it's hard to get away from Western Culture even in the mountains of Thailand. Mom and I had a meeting with Gord Ley this mornng. He and his family were in Chaing Mai a few years ago. He wondered how the old elephant was doing? The Ley's had quite an adventure that time because they were in Indonesia when the Tsunami hit.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Scott