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Zipadee Do Dah

Now that you are familiar with Underpants Man let me tell you a little bit about his village. What was supposed to be a 7 hour hike wound up being just over 5 hours, and while it was pretty grueling, I lost my breath as much from the scenery as the hike. 5 hours of tromping in the mud lead to one of the most beautiful sights yet. It was one of those moments the camera simply could never capture.

The village was pure. Horses, buffalo, dogs, cats, chickens, pigs, and children all running wild-together. No thing seemed at odds with another, that is of course besides the farang (foreigners). Fortunately I was well prepared for the staring after my time in China. The land also seemed pure. In the fields grew corn, next to rice, next to bannana trees, etc. It really was a beautiful picture. Well worth the 5 hour trek.

We only stayed for a moment though because we still had another 1.5 hours hike to get to the tree huts. Then finally we were there. We were welcomed with some fresh cut pinapple and each treker given a harness. Currently there are a total of 4 operational tree houses. Each house can only be accessed by zip line. My tree house (3) was the furthest from the others and was 4-5 zips and a 20 minute walk from tree house 1.

The ziplines were fantastic. I'm still a little bit baffled at how they set up 400 meters of line accross a valley maybe 200 meters above the ground and forest canopy. Our first zips were in the dark. While zipping in the pitch with wind blowing through your hair and not know where you are going was very cool, I think the day light brought a whole new appreciation for it.

The tree houses were also a work of art. Every hut was fitted with a toilet and shower. Though users should beware that both drain directly onto the jungle floor and should not be used when there is a hut full of people have lunch on the other side of a curtain. You're gonna have to trust me on this one, because there's also no "sneaking" out of a tree house toilet. Another interesting thing is how loud the jungle is at night with a chorus of locusts, frogs and barking deer (I swear it was the deer). Throw in some ants around your bed and mice (or some type of tree critter) scurryin about all night, it's not the best sleep. However when you wake to Gibbons singing and an amazing view of the jungle, the lack of sleep is the last thing on your mind.

We stayed two nights, the second day was consumed by zipping and trecking, and on the third morning hiked back to the village. I never saw any gibbons, and I really don't think a spotting is very common. Our guide, Marion-who resembled Claudia Scheffer, said she had seen them a lot, but also seemed able to list them off. I still have to chalk this one up as an adventure of a lifetime.

Luckily it hadn't rained much since the hike in which meant once we got to the village, we would be trucked out. Before I tell you about the ride out, I want you to know how much I love you. For example, when the rest of the group is marching ahead to the truck, Derek is lagging behind to take pictures so that his friends and family back home can share in all his adventures. And then Derek has to run to catch the truck and then there are no seats so self-sacrificing Derek climbs on top with some bags of rice and 2 villagers.

True, it hasn't rained much in the past two days; however, the road was unbeleivable. So much so that the first 10 minutes of the trip I spent planning out in my mind just how I would discard my backpack, and jump or roll from the car when it rolled. Overly precatious? As it turns out no. No, the car did not actually roll, but it was on two wheels and I and a villager did have to jump as the truck started to tip. Whether it was the foresight, two days of zip line dismounting or simply my jungle cat reflexes, I don't know. In the end I was alright though, and even won the admiration of a few who saw me flying by in the window.

I know this is going to sound a little bit funny. But for moment... When I was flying through the air... Even if just for one second, I felt like I, myself was Underpants Man.

Long Live UM.

posted by Travelin' D @ 8:27 AM