Extreme Adventure!!! = Extreme Sunburn!!!

I got up early today to embark on an action packed, full day tour of Luang Prabang. At 9am I was shuttled over to the elephant camp with a older couple from Australia and and recently graduated industrial designer from Holland.

We all got to greet the elephants and then climbed up for a 1 1/2hr jungle excursion. I have to say that I am extremely impressed with the balance and agility that these elephants displayed. They were climbing steep hillsides, stepping over fallen trees and boulders, and even descending with a subtle grace. About a third into the ride I was able to climb off my seat and sit on its neck. To steer the elephant you call out left or right and simply tap your foot behind its ear in the direction of choice. While on the elephants neck, I was able to pretty much lay on top of his head as she wondered around the jungle. I found it facinatign to touch the elphats skin. the surface is so rough and textured though its soft at the same time. The hairs are like thin plastice sticks that randomly protrude from all over body. After the riding we got to feed the elephants and say goodbye.

At this point the Australians went to an elephant training camp, the dutch went to the waterfalls and I went trekking on my own with my guide Kat. The trek was just over 3 hours, cutting through the jungle, traversing various plantations, scaling the mountainsides, while also visiting villages and farms. It was somewhat of a quiet trek because my guide spoke limited English but I feel this helped me to really embrace the experience and even appreciate it more. Upon entering each village (40 people at most!) I was bombarded with children. Depending on the village, kids wore either uniforms, regular clothes, in some places just torn rags, and in all, no shoes. The kids were so cute and curious and rarely even shy. In between villages, we passed through several plantations where they were harvesting all kinds of fruits, vegetables, grains, and even rubber. In between the plantations were small but steep hills where there was virtually no trail. And I'm not kidding when I say no trail. At some points, the trail would completely disappear and Kat would kick brush out of the way revealing a path beneath. Just before lunch, we were climbing down a muddy face and I totally ate shit. I had been sliding the entire time and finally didn't catch myself and fell on my ass. If I hadn't caught myself on the brush, I would have had a long fall down the rest of the face. I cut my arm pretty good where I had already sustained a rope burn from rock climbing in Vang Vieng, but other than that, nothing too bad. After the last village I noticed that I was extremely hot and for the first time all day looked at my shoulders to notice the massive sunburn outlining my tank top. Yet again I forgot to put on sunscreen thus getting stuck with another ridiculous tan line!

I continued to the Tat Sae falls shirtless and upon my first glimpse of the falls I can tell you, this place is the single closest thing to paradise I have ever known. (Sorry you didn't find it Max, cause I DID!) The Tat Sae also features multi level limestone formations resulting in small gentle falls that cascade down into several massive turquoise pools. The water was again ice cold but I couldn't ask for anything better as it refreshed and revitalized me. After swimming I was walking around taking pictures when an two elephants walked into the main pool. Everyone was feeding them and as they left the pool they left us a present. Two gigantic shits, the thickness and length of my arm were plopped into the pool. Everyone swimming freaked and all those on the bridge with me laughed as the giant stools drifted from the pools down stream.

So this concludes my adventurous day in the outdoors on Luang Prabang. Tomorrow I wake at 5am to watch the monks receive their alms at sunrise and then make way to the Mekong to take the slow boat up stream to Hauy Xai for my Gibbon Experience.