Trekking in the jungle and Kuang Xi Waterfall

Trekking in the jungles of Laos are no joke. We went for a 4 hour trek in the blistering heat and humidity in the jungle to get to the Kuang Xi Waterfall. These jungles are so dense and wet and buzzing with mosquitoes and any other flying, stinging, itching, scratching thing you can imagine. To top it off, I was covered in leeches...yes and when the come off they leave you bleeding like hell. Its truly disgusting and I was pretty over it by the end. Never-the-less, it was such an experience. 

They dropped us at a village where we started our walk through the fields and into the jungle. 

This village is completely untouched and they are self sufficient with regards to growing food, schooling etc - they don't ever have to go into a city. 

And off we go...we start the trek.

We went with 2 girls from Denmark and 2 girls from France - all of them were fab! 

This is Tom (our guide) on the left and the local guide (from the village) who showed us into the jungle.

It was so hot, by the time we had only been walking for 40 minutes we were all sopping wet. 

The surroundings as we walked into the jungle.

Long grasses, truly incredible scenery. Its so beautiful. 

The jungle is so dense that at some points its not even open to the sky.  

I suppose trekking and hiking are pretty much the same thing hey?

Look at this incredible greenery - you won't believe how green and lush everything is.  

The Laotian children are the cutest things you have ever seen. I would steal one of them so easily. 

Going all Nat Geo Wild again, but everywhere you walk in the jungle you are just covered and surrounded by trillions of butterflies.

I figured out how to use the close-up feature on my camera...OK OK, I knew no one would believe me. Kyle told me how to use it!

Getting better at it...

This is where we had lunch. 

The Denmark girls.

The French girls.

So I suppose this is where the leeches happened somewhere between the serious mud, hectic greenery and shrubbery...

We were so excited when we saw these stairs, it meant we were finally near the waterfall! 

And down a bit more...waterfall is round the corner!

Yay, finally there!

Look at this gorgeous child. I could just eat them. They are so squashy and cute. 

 Thank goodness I had the rabies shots! 

Trekking hard!

Trekking super hard! At least this part was level and not rocky!

A photograph of me trying to photograph butterflies! 

Happy, happy, happy face - nearly at the waterfall!

  

The most incredible sight. I haven't ever seen a waterfall like this. Also, a natural cold spring with  crystal blue water.

Unbelievable! Sensational!

Wow! It almost doesn't look real! 

Now, these waterfalls down far. From the big waterfall into smaller bonds in to more waterfalls and into more ponds and so and so on. 

The next set of waterfalls after the main one.  

The pools flowing into more waterfalls. 

And finally the pond in which we could swim... It was absolutely fabulous. The water was so blue and so cold and so divine. But of course there must be something in the water.......

There are these little fish that suck onto your feet or any scab or something and they suck it off and they eat dead skin and stuff. When they started nibbling at my feet I screamed blue murder, it is the most awful sensation!

After the waterfall while we were walking back to the taxi, we went through the Bear Rescue Center.

These bears have all been rescued from being abused or sold on the black market etc and they are kept here. They have over 70 bears in the sanctuary. 

What a pleash, afternoon siesta!

I want this little gogga - I think I could win a Nat Geo prize with this photo.

One of the mangiest looking roosters I've ever seen. 

This is Tom! He says he is and I quote "the number 1 cassanova in Luang Prabang, Laos Peoples Democratic Republic" hahahahahahahahahah waaaahahhahahahahahahahahh heh heh heh...

I thought the other rooster was mangy until I saw this one!  

And the end of the road - back to beautiful Luang Prabang...