Nam Kading Biodiversity Project

After the trek, we went straight to a city called Pak Kading, which is even further north than Thakek. On the Kading river there is a center operated by the Wildlife Conservation Organization that we would be doing our second service project at. Good lord it was hot. We wanted to get there quick because it was sure to be cooler in the forest than in the city. After a quick boat ride up the river, we reached the center. It was very comfortable. They set it up so the staff had their own cabin, the volunteers had their own, and then there was an outside kitchen and work room. The river was very low. So low in fact that the boat got stuck on the sand sometimes and we ahd to get out to pull it into deeper water. The dry season and wet season have very dramatic changes in terms of water. So after getting settled in we met the guy who is a part of the WCO and has been working in Laos for four years. Our tasks for the week was to help build some of the road that leads into the center, capture and track butterflies, and help clear a nature trail.

Over the next few days we were able to complete all of those tasks. During the wet season the rain makes it nearly impossible for cars to get in because it floods the dirt road, so one day we gathered rocks from a quarry and carried them over to spots in the road that needed help againt flooding. It worked really well. We layed out big flat rocks and even did a test drive with a truck and it seemed to hold. So hopefully in the rainy season it will make a difference. Side note: we were only able to find rocks so easily because a dam was supposed to be built right where the research center is on the river, and they actually began to build it before they were put on hold. So in that time they had dug up rocks and when they stopped they left everything where it was. So thanks to the dam project we were able to get rocks. But the WCO prays that the dam will be stopped forever and not just put on hold because if the dam goes in they will have to leave the center. And the surrounding forest will have many repurcussions from the dam, so trying to save it would be nye impossible.

Each day we set our traps for our butterfly friends. To lure them in, the staff makes this fermented banana mix that the butterflies love. We also found out that this banana stuff is an explosive. They figured that out the hard way. When they were fermenting it, they closed the lid to the container all the way and left it out in the sun. A couple of days later they came out to yellow goo all over the walls and trees. So if your trying to ferment a banana, leave the container ajar. We also caught butterflies the good old fashioned way. With nets. It's much more difficult than one would think. Those butterflies know how to dive, dip and dodge pretty well. But in the end we caught many. Unfortunately, we had to kill them. We had to kill them so we could keep them to identify. This is one of WCO's big projects at the moment. They are identifying butterflies to get a better look at the biodiversity in the area. Butterflies are a good biodiversity indicator because they have short life cycles and therefore react quickly to environmental changes. Their limited dispersal ability, larval foodplant specilization and close-reliance on the weather and climate make many butterfly species sensitive to fine-scale changes. So after catching them, we had to identify them from huge volumes of pictures of butterflies and record their species, genus, sex, day, time, and other facts. That part was grueling work. I think we made a big start for WCO.

We also cleared a nature path for future visitors. It was already tread on, but it needed some maintenence, which we were happy to provide. It was fun weilding a machete. Overall, I loved the service work and felt that I was actually helping an organization that has a definite purpose and is dedicated to help the forest in the long run.

In our free time we swam in the river, played volleyball against the staff, went for runs, and napped. Playing volleyball and soccer with the staff was really fun. We would swim to the other side of the river where there was a bigger sand bank, set up a net, grab a ball, and get our games faces. We always bet for Pepsi. Three games equaled one set and whoever won best out of three got the Pepsis. We never won. It was always close, but somehow the staff always beat us. Just playing and being active was so fun though. And it's also fun to watch how into the game the locals get. We did beat them in soccer though. Probably because it's a sport their not as familiar with. Sand soccer is really hard haha. What a workout. And the road that we helped fix was really nice to run on. Most mornings Kim and I would end up having to stop for a herd of water buffalo that was crossing. It was a nice way to start the day.

We also did a short trek here too. One of the days we hiked into the forest to get the heat sensored cameras that the staff puts near this mineral tap to track the biodiversity of larger animals. If anything with heat moves in front of the camera, the camera takes a picture. We got to see some past pictures, and they are really cool. It's surprising seeing that elephants, deer, wild cows, and other animals actually roam the forests that you never see during the day. So we spent the night in the forest with tents and hammocks. We built a bonfire, told ghost stories, and had a good time. I think everyone loved waking up to the river and the trees in the morning. A real camping experience.

One quick fun fact: Laos made a deal with Pepsi that they would get discounts with Pepsi if they banned Coca Cola from the country. So you still see Coca Cola here, but people only get it from the balck market. So the big drink here is Pepsi, unlike Cambodia, where Coca Cola was dominant.

This service project was great. Really great. We all had a fantastic time and none of us really wanted to leave. But, as always, we keep moving. We spent a day in Thailand to renew our visas for Laos, but I didn't see much of the country. Then we spent a day in Vientiene, which was a wonderful city that I wish we could have seen more of if we had the time. And now we are in Luang Prabang!

Thakek

Thakek is a city leaning againt the gorgeous Laos mountains. After Dong Deang, our island retreat, we decided to head to Thakek for a three day trek. We dropped most of our belongings at a guesthouse and only took on the trek a few clothes and a toothbrush. We took a dok dok to the trail head, and began our retreat into the beautiful mountainside. First, we visited a much revered cave that contains hundreds of Buddhas. These Buddhas have been there for hundreds of years. The Lao people believe the Thai hid the Buddhas in the cave when they invaded so the Lao couldn't find them. I believe it was the Thai. I may be wrong. The cave is on the side of a sheer cliff, and stairs are necessary to access it. There is just a tiny opening that you crawl through before entering this massive hole filled with stalagmites and Buddhas. The Buddhas were bronze, gold, silver, and wood. The cave was pretty big in size. We were blessed inside the cave by a man who works in it. He wished us a good journey, much luck, and much happiness. Common blessings for travelers. After reentering into the world of sunlight, we really began our trek. The first day we hiked a good distance. Probably only about 3-4 miles, but it took most of the day because we made various stops at lagoons and caves. As we walked closer to the first lagoon more and more butterflies started appearing. Hordes of them. They were fluttering about and just enjoying the day, much like us. At the lagoon we took a dip and had a lunch prepared by our trusted guides. I heard the fish was delicious. Unfortunately I wasn't in the mood for fish. Then we trodded on and came across a tree that produces an oil that can burn. The native people use it to light fires. So we each grabbed a branch and stuck it in the thick black muck and when we came across the next cave we were able to light them and use torches as our source of light. It was a very cool look, but we forgot that in a closed space fire sucks out the oxygen, so it was difficult to breathe. Bo pen nung. No worries. This one cave we visited was one of the highlights for me. I described it as being in God's mouth. The cave was enormous. Probably six stories high, and a half mile long. As I lied on the ground and stared up at the roof of the mouth I felt a sense of peace. Feeling small is a very humbling experience in my opinion. The cave also had a small lake. The water was very cold and still. It was a very cool hangout. Then, after walking through tobacco fields, we reached our destination. We were to stay at a local village for the night. We had our first basi ceremony that night. A basi ceremony is an intricate blessing of sorts. The villagers prepare an offering with chocolate and eggs on this plate, and then the village elder blesses each person around the circle. We all either have to be touching the plate or the person being blessed to recieve their blessing as well. When you are being blessed you are to hold the egg and chocolate in your hand. After everyone has been blessed, the food is now blessed, and everyone is supposed to eat the blessed food. It was very nice.

The following day we spent exploring around the village. The guides took us to another cave, which went down so far you couldn't see a thing. That day we mainly walked through the jungle. The jungle is thick and seems to always try and eat you so it takes a while to get anywhere. We had a delicious lunch in the jungle, again cooked by our amazing guides. And when I say delicious, I mean we got cooked corn on the cob and sticky rice. I never knew corn could taste so good. I want to go a little in depth on one of our guides, because he was a character. His name is Mr. Me. Seriously. He is maybe 5 foot. And every time we would eat he would say the simple phrases he has picked up in English, such as eat more eat more, don't stop don't stop. Again, he was a character. Then while enjoying the coolness the forest provided, we played a few games of mofia. Good team bonding. That night I learned how to play Eucker, a complicated card game with many rules, but it's very fun.

On our final day we hiked a long ways. We hiked through the jungle for the most part, and our final destination was this village in the middle of nowhere. During the hike the group got to talk and really get to know each other which was nice. I feel that on trips like these students reach a point of friendship, but it's more superficial than deep. Walking always sparks good conversations. After a few hours, we reached the village. It was so odd. We were in the middle of the Laos jungle, and then it clears and the village is totally bare. They cut down all the trees to make their village, so the ground is jsut dirt and the houses were made of cement. It looked so out of place. Considering is was scorching outside, we were all very joyful when we got to ride a dok dok to the well known blue lagoon. It was gorgeous. The water was a color blue that I haven't even seen in Hawaii. So clear and turquoise. And is was so refreshing. It was such a pretty spot. Our tase buds also got to enjoy banana sticky rice. That snack is sticky rice smashed with banana and wrapped inside a banana leaf. It is really a treat. Ready to leave, we trekked on after getting back to the village and made it to our final scenic spot, the rapids. It's a spot in the river where the rapids are pretty bid, but you can lay on the rocks and let the water wash over you. Since it's the dry season, the water isn't strong enough to wash you away. So refreshing.

Our first trek was a great sucess and the group is very excited for upcoming ones.

Cop Preah/Dong Deang

Cop Preah, or God's island, is an island on the Mekong, 6 hours away from the mainland and civilization. We took a long boat ride up the slow moving Mekong, had a picnic lunch on the beach, and took a dip in the refreshing water before reaching God's Island. We did our first service project on the island. Our job was to build a garden and plant it by the end of our stay. We succeded with flying colors. We used their tools, which was more of a challenge because they were pretty rural, and dug up hard earth for hours. It only took us two days to finish the garden. Manual labor felt good. It got the blood flowing. But it was, of course, extremeley hot. We took many dips into the river to cool off. One day we went out on a boat ride to try and spot the river dolphins. We did see a few, but they were far away and hard to spot. We were lucky to see them at all though. They are diminishing in numbers because of fishing. The NGO we worked with on the island, CRDT, worked mainly on informing locals and tourists of this problem and explaining how the dolphins are crucial to the river. Tehy are working with the locals to find better methods of farming and fishing to reduce the impact on the dolphins. The food on the island was the only problem we had by the end of our staay. We had the same meal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It included rice, morning glory, and eggs. Morning glory is their main plant produce. It is very long and stringy and is bitter without any sauce. But they prepared it well. One night we played volleyball and all the locals came to watch. Volleyball is popular here. Our host families are very kind. The only problem is that you are constantly awakened during the night by roosters crowing, dogs barking, and any other sort of farm animal that likes to make noise for no apparent reason. It's hard to get used to. But it was fun and a good place to stay for our final days in Cambodia. The next day we crossed to border and had to say goodbye to our Camboida leader, Mara. He was a great guide, and a better friend. I know we all already miss him. And then, before we had time to let the fact that our Camboida trek was complete, we entered Laos in a minibus eating sticky rice in a bamboo tube!
I really like Laos. It definitely has a different atmosphere than Cambodia. I think the land just emanates peace and tranquility. The Laos national phrase here, dubbed by the french, is "no worries." And they certainly live up to it. The people look different too. They look more chinese while Cambodians looked more Phillipino. And they act different. They have the same amount of kindness and generosity as Cambodians, but you can tell they aren't as eager to be your best friend. Which I think I like. They give you space. But I will have to work harder if I want to have deep connections with the people. Especially in my homestay. We started our 6 week stay in Laos on an island called Dong Deang. The purpose was to relax and get used to Laos before we start really moving. It was wonderful. I woke up every morning, went for a run with the girls, ate, we grouped up in the morning for some lessons, and then we had teh rest of the day to ourselves to explore or relax or whatever. They really know how to chill here. I really enjoyed jsut settling into a routine, like I would at home. Our family served us the most delicious foods, which always followed with some delicious fruit. Every day involved swimming in the Mekong. We got some great pictures of us jumping over the sun by doing that camera trick. Every day the sun would set in the exact same place over the mountains. Yes, there are mountains here! So nice. I didn't realize how much I had missed them. They do so much for my eyes haha. Most days we played cards under the house in the afternoon to escape the heat. But some days we went on walks just to explore. We had a really nice walk the other day and walked on the beach on the way back and ran into the water. It really is hard not to wake up with the sun. The locals go to bed early, and wake up early. I'm surprised how easily I've been able to adapt to it. But on our morning runs we always got to see the sun rise over the river which was stunning. One day we went off the island to go hiking in a national park. We hiked to a stuppa and a place where the Buddha walked. And we explored the jungle a little. We saw this really cool green snake. And they have elephants for the tourists to ride on, so I got to touch one! We didn't ride them, but they were just waiting there so we got to go up and touch them. Elephants have a very tough, leathery feel with huge hairs. They are so huge! And these are just asian elephants. Much smaller compared to the giant african elephant. I can't even imagine how miniscule I would feel next to an african elephant. Last night we had a bonfire on the beach to celebrate our time on the island and our departure. We have a day here in Pakse before we head up to Pak Kek to strat our three day trek. That's all for now!