Gibbons experience

This is an email I wrote to the gibbons experience after doing the Waterfall experience. This is just my experience and my opinion but I thought you should be advised.

Dear Noke,

Hello. Antonio and I returned yesterday from the Waterfall experience which left on the 19th of June. We went directly to Luang Nam tha and therefor were not able to speak with you in person. We were very disappointed with the gibbons experience and I am sure that the rest of the group which did return to the office has also let you know. We were well aware of the bad conditions that we might have found, like muddy trails, leeches, long hikes etc but we were not expecting the lack of organization and lack of knowledge (due to minimal if to say no english skills) by the guides.
We started our journey out by car and were able to cross the river but due to the bad state the truck was in, it over heated, we could not make it to the main camp. So we hiked three hours to the office in the village and there we were given a baguette. Which in my opinion is very little food. No snacks no fruit as promised in the brochure we were showed. We then hiked for another 3-4 hours to Treehouse 5, where we arrived at dusk. No guide stayed to let us know where anything was. The beds were not prepared for us, the treehouse had not been cleaned, in fact the rotting fruit and meal from the last guests were still there. The bedding was piled on the floor and after about an hour we realized that it must have been left there for us. We could not find enough towels for each of us (also as promised in the brochure) , so we had to share. The towels were hanging over the banister and they were damp, so I imagine that they were the towels used by the group before us. After we showered and prepared the beds for ourselves we sat around the table wondering if anyone was going to come back and bring us dinner. When we arrived earlier at the treehouse the guides left immediately, we now know to make dinner, but never told us anything. So after a few hours of waiting we started to wonder if the left over food was actually our dinner. Finally about 9pm we were brought dinner and hot water. Needless to say we were all very upset but finally relieved to see that we were not forgotten about.
The next morning we were brought breakfast, this time with baguettes but there were only 7 and we were 8 so again we all had to share. Some of the other guides came to the treehouse and one told us that she, she had come with us in the truck, was supposed to have come the night before with us but when we arrived in the village was too tired to come that evening. I think she came to pick up the treehouse and prepare our beds but since we had already done that she just left. Six of the eight of us went on a hike in the morning which was very difficult and the guide didn't seem to really want to take us. Since the communication was so poor no one could tell us about the hike we were about to do and even the conditions of the trail. On that trek we actually saw a snake, which the guide did point our and the slaughtered it with his machete. Then we again had lunch in treehouse 5 and finally were given our first piece of fruit. We were brought 1 pineapple for the 8 of us and about 10 ranbutanes, some fried banana and some chocolate. We had communicated to our guide that after lunch we wanted to go to treehouse 1 to take advantage of the ziplines. We had been told by the group who hiked out the day we hiked in that the waterfall was too muddy to reach and one of the other foreigners working with the gibbons experience told us the same. So when we went to the kitchen to tell our guide we were ready to leave he seemed very surprised to see us and asked us twice if we wanted to walk. Again a big communication problem. We eventually did hike to treehouse 1 where the ziplines were and enjoyed the hike and the ziplines very much. We took a rest in the camp where all the workers were and saw that they had bananas and other food and we were even given one each there. We also zipped thru treehouse 1 in time to see that they, for their arrival, had been prepared fruit and the treehouse was very tidy. Seeing that made us feel very cheated. Why were we not getting the same treatment after paying the same price???? When we hiked back to the treehouse our guide had already told us how tired he was and was the first one on the last zip to go back to his camp. We arrived with dinner on the table but with no hot water. One of our group had stayed in the treehouse during the afternoon hike and had told one of the guides who came to the treehouse that we had no hot water. But even after that noone brought us hot water. Another disappointment. The next morning again we were brought breakfast but there was no fruit or other snacks to accompany it. We then hiked to the village not knowing if we would have to hike out or if the truck would be there or if we would be given lunch.
The whole time during our three days the communication was very minimal with the guides. They barely spoke english, if nothing. No one could tell us basic things like how long the hike would be, the conditions of the trails etc. No one could point things out, like what kind of bird or insect we had just seen, the fruit on a tree or even a flower. In fact the guides barely tried to converse with us and went ahead of us like we were not even there. At times I could not see anyone ahead of me on the trail and wondered if I had taken a wrong turn. The food was very poor. There was barely any meat and no eggs in our meals, I don't mind since I requested vegetarian, and other guests were left very hungry. And as there was no fruit or snacks, as promised, we could not eat anything besides what we were brought. We could not help ourselves to hot water or make any as there was no stoves. The treehouse 5 is very close to 2 huge bees nest. So you definately cannot stay there during the days as it is overrun by bees. The treehouse was not cleaned or prepared for our arrival and we had to sweep and pick up after the last group who had been there.
Overall I will not recommend the gibbons experience to other travels and I will post this email along with some pictures I took of the treehouse when we arrived on forums for travelers such as the lonelyplanet or travelfish. The gibbons experience is, in my opinion, overpriced and was definately a big disappointment.
Hopefully my email will ensure that this does not happen to others that sign up for the gibbons experience.

Thank you for taking the time to read this email.