Elite Traveler: Journeys Within Cultural Support in Southeast Asia
LA Times Travel & Adventure: How to Positively Impact the World Through Travel
Key Hires:
Nicole volunteering at Phik Noy school in Luang Prabang
Nicole Long:
What year did join Team Journeys Within?:
I joined in 2008. First, I joined the Journeys Within Our Community team in July of 2008 by heading the first branch out of our projects from Cambodia into Laos. Then in December of that year I joined the Journeys Within Laos office officially as Country Director.
What were your thoughts of the company that first year?:
I felt very excited to have an opportunity to work with this grassroots company that had a huge philanthropic heart in a country that was extremely unfamiliar to me. Sure, it was a difficult at times adjusting to a completely different world than the one I knew for the last six years working in NYC. However, being in this exciting and sometimes overwhelming position taught me a great deal personally. It all forced me to reassess expectations and adapt myself to the ways and culture of Laos. It almost felt like my freshman year of college all over again!
Phaeng in Luang Prabang with a view of the mighty Mekong River
Houmphaeng “Phaeng” Phommaly
What year did join Team Journeys Within?:
2008
What were your thoughts of the company that first year?:
I am so excited at that time so I know this company would grow.
Special Memories from 2008:
Phaeng and John head by motobike to look for office space in Luang PrabangPhaeng, Seila and Kristina on a tour of the Mekong River in Luang PrabangSeila and Phaeng at the Pak Ou Caves in Luang PrabangPreschool kids at Phik Noy School (which is sponsored by JWOC) excitedly wait new school uniformsStudents at Phik Noy School in Luang Prabang. Look at those smiles!!Neon green rice paddies in LaosA Buddha’s silhouette at Pak Ou Caves, LaosKhoa guiding a tour on the Mekong DeltaPhaeng, hard at work in the JW Laos officeSunset on the Mekong in LaosTui, April and Gavin giving alms to a monk in Chiang MaiApril’s son Gavin (2 years old) at a temple in Siem ReapApril and her husband Chris visit Angkor Wat for the first timeNarla, Jill, Seila, Sours, Makara meet at the lobby of Journeys Within B & B
What were your thoughts of the company that first year?:
In 2007 Andrea had just been named a Conde Nast Traveler Magazine Top Travel Specialist and she wanted to make sure that the level of service that the company provided was up to the standard that the magazine had said it was – from the booking process all the way through to the tour. At that point she decided to open a US office and that’s when I applied for Journeys Within. From what I read about the company it was philanthropic focused, which was something very important to me, and also a great company to work for as it was family friendly, but I wasn’t sure if it could possibly be as good as it sounded. After I spoke with Andrea I knew that Journeys Within really was as good as it sounded and maybe even better! Andrea spoke with such passion about Southeast Asia, the tour company, JWOC, and her vision for the future of the company. I knew from that first phone interview that this was a great company to be a part of and that it had incredible things in store and I couldn’t wait to join the team!
Special Memories from 2007:
We visit Koh Ker for the first time and start offering trips to this amazing temple complex. These more remote temples allow for a completely different temple experience, away from the crowds and bustle –getting there however, required some dedication. The tours included time with the “magic man”, a lovely man who is reported to be invincible.Journeys Within also launches our first kayak trips through the flooded forest and out on the Tonle Sap Lake!Callie and Srey Nut start school, which the Journeys Within kids team continues to grow. (Couper seems to realize that as a boy he is outnumbered!) Andrea and Brandon head to Vietnam with the kids.Andrea attends one of the first ever guide training dinners in Bangkok.Callie sees the ocean in Phuket.
In the third year, Journeys Within grew in size and experiences offered, with more staff added, Couper being born and Burma being included on the list of countries we serve.
In 2006 Myanmar officially named its new capital Naypyidaw, meaning “City of the Kings”, after the military junta moved the national capital from Yangon to a site near Pyinmana in November 2005. At the time, less that 270,000 people visited Burma — a number that has ballooned in the last few years to over 2 million.
That same year Journeys Within started offering tours in the country, looking to help outsiders access this insular but fascinating place.
In 2006, Andrea’s family also grew by one with the addition of her son Couper, while at Journeys Within, we expanded our presence in Thailand.
2006
Milestones:
Andrea’s son, Couper, born
Journeys Within B & B Bungalows completed
Started offering tours to Burma
Touring to these countries:
Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Burma
Key Hires:
Khoa Dinh Nguyen:
Khoa on the Mekong.
What year did join Team Journeys Within?
2006
What were your thoughts of the company that first year?:
I was guiding a tour and got chatting with a few guests who had just completed their Mekong Experience Trip with Journeys Within and they were raving about their trip and also how Journeys Within work in such a professional way for their tours and guides.
Linda Chhay:
Linda is always quick with a smile.
What year did join Team Journeys Within?:
2006
What were your thoughts of the company that first year?:
That is the small tour company and in the Siem Reap office I work only me, Sela and Andrea, because per day we do only 2 or 3 new itinerary.
Narla Phay:
Narla (far right) with Makara, Brandon and Seila on Christmas Day, 2006.
What year did join Team Journeys Within?:
2006
What were your thoughts of the company that first year?:
Since I step in into this company in first year, I thought wow… this is a great company to work with because I was always dream of working in the tourism industry also interact with guests. This is not only the reason, the teams make me love my job. I started a receptionist at Journeys Within B &B then been promoted to be a tour director.
Special Memories from 2006:
Staff trip to Sihanoukville where everyone got a chance to enjoy the beach.Andrea’s son Couper is born in Bangkok! And with a fill hotel, Mom and big sister Callie and 2-day-old Couper head back to Cambodia.Callie is growing up! Enjoying her own coconuts, visiting Kbal Spean with Seila and even helping her uncle Barrett take a break from setting up the Bangkok office.Kai-o’s wedding — a happy occasion.Andrea moves to Bangkok to set up the Thailand office and to give birth to Couper. Meanwhile, a peaceful coup takes place sending tanks into town. I guess some things don’t change.
They may not be located in Southeast Asia, but our California-based office know the region and the experiences that our guests are searching for better than anyone…
The Journeys Within Tour Company office in California is small but mighty. This hard working group interpret what our guests are looking for so that those staff on the ground can make it happen. Here they talk about some of their favourite memories, the past and of course, Journeys Within’s future.
Andrea Ross:
Andrea’s children, Couper and Callie, with their Journeys Within friends!
What are your thoughts about Journeys Within now?
I really could not be more proud. I love working with guests to create the perfect itinerary for them and I love that I have such faith in my team in Southeast Asia that I know that perfect itinerary will become the perfect trip. The last 10 years for me have had a lot of ups and downs, but I think the company has gone from strength to strength. For me, this company really is a representation of the people that are in it…from the drivers to the guides to the amazing staff in each office, we really just have the most amazing team!
What are your thoughts on the next ten years for Journeys Within?
While I’m sure there will be changes and growth in the next ten years I think our bottom line of providing exceptional experiences throughout Southeast Asia will continue.
What is your favorite memory working with Journeys Within?
Of course there’s no possible way to come up with just one, but the truth is that most of my favorite memories involve my family and my team; visiting Southern Cambodia with April and eating fresh crab on the ocean, different trips to Singapore with Linda and Narla, taking Kaio and Toung to Bangkok and taking all the Journeys Within Boutique Hotel kids to Phnom Penh and Kep! Guide training with Anna and watching Nicole slide down a hill in flip flops while supported by our guides! Exploring the Mekong Delta with Khoa and Michelle and all our kids. Taking a bike ride in Hanoi with Tracy and all our Northern Vietnam guides and taking cooking classes in Bangkok and Chiang Mai with our Thailand team and guides. Having Kanika and Linda and Leak and Narla and Makara visit us here in the US and really get to see them understand where our guests come from and the differences, and similarities, in our worlds. And my kids of course…watching Callie bathe an elephant, Couper’s first ride on an ATV, trekking with them in Myanmar and exploring with them in Laos and Vietnam and watching them grow up in Cambodia. I love this region and seeing it through my kids eyes has given me a whole new appreciation for it. And of course, that first flight into Cambodia over the flooded rice fields that led to those first months with Brandon where we had to play charades to get a pillow made or a rose bush ordered and our lawn got planted one blade of grass at a time, by hand. My Journeys Within memories aren’t just those moments, but a collective of that region that became my home and the people that became my family.
April Cole:
April and her son Gavin on his second birthday.
What are your thoughts about Journeys Within now?:
Journeys Within has had a magical way of growing while still feeling intimate. With every step and every big change, Journeys Within managed to do it at the right time, in the right way and really be on the cutting edge of the industry. I am more proud today of Journeys Within and the team than when I first started.
What are your thoughts on the next ten years (or just the future) for Journeys Within?:
I envision Journeys Within in the next ten years, finding innovative ways to show our guests the countries which we all know so well and I see us expanding to new countries so our guests can continue to travel with Journeys Within, but travel to places outside of mainland Southeast Asia.
What is your favorite memory working with Journeys Within?
This is a really, really hard question! I would have to say though, my favorite moment working with Journeys Within was having my son celebrate his 2nd birthday in Thailand and Cambodia. He had a birthday party at Journeys Within B & B in Siem Reap with Couper, Callie, Srey Nut, Sabai and all the other kids and then he celebrated his actual birthday in Thailand. What an incredible story he’ll have to tell as he grows up!
Courtney Ridgel:
Courtney cruising the Cham Islands.
What are your thoughts about Journeys Within now?:
I am so impressed by how Journeys Within tours interact so deeply with the local communities, either through JWOC or through home-visits or seeing the local villages. It was so meaningful to speak with so many locals and members of the JWOC team about their personal lives; their dreams, their families, their history. I also really loved getting to meet the team in person! There are so many hard workers who accomplish miracles for our guests and I am honored to know and work with them all. I must also say that our guides are fantastic with lots of knowledge and humor – they are absolutely great!
What are your thoughts on the next ten years (or just the future) for Journeys Within?:
It is only up from here! I am really excited for the new tours that are being developed and I would really like to see more locals from the Truckee/Tahoe area (where our US office is based) travel with Journeys Within. I think it is a bit of an untapped market and I think many people here are naturally adventurous, curious and caring – perfect JW guests! I also hope to see us develop more “adventure travel” – i.e. active and sporty tours such as bringing more visitors to the caves in Vietnam (and more divers, more hikers, more cyclists and more kayaking. etc) Southeast Asia is so naturally beautiful that I think our outdoor-oriented Truckee locals would absolutely love it!
What is your favorite memory working with Journeys Within?
Visiting Southeast Asia and meeting our team in person! (I had been working with everyone by email for a year.) It was really neat to visit our main office in Siem Reap and see the town (the bbq was delicious!) and to visit our multiple offices in Vietnam. I had the most fun hanging out at the end of each day with out team members and their families. My favorite tour experiences were seeing Halong Bay (just surreal and very beautiful), touring Saigon by motorbike with all of the pit-stops and hanging out with the crew in Saigon (I felt like the coolest person on planet Earth!), marveling at the sheer numbers and size of the ancient temples in Cambodia, touring the countryside by ATV, whizzing through the jungle on a zip-line and seeing the gibbons, shopping in beautiful Hoi An, taking in the beautiful Vietnamese countryside and the peaceful Thien Vien Truc Lam Bach Ma Pagoda, cycling through Dong Ngac village and meeting the locals in their homes and exploring Siem Reap by tuk-tuk. (I found I absolutely adore tuk-tuks and motorbikes!)
Dudley Nigg:
Dudley and his wife Phillipa with their grandchildren Couper and Callie in Vietnam.
What are your thoughts about Journeys Within now?
It is inevitable for me to think back 10 years and those early days when we opened the B&B in Siem Reap. So when I look at Journeys Within today and how far we have come over the last 10 years my thoughts go to the people that have made this possible. What then comes to mind is how many of our key staff have been around for so much of the 10 year history. In this modern age it is rare to find such loyalty and commitment over such an extended period. I think what makes Journeys Within special is this core group of wonderful employees who have shown such dedication over so many years.
The other thought revolves around the concept of “customer service”. Many institutions claim to put the customer first but I feel that one of the unique aspects of Journeys Within is its true commitment to its clients. We really do put the customer first, and I feel that even though we have grown so much we still keep our clients interests at the forefront.
What are your thoughts about the future of Journeys Within?
I believe that the secret to our success is based on maintaining a focus. Our focus has always been on Southeast Asia and on providing customized travel within our chosen region. When we introduced Journeys Within the idea of customized travel was very innovative and even today we still on an industry leader in this concept of providing individual customers with exactly what they’re looking for in terms of their travel agendas. I believe that more and more individuals are going to look for travel opportunities that are tailor-made to the requirements. Travel is increasingly moving in our direction and this should ensure that our future is bright. We need to continue to provide the same quality and service commitment that we have shown for the last 10 years into the future. If we do this then we will continue to grow and prosper.
What is your favorite memory working with Journeys Within?
This is not one memory but a whole host of memories. I am working away downstairs in the Tour Company offices in Seam Reap. I am surrounded by the staff that I have come to know so well and as usual we are laughing at the joke of the moment. It is this sense of camaraderie and enjoyment that is my lasting memory of Journeys Within. That sense of working together as a team to achieve our objective but at the same time enjoying each other’s company and life in general.
In its second year, Journeys Within marked some big changes, both personal and professional. Along with expanding the Journeys Within Boutique Hotel, Andrea and Brandon expanded their growing family…
2005
Milestones:
Built first Journeys Within B&B Bungalows and added a swimming pool! (An amazing addition that took blood, sweat and tears that has remarkably remains relatively unchanged!)
Opened Bangkok Office
Andrea’s daughter Callie was born
Journeys Within Our Community (JWOC) was founded
First year of Mekong River Experience
Touring to these countries:
Cambodia, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam
Press:
Arthur Frommer’s Budget Travel: Mekong River Journey
The Park Record: International Effort Bears Fruit for Killing Fields Pagoda School
Journeys Within’s Myanmar Tour Manager Dar Le prepares for take off.
What year did join Team Journeys Within?:
2004
What were your thoughts of the company that first year?:
Very much appreciated to Andrea’s thoughts on “tourism benefits the local people” and trusted that Journeys Within has the future with its own idea.
Special Memories from 2005:
So excited to have a pool and “real” rooms at the Journeys Within Boutique Hotel!The addition of the pool and bungalows was completed just in time for the arrival of Callie Sita Ross. A well traveled baby, here she is pictured on an elephant on her first trip to Chiang Mai.The team getting a kick out of the new pool.
