I had to go into work today despite it being Sunday as we are so busy at the moment and I was busy feeling sorry for myself, then I got this email. I have to admit, it made me cry a little and I am so thrilled to have guests that so appreciated the tour we arranged. Obviously in our marketing we use phrases like “Trip of a Lifetime”, but to see guests tell us that it was in-fact such a trip, is so inspiring and rewarding!
Southeast Asia – Reflections on a Trip Arranged by Journeys Within
First, we want to thank Journeys Within for customizing our trip to Southeast Asia. It was a pleasure to work with Andrea and Kate Tyler in the Journeys Within California office throughout the planning process. It’s not often that one is able to talk on the telephone with the owner of the travel company! Even though Journeys Within is headquartered in Siem Reap, Cambodia, I especially like the fact that there is an office in the United States. When questions arise or little details need attention, it is very nice to pick up the phone and talk to a real person who can respond with accurate and real-time information.
We became interested in Journeys Within after first learning about the company from a Conde Nast Magazine article. Not only was it noted as being one of the top travel companies for customizing Southeast Asia trips, it had the additional distinction of being culturally sensitive and socially conscious. This was evident throughout our trip in Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos. However, it was only after our time spent at the Journey’s Within Bed and Breakfast in Siem Reap that we fully understood the humanitarian dimensions of Journeys Within founders and co-owners Brandon and Andrea Ross. While not specifically linked to the travel company, an independent philanthropic offshoot of the travel company known as Journeys Within Our Community (JWOC) provides projects such as community banking featuring microloans, language schools, university scholarship programs and clean water projects. These efforts are designed to assist and empower the Cambodians to improve their lives and futures.
The ostensible purpose of going to Siem Reap is to visit the Angkor Wat complex of temples. This magnificent group of ancient structures is surely one of the wonders of the world. Yet, our time spent in Siem Reap was also highlighted by our visit to the home of our guide located in a small, simple village outside of Siem Reap and an afternoon spent helping to teach English to a class of young Cambodians in the JWOC program. This blending of traditional tourist sites with the more personal and intimate experiences of interacting with the local populations was a hallmark of our trip. Although a tourist cannot begin to “know” the people or develop a very meaningful understanding of the culture of a country or area in a few short days, the personal interactions arranged by Journeys Within provide valuable insights that cannot be gained from off-the-rack group tours. Eating a meal in the home of a local, interacting with the family around the dinner table and enjoying rice wine or beer with the hosts is a priceless experience.
Journeys Within provided us with exactly the kind of trip we sought. During our several days in Myanmar we traveled with another couple in a group of four. When they returned to the States we continued on to Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos. The entire trip unfolded flawlessly. We had many flights and airport transfers during our six-week trip. Our guides and drivers were always there. They helped us navigate the airports and on at least two occasions helped us through the visa-on-arrival process. While in Bagan, Myanmar, we experienced a night of heavy rain with morning flash floods and much standing water. The hotel personnel and our guide and driver worked together to arrange for a large truck to ferry us across a swollen stream. Then they carried our luggage as we walked barefoot through ankle deep water to get to our van. We made our flight to Mandalay with only minutes to spare! This sort of service was typical throughout our trip.
We cannot emphasize enough how much we enjoyed the combination of seeing important tourist sites and visiting small villages and meeting local people. Additionally, our tour included a number of visits to handicraft and artisans’ shops. We found the demonstrations to be uniformly interesting – and best of all, there was never any pressure to buy. Without Journeys Within’s connections and knowledge of the countries we visited, we would not have been able to meet and be hosted for dinner at the home of Mr. Nam, a former Viet Cong soldier and tunnel master at Cu Chi. Nor would we have been able to join Mr. Sisouphanh, the former village chief of Pak Ou, Laos for lunch at his house. Similarly, we would not have been able to visit and talk to the inhabitants of a Hmong village in Laos without the good will of our Hmong guide. This particular stop was not on our itinerary, but we asked if we could go to the village and it was no problem. The ability to be spontaneous and impulsive is unique to Journeys Within. In fact, it seems as if the itinerary is a road map of things to see and do, but we could work with our guides to revise our plans on an impromptu basis.
We will not attempt to list the highlights of our trip, as there would be too many. It seemed as if every new stop was the new, “This is the best yet!” Our hotels were so interesting and charming that we got to the point that we excitedly looked forward to the next hotel, wondering what it would look like. The selection of restaurants was also a high point for us. The food was remarkable and mealtime became one of our favorite events of the day.
As previously mentioned, there were too many trip highlights to list them all, but we would be remiss in our recollections of our Southeast Asian trip if we did not mention the four days we stayed at Journeys Within Bed and Breakfast in Siem Reap. At this point in our trip we were tired and needed some rest time. Upon arrival, we were collected at the airport on time – as usual – and transferred to the Bed and Breakfast. When we drove through the gates of the property we immediately began to relax. The warmth and friendliness of the staff were perceptible. We met Andrea and her daughter – and later Brandon – for the first time as well as some young Cambodian staff members. We were shown to our bright and pleasant room overlooking the swimming pool, and in a very casual and trusting manner I was loaned a laptop computer to use during our time there. The hospitality was such that there was almost a feeling of visiting friends in their private home. We were able to order breakfast and eat in our room, on the veranda, in the outside dining area or in the lounge area. Lunch and dinner were made to order and one could eat at almost any time desired. It was fun to interact with the young Cambodians who were learning English and receiving excellent training in the hospitality industry, hotel management and tourism. Our tours of Angkor Wat, Siem Reap and the local countryside were superb, yet it was very entertaining just to hang around the Bed and Breakfast property, enjoying time with other travelers, the staff and Andrea and Brandon. Of course, the swimming pool was a wonderful place to cool off, relax and do some reading.
In a heartbeat, we would recommend Journeys Within to any traveler wanting to explore Southeast Asia. This is the world of Journeys Within, and they know it well. It is a professional, accommodating and well run travel company. The guides are courteous, helpful and well trained, and the company’s character and ethic are apparent in their conduct. We have traveled widely and often, but our Trip with Journeys Within will remain as one of our best trips ever. As a travel company that always wants to improve, I realize that you would like some constructive criticism instead of just superlatives. Our trip, however, was so close to perfect that I really don’t have anything to offer. To use an over-used phrase, it was the trip of a lifetime!
Bobbie Fletcher and William Noland
November 25, 2011