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Ten Reasons to join a Hands on Journeys tour | Our Travellers Stories

Today Kate Strong, otherwise known as Strong Kate shares the ten things she loved about her Hands on Journeys experience.

Visiting Cambodia and Vietnam for the first time, I was curious what a two-week tour could offer my well-travelled self. Joining the tour, I arrived with an open mind and without sounding too dramatic, this tour has shifted my perception of travel.

How can this whistle-stop tour with a group of strangers have really impacted me so profoundly?

Kate Cambodia Vietnam Photos

I’ve lightened my experience with these ten reasons how the Hands On Journeys Tour positively impacted my life:

See the sights in comfort

Enjoying the comfort of someone else arranging a bus to arrive at dawn for a magical sunrise is a treat. It also allowed me to be more present – to enjoy every experience, rather than having to plan for the next part of the trip.

Kate Cambodia Vietnam Photos

Local tour guide

Travelling ‘en masse’ sometimes prevents you from experiencing the essence of where you are. Having a guide who is native to the country and town permitted a deeper level of appreciation for the sights we were visiting.

One such moment arrived on a visit to the ‘Killing Fields’ of Cambodia. Seeing first-hand the genocide that happened where I was standing and hearing numbers of hundreds and thousands of people murdered and affected from this act numbed me. Having Cham to share his personal story of his family who went to these camps personalised the story and gave me a glimpse of real life in what could be perceived as a horror story.

Kate Cambodia Vietnam Photos

Time to reflect and meditate

Usually travelling alone, I invariably have a complication along the way; either I miss a connecting bus, a hotel has lost my reservation or I confuse the opening hours for the temple I intended to visit. These hiccups slowly eat away at my time and my patience and, usually by the end of the day, my stress levels have risen.

Touring removes these complications and returns to me time and peace of mind. The reward is at the end of the day, I am comfortable and relaxed with time to stop, to reflect and enjoy the moment.

Kate Cambodia Vietnam Photos

Live like a child again

Wherever I am in the world, I am always mindful of staying safe. This is especially true when travelling alone in a foreign country where I don’t speak the local language. Having a tour where I can leave my possessions safely on a bus whilst visiting sights means I can let my hair down and release some worries that usually come whilst travelling solo.

Local knowledge also lets me visit parks and local attractions which might have otherwise been overlookedKate Cambodia Vietnam Photos.

 

Make new friends

The people who chose a Hands On Journeys tour have similar passions to me: to better understand the local culture whilst also empowering the communities we visit.

We are obviously going to get on! Having two intense weeks together, I have learnt a lot about myself and also made life-long friends with whom I will stay in contact, and travel with again for sure.

 

Discover the Cambodia & Vietnam tour that Kate joined us on

 

Install new positive habits

Two weeks visiting communities through Cambodia and Vietnam showed me how resourceful, how positive and how productive people are if you focus on what you have, and not focus on what you’re lacking.

Watching children play with fruit fallen from trees, adults creating a business with $5 and families bonding over herding their cows taught me to appreciate every small detail I might have overlooked previously.

These moments remind me to be grateful for what I have – every day – to never take for granted health, wealth and friendship and to make sure I put to good use everything I have in my life.

Kate Cambodia Vietnam Photos

Learn to cook delicious healthy food

Whilst travelling, I adore eating the local cuisine. Having a chef guiding me through the local market explaining what exotic fruit and vegetables I’m seeing was a treat. In addition, she showed how to cook these local delicacies and what health benefits they offer. In addition, the chef invite us back to her restaurant and cook with her a few local favourites tailored to every person’s dietary requirements was a delicious surprise and a skill I will definitely repeat back home.

Kate Cambodia Vietnam Photos

Put life in perspective

#FirstWorldProblem is thrown around when we are having a stumbling moment in our lives. Getting caught-up in the daily grind of life I sometimes forget to stop focusing on my to-do list and start looking around me.

Everywhere in life there is beauty, opportunity and abundance and it is our choice to see it. It is easy to start complaining about the small niggles we meet throughout our day. Try living without clean water for 24 hours and suddenly the problem of not finding a car parking space near our local café dissolves.

 

Empower, not depend

“Empty pockets never held anyone back.  Only empty heads and hearts can do that – Norman Vincent Peale”

This quote came to me as we visited our third community: We visited a group of women who lived, with their families, on floating boats. Due to limited work opportunities in the area, these ladies were forced to wait days and sometimes weeks to earn money to buy food for their children and extended family.

The limitation wasn’t their willingness to work, it was the lack of resources.

Hands On Journeys founder, Simla, had the idea to teach the women how to make bracelets to sell to tourists at local hotels and markets. Within one week, these ladies had produced over 600 bracelets ready for the markets.

They were empowered to make positive change in their own lives and created a sustainable business for themselves.

Kate Cambodia Vietnam Photos

Make a wish

Life is as we see it. I learned that most problems and challenges I face are generated in my mind – in a future that is yet to exist.

Whilst on this tour, I learned that Hands On Journeys company started with a wish – Simla wished to create a business that empowered communities in third world countries. After hundreds of hours of hard work and complete dedication to her dream, this is now a reality.

Simla taught me to make a wish – to wish for something big in my life, to wish for something that will inspire positive change for others. And then to commit to it.

 

I have a phrase I read every morning, a habit I started on this tour. It keeps me focused on my own dream and wish and helps me work through the more challenging moments in life:
“There comes a time in life, when you walk away from all the drama and people who create it. Surround yourself with people who make you laugh, forget the bad, and focus on the good. Love the people who treat you right. Pray for the ones who don’t. Life is too short to be anything but happy. Falling down is part of life, getting back up is living.”

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Ten New Years Resolutions You Really Can Keep

Already given up on the gym? Reached for the Vino two weeks early? We know what it’s like, every year we write lists and make aims that we give up on too soon.

The good news is? There are small steps and resolutions we can easily stick. Follow our ten steps and we promise you that 2016 will be full of rewards.

Travel Quote

  1. Be present
    We spend so much of our life planning, working and stressing about the future we forget the right here and now. Take time everyday to ensure the moment and carve out a space in your schedule to put everything else aside and just be fully present.
  2. Make someone smile
    Smiles are good for your face and even better for your mind. Whether it’s turning a bad situation into a laughing matter or uttering the right word at the right time, give someone a reason to smile and make a connection.
  3. Have a digital detox
    Between social media, work, mobiles and laptops we live in a world that is always connected and switched on. Have one day a month where you turn it all off, forget about the outside world and indulge in some guilty pleasures. Whether it is a bath or walk in the park, un clutter your mind from the modern day world.
  4. Explore your own backyard
    Make it your mission to see your own neighbourhood in a new light this year. We can become so obsessed with the exotic we forget what we have so close to home. Open your eyes and take it slow and you are sure to discover a hidden gem or a beauty you have missed so many times before.
  5. Plan one big adventure
    Whether it is a long haul trip or an activity at home you have never built the courage for, make this the year it happens. Having one big adventure to look forward to is both exciting and rewarding and is sure to be full of life lessons.
  6. Pick up the phone more
    As the world grows global and people spread out more it becomes easier and easier to loose touch with the people we love. Don’t wait until a birthday or something is needed, once a week just pick up the phone and call someone to say Hi and catch up.
  7. Make a difference
    Whether it is to your neighbour a stranger or local community as a whole. Find time to make a positive impact for someone new. Share your skills and knowledge to help those in need and you will be amazed at the Karma that can come around and the new connections you will nurture.
  8. Share random acts of kindness
    Whether someone trips up and you carry their bags, hand a coffee to a person on the street or simply ask ‘Are you OK’ to the stranger in tears fill the world with random acts of kindness and make it a better place instantly.
  9. Give your time freely
    Sometimes the best gifts are free. Giving your time to those in need, a local community group or just a friend caught in a situation can sometimes be the only step needed to make a difference. Our time is the most valuable commodity we have, so sharing it with others is the best of presents.
  10. Be the best version of yourself
    Stop focusing on social media and global perceptions. Forget about changing or finding yourself. Focus on the person you are and simply be the best version of that. Not for anyone else, but simply for yourself. Find what makes you happy, what gives you a reason to take up smiling everyday and never forget it. Live life on the terms you are happy with, don’t try to create a persona that others are looking for.

What are you most excited for this year? Let us know in the comments…

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Have yourself a Vietnamese Dinner Party

Fear not friends, we have a tasty, simple and party ready feast for you. Take your friends and family abroad without even leaving the kitchen. 

The perfect Dinner Party…. Vietnamese Style!

We have picked out our top three dishes from central Vietnam that are full of flavour, tradition and sure to impress even your pickiest of family members.

Plus, they are that simple you can even have a hangover on New Years Day and still rustle these up for the crew, I know, just call us Santa!

Vietnam Cooking

Starter: Vietnamese Pancake Rolls

The best batter

Cup of dry rice flour – 1 1/4 cups of water – touch of salt – touch of turmeric powder – Simply stir all together and leave to rest for an hour

Grab your gear…

Thin pork strips – finely diced seafood (160 grams) – 2 sliced spring onions – 240 grams of bean sprouts – herbs of topping (lettuce, minty or coriander) – Rice paper

Take your non-stick pan and add a dash of vegetable oil to it. Fry the seafood and meat lightly before adding in the batter. You only want a thin layer over the bottom of the pan. Toss in your herbs or salad mix and once the pancake is crisp on the underneath, flip out to a plate and fold in half.

Add this inside of the rice paper and serve up either on its own or with peanut sauce. Simples!

Vietnam Cooking CLass

Main: Vietnamese Seafood Tangy & Fresh Salad

Whether you are enjoying the Australian summer heat or just can’t be bother slaving over the oven, this tasty and tangy simple salad is a great go to option for those lazy new year days.

Wok up a storm

Take 1 1/2 tablespoons of thinly slice shallots, 100 grams of seafood (shrimp works well), a little vegetable oil and some thinly sliced ginger. Wok it up until lightly brown.

Building the base

For the salad, gently toss together the following flavoursome ingredients:

Grated papaya, onion, mango, carrots, pineapple and cucumber – a dash of fish sauce – one freshly squeezed lime – a sprinkling of sugar – teaspoon of garlic and ginger mix

Once you have added the seafood into the salad base, serve up with a sprinkling of sesame seeds and cracked peanuts.

Vietnam Markets

Dessert: Pandan Sticky Rice

To serve five, head to your local Asian Supermarket and grab the following:

1/2 Can Coconut Milk (Not Shaken) – 1.5 Pounds Sweet Rice – 1 Ounce Coconut Cream Powder – 1 cup granulated sugar (or less, to taste) – 1 teaspoon pandan paste  – Sprinkle of Salt – Pandan Leaf

Rice up your life…

Rinse the rice repeatedly and thoroughly. Three – Four water baths should cover this. Leave it overnight in cole water with a little salt. In the morning, remove as much water as possible before adding the coconut cream and then adding in the pandan paste to color. Mix well, don’t wear whites!

Boil the rice for approx. 15 minutes, or if you have a steamer than add a few extra minutes on. Aim for the rice to not be failing apart and fairly dry.

Go coco…

Grab a saucepan, non stick preferred and then add the coconut milk to it. A little sugar and salt will add flavour whilst it comes to the boil. Stir to the right texture then cover the rice with the milk.

Don’t stir! How ever tempting it will be. Leave it covered to rest for approx. 15-20 minutes. Let it air afterwards for a further fifteen minutes before gently using chopsticks or similar to poke the rice and ensure all the milk has been absorbed. Enjoy and get your green dessert on.

Wine Pairing: Snake Wine, the perfect and traditional choice… though not sure you will find it on the shelf of your local liquor store!

Best come visit Vietnam with us next year to top up the cellars…

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Ten Wanderlust Inducing Photos of Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat was recently voted the number one tourist sight in the world by Lonely Planet. Did they pick a worthy winner?

We think so.

Angkor Wat

After a few days of lending a helping hand to local communities in Siem Reap our rewards are to explore these ancient temples of a long lost kingdom.

Here are ten photos of Angkor Wat which prove its worth and also the five reasons you need to see it with us…

1. That Sunrise

It really does not need any introduction. Sunrise at Angkor Wat is a busy beauty. Luckily, we know exactly the spots to see it without 1000’s of selfie sticks blocking your view.

If you really want to get the most of it, why not come twice and see sunrise at one of the other many temples such as Angkor Thom or Bayon.

Angkor Wat Angkor Wat

2. Monkeys… Need we say more?

These cute guys cannot be missed. You might need to be patient and hunt them out but they are always around. Having a local guide always helps if you want to catch these mischievous monkeys in action!

Angkor Wat Angkor Wat

3. Walk through History and Culture

From the Buddhas to the quiet, thought provoking corridors, Angkor Wat is a true slice of history. We believe in giving you the facts and answering your questions but we don’t believe in boring you to stone like the statues around.

Our guides knows these temples inside out, but they also knows when to give you time to take it all in so you can get the most out of your visit to the Angkor Complex.

Angkor Wat Angkor Wat

4. Make it your own…

Our project work doesn’t start until after Sunrise which means if you want to hop on a Tuk Tuk and explore the rest of Angkor at sunrise twice you certainly can. You might even have time to fit in your own Hot Air Balloon ride over Angkor Wat.

Angkor Wat

5. You won’t get tired of temples!

The Angkor Complex is huge and in the heat of the Cambodian sun can be exhausting. Whilst we love to explore the temples in the morning we appreciate for some a full day of temple hopping can be exhausting.

That is exactly why we let some of the group head back to the hotel pool to cool off whilst those wanting to get the most of the day are free to keep on exploring all the history and beauty this majestic land has to offer.

Plus, you will never be short of laughs, entertainment and bonding with a Hands on Journeys tour!

Angkor Wat

Want to see more of our beautiful Travel moments? Why not follow us on Instagram – Be warned, it will inspire wanderlust!

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Can you Party and Pay it Forward? | Our Travellers Stories

Pub Street became an ongoing joke amongst our group of travellers on our tour of Cambodia and Vietnam.

If you’re not sure what Pub Street is, it’s exactly what you think it is. Possibly the least creative naming of a location in the history of the world. It is quite literally a street full of pubs, clubs, bars, restaurants – all of which sell copious amounts of alcohol.

Pub Street Siem Reap

Where I’m from, the Gold Coast in Australia, partying is pretty common.

Some might say we consume an above average amount of alcohol and I can say with confidence every time my GP asks how many standard drinks I consume during a ‘binge’ he almost falls off his chair. So when I met the first member of the Hands on Journeys crew at Ho Chi Minh airport on our connecting flight to Siem Reap, I asked nervously “Do you think this will be like, a party trip. Do you think everyone will party?” To which Maria replied “Oh God I hope so! It is now!” I made some awkward comment about how the best way to bond with someone is to get rolling drunk with them, do some stupid stuff and make some (fuzzy) memories.

And bond we did! We arrived at the hotel in Siem Reap at about 10pm local time, which meant 1am Australian time, which meant I had been travelling for 17 hours and was ready for a shower and bed. But Simla, almighty founder of Hands on Journeys, had other ideas. She convinced us to go out to Pub Street for what she called ‘one drink’. Many hours and twice as many tequila shots later, I deemed that as a lie.

We jumped in a tuk tuk and met the majority of the group in a restaurant where I was immediately force fed a beer and awkwardly introduced to everyone at the table. Shortly afterwards we were fist pumping to some heavy tunes, licking salt off each others hands (ok maybe that was just me) and laughing like we’d known each other for years.

Sally

If I told you the things that happened that night you wouldn’t believe me.

We saw, and fueled, a massive dance battle between a 13 year old local girl and some random tourist who I’m pretty sure was a professional b-boy. They are absolutely tearing it up while about 50 people look on, yelling encouragement and voicing their amazement at these moves. Next minute some guy dressed all in white jumps in and does a backflip. Where else does that happen?!

The clubs are all open and security is loose, so everyone from all the different clubs just dance and mingle in the street outside each respective venue. The music is clashing and the drinks are in street-friendly plastic cups but it’s just heavenly and free. I met an older man who was wearing knee high women’s socks and denim short shorts, who handed me a note that just said ‘Jeff”. I had my hair done by a local who just decided my current hairstyle wasn’t working for me and needed improving. We played games in the street until the early AM, until we were ready for bed and my stomach had a hot date with a Cambodian toilet bowl.

A couple of days later our resident traveller and English legend, Dan, would get so reckless in Pub Street he did the worm in the street and started a flash mob. Both of which became ongoing jokes throughout the entire trip and vivid memories I will cherish forever.

Why does this matter on a tour?

Although these experiences and Pub Street might not seem that amazing from your point of view, this place was pinnacle to my experience with Hands on Journeys as it set the tone for the entire trip. I made memories with these fantastic people who everyone opened up and were perfectly and unashamedly themselves. When considering travelling in a group you might worry that you won’t like the other people, or they might not like you, so it was a huge relief to me, personally, that I could jump off a plane and into this group of people who were so open to having fun and doing stupid things as I am.

Although we encountered a huge variety of experiences together during our trip, for me it was that first night on Pub Street that brought me together with this group and I will forever be grateful to, and fondly remember our Pub Street.

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