Most Inspirational Moment
I spent months fretting about the logistics of this trip but it honestly turned out to be the best travel experience of my life. I'm a bit of a stresshead when it comes to long haul travel so the logistics of packing, buying air tickets, fear of forgetting bike kit were all very real. But from the second my wife and I landed at Bangkok to be met by our Tour Leader, Seen, my fears slowly evaporated so that by the end of the fortnight I was ready to book next year's adventure as a season cycling traveller (maybe). Who knows where that will take us? If I had to pick an inspirational moment it was when most of the 15-strong group met up for the first time in the hotel bar and I quickly realised they were all different and all lovely… a viewpoint confirmed slightly more with every day we spent with each other. By the end there were a lot of sad goodbyes - hopefully au revoirs – as everyone headed their separate ways. Proof that people, just as much if not more than places, make the greatest memories. The places were incredible too, but perhaps the highlight was cycling through small Vietnamese villages to be greeted by chorus of "hellos" from the small children who ran to the roadside whether at school or their man-made homes. They had very little but gave us everything in terms of a welcome. A lesson for the materialistic west. Perhaps the real beauty of the trip was how different each country felt. From the unfussy charm of Thailand and its wonderful cuisine to the roadside monkeys and insect (tarantula deep fried if you want to know) takeaway stalls of Cambodia as well as breathtaking temples which photography couldn't truly capture. Then on to a 'homestay' plus mozzie nets on Vietnam's Mekong Delta with rice paper making, snake wine for lead in your pencil and some of the most beautiful palm tree laden hamlets you'll ever experience. Most inspiring moment really is an impossible question. The trip was like a memory montage of views, interactions and laughter - lots of laughter – as we saw 'different world' situations that just don't happen in boring Blighty. Pub Street in Siem Reap with its countless bars and a particularly wonderful restaurant our Tour Guide took us to – we ate as a group almost every night, a testament to how close-knit we were – karaoke venues that weren't, bars that weren't (use your 'made our excuses and left' imagination), wonderful lunches for £3 a head, sundowners on our hotel's rooftop bar in Phnom Penh, a meal in Cambodia with the noisest chairs you'll ever hear, street markets where one of our number considered taking crabs back to the UK (and by all accounts tried)… and if fish farms are your thing, you'll die happy here (possibly). On the flip side, the Killing Fields and S-21 prison were sobering reminders of man's inhumanity to man, brought even more startlingly to life at the end of the torture centre tour when we were introduced to one of the child survivors now an elderly man with memories of the wrong kind. The Cu Chi Tunnels and Vietnam War Museum at our final destination of Saigon merely emphasised the contrast between the horrors that this part of SE Asia has witnessed and the jaw-dropping beauty of the place. Great to see that the former hasn't tarnished forever or broken the spirit of its wonderful and special people. If I had to pick a single moment it would probably be seeing the sun rise over Angkor Wat. I had the pictures to prove it although sadly my camera wiped them. In reality bed was too attractive a proposition after a string of 7-8am starts, but our oldest friends Mark and Sian who braved it, said it was a wonderful experience. Being facetious aside, I'd honestly say the warm welcome almost everywhere we went was my highlight among a constellation of memories.
Thoughts on Group Leader
I don't really know where to start in describing Seen other than to say he was absolutely incredible from start to finish of our tour. Seen is a credit not only to himself but also as an ambassador for your company and was – I don't think this is overegging it – loved by all 15 members of our group. This was my first time on a trip like this so I was nervous and apprehensive before arriving, but had I known how it would all go under the watchful eye of Seen I needn't have worried. He met my wife and I at the airport with a wonderful smile and I knew instantly that he would provide us with the reassurance we needed. He didn't disappoint on that front. By the time we arrived in Vietnam he was effectively considered one of the group, but always maintained a professional stance while remaining friendly and - most importantly - fun throughout. He was the go-to man in all three countries to the extent that when the local guides stepped in some of the group joked "they're great but they're not our real dad". Seen was kind and attentive and extremely knowledgeable about all aspects of the heritage, history and religion of all three countries - and above all he was constantly calm, putting the satisfaction of our group ahead of his own needs all day, every day. Even when the local tour guides took centre stage he was always there, attentively looking after our every need. Importantly he also 'got' the sometimes dry and sometimes satirical sense of humour of the group. He had a great understanding of British sarcasm and chipped on when it was right. A real skill that showed empathy and understanding of his audience. When we all got home many people left messages on the Whatsapp group saying they'd been out for a ride but had found it difficult… without Seen. He made a great trip unforgettable and I and the rest of the group still miss him, but intend to struggle through to next March and try to get the band together again - as long as he's our leader.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Book an Exodus trip. Based on my initial nervousness, I'd say: Absolutely everything was taken care of from the communications at the start to amazing snack stops and a support vehicle was a constant reassurance. I took my own pedals which I found quite handy - I just needed to switch into trainers for temple stops which was easy. Some people took gel seats for their bike and said they were worth their weight in gold but I used standard bib shorts and didn't have any issues. US dollars are pretty much all you need apart from say £40 in Thai Baht and £30 in Dong PLUS a Revolut card. Last piece of advice - if you're thinking about it, don't. Just do it. Life's too short.