Run Amok with Sunrise Cambodia

Transcription

1 Run Amok with Sunrise Cambodia TRIP HIGHLIGHTS See Sunrise Cambodia s projects in action with personal tours from Sunrise staff and Founder, Geraldine Cox AM Cycle the world famous temples of Siem Reap and watch the Sunrise over Angkor Wat Paddle the floating village of Mechrey, ride an ox cart through the community and experience life with the people Sunrise supports Heat things up in the kitchen with Sunrise hospitality students cooking traditional Khmer delights Experience a culture and history so rich you ll never want to leave, local English speaking guides Escape the world you know for a country with a history both inspiring and challenging on a trip for the heart and soul days 5 incredible projects 1 country you ll never forget A whole lot of adventure... SUNRISE CAMBODIA Sunrise Cambodia is a world-class charity working on the ground in Cambodia to give much-needed help to at-risk kids, struggling families and poor communities in some of the most poverty-stricken provinces of the country. Sunrise began in the early 1990s when a South Australian fifty year old named Geraldine Cox took in a group of orphans she found fending for themselves near the Thai border. These were some of the orphaned grandchildren from Pol Pot s murderous regime. Geraldine became Mum to Many as she took in street kids, orphans and the disabled to give them good food, a place to sleep, an education and lots of love. Now, with the need so great, Sunrise has expanded to help schools and communities in impoverished rural regions. Your fundraising donations will pay for desperately needed programs and infrustructre in Cambodia.

2 ITINERARY AT A GLANCE Day 1 Welcome to Siem Reap and Sunrise Angkor project Day 2 Sunrise at Angkor Wat and cycle temple complex Day 3 Kayak the famous floating villages and visit community projects Day 4 Siem Reap social enterprise cooking classes Day 5 Discover Phnom Penh Day 6 Dark history and a bright future at community projects Day 7 Play soccer with champions at Sunrise Kampong Speu Day 8 Explore Sihanoukville and have cocktails with Big Mum Day 9 Meet the original Sunrise project in the heart of Kandal WHAT IS INCLUDED? I was blown away by the generosity of family and friends back home. Then to see how far those funds go in Cambodia - it s so rewarding. Dana, RunAmok nights accommodation twin share (single room available at extra cost) A full-time English speaking guide from Sunrise Cambodia 10 breakfasts, 8 lunches and 5 dinners Phare Circus experience Kayak equipmenent for kayaking on Tonle Sap lake Bicycles and bike mechanic for cycling Angkor complex Sightseeing and entry fees to sites including Angkor Wat Cooking class with Mday Thom hospitality trainees Private airconditioned transport and daily water All tips to drivers and tour guides WHAT S NOT? Return airfare to Siem Reap exiting from home city 10 day travel insurance Tourist visa on entry Any meals not including in the program Alcoholic beverages not specified and entertainment out side of the program Please note: all costs associated with travel to and from Cambodia are borne by participants. Airfares and travel insurance must be finalised by 1 October 2017 and ed to: hq@sunrisecambodia.org.au 2017 Sunrise Cambodia - Page 2

3 DETAILED ITINERARY ARRIVAL Participants will make their own way to Siem Reap arriving on 16 November 2017 at the latest. Airport transfers and welcome will be coordinated upon receipt of participants travel confirmations. Accommodation on the evening of 16 November is included and details will be relayed closer to the date of departure. DAY 1 17 NOVEMBER SIEM REAP THE BASICS Travel dates 17 November - 26 November 2017 Participants MUST arrive in Siem Reap no later than 16 November Group size Visas 30 day tourist visas to be obtained on arrival Vaccinations recommended - please consult a travel doctor Acommodation 3-4 star gueshouses with western style amenities but plenty of local flavour Singles Single accommodation available please contact us for costs Cost $1,500 expenses per person ($200 registration fee included and is non-refundable). Flights booked at pariticpant s expense. Raise a MINIMUM of $5000, which is the fundraising component. Meet as a group for an 8am breakfast. After breakfast depart for Sunrise Angkor by Tuk Tuk and be welcomed by Sunrise staff. Tour around the centre s grounds and become aquainted with the organisation. Lunch at Sunrise Angkor and informal time with kids. In the afternoon, celebrate Deng Kun gratitude to sponsors and donors for their kind support to children through Sunrise Cambodia. Enjoy talking, dancing and free time with the kids in the afternoon. In the evening enjoy a show and dinner at Phare Circus, a unique show combining dance, theartre, live music and circus that supports the NGO school and professional arts training center Phare Ponleu Selpak in Battambang. DAY 2 18 NOVEMBER SIEM REAP Get an early start to experience the magic of sunrise at Angkor Wat. Enjoy a picnic breakfast (yes, including coffee!) on the temple lawns before heading off to explore one of the most incredible archeological sites in the world. Angkor Wat is dedicated to Vishnu, the supreme god of Hinduism and was built in the early twelfth century by Suryavarman II. The temple is regarded as a masterpiece of art and Khmer architecture. Explore the other temples by bicycle with a guide and have lunch at a local restaurant on site. Return to your hotel by bus for a rest in the afternoon and a free evening for shopping, massages, markets and dinner of your own choice. DAY 3 19 NOVEMBER SIEM REAP After breakfast, depart by bus to Tonle Sap Lake and kayak out to the famous floating villages of Mechrey. See the Sunrise water filtration system that provides clean water to 1,200 people in surrounding villages and meet the people who benefit from this project. Enjoy a packed lunch on an island before kayaking back to shore. Next, visit the local villages and meet reunified kids who are back living with their families and communities. Ask them questions about the 2017 Sunrise Cambodia - Page 3

4 reunification process and what it s like living in a Cambodian community. Take an oxcart ride through the villages and observe every day life from the ground level before heading back to your hotel for an evening of your choice with free dinner. DAY 4 20 NOVEMBER SIEM REAP After breakfast, enjoy some free time relaxing by the pool or exploring Siem Reap. Take an Ashtanga yoga or meditation class at Peace Café (one of the longest running yoga schools in town) or explore deeper into the magnificent Angkor ruins. The beautiful Siem Reap is your oyster; there is always something new to do or see. ACTIVITIES Run Amok is a travel adventure that involves plenty of action. Cycling and kayaking are both optional, but walking is not: you must be moderately fit and able to stay on your feet in the heat in order to keep up with the group. If you re not sure if your health and fitness are up to the task, get in touch at hq@sunrisecambodia and we ll help you out WHAT TO PACK Comfortable walking shoes Wet weather gear Clothes for physical activities A helmet (to be gifted to kids in Siem Reap on departure) Sunscreen and hat Mosquito repellant Bandaids and panadol (guide will be travelling with first aid kit for anything more serious than blisters or headaches) After lunch return to the hotel and enjoy an hour or two of relaxation to mentally and physically prepare for the next challenge - My Kitchen Rules, Khmer style! Cook up a storm in the kitchen at Mday Thom Cafe and Training Centre. Mday Thom means Big Mum and this Sunrise social enterprise trains young adults to have the skills they need to make it in the real world. Cook up a feast with Mday Thom trainees then enjoy your culinary sensation while watching a traditional music and dance performance from teens at Sunrise Angkor. DAY 5 21 NOVEMBER PHNOM PENH Get cracking early and meet for a 7am breakfast before travelling by airconditioned coach to Phnom Penh. Arrive at the capital in time for lunch with the National Sunrise Team and hear from the country director about the big plans for the future of Sunrise Cambodia. Check in to your hotel and then head out to explore this incredible city in the late afternoon. Visit the Royal Palace and walk around the famous waterfront area watching school kids and gradmas doing their afternoon exercise in the open waterfront parks, then head off to do your own thing in the evening (with dining tips from your guide if needed). DAY 6 22 NOVEMBER PHNOM PENH After breakfast at the hotel, your group will go straight to communities that Sunrise supports. Visit Kmnor Thor, or Hope village. See the bridge that saved a community, witness life on the rubbish dump and the hope and joy of Mamma s Daycare and Learning Centre. Have lunch in Takmao before returning to Phnom Penh. Now it s time to witness the brutal recent history that many of the people of this Cambodia have lived through. Visit the Killing Fields and S21 Museum with a guide. This afternoon will be hard. It will be emotional. But it s essentially to understanding the true perseverance of these courageous people. In the evening, celebrate the hope of the next generation by dining at Friends International social enterprise restaurant and support the budding adults of the future Sunrise Cambodia - Page 4

5 COUNTRY The Kingdom of Cambodia is located in the sourthern peninsular of Indochina. The population of Cambodia is approximately 16M, 95% of these people practice Theravada Buddhism and the national language is Khmer. HISTORY In 802 AD, Jayavarman II declared himself king, beginning the Khmer Empire which flourished for over 600 years. ThisKingdom spread Hinduism, then Buddhism to much of Southeast Asia. After the empire fell in the 15th century, a reduced and weakened Cambodia was then ruled as a vassal state by its neighbours. In 1863 Cambodia became a protectorate of France. Cambodia gained independence from the French in 1953 before the King was deposed in The Khmer Rouge took the country in 1975 and what followed was one of the most brutal regimes the world has seen. The Khmer Rouge tried to turn back the country to Year Zero and build an agrarian society through brutal social engineering policies that saw over a quarter of the population murdered of starved. In 1979 the Khmer Rouge were ousted by Vietnam and the Vietnamese-backed People s Republic of Kampuchea in the Cambodian Vietnamese War. Following the 1991 Paris Peace Accords, Cambodia was governed briefly by a United Nations mission who withdrew after holding elections. The 1997 coup placed power solely in the hands of Prime Minister Hun Sen and the Cambodian People s Party, who are the longest serving leaders in South East Asia and are still in power today. DAY 7 23 NOVEMBER KAMPONG SPEU It s an early start again this morning, but the destination is definitely worthwhile: visit Kampong Speu, true community development in action. The Sunrise Kampong Speu centre focuses on a wholesome approach to education and advancement: providing free education to up to 600 students from the local area and mentoring local teachers and families about the importance of education for their kid s futures. Meet with the program director, the school principle, teachers and students to understand more about their daily operations, work and study. Hope you brought your runners, because you re about the hit the field - with 3 national soccer champions no less! After your loss (sorry, these girls are amazing), have lunch with the kids and teachers at Kampong Speu before heading out to meet the locals. Visit the family who will be receiving a new house thanks to your amazing fundraising and see how community developement gets people ahead. Jump back on the bus for Otres Beach near Sihanoukville, the beachside tourism hub. It s been a long day, so you deserve a nice relaxing massage with Seeing Hands a social enterprise that trains site-impaired Khmer to be top-notch masseurs. Then, the evening is yours. We recommend a delicious seafood dinner right on the beach, but the choice is yours. DAY 8 24 NOVEMBER PHNOM PENH Enjoy a beachside breakfast before heading inland to the Sihanoukville project. This centre previously provided housing and education to HIV affected children, but due to success, it now stands empty. Hear from Sunrise staff about big plans for this empty centre before heading back to town for lunch before you re back on the bus to the capital. Check in to your hotel to freshen up before donning your best cocktail dress or tux (or something a little less formal) for a cocktail evening with Big Mum herself. Meet Geraldine Cox for drinks and nibbles in downtown Phnom Penh. Hear about the capital in the 60 s and the path Geraldine walked to get where she is today. DAY 9 25 NOVEMBER PHNOM PENH Take the morning slowly for once: have a relaxing breakfast and head out site-seeing, exploring or snapping up bargains at the Russian markets - soak in everything Phnom Penh has to offer. Meet back at the hotel after lunch for a trip out to the original Sunrise - Sunrise Kandal. Meet the kids who live and study here and join them for some activities, a game or two and a good old chat. Tour the classrooms, art rooms, music room and library and hear about what the future will bring. For dinner, you get the royal treatment - dinner at Geraldine s house. The house itself was gifted by Prime Minister Hun Sen and is just out the back of the residential care facility. Enjoy dinner, some drinks and musical performance by some of the local musicians that live here Sunrise Cambodia - Page 5

6 DAY NOVEMBER END OF TRIP PRESENT DAY Present day Cambodia faces challenges. There is widespread poverty and corruption, lack of freedoms, low rates of education and high rates of hunger. Per capita income remains low for the region but Cambodia has one of the fastest growing economies in Asia. Agriculture remains the dominant economic sector, with strong growth in textiles, construction, garments, and tourism leading to increased foreign investment and international trade. The country is still recovering from state sanctioned mass murder that whiped out a generation of leaders, educators and builders and the youth are the future. We cannot always build a future for our youth, but we can always build our youth for the future Wake up to a new day and know you gave Run Amok 17 the best of you. The trip is over now and participants can return home or continue on their travels with tired feet, a full suitcase and a head full of memories! KEY DATES NOW 20 JUNE 1 SEPTEMBER 1 OCTOBER 16 NOVEMBER 17 NOVEMBER Secure your spot by completing the registration form available online and paying the registration fee today, then start fundraising! Make your first travel payment of $800 Submit your first fundraising component of $1,000 Make your final travel payment of $500 + have flights and travel insurance booked and sent to us along with a photocpy of your passport Submit next fundraising component (either $2,500 or the full amount) You re off! Franklin D. Roosevelt CONDITIONS OF TRAVEL 1. All participants must be aged 18 or over or accompanied by a parent or guardian. 2. All costs associated with travel to and from Cambodia are borne by the participant. Run Amok begins at 8am 17 November 2017 at the Angkor Paradise Hotel in Siem Reap. Participants who are not in the designated place by this time may forfeit their trip payment unless advanced warning is given of delays. 3. Dietary requirements can only be catered for if sufficient notice is given (1 month ahead of departure). If no information is provided regarding dietary requirments, Sunrise Cambodia will do our best to cater to your requirements but you may be required to pay an additional fee for special meals. 4. All participants must read and sign the Sunrise Cambodia Child Protection Policy and Code of Conduct before visiting Sunrise facilities. Failure to sign and obey the Code of Conduct may result in the immediate termination of your participation in Run Amok. 5. All participants are required to purchase their own travel insurance and provide Sunrise Cambodia with a photocopy before 1 October Sunrise Cambodia is not liable for any illness or injury incurred during Run Amok. If participants do not feel of adequate health or fitness to complete an activity they are advised to inform the group leader and an alternative activity will be provided if available. 6. The fundraising component for Run Amok is compulsory. 75% of the final target must be submitted to Sunrise Cambodia by the appropriate method by the time of departure with the final 25% due by 31 December We reserve the right to change, update of modify any part of the itinerary based on need. 8. Cancellation must be received in writing more than 70 days out of the trip for a 100% refund of your travel costs (not including your registration fee). Any Cancellation after this time will forfeit all fees. 8. Your cooperation is neccessary during the lead up to the trip and during the trip itself. If Sunrise Cambodia finds you to be uncooperative or violent in any manner, your position in Run Amok may be 2017 Sunrise Cambodia - Page 6