We're at it again!

HopeAsia cares for some of the poorest and most vulnerable children in the world. Having said that, they are also some of the happiest and most joyful that you could ever hope to meet!

When we first came across the home in Cambodia in 2007 it was little more than a shack on the edge of the jungle. Amongst many projects we have built dormitories, a school room, kitchen and storehouse and a water tower to provide running water for more than 60 children who now live at the home.

In 2012 we were introduced to some amazing people in Myanmar (Burma) who were caring for about 30 children with virtually no resources. As the country has started to emerge from 50 years of isolation we have been able to replace temporary bamboo and bare earthed buildings that regularly flooded with a wonderful new home that provides rooms to sleep and study in, a dining hall and kitchen. We also provide extra lessons for all the children and others from the local community.

Most of these things are merely infrastructure. What is more important is that we have provided places of safety and loving care for children where they are fed, educated and cherished. Without this care they would be on the streets at the mercy of child traffickers and other criminals.

Funding these buildings and covering the significant day to day running costs has only been possible through the very generous contributions we receive. We never take from donations to cover expenses: every single penny goes to help the children. We are immensely grateful to everyone who has partnered with us to date in making a very big difference to some small, and very special, lives.

Our previous cycle challenges in 2010, 2012 and 2014 have been incredibly successful ways to raise considerable sums of money for capital projects at the orphanages in both Cambodia and Myanmar. They are also great fun and participants always tell us that they are the trip of a lifetime!

Myanmar Cycle Adventure 2016

Next year we are planning to return to Myanmar where tourism, let alone charity cycling is still in its infancy. We are teaming up with the same companies that organised our previous trips so have every confidence that the organisation and support will be excellent.

We will be starting in Yangon (previously known as Rangoon) where we will visit the youngsters at the children’s home, as well as the stunning Shwedagon Pagoda. We then fly north to Bagan where our 360km cycle challenge will begin as we head into the rural countryside and the plains pf the Ayerwaddy River towards the former colonial centre of Mandalay.

We will witness some amazing scenery seeing life as it really is in rural Myanmar. It will be a unique experience trip and will take place between 22nd and 30th October 2016 (timed to coincide with half term to enable anyone working in schools to come along). We are hoping to send a team of between 15 and 20 so are actively looking for volunteers now! The cycling is designed to be challenging but not something for which you need to be super-fit and a keen cyclist to achieve.

Typical cycling distances for a day are up to 50 miles. In the past we have had people aged from 17 to 70 taking part, some train for months and others do none (we strongly recommend training!). We often say that the biggest challenge is the fundraising beforehand as we ask each participant to raise at least £2,750.

There are a variety of funding options which we would be happy to discuss with you if you are interested. Launching the ride now gives you over a year to plan both your training and your fundraising events. If you are interested, or know someone who might be, please get in touch now by contacting Chris Norris (ca.norris@btinternet.com , 07717 511481) or Crispin Fairbairn (crispin@fairbairn.email)

If you would like to see more information on our previous cycling trips you can visit the tour blogs at:

http://burmacycle2014.blogspot.co.uk/

http://chrisnorriscycle.blogspot.com/

Ben does Burma. The official tour video!!

 

The perfect record of the trip - filmed on GoPro, produced and edited by Ben.

 

 

This is London Calling.....

"A journey is best measured in friends rather than miles" - Tim Cahill

And as we all collected our baggage from the carousel after an uneventful flight, the warmth of the farewells suggests that by any account this was a most excellent journey.

The stop over in Bangkok was a opportunity for at least some of us to indulge our western taste buds.  If Gemma and Kirsty's faces were happy with a cheese and ham toasty in Yangon for lunch,  they were positively ecstatic with a whopper and fries in Bangkok for dinner!

Stef fulfilled her final duty of the trip without mishap - getting the 17 of us to gate E4 and on the Thai Air 747-400 that will see us all the away to London.

Once aboard supper and sleep came easily to all of us, I think.  The pre-landing announcements signalled our imminent arrival into London - overcast and 16° is slightly different to what we've been used to over the past week!

Just the short ride to Reading on the Railair coach now, and then the lovely anticipation of seeing Helen and the boys.

So, time to sign off. Over the next few days I'll update the blog with photos and videos so do keep reading. Thanks to all my fellow adventurers for such a wonderful experience. We all come back with so many memories I'm sure they'll keep us going for a good few days yet.

What a privilege to see such an extraordinary country in such a unique way, and to help those little lives in the process.

The final leg...

Just waiting to board TG 910 to London. Nearly home!

Happy in Bangkok

Day Seven: The reason for it all

For some Friday merged seamlessly into Saturday.  

For others the process was a little messy,  but at 1000 bags were packed for the last time. Its quite a military enterprises getting ready each day, packing day packs and suitcases. On this final occasion there was no need to carefully segregate the fetid pile of dirty cycle gear from the clean clothes. Washing machines back home be warned: you don't know what's about to hit you!

Our faithful bus takes us to the centre of the town and the Bogyoke Aung San Market where we have an opportunity to stroll, barter and shop.

After coffee and lunch at a very civilised coffee bar,

 we board the bus to visit the purpose of all our our fundraising, sweating and endurance: the Hosanna Children's Home.

 Wearing our Hope Asia t-shirts we leap off the bus in the middle of a busy, dusty suburb and are met by Pastor Va.  He walks with us to the home and we can immediately see the results of the generous donations we've raised: the perimeter wall, nearing completion.

 (The Pastor later explained that when the home itself was built - by hope Asia two years ago,  the impression was that the community were wealthy,  so need the extra security.)

It was a moving two hours of singing,

playing and reflection on the love and security these children receive, when otherwise they would have had such a blighted future. I was struck by Pastor Va's words, encouraging them to work hard so they can go out into the world to become teachers, doctors lawyers. The youngest child, a toddler of two in a little yellow vest runs round to each of us handing us cool water bottles. He was found abandoned in rags by the side of the road.

Our time was all too quickly over.  High fiving and shaking hands we reluctantly say good bye,  and board our bus to make the short journey to the airport.

Day Six cont'd: Time to Party

We arrived back at the Hotel Clover in good time, in spite of the ludicrous Yangon traffic,  a by product of the progress here.  Previously the tax on imported cars was punitive and trade sanctions meant that new cars couldn't be imported anyway. For years visitors commented on the ancient rust buckets held together with tape, string and wire. Now those are almost all gone: the roads are packed with cars, the infrastructure failing to keep up with progress.

It didn't seem possible that a week had passed since we were in the same lobby, tired from the long journey from home and filled with nervous excitement. Now the perception of comfort and familiarity were surely an indication of the many experiences we have had in such a short time.

A rendezvous at 1945 was preceded by a drink at the bar next door,  decked out for Halloween and the drinks served by a couple who seemed to be taking their fancy dress rather too seriously!

We had dinner at a downtown restaurant called Monsoon.  Clearly a popular expat choice as two previous visitors to Yangon had been taken there on their previous trip. We had the chance to toast our guides and support team: Wallace, Coffee, Longman and the rest of the crew and driver thanking them for the incredible insight to this remarkable country they have given us.

And of course we thanked the remarkable Stef, our wonderful tour lead.  After three HopeAsia trips the personal bond between the charity, Crispin and many of us on the trip is a testimony to her amazing and unparalleled skills in helping people to enjoy a challenge of this nature when they are stretched well beyond their comfort zone. Any future endeavours will never quite be the same without her.

We also bade a fond farewell to Lisa, Rachel, Alan and Marc who have an early morning departure to Bagan tomorrow. No bikes for them - just a hot air balloon ride!

For some bed called, for others a chance to witness a side of the colonial history of the country with a happy hour cocktail or three at The Strand Hotel. The night of celebration was only just beginning.

For some the rest of the night is a blur, and not just because of the breakneck speed and erratic driving of the taxis back to the hotel.