Day 4 - Orange Gangnam Style at New Hope for Cambodian Childrens HIV orphanage

Team Itinerary Overview
Phnom Penh to Kampong Speu
New Hope For Cambodia Children’s Orphanage

Activity
Volunteering & dancing at DISCO NIGHT
Team Spirit: Excited
Overnight: School camp 'dorm style' at New Hope orphanage

Making a mark

There was a sense of excitement and cautious anticipation heading on the bus from Phnom Penh to the New Hope for Cambodian Children’s Orphanage.

Pakenham hairdresser Suellen Conway pulled out the hair chalk to apply subtle colours, hoping to make an impression on the children. By the time Graeme Moore was summonsed to the ‘salon chair’ Brian Paynter had assumed control. Holding the councillor’s head like one of the beasts he handled during uni work at the local abattoirs, he soon had Graeme’s moustache looking like a rainbow. “I feel violated,” Graeme said afterwards. “Does my travel insurance cover this?”

We had sought to make our mark, but by the time we left, the kids in this wonderful place had clearly left their mark on us.

Texan couple John and Kathy Tucker started New Hope in 2002 hoping to help 10 kids. There were 300 orphanages in Phnom Penh at the time and none of them took HIV children. New Hope now has 300 children who are happier and healthier than many outside the orphanage walls.

Twelve have gone on to university and there are another six in vocational training.

John and Kathy have seven children and 12 grandchildren of their own. John was a successful businessman who married his secretary – “my sweetheart,” he calls her. They had the big house on the hill got to the empty nester stage of their lives and made the decision to sell up and move overseas to help others.

“We call it Our Village, because they are our kids,” John explained to the team. “We have never turned away a sick kid.”

The operation has benefited from John’s business acumen. He is able to generate $100,000 a year through the volunteer program, where people pay to offer their services, a broiler operation, where his chickens lay eggs that are sold to local hotels and he also has a pig breeding operation.

“That is a fifth of our income, so we rely on others for 80 per cent of what we do,” he explained.

The Bill Clinton Foundation is a major benefactor, paying for the medicine the children must have twice daily – 6am and 6pm – to keep them alive. “HIV is not a death sentence any more. If the kids are medicated they can live healthy and normal lives.”

A few of the kids are sponsored and John would like to step that program up – and he had 22 orange-clad Australians firmly in his sights.

Papa John, as the kids call him, has a delightfully dry wit and endearing character.

Some signed up straight away. Others took a pamphlet back to sort it out at home.

Shanae ‘Shorty’ Brooks vowed to give up smoking when she returned and use the money she saves to sponsor a child.

John is also trying to attract teachers from Australia and New Zealand spending a year’s sabbatical teaching English and had our resident teacher Krista Tomlinson firmly in his sights. “I’ll be working on you,” he warned.

After unpacking and moving into the dorms, we were summonsed to lunch. The complex is divided into different coloured clusters. We were split into groups and assigned a cluster, enjoying the hospitality of the care givers and eating with the children.

The boys went to yellow cluster and portly scribe Garry Howe was an immediate hit. His large stomach was a source of fascination. Kids wanted to either rub it for luck or punch it. One put his ear up to hear what was inside. “You have baby,” one said. Another: “You Santa.”

Fortunately, Graeme Moore arrived to deflect some of the attention with his multi-coloured moustache. The kids flocked to the councillor, who responded by asking if any of them could vote!

Ross Cheesewright, ever organised, was punching the names of the kids into his phone so he would remember them. Ever courteous, he also incurred the wrath of the care givers for trying to help do the dishes.

After lunch it was on to the soccer field and basketball court. James Wynne displayed deft touch in the round ball game but the kids ran rings around most of the others. Team Orange fared a little better at the hoops, giving the kids a bit of a lesson. Cath Zulian earned wide acclaim for single-handedly holding down the defensive post. All the others sought goal glory.

Alison McHenry discovered photos of every child in the visitor’s centre in cluster order and a book profiling all the children’s stories. She had a long talk to Kathy about each child in her cluster. “Kathy pointed to each child and could recite how each of the children came to be here,” Alison said. “She is mum to them all.” They both ended up crying.

 

 A tour of the complex by Papa John showed us a new shed, recently donated to the orphanage by Mandi Herauville from Narre Warren South, a member of the first Windermere Adventure Challenge to Cambodia. When returning home, Mandi set about filling a container full of donations, including the shed, and having it shipped over.

After the tour, we were asked to meet at the new dance hall. With a magnificent mural of Angkor Wat as a backdrop, the kids put on a performance in traditional dress. John and Kathy were beaming with pride. “It brings a tear to my eye,” John said. “Some of these kids were carried in here.”

Then it was our turn. Graeme Moore and Geoff Bainbridge had engaged the boys in yellow cluster over lunch with an interactive pantomime song Little Cottage in the Woods. They invited some of the boys up on stage and performed, hand actions and all. Clearly impressed, Papa John asked the whole room to stand and soon everyone was doing it. A magical moment and made even more admirable by the fact that Graeme was suffering from heat stroke and felt the effects shortly afterwards. You can’t keep a good man down and by morning he was dressed in the full clown suit entertaining the kids as they left for school.

The Windermere team came bearing gifts. Pakenham 85-year-old Audrey Pearson had run into co-team leader Ann Selby in the pool one day and learned of the trip. She said she wanted to donate gifts to the children in the orphanage, thinking there would only be a few dozen. When told there were 300, she was not perturbed and set about filling two suitcases of individually wrapped gifts – one for boys and one for girls.

The children were lined up – youngest to oldest – and accepted their gift from members of the team. They were so orderly, respectful and appreciative.

Ann Selby had an emotional moment. She had struck a rapport with Vanda when visiting as part of the first Challenge in 2011 and the family had reconnected with her when Ann’s son Brodie visited the orphanage in January. Vanda recognised Ann when getting off the bus from school, she ran over and they embraced. “I lost it a bit then,” she smiled. “She is such a beautiful girl.”

After dinner, it was back to the dance hall for the weekly disco. Normally it is held on a Saturday, but was put off to Sunday in our honour. What a night - a lot of noise, colour and movement; dancing, singing, laughing and smiles.

The two Brookes – Tomlinson and Hayward – had taken team members through the moves of Gangham Style so we had something to contribute. The kids loved it, but clearly outdid us with the moves.

Some team members brought along photos of their families. The kids loved them and most carried them around all night.

Suellen Conway and Brian Paynter set up a makeshift hair salon – applying different coloured hair chalk to the children. “I enjoyed bringing some of my life to the kids,” Suellen said. “Taking a photo of their colour highlights and seeing their face light up.”

John and Kathy said they can guage the engagement with visitors by the noise from the disco and said that our night was three times the normal level. “You have been a great group.”

Eva best summed up the sentiment from the orange-clad visitors.

“There is no sense of pity, although it would be great if they had a mum and dad to tuck them in at night, but I can’t imagine them being in a better place.” Well said Eva.

Thoughts on the orphanage experience:

Olivia Lyon

The orphanage experience was emotional, fun and eye opening. It made me realise how lucky my kids are but by the same token it’s great to see that these children are being cared for in the best possible way. A highlight for me was when the kids got so excited to see my family photos. I ended up giving them away.

Samantha Smith

It was so good to see them dance as if there is nothing wrong. As children, I think they are much happier than most of the kids back home.

Ross Cheesewright

This is a very happy place… unexpectedly so. I haven’t had a tear all day. I didn’t expect it to be such a positive experience. When we gave out the lucky dips one of the kids got a bag of jellybeans, which he immediately shared with his friends. They don’t get a lot, yet he was happy to share.

Brian Paynter

This place is what made me come back to do the Challenge again. They are beautiful kids and have such a great time. The second time here was even better.

Simon Crowe

It was great seeing all the different age groups and how they co-exist the way they do. There is some sort of hierarchy there, but seeing the way they act is like one big family. John’s character and humour was a highlight. He is not a purist, very practical and his dry wit brings it into perspective.

Suellen Conway

It’s not like an orphanage, more like a village. Even though the children are orphans, they seem to have mother figures in their lives through the care givers and John and Kathy. The older children look after the younger ones. There is a lot of love there.

Catherine Zulian

I saw two little girls at the swings, went up to talk to them and showed them photos. One was my daughter in a wedding dress, which no-one is supposed to see yet, but I don’t suppose that matters over here. Well after that those two girls went everywhere I did. My highlight was making that friendship, although the dancing was pretty good as well.

Brooke Tomlinson

They are adorable, spirited and energetic children - I just love them – they are beautiful and full of life. My favourite part was handing out the lucky dips. They were so grateful for the tiniest of gifts.

Krista Tomlinson

It’s indescribable really. The rapport you can build with the kids in just an hour is amazing. They are so friendly and so socialised. You see photos of them jumping on people and think that they must have known them for a while. They have genuine affection and interest and are so grateful for the interaction.

James Wynne

This is nothing like I have experienced in my life. There is a real sense of joy and happiness here, you wouldn’t know any of them are sick. It’s my favourite part of the trip. I felt like a bit of a celebrity.

Meleea Wood

A heart-warming experience. It is remarkable what John and Kathy have achieved in such a small time. It makes you realise how little you do yourself in that regard.

Brooke Hayward

I loved seeing how excited the kids were when we got to play Santa and seeing how grateful they were for such small gifts.

Alison McHenry

My Initial thoughts coming here was that it would be sad and depressing. Now that I am here it is uplifting and inspirational. It’s all about the children for me. To see them looking  healthy, happy, clean and fed I can walk away now not depressed or upset, but inspired to do something on a yearly basis to help them.

Cath Sharp

This is beautiful and a much bigger operation than I thought. The disco was just awesome, I was so impressed at their talent for dancing.

Shanae Brooks

I loved doing the dance for the kids and seeing Papa John’s reaction and how much it meant to them that we were here. He had his hand on his heart while we were dancing. It was beautiful.

Eva Foster

I had to keep reminding myself that the kids have HIV and live in an orphanage. There is so much love and care here and they know how to have fun. These kids are healthier than a lot of the others we are seeing as we travel around.

Graeme Moore

I got to spend some time teaching one of the kids how to play the guitar. I don’t think the thing had ever been tuned. I taught him a few chords and hope he goes on with it now. The looks on their faces when I dressed as a clown was great. My biggest disappointment was getting sick and not being able to go to the disco.

Gaylene Howe

Unfortunately I got a bit sick when we arrived and I missed Graeme’s performance. It was so lovely when Kathy came over with a bowl of chicken soup – it was like Mother Teresa came along. I wouldn’t have made the disco otherwise and that was a real highlight. I loved the orphanage last time and it was a great experience again.

Geoff Bainbridge

One word comes to mind really – love. It’s that simple. The joyous, unfetted love that exudes from the place. That word gets used a lot in our lives, but this is as raw and as honest as I have seen it. If this was a business you would talk about the culture of this place and ask how you can replicate it.

Carina Tomietto

I got quite emotional achieving what we set out to achieve by coming here – having people see the impact they can have on these children. It ticks a box for me. People were so engaged, which is what we set out to do.

Ann Selby

I got emotional when the lucky dips were given out, knowing where they came from and being involved right from the start of that process. The kids were so delighted and so polite. It was just beautiful to watch, knowing that the gifts came with love from a woman in our community.

To make a donation on behalf of your Windermere Adventure Challenge Champion CLICK HERE

For more information on New Hope for Cambodian Children’s Orphanage, visit www.newhopeforcambodianchildren.com

Garry Howe – Editor Star News Group

Carina Tomietto and Ann Selby – Windermere Adventure Team Leaders

Day 3 - Palaces, prisons and the killing fields of Cambodia

Team Itinerary Overview

Royal Palace

Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, Security Prison 21 (S-21)

Killing Field of Choeung Ek

Cycling: none!

Terrain: hot and flat
Team Spirit: interested in Cambodia's past

Overnight: Phnom Penh

WARNING: Content of today's blog may distress some readers.

Tigers don’t kill tigers

It was a largely sombre fourth day for the Windermere Adventure Challenge team as they were given an intimate insight into one of the world’s greatest modern tragedies – the murder and starvation by Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot of over two million of his countrymen from 1975 to ’79.

The tour took in the S21 Genocide Centre, a converted school where 17,000 prisoners were tortured before being taken to an old Chinese cemetery on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, brutally executed and buried in series of mass graves. It is now known as the Killing Fields.

“A tiger is a very savage beast, but tigers don’t kill tigers. Not Pol Pot, he is Khmer but killed millions of Khmer people,” said our guide Bunnareth, who was a child at the time and lost four of his direct family members in the killing spree.

  

When assuming power, the Khmer Rouge burned the markets, abolished the monetary system, tore down schools, hospitals and monuments and eliminated national culture. Cities were cleared as people were forced into rural areas, effectively to starve. Skilled people were the first on the list for execution and anyone who could impart any knowledge of the past. That’s why there are few older people visible when touring around the country. A generation was effectively wiped out.

An inscription on the wall of the Killing Fields Museum explained that the Khmer Rouge had “transformed Cambodian soil into a mountain of bones and a sea of blood driving society back to the Stone Age”.

The Challenge team went from S21 to the Killing Fields and came away with more questions than answers.

How could someone do this to his own people? Why was he allowed to die a natural death, albeit under house arrest? Why haven’t most of those responsible been brought to justice in the three decades that have passed?

The Cambodians have left S21 pretty much as it was when it was liberated in 1979, with only seven of the 17,000 that passed through its walls alive to tell the tale. Photos of the victims adorn the walls, torture equipment still sits in the cells and blood stain remains on the walls. The prisoners were not allowed to even talk back then, for fear of a conspiracy or uprising.

They are talking now though. They don’t want the world to forget the atrocities.

Tour guide Bron scuttled off to check the photos, as he does every time he comes. His aunty is up there somewhere. In the bus on the way home he shared his experience, saying his mother didn’t say a lot about that period, but did occasionally speak through unexpected tears.

Bunnareth pointed to a photo on the wall of a mother holding a baby. “He is a crazy man, Pol Pot, he kill anything. Why would he kill a baby, babies don’t know anything, they don’t talk.”

Melbourne businessman Geoff Bainbridge was fascinated by the faces staring back at us as we moved through the four blocks.

 “It’s probably not right to say this, but the photography was so brilliant, raw human emotion coming out of the images. If you saw them hanging in a gallery you would comment on how brilliant they were,” he said

Pakenham hairdresser Suellen Conway cried through most of the tour and couldn’t talk about it for a while afterwards.

  

“I just felt so sorry for the guides and their connection with the whole thing… the fact they shared their stories made it more personal.

“Looking at the photos on the wall and standing in the room where it all happened was a bit confronting, especially when you realise it wasn’t that long ago. They were not allowed any emotion. They couldn’t talk, cry, anything. It’s just so sad.”

James Wynne found it all a bit hard to comprehend.

“I haven’t heard of genocide when you kill your own people. The Nazis killed Jews, not their own people,” he mused.

“It was incredible Pol Pot was able to flee. Where’s the justice in that?”

Of the seven who survived S21, only two are still alive. One of those. Chum Mey, had a stand signing books at $10 a pop. Most in the group now own one.

After lunch, it was on to the Killing Fields and an equally confronting tour of the mass graves.

At one stage Bunnareth squatted before one of the pits and took the group through the methods used to kill the prisoners. He pointed out bone and clothing fragments protruding out of the ground.

  

There were 450 bodies found in one mass grave and 166 in another… headless. Only six months ago a farmer was excavating nearby and found another 20 bodies.

Bunnareth pointed out the branches of a sugarplum tree, which have a sharp, serrated edge and were used to cut the throats of prisoners.

Perhaps the most confronting for most was the place where soldiers picked up babies by the feet, cracked them against the tree and threw their lifeless bodies into the nearby pit. The fence around that infant mass grave is now adorned with a colourful array of bands and bracelets.

Shanae ‘Shorty’ Brookes took off her orange Windermere band and added to the collection. Thanks to Shorty, we had left our mark.

The day began on a brighter note with a trip to the Royal Palace – its magnificent buildings and pristine grounds.

Our guides came dressed for the occasion as a mark of respect. We had to comply as well. In sweltering conditions, we had to have knees and shoulders covered and shoes and hats had to be removed when entering the room full of trinkets

 

When leaving the palace, our guides deliberately kept co-team leader Carina Tomietto busy while everyone piled on the bus and they surprised her with a cake for her birthday. The day ended with another celebration for Carina’s birthday with the team at the riverside Titanic restaurant.

Tomorrow it’s off to the New Hope for Cambodian Children Orphanage.

How people saw the day...

Geoff Bainbridge

I made a note while walking around that it amounted to two and a half million people killed between my 5^th and 11^th birthdays. The rules of death were clearly spelled out – keep quiet, stand still, don’t speak, do what I tell you.

Eva Foster

It was important we got the opportunity to learn about that period in history and pay our respects to the people who went through that atrocity. It was great to hear their personal stories and connect with the country in that way.

Olivia Lyon

Such a sad experience. It is so tragic that happened to such beautiful people.

Brooke Hayward

I found myself oscillating between sadness and anger, but it does make you feel fortunate to have our way of life.

Samantha Smith

It is incredible that half the people responsible for doing that are still living a normal life in this city. It is so sad and tragic.

James Wynne

I left feeling frustrated at the lack of justice. That’s what annoyed me. It has been over 30 years and they are still squabbling through the courts. Those people should have been executed by now.

Ross Cheesewright

It was a sobering day, with thoughts for a resilient race of people.

Cath Zulian

It was a very sombre day and it’s hard to still get it all into perspective – and I can remember it happening. It was so hard for these people.

Simon Crowe.

We value life in Australia and sometimes we forget that in a lot of other parts of the world it is not that precious.

Meleea Wood

It’s hard to find words to describe it – very confronting and a bit hard to fathom how people can be that atrocious to each other.

Cath Sharp

It was just overwhelming and incomprehensible.

Brooke Thomlinson

It was a real eye opener and hard to believe. You can’t help but feel frustrated by it and feeling a little horrible for being so interested in it.

Krista Thomlinson

Distressing.

Quote of the day came from James Wynne

“We witness mass genocide and then head off to a market to buy a few trinkets… life goes on I suppose.”

Garry Howe - Editor of Star News Group
Carina Tomietto and Ann Selby, Windermere Adventure Challenge team leaders.

Day 2 - Siem Reap to Phnom Penh

Eating spiders, it's just not cricket!

Team Itinerary Overview

Siem Reap to Phnom Penh

Cycle temples Treah Ko and Bakong

Cycling distance: Approx 30km

Terrain: Off road/flat
Team Spirit: Awesome
Overnight: Phnom Penh

Remember your first taste of Spider? Probably at Gran’s – a dollup of ice cream plunged into a glass of your favourite soft drink. The fizzy sensation was always as good as the taste.

That experience is a little different in Cambodia.

Most of the Windermere Adventure Challenge team had their first ‘real’ taste of spider in a roadside stop on a bus trip between the two major cities of Siem Reap and Phnom Penh.

It was not quite as pleasant as Gran’s, but equally as memorable.

Stepping off the bus, a young child threw a huge tarantula on ramdom bodies and then asked for $1 for the privilege. "You now Spiderman" he would say.

These large furry creatures, almost the size of your hand, run around in a tub and are scooped up into the deep fryer for our dining pleasure.

Simon Crowe was one of the first to try this delicacy and reassured everyone by comparing it to a soft shell crab. Brian Paynter thought it tasted more like chicken – but doesn’t everything?

Bouyed by Simon’s assessment, most stepped up to the plate - $1 for three. Some tried just a leg, others the whole thing. Cath Sharp didn’t think they were too bad, consuming three or four.

The scene was all too much for Gaylene Howe, who scurried back on the bus in fear. She is terrified of spiders.

Meleea Wood has had her moments with the creatures as well. She recalled a nightmare where spiders were descending from the ceiling. In an effort to stave them off in her sleep, she knocked the basinette and sent poor infant Levi on to the floor.

She ate half a spider – redemption!

Earlier the challengers had indulged in the other insect delicacy – crickets. Over here they are eaten like potato chips.

A bag was passed around the bus and most indulged. Ross Cheesewright must have been watching a bit of Masterchef. He picked up on the chili and lemongrass flavour. 

Day three of the journey began with a medal ceremony, where Samantha Smith was crowned the previous day’s hero. Sam had not ridden a bike in her life before signing up for the challenge, yet ducked and weaved through Siem Reap peak hour like the best of them.

After that, it was back on the bike and out to another temple, about 25 kilometres out of town.

Our guides explained that it was an exclusive part of the city, with big houses dotting the landscape – something like our Beach Road.

As we rode, voices blared out over loud speakers in the local dialect. When suggested they could be propaganda messages from the Cambodian Peoples Party, Graeme Moore’s face lit up. The Cardinia councillor thought it could be a good idea for his Bunyip Ward constituents. If he did it, one wag suggested the loud speaker would not be required.

The Bakong Temple is one of the oldest in Cambodia, dating back to the 9^th Century.

Most rated this the best temple visit. The pristine lake setting, the temple pretty much intact and a certain reverence to the place. Monks everywhere, sitting legs crossed at the top of the temple praying.

One was kind enough to take the camera as we huddled for another group shot, then happily handed it over to a security guard to sit amongst us for the money shot.

The temple gates always have kids flogging their wares. We were advised to pass up their offerings, but the enterprising lot here was a bit too hard to ignore.

After about half an hour in the temple, we arrived back at the gates to be greeted by souvenir plates with our photos on them. Most found them too hard to pass up, although Geoff Bainbridge proved why he is such an astute businessman by securing four for his Wolf Pack members for a steal. He then engaged in some happy haggling with a young girl, trying to sell her half a bottle of water.

The language can be a bit of a barrier. Alison McHenry was amused when one of the Khmer women asked her name. She said Alison. The woman replied, “Oh, elephant, that a lucky name”.

In terms of a workout, the cycling legs have been relatively small to this point, but traversing the temples has been like doing the 1000 Steps three or four times.

We had lunch at a restaurant overlooking rice paddies and then set off from the north of the country south to the capital of Phnom Pehn and a day exploring the more recent Cambodian culture. Tomorrow it’s The Killing Fields, the S21 Museum and the Royal Palace.

Quote of the day came from Graeme Moore. “I just wish it could be a little hotter!"

Garry Howe, Editor Star News Group with Carina Tomietto & Ann Selby Windermere

Day 1 - Siem Reap & the Temples of Angkor

The Writing’s On The Wall

Team Itinerary Overview

Arrive in Siem Reap, Cambodia

Temples - Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom (Bayon, Terrace of the Elephants)

Ta Prohm

Banteay Kdey

Cycling distance: Approx 40km
Terrain:
Team Spirit:
Overnight: Siem Reap

Something old, something new, something borrowed… and a hell of a lot of orange!

Day two of the Windermere Adventure Challenge provided a new experience for most as the group rode around the ancient temples of Angkor Wat on pimped-up borrowed bikes.

For some, the challenge component kicked in as we landed in Siem Reap with the benefit of very little sleep and then hopped straight on the bikes.

So we could tell the bikes apart, challengers were encouraged to ‘bring a bit of bling’ and they responded with a colourful array that went well beyond the normal bells and whistles.

Cath Zulian attached a row of bright yellow flowers to her bike bag, forgetting that she then had to lug the colourful array around while walking through the temples.

Graeme Moore attached a boxing kangaroo to the front of his bike, Cath Sharpe a crocodile head horn, Suellen Conway bright orange plaited hair extensions (appropriate for a hairdresser) and Krista Tomlinson had a pair of fluffy dice swinging from the handlebars. Geoff Bainbridge was more nondescript, with a cue ball tube cover doing the trick.

We were introduced to our guides. Bobby, the owner of Active Travel, Chenra, Cheak, Benrut and John Wayne – who quickly earned the nickname of Duke. Cheak and Benrut also like to go by the nicknames – Bron and Short Man.

Short Man explained that many of the friends who gave him the monnicker are actually smaller than he is! A photo was quickly arranged of Short man and our own “Shorty” Brookes.

Bron explained as we came in on the bus that Siem Reap was Cambodia’s second largest city with a population of one million (second to Phnom Pehn’s four million) on the back of the tourist trade around the nearby Angkor Wat temple complex.

There are very few high rise buildings  because no-one is allowed to build above the height of the temples as a mark of respect.

That respect became obvious when our tour of the temples began. At one stage Short Man made a passionate plea to take in the surroundings, because the scriptures on the walls were the documents of the country’s history.

“The many people who built these temples did not get to see them, and you are,” he said.

Angkor Wat means ‘city that is a temple’. It covers almost 500 acres and had one million Khmers within its boundaries in the 12^th century. Its man-made moat provides a complex irrigation system that at one stage provided for two rice harvests

It is estimated that 166,000 candles have burned in a single ceremony.

The first stop was at the main Angkor Wat temple, then the Bayon temple of faces, where many of the group tried to pose kissing one of the stone figures, and lastly the spectacular Angkor Thom, made famous more recently when Angelina Jolie ran around it as Lara Croft in the film Tomb Raider.

Shorty Brookes and Cath Sharpe took the opportunity to go into a healing room, where you back up to a wall and beat your chest three times. The thumping noise echos and apparently cleans the soul at the same time.

The ride from the temples back into Siem Reap was spectacular. At one stage we wound single file through a bush track and then found ourselves immersed in busy Asian city traffic, where the only rule is that chaos rules.

At one stage our front guide signalled a left-hand turn from the right lane, with a truck bearing down from behind. “We are not really doing this are we?” Graeme Moore asked, before putting his head down and merging into the mayhem.

Mission accomplished.

 Highlights of the first day in Cambodia:

Suellen Conway

The last temple, with the trees all intertwined. I loved the fact that they are restoring it, that’s a lot better than seeing rubble.

Geoff Bainbridge

The afternoon was just great. The weather was beautiful and the temples got better as we went on. Everything became a bit surreal and easy. The ride home to Siem Reap was entertaining and the first beer when we arrived wasn’t bad either.

Samantha Smith

It was a real thrill riding through al those motorbikes and cars on the way back to Siem Reap, They just don’t know where they are going. The fact that we got there without being run over is a miracle.

Gaylene Howe

Finding my make-up bag, which I thought I had left at home, in my suitcase when we arrived. I had already spent $75 restocking at Singapore Airport though!

Alison McHenry

The temples at Angkor Wat are just magnificent. Had I have not been here I could not imagine just how beautiful they are.

Cath Zulian

The Tomb Raider temple for me. The way our guide (Short Man) set us up in front of that famous tree for a photo and said ‘don’t look at me’ was special. They speak about the temples with such affinity and passion.

Olivia Lyon

The fact that we left home and finally arrived. Are we really here?

Eva Foster

All them were great, but the main Ankhor Wat temple was the best. I think the highlight though has to be the fact that we arrived here and did this straight off the plane with very little sleep.

James Wynne

Winding through all the traffic on the way home was awesome – I’ve never experienced anything like it.

Ross Cheesewright

The ride home was a definite highlight – topped off by seeing a family of five sharing the one scooter. Mum and the four kids travelling together!

Graeme Moore

Seeing Cath Zulian come off her bike and getting back up without batting an eyelid. I also loved the fact that Ross had to pay for all the insence we brought at the temples.

Brooke Tomlinson

The ride back was fun and chaotic. We were in control but it was still a bit naughty and exciting.

Krista Tomlinson

Definitely the ride home.

Meleea Wood

The ride back in through the crazy streets.

Scott Crowe

Predominanly the last temple. It had more greenery than the others and felt more human because it wasn’t as big as the other two.

Brooke Hayward

The part of the ride on the way back from the temples when we went through the farmland. It felt like we were tourists going where tourists had not been before.

Cath Sharp and Shanae ‘Shorty’ Brooks

The healing room experience at the temples.

Carina & Ann

We are amazed at the team spirit, no injuries and all team members are ready to go!

Garry Howe, Editor Star News Group and Carina Tomietto and Ann Selby - Windermere Adventure Challenge Team Leaders

Orange Glow Spotted in Singapore

A bright orange glow transcended the sky from Melbourne to Singapore last night, but meteorologists need not be alarmed.

It was no climate phenomenon, more a charitable one.

All but one of the 22-strong team for the fifth Windermere Adventure Challenge to Cambodia began their journey – all looking the part in the bright orange challenge T-shirts.

Co-team leader Ann Selby was despatched a couple of days earlier to help set things up and is eagerly awaiting the team’s arrival, just after 9am local time.

It’s a diverse group and the bus trip from Windermere headquarters in Narre Warren to the airport provided an opportunity to get to know each other a bit better.

Chief scribe Garry Howe zeroed in on a particular point in each person’s life – from information gleaned on training rides and through pre-trip publicity – and asked them to expand on the story.

We learned that singing teacher Brooke Thomlinson shared a movie credit with Delta Goodrem and sister Meleea Wood once caused a Lindy Chaimberlain-type kerfuffle by letting out a nightmare induced piercing scream at a camp site.

That was not comforting news for her roomie Catherine Sharpe, who confessed to seeking out St Johns Ambulance for earplugs at her first concert as a teen – Debbie Gibson supported by Indecent Obsession.

Cardinia Shire health promotion officer Brooke Hayward told the crew she had put her hand up to act as a sidecar swinger on a motor racing track in New Zealand.

Star News Group’s Samantha Smith explained how she was almost run over by a tram when first moving from Sydney to Melbourne. “Well, we don’t have them in Sydney!” she said. Star colleague Gaylene Howe owned up to saying the wrong words all the time, like when she left a table of strangers opened mouthed at dinner one night when remarking how octopus have such big testicles!

Olivia Lyon confessed to recommending what she thought was controversial movie classic Clockwork Orange to a customer when working part-time in a video shop a few years back and being exasperated when he actually walked out with a similar-named video from another more ‘discrete’ section. Her City of Casey workmate Eva Foster explained how she learned electric guitar as a teen and dreamed of starting a band with a friend. “We wanted to be the next Duran Duran, but sadly we didn’t have the X-Factor.”

Pakenham hairdresser Suellen Conway told of how she was detained by authorities for taking a selfie photo from a Tuk Tuk when working for a year in war torn Sri Lanka. “I think they thought I was a spy!”

Cardinia Shire councillor Graeme Moore explained how his football career lasted less than a minute. The ball was bounced, his opponent let fly with a haymaker that landed and a young Graeme stormed off the field, never to return. His talents lay elsewhere.

Shanae ‘Shorty’ Brooks had to justify her absolute fear of moths. “Of course they are scary,” she explained. “They come out in the dark and are attracted to light, so they go for your eyes.”

Brian Paynter, described this week as a '45-year-old living in a 19-year-old body’ had to come clean on his love of kickboxing and regular trips to Asia to indulge the passion.

Animal lover Catherine Zulian told of her year-long trip through the Australian outback and completing the final leg from Cairns trying to dodge the devastating Queensland floods of 2011 with her beloved dog Ruby as her travelling companion.

Outlook business manager Ross Cheesewright explained that he returns home each night to live among fruit trees and goats and his colleague Alison McHenry, the most recent sign-up, has a brother who played for then VFL club South Melbourne and she once worked as PA for Ian Dicker when he was Hawthorn president.

The third of the Outlook crew, James Wynne, tried to trump Brooke by telling of the time he met Kylie Minogue and claiming that she left singing “I Should Be So Lucky’ after the encounter. Yeah, right James! Wishful thinking.

Pressed for a bit of ‘dirt’ on himself, Howe spoke of a management retreat to Werribee Zoo once when his roomy mistook his nightly gastric groans for animal noises. There was relief all round when team leader Carina Tomietto assured he would be rooming with long suffering wife Gaylene. Carina explained how she shipped home made cookies around the world from Pakenham Upper in her previous professional life.

The group learned that Krista Tomlinson plays netball at an elite level, not through the questions, but because the bus had to pick her up at the State Netball Centre. Her team, Boroondara Genesis, won by 10 goals.

We are all still getting to know the two Grill'd executives Geoff Bainbridge and Simon Crowe, who joined us at the airport.

The bright orange challenge T-shirts, with a monk emblazoned on the front and mud splatter on the back, have certainly created interest. Graeme took the look to a new level by adding a bright orange afro wig and bright orange socks with sandles.

Team members have been greeted at every turn by fellow travellers wanting to know all about the journey. The Windermere message is spreading far and wide.

Now for the short trip from Singapore Airport to Siem Reap, where we will be introduced to our bikes straight away and head off to ride around the historic temples of Angkor Wat.

Garry Howe - Star News Group and Carina Tomietto - Windermere Team Leader

Introducing two time challenger, Windermere's Catherine Zulian - lover of animals and orphans