Comments on: Siem Reap Visitors Guide http://www.itstheroi.com/random/siem-reap-visitors-guide/ San Francisco Search Engine Optimization Company Sun, 17 Jul 2011 06:27:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Alfons Van Hoof http://www.itstheroi.com/random/siem-reap-visitors-guide/#comment-25704 Alfons Van Hoof Sun, 17 Jul 2011 06:27:16 +0000 http://www.itstheroi.com/?p=191#comment-25704 You're right. Ara is just great. I just returned from Siem Reap, where I spent almost one month from mid-May to mid-June. While preparing for the trip, I read this blog and wrote to Ara. The day after my arrival I met her, and she was my personal guide and assistant for the entire time. She's a great person and her knowledge is just invaluable. To give you just one example: the first week (when I was working over the internet from the guest house), she a huge straw archery target for me. Cost her multiple trips in the countryside to follow up on the progress, even while she wasn't too sure about what I really needed. But the target was delivered on time and of very good quality. She really knows to 'think out of the box'. During each weekend we toured the temples, aided by a regular tuk-tuk driver, who is now working most of the time for Ara. She knows the temples in and out. I also introduced here to 'geocaching'. Took us a while to find a cache (many of them have just disappeared) and it was great to see her happiness when, at our third try, she discovered her first cache. On weekdays I was mostly working, but nearly every evening Ara joined me for dinner, and quite often we went together for a body massage too. I also took her out one time to the Paul Dubrule Hotel School for a gastronomical lunch. And we had some great time visiting the nearby Cultural Village too. Meanwhile she has given up on all but one of the odd little jobs to keep alive. She is still working as housemaid/nanny for a local family. Basically she takes care of the house whenever she has time, and is due back by 10 or 10.30 pm to guard the children, and bring them to school early morning. This gives here a secured place to live, as well as all the freedom she needs to cater for her customers visiting Angkor. To provide here with some financial security, particularly during the low season, I have promised her some monthly financial support for the next 12 months, and at the same time I'm helping here to get her started with a 'real' travel agency. I made her open a bank account, and arranged for a Moneybookers account too. Both are now in operation. Next step, I'm trying to build her a website (www.makaratravels.com) - still writing on that, but the basic framework should be up and running in a couple of weeks - so there's something more tangible to promote. I know very well that 'having' a website is only a first step, but hope to use it to spread the word and do some marketing on it. If I'm lucky I'll go back to Siem Reap by the end of this year and give her some more 'on the grounds' support to bring it all to the next stage. I really wish to see her getting on her own feet and making enough money running her travel business. I have some experience in this field (running a part-time motorcycle tours business in Sri Lanka), have a bit of free time to spend (I'm now mainly working freelance as a translator), and in future may start dividing my time between Cambodia and Sri Lanka to help her grow the business. So, all of you who have met Ara in the past, and enjoyed having her as a guide, please help me spread the word. I'm sure you would be equally delighted to see her blossoming and realizing her dreams! Regards, Alfonso You’re right. Ara is just great.
I just returned from Siem Reap, where I spent almost one month from mid-May to mid-June.
While preparing for the trip, I read this blog and wrote to Ara. The day after my arrival I met her, and she was my personal guide and assistant for the entire time. She’s a great person and her knowledge is just invaluable. To give you just one example: the first week (when I was working over the internet from the guest house), she a huge straw archery target for me. Cost her multiple trips in the countryside to follow up on the progress, even while she wasn’t too sure about what I really needed. But the target was delivered on time and of very good quality. She really knows to ‘think out of the box’.
During each weekend we toured the temples, aided by a regular tuk-tuk driver, who is now working most of the time for Ara. She knows the temples in and out. I also introduced here to ‘geocaching’. Took us a while to find a cache (many of them have just disappeared) and it was great to see her happiness when, at our third try, she discovered her first cache.
On weekdays I was mostly working, but nearly every evening Ara joined me for dinner, and quite often we went together for a body massage too. I also took her out one time to the Paul Dubrule Hotel School for a gastronomical lunch. And we had some great time visiting the nearby Cultural Village too.
Meanwhile she has given up on all but one of the odd little jobs to keep alive. She is still working as housemaid/nanny for a local family. Basically she takes care of the house whenever she has time, and is due back by 10 or 10.30 pm to guard the children, and bring them to school early morning. This gives here a secured place to live, as well as all the freedom she needs to cater for her customers visiting Angkor.
To provide here with some financial security, particularly during the low season, I have promised her some monthly financial support for the next 12 months, and at the same time I’m helping here to get her started with a ‘real’ travel agency.
I made her open a bank account, and arranged for a Moneybookers account too. Both are now in operation. Next step, I’m trying to build her a website (www.makaratravels.com) – still writing on that, but the basic framework should be up and running in a couple of weeks – so there’s something more tangible to promote. I know very well that ‘having’ a website is only a first step, but hope to use it to spread the word and do some marketing on it. If I’m lucky I’ll go back to Siem Reap by the end of this year and give her some more ‘on the grounds’ support to bring it all to the next stage. I really wish to see her getting on her own feet and making enough money running her travel business. I have some experience in this field (running a part-time motorcycle tours business in Sri Lanka), have a bit of free time to spend (I’m now mainly working freelance as a translator), and in future may start dividing my time between Cambodia and Sri Lanka to help her grow the business.
So, all of you who have met Ara in the past, and enjoyed having her as a guide, please help me spread the word. I’m sure you would be equally delighted to see her blossoming and realizing her dreams!
Regards,
Alfonso

]]> By: Jonah Stein http://www.itstheroi.com/random/siem-reap-visitors-guide/#comment-21657 Jonah Stein Fri, 28 May 2010 15:37:42 +0000 http://www.itstheroi.com/?p=191#comment-21657 Joe I am delighted that you found the site helpful and particularly happy that Ara was able to assist you. We had a wonderful time in Siem Reap. Please contact me if you would like to write up a post about you visit. Joe

I am delighted that you found the site helpful and particularly happy that Ara was able to assist you. We had a wonderful time in Siem Reap. Please contact me if you would like to write up a post about you visit.

]]> By: Joe http://www.itstheroi.com/random/siem-reap-visitors-guide/#comment-21654 Joe Fri, 28 May 2010 12:52:16 +0000 http://www.itstheroi.com/?p=191#comment-21654 I just got back from Cambodia. Through this website I was able to connect with Ara who picked me up at the airport in Siem Reap and arranged for everything during my stay. Siem Reap is a small town just south of the temple area. Ara introduced me to all of her friends and made me feel like a temporary expat. She is an expert in the history of the temples and a great all around young lady. I would highly recommend her as your guide. Her email is listed above. I just got back from Cambodia. Through this website I was able to connect with Ara who picked me up at the airport in Siem Reap and arranged for everything during my stay. Siem Reap is a small town just south of the temple area. Ara introduced me to all of her friends and made me feel like a temporary expat. She is an expert in the history of the temples and a great all around young lady. I would highly recommend her as your guide. Her email is listed above.

]]> By: Buddy http://www.itstheroi.com/random/siem-reap-visitors-guide/#comment-20581 Buddy Wed, 14 Apr 2010 04:18:33 +0000 http://www.itstheroi.com/?p=191#comment-20581 Great story. Way to encourage others to get to know Ara. -Buddy Great story. Way to encourage others to get to know Ara. -Buddy

]]> By: alisa http://www.itstheroi.com/random/siem-reap-visitors-guide/#comment-12635 alisa Wed, 29 Jul 2009 21:21:00 +0000 http://www.itstheroi.com/?p=191#comment-12635 What a great story, thanks for taking a break to tap into the world. What a great story, thanks for taking a break to tap into the world.

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