Photo Collection “Say Good Luck to Exotic Voyages Run Program”

These days are amazing days to our “athlete” Andy and the whole Exotic Voyages team as we are receiving more and more support from friends and new donators who make big contribution to our Charity Run Program. Thus we have created a small “race” for our photo collections from the kind-hearted supporters.

It's time you showed yourselves! This is a chance for the rest of the world to know your kindness to the former street children in Cambodia and your great support to Exotic Voyages Charity Run Program.

* WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Very easy

- Just write down or print out some motivation words to encourage our Charity Run Program.

- Then take your photo and post it on our Facebook timeline.

Each photo will be a valued support for us

Example of our latest photo from supporters

* WHAT CAN YOU GAIN ?

- Your amazing faces and your unique words will appear on our album of "supporters"

- We will choose the MOST BEAUTIFUL, FUNNY, AND MEANINGFUL to be OUR COVER PHOTO for 2 WEEKS. The one having the most like will be the winner!

Your lovely photos will be displayed here on this blog and on our Facebook fanpage

Let's raise your kind voice and share your nice images today!

Good news after good news for Exotic Voyages Run Program

Another donation has just been made for Exotic Voyages Run Program by one of our kindhearted donators named Andy Barrow. He is the latest hero to Green Gecko Kids and the newest supporter to your program. 

The amount of 10 pounds is soon to be used in a meaningful work to help Green Gecko Kids. We are going to talk to Green Gecko Team to see what we can do for their wish list with his a donation.

We would like to say a big thanks to our donator Andy Barrow for his generosity for the kids in Siem Reap. God bless him!

We would love to see our charity fund rising daily. It is incredible motivation for us to implement ExoticVoyages Run Program. There are only 111 days left to the Angkor Half Marathon, our marathon hero Andy Carroll is still practice hard for his race.  We are updating his run practice soon, keep follow us! 

Thu Huyen

Great Support From Hotel Friends in Luang Prabang, Laos

After the great motivation sign from Green Gecko Kids, Exotic Voyages Run Program has just received another excellent encouragement from our close friends in Luang Prabang, Hotel de la Paix and 3 Nagas Boutique Hotel. Exotic Voyages Run in December has been supported widely so far from individuals, other travel partners and hotels, they all find this is a great idea to help the community and help us a lot to fulfill our plan.

Motivating sign our Andy from Hotel de la Paix

Motivating sign from 3 Nagas Boutique Hotel Team

As one of the leading hotels in luxury hospitality and responsibility for community, Hotel De La Paix is now standing by Exotic Voyages as our significant supporter. They are not only giving spiritual support for our “Marathon Hero” – Andy Carroll but also making practical donation of USD 200 for Exotic Voyages Run Program. Thank you Hotel de la Paix and 3 Nagas Boutique Hotel for this great motivation!

“We are proud to be a part of Exotic Voyages Run Program and will try our best to help Green Gecko Kids and community in Laos and Cambodia in general.” – said General Manager of Hotel de la Paix and 3 Nagas Boutique hotel. This is one of the most meaningful words that make Exotic Voyages Team more confident in their mission.

As we said, to realize the Exotic Voyages Run Program and bring back real support to Green Gecko Kids, Exotic Voyages team cannot do everything alone, we need helps from anybody who would like to contribute to a better social in Indochina. Therefore, the very first support from our friends in Luang Prabang is the biggest gift ever to motivate us. The Exotic Voyages Run Program is now really promising to be fulfilled as this is not our mission only; it’s the mission of travel community in Southeast Asia. This is just the beginning for a Charity program supported by the biggest hotels and travel companies ever. If your team would like to add your names into our program, please contact us here for contributing to our project or donate us directly here. Any support will be highly appreciated.

About Hotel de la Paix 

Hotel de la Paix Luang Prabang is a reputable luxury hotel in Luang Prabang, Laos, an uncommonly rare resort experience; a century-old French fort and World Heritage wonder, a colonial moment preserved in amber, and a showcase of award-winning contemporary design. It is also a living gallery, with world class exhibitions by our Art Ambassadors and Guest Artists.

In the heart of the former royal capital of Laos, just 23 spacious suites distinguished by the 'world's best luxury hotel interior design'* await, some with large private pools, all with sun-dappled walled gardens. As a featured supplier of Exotic Voyages, Hotel de la Paix offers the highest standard of luxury services and accommodations in Luang Prabang, Laos. They are not only professional in luxury hospitality but also have nice concern about sustainable community development along with doing business in Luang Prabang. This is the same target which leads to its close relationship with Exotic Voyages.

About 3 Nagas Boutique Hotel

The 3 Nagas Luang Prabang is a small charming boutique hotel in Luang Prabang, Laos, comprises three superbly restored historic UNESCO World Heritage buildings more than a century old. Restored in 2003, this Laos hotel blends contemporary style with the buildings' original architecture, seamlessly connecting the past and the present. Embark on a timeless cultural journey of discovery amid the hotel's warm and inviting ambience, in the luxury of its exclusive collection of spacious Rooms and Suites, and in its authentic Lao cuisine – offering some of the finest destination dining in Luang Prabang. This is a nice address for luxury clients who love to stay in a true boutique hotel during your Laos trip.
Thu Huyen

Surprising Gift From The Kids To Support Andy’s Running

Exotic Voyages’ have just received a very special gift from our beloved Green Gecko Kids for our “soon-to-be-hero” Andy Carroll, who is training very hard to attend the Angkor Half Marathon in Siem Reap this December to raise money for Green Gecko Project. Andy was really surprised when he saw these touching images from the kids. Showing how much they care for this event as well.

This is a big surprise for him and the whole Exotic Voyages team; the kids are so cute to encourage our English man Andy. So creative are the kids! Their sweet idea has just brought Andy the biggest motivation ever. Now the only thing he expects is that he would not be alone in this way to raise money for the children. Supporters have begun to contact us for encouragement and donations, that’s excellent and we deeply appreciate this.

It is very hot and rainy in Hanoi these days, however our Andy practice running before going to work every day, he looks tired from the heat and humidity sometimes, but never stops determining to fulfill his plan. There are 4 months to go to the Angkor Half Marathon, with the great motivation from the kids; he will try his best to be a “professional runner” and have chance to meet the kids in Siem Reap. It’s hard but a worthycause.

Thu Huyen

Visit Green Gecko’s Home

Let’s visit the beloved house of the Green Gecko Family in Siem Reap, Cambodia through some pictures that Exotic Voyages are provided by Green Gecko Team.

Since the very first days with numerous obstacles, "There was no running water, there was nowhere to for them to bathe, feed them properly, brush their teeth or receive medical treatment... or even a place to just hang out and play" Green Gecko Kids have a decent schoolhouse now.

Now the Green Gecko House is home to more than 70 kids, they play and learn together and live the life of real kids as the motto of Green Gecko: “Where Kids are Kids.” After 8 years, the rustic house is really a lovely shelter to the disadvantaged kids, where they find their smiles back. Although there are many difficulties and lack of necessity, the kids and Green Gecko Team determine to build their house more beautiful and comfortable

A Green Gecko Kid is cleaning her house

Class for Green Gecko Kids

The Kids plant vegetables in their own garden to feed themselves. They call this "Mother cucumber"

Let's see how neat our kids are

Some corn plants in the garden

Place for chickens family  

Well-decorated Green Gecko House in 7th Birthday

With a lot of dedication to organize relevant places for the kids to sleep, play and learn, Green Gecko team has to maintain it decent enough for the kids’ growth. This is not an equipped house, a modern school or a very interesting playground but it’s the paradise for the kids. Exotic Voyages desire to support Green Gecko to develop this place as long as possible to keep the innocent happiness of the kids. 

Green Gecko House in the flood 2011

Water is everywhere

Kids have to move to higher place

Let's share the story of Green Gecko Project to donate for their better future! 

First running week for the children

"It has now been one week since I decided to take on the challenge of running in the Angkor Wat half marathon for the Green Gecko charity. When deciding to do this I knew it was going to be extremely tough, but hopefully life changing for the children and for me also." 

I hadn't envisaged how tough this was going to be though, the distance is one thing I was expecting to challenge me, but the heat is well that is just cruel! After, only a few meters you can feel the heat sapping your energy, you start to sweat losing valuable body fluids and you have only just begun I feel this will simply be my biggest ever challenge and one I hope I can manage.

My first run on Wednesday morning 2.8km time 22:51 minutes was a little soul destroying and the realization if I needed one how dedicated I need to be to do this. I had to stop numerous times gasping for breath and water. 

My latest run was much better running 4.14km in just 28 minutes I can already see progress from following a regime of running 5 days out of 7 to increase my stamina and speed slowly!

So seven days in, I can safely say this is not going to be an enjoyable event to train for and my motivation is solely for the Green Gecko's, knowing what they have been through makes my complaining seem irrelevant and nonsense. Helping their lives a little will make this all worthwhile. 

Just a few dollars make such a difference, $12 buys a child some much needed and will be very much loved shoes - without shoes they are not allowed to go school. $12 is what many will spend on a few drinks. But to the children this money will mean comfy footwear and education.

$20 will buy a Gecko family some eggs and chickens; this will enable them to eat healthily, but also the ability to sell the chickens and begin to support themselves for the future. $20 is less than what you would spend on a family meal at KFC, but to the Gecko's it will be chicken dinners for the future not just one snack.

The Exotic Voyages team, have been doing what they can to support me, with lots of vocal support and most importantly lots of extra food! I hadn't realised how much was required to eat and luckily the team have taken this as part of their mission to help out. I am now fully stocked with bananas and other daily fresh fruit and every lunch is being handpicked to ensure I can eat enough. Let's hope it continues, as weight is something I cannot afford to lose.

By Andy Carroll

Great News of the first donation!

Great news from Exotic Voyages’ Charity campaign for the Green Gecko Project! The first donation has just been made by a warm-hearted American man named Shariff Mohmoud. Big thanks to him for his appreciated help.

The amount of 20 pounds will help the children and Gecko families much more than he expected. With 20 pounds, Green Gecko Project will help a Gecko family to start a little family of chickens – a great way to boost a family’s nutrition and income. This will make a long term contribution to the family in the future. They not only have eggs for their children to eat immediately but also can raise the chickens in long term and feed them daily from the money of selling chickens.

The Green Gecko team is going to advise and support their farm to make sure it will create benefit. Having a small chicken farm is a dream of Gecko kids; it’s easy now when they have 20 pounds, about 120,000 Cambodian Riel, can buy 8 -10 chickens. When they have got a little farm, many things will be changed. They will feed the chicken and work daily, and much more meaningfully, they have something to hope and make effort. They are happy every morning when collecting some eggs and looking forward to seeing baby chicken grow up, saving the money from selling them to renovate their roof for this rainy season. 20 pounds will make a different soon!
Thu Huyen