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spudandemdotravels-blog · 5 years

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Vietnam - Episode 1 - Hanoi, SaPa

Hullo!

After deciding that Thailand was our favourite country of the trip so far, we were both sad to be leaving and excited for the next leg of our journey. Thailand has really been amazing, and although we had to forego Nepal we feel lucky to have been able to explore the north and south of the country. Spud in particular found himself eating humble pie early on after his preconceptions of Thailand being super touristy and too ‘western’ were swiftly quashed. Em approached with a more open mind, but was also pleasantly surprised at just how welcoming the people were, how good the food was, and how beautiful the country was in general.

After our last breakfast with Drew and Carol we jumped in our taxi that was to take us to what was a very confusing Phuket City International Airport. Thankfully our driver was a patient man and after circling the airport trying to decide which terminal we needed we checked in and boarded our flight to Bangkok. All went smoothly up until the point that our luggage didn’t arrive for 45 minutes after we reached baggage collection. Seemingly the porters had decided to leave all rucksacks until last, which resulted in us having to sprint through the airport to check into our next flight on time. Emily did a double take when the hostess at checkout said the gate closed at 3pm and the watch said 5 past! With 5 minutes since the gate closed, we pushed our luck as we were REALLY HANGRY and picked up a milkshake and some sandwiches before boarding. Nevertheless we boarded by the skin of our teeth (Em blamed Spud for this after he boldly ordered a toasted sandwich which we had to wait for) and were finally on the way to Hanoi!

We arrived in Hanoi old quarter at around 7:30pm, and we could tell straight away that we were going to enjoy ourselves here. The old quarter is a hive of activity that has a friendly atmosphere where tourists and locals mingle together. We were fairly tired from the days travelling, so after checking into our Lantern Dorm hostel we nipped out for a DIY BBQ beef dinner and a beer before calling it a night.

The next day was put aside for walking the city. We chose to cover the old quarter and some of its markets, as well as the Imperial Citadel which was kind of a heritage site cross war museum as it was used as a strong hold during conflicts. We covered about 13km of the city, which was plenty given that you seriously have to have your wits about you to preserve your life when crossing a road because of all the traffic heading in basically all possible directions (including the pavements...who says you should wait at a red light anyways!?). We finished our day with a meal at the New Day restaurant which was recommended to Em by her friend Rachel (top tip!). We ended up in a room with no windows and only cushions on the floor with a low table, which added to what was a really nice experience.

On our final day in the city we targeted the French quarter and had considered a couple of the museums, but unfortunately early on our card was swallowed by an ATM. We had a mini panic and then pulled ourselves together and arranged collection upon our return from Sapa in a few days time. It wasn’t an ideal solution but the bank was closed given that this was on a Saturday, and we had to come back to Hanoi anyway before moving on to Halong Bay. We were feeling a bit down by this point, but had spotted a good deal for a camera lens that we had been considering for a while. So, to cheer ourselves up we treated ourselves to an early Christmas present and then spent the rest of the day walking the French Quarter before a water puppet show in the evening. The water puppet show was fun but pretty bizarre - different rural scenes are portrayed with puppets who are basically in a small swimming pool.

After the show we spent an hour taking in the huge sense of community in the walking areas near Hoan Kiem lake. It was a Saturday night and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, happy watching groups skipping rope, performing circus skills, dancing and drawing. We couldn’t imagine people in the UK doing stuff like this on the weekend, and although weather is a factor it made us think about how much alcohol is a big part of social gatherings back at home. Here, there were no signs of trouble, drink or drugs to be seen. We found the whole thing slightly alien, but left liking Hanoi that little bit more.

We woke at 5:30 the next morning to catch our bus to Sapa. The coach journey was uneventful and we reached our destination by lunch time. What a contrast to Hanoi! The place felt just like a European ski resort with its alpine chalet type buildings, numerous cosy looking restaurants and stunning mountainous backdrop. It of course had an Asian twist to it though! We were met immediately by a group of 5 native Red Hmong tribe women who were charming but wanted us to buy either clothing or their services for a trek and proceeded to follow us for the next half an hour. So, we dodged into a nearby restaurant for Pho (noodle soup) and a coffee before hiring a scooter so that we could find our Homestay in the neighbouring Cat Cat village. Once we had checked in to our cosy little private room, the temperature had dropped to around 5*C so we wrapped ourselves up in hats, gloves and down jackets and went into town to find some dinner. We ended up eating in an Italian restaurant after the place we had scoped out was closing early for some reason, but the food was great and we had a table next to the wood burner, much to Emily’s delight!

(Below: Our home stay in CatCat Village)

The following day we put our little 110cc scoot through its paces and ventured into the Cat Cat valley to Su Pan, which although is only about 15km away took us the best part of the morning to get to. We stuck to the national roads, but the surface was similar to Laos (mainly non-existent) and was pretty tough going (in particular for Em’s ass sat on the back!). At one point we had to scramble our way past a lorry that had got itself stuck in the middle of a very muddy ford. On the other side Spud was commandeered to ride a French lady’s scoot back across the ford, and after the good deed he was awarded with putting his left foot in ankle deep mud....Once we had got used to the sketchy roads again we enjoyed the day. The scenery was fantastic and we had lunch in a little alpine style restaurant looking out over the mountains. That evening we booked ourselves on a two day trek with a company called Sapa O Chau before returning to a little restaurant Emily had spotted earlier called Good Morning View restaurant, where we had the most amazing meal of local slow cooked home-smoked pork, and sizzling duck accompanied by a local beer for Spud and some delicious plum and apple rice wine for Emily.

Our first day of trekking took us to the villages of Suoi Ho, Matra and Ta Phin which are home to the Hmong and Red Dao minority tribes. We covered around 10km and the trails were great. Not too challenging but off the beaten track enough to satisfy our needs. Similar to the previous day the scenery was amazing, but it was slightly unfortunate for us to miss out on seeing the rice crops before they were harvested in September.

Our Homestay was in a rural part of Ta Phin, and was very authentic. We were greeted by Mr and Mrs May and offered green tea, then it was onto bath time! The Red Dao (local tribe) specialise in herbal medicine - and in particular herbal baths. Having spotted the large wooden tub in the corner of the room, the group were a little trepidatious about who would a) go first and b) go last...it was very clear whether the water was going to be changed in between each person. However, in pairs, Spud and I were ushered into the wash room where two tubs of steaming herbal bath awaited us, so we stripped off and climbed in! Wow, it felt amazing to get into a bath (albeit in a crouched position), letting the steam swirl around us, after 15 minutes, time was up and we made room for the next couple - to their relief the water WAS changed between each person! We were surprised at how un-homely the house was; it had a very utilitarian feel to it and the evening was spent around the basic fire made up on the floor which doubled up as a cooking pit. Traditionally the Red Dao do not use chimney systems in their houses as the smoke helps to dry out rice stores that are kept on the first floor of the property. You can imagine how much we all smelled of food and wood smoke the next day!

(Below: bathtubs ready for healing herbal hot water)

The second day was far easier than the first however we still felt as though we were heading to Sapa ‘the back way’. After a breakfast of more banana pancakes than you could possibly eat and some coffee we watched a bridal procession walk up through the village before heading home from the wedding the night before. We covered approximately 10km with a relaxed lunch stop 3/4 of the way through. We were picked up below Sapa at around 2pm with plenty of time for us all to get back and move onto our next stops. We booked a 4pm bus back to Hanoi which would land us at around 10pm and we decided to stay in the Lantern Dorm again since it had been good the first time and because it was familiar to us. The journey was smooth bar a bum clenching moment where our driver skilfully dodging a bus heading the other direction which veered into our lane. Our driver believed that the other driver had fallen asleep at the wheel. It was at this point that we vowed not to use night buses in Vietnam again!

In some ways our lost card was a blessing in disguise, as it meant we could spend more time in Hanoi. We were able to get our card back early on so had time to visit the Women’s museum, get hair cuts in a tiny barbers on the edge of the Old Quarter, visit a couple of cafe’s to catch up on life admin, and to see the famous street train. We have no idea how people live with a train passing so close to their homes, let alone without barely any warning of the train arriving. We were under a meter from the carriages as it passed by us, and to the locals this was all very normal! Our day was finished with a meal at La Vong restaurant which has allegedly been serving the same recipe for grilled catfish with dill and rice noodles for over 100 years (although we avoided the purple-brown fermented shrimp dipping sauce). It was great to be finishing our time in Hanoi with traditional north Vietnamese cuisine.

Next stop Halong Bay, and then onto Phong Nha national park.

Spud & Em x

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michaelandy101-blog · 4 years

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Third-party vs. In-house Delivery: A Guide to Informed Choice

New Post has been published on https://tiptopreview.com/third-party-vs-in-house-delivery-a-guide-to-informed-choice/

Third-party vs. In-house Delivery: A Guide to Informed Choice

Image credit: Robert Couse-Baker

Before all else, gratitude to every delivery person, whether in-house or third party, doing the essential work of keeping households safer and supplied in these times. I’m dedicating today’s column to the manager of a nearby Sprouts grocery store who personally drove my order to my door when an Instacart driver just couldn’t get the job done.

If your business or clients are weighing whether to fulfill delivery in-house or partner with a third party, my small experience is an apt footnote to the huge, emergent debate over last-mile fulfillment options. I’d searched all over town for scarce potatoes, finally arranging by phone with the local Sprouts market to hold their last two bags for me one morning, and texting the Instacart driver about where the spuds were being held. Next:

For whatever reason, the driver chose not to retrieve them, claiming the manager told them there was nothing being held for me. Not knowing whom to believe, I phoned the manager who confirmed the driver had never asked for the potatoes and, to my astonishment, told me he was going to bring the groceries to my house right away, himself.

“I feel really bad about this,” he said. “Sometimes Instacart’s drivers just go so fast, they don’t do a good job. It’s really important to me that my customers get good service and feel good about our store, especially with this hard time we’re all going through.”

And that’s the crux of what has suddenly become a pressing issue for millions of local businesses, as well as all local search marketers who draw a through-line between reputation and revenue.

Today, we’ll:

Stack up the pros and cons of in-house vs. third-party delivery

Interview a software engineer who has been on the ground with this evolving narrative of critical choices

Excerpt the revealing comments of a former head of development at Grubhub.

Plan SEO and marketing strategy for competing with corporate delivery

Examine the welfare of and best options for drivers

Help your brand or clients make a better-informed delivery decision

A piece of the pie

On March 15, 2020, downloads of Instacart’s app shot up 218% over their normal daily average. Restaurants, grocers, and a wide variety of retailers have spent the past two months forging paths from shelves to customers’ front doors to meet demand. While initial implementation may have been a scramble for the state of emergency, we’re getting to the place where it’s time to talk long-term plans.

I recently surveyed a group of several hundred local business owners and local search marketers to ask whether they intend to permanently offer home delivery. Of those who answered “yes,” I asked whether they would be staffing up an in-house delivery fleet or outsourcing to a third party, like Instacart, or Postmates, GrubHub, or Uber Eats. I found it amazing that my survey group was split right down the middle:

Clearly, there’s an even divide between brands that expect to manage the entire customer experience from start to finish, and those whose circumstances are causing them to entrust the last mile to a workforce they can’t directly control. I wondered if the 50/50 split represented settled decisions or indecisions and, also, how my pie chart might look a year from today, when all parties have had more time for implementation and analysis.

For now, we’ll start by examining another type of pie with a technician who experienced a pizza company shifting from in-house to third-party delivery.

A tale of cold pizza and ghosting drivers

My friend is a software engineer who worked on last-mile delivery integration for a headlining US pizza startup, and whose anonymized takeaways serve as a stunning cautionary tale. The engineer tells it this way:

“We started with an in-house delivery fleet, with two drivers assigned to each company vehicle and each vehicle servicing a radius of approximately five miles. Delivery times were under fifteen minutes with this setup, and we had a ton of very happy customers. Leadership then decided to outsource delivery to a well-known third party.”

Take note of what happened next.

“Average delivery time shot up to sixty minutes for peak dinner hours, and holidays were especially bad. One Hallowe’en, it was taking three hours for customers to receive their dinnertime pizza because of driver availability. The third party can’t simply add more drivers as they have no control over when drivers sign onto their platform, but with an in-house fleet, you can plan for high demand and increase staffing. And, instead of having an in-house driver waiting with their truck on the premises to take a delivery, you have to wait for the third party to assign a driver (between 5-30 minutes), wait for the driver to arrive (another 5-30 minutes), and then, finally, deliver. You’d sometimes see deliveries assigned to third-party drivers twenty miles away who would end up ghosting because they don’t want to be bothered with the long drive.”

As for technical concerns, the engineer told me:

“Technically, the third-party service was not reliable. I had to deal with a lot of random bugs in their API, as well as constant service interruption, and they had very poor engineering support for their API. This might not be true of all third-party services, of course.”

And, finally, here’s how the engineer summed up the impact of this on customers:

“The third-party delivery fleet wasn’t just inefficient in terms of time, but often, they didn’t have the proper bags to keep the pizzas warm. Customers waiting a long time for cold pizza will obviously lead to dissatisfaction. In-house drivers care more about the product they’re delivering, in my experience. I’m convinced that, given the choice, customers would always prefer restaurants to have in-house delivery staff, but it’s hard to compete nowadays with the big name last-mile platforms. Some brands have taken a very public stance on refusing to work with third parties, and I’d like to see Google and Yelp roll out features to let customers know when businesses have their own delivery staff, because it can make such a difference for the customer.”

As a local SEO, I know that difference for the customer is going to show up in the reviews and word-of-mouth sentiment for any brand, and that, cumulatively, it could equal the brand building, maintaining, or shedding loyalty. Reputation can, quite literally, be the difference between solvency and closure.

Positive press for third-party deliveries

If there are so many potential negatives associated with outsourcing delivery, why do so many successful brands go this route? We’ve looked at some cons, but this shortlist of pros is illuminating:

Third parties have their own, highly-visible, well-ranked directories of businesses they service. These websites are hard to compete with if you’re not included in them. Seen in a certain light, third parties can bring a business new visibility and new customers. More on this ahead.

Third parties have ordering technology, logistics, drivers and either proprietary or driver-owned vehicles all ready to go, doing much of the heavy lifting. Not having to pay for a fleet of vehicles or directly pay the wages of drivers can impact brands’ initial, fixed, and ongoing costs. Concerns about insuring these drivers also belong to the third party, not the brand.

Third-party reliance means the grocer can focus on groceries and the chef can focus on cooking, not delivery. For some brands, the challenge of becoming delivery experts is just too distracting.

Many brands report having a good experience with major third parties. It’s important to read pre-COVID stories like these told by QSR’s Daniel P. Smith about companies that have relied on these providers for multiple years. Consider:

The Buona family found that trying to focus on delivery detracted from the core operations of their 27-location Italian restaurant chain. In 2017, they turned the last mile over to DoorDash and were so pleased with the operation that they’re now also partnering with Uber Eats and Grubhub.

Two years ago, the Habit Burger Grill launched a Postmates partnership in Northern California, and were happy enough with the arrangement to expand delivery from all 240 of their locations via Postmates, Doordash, and Uber Eats.

Meanwhile, the 40-unit Just Salad chain has been using Grubhub since it launched sixteen years ago and praises their delivery time of under 35 minutes. At the same time, Just Salad also has an in-house delivery fleet. CEO Nick Kenner states that the company would prefer customers to choose the brand’s own delivery service, to “cut out the middleman.”

That last point is absolutely key to this story and to the third-party vs. in-house decision.

Cost issues with the middleman

A narrative amplifying in volume during the public health emergency is that third-party delivery fees simply aren’t sustainable for small businesses. When BBQ restaurant owner Andy Salyards shared his Uber Eats bill with a local news station, I started doing some math.

Salyards made $636.00 (pre-tax) selling 22 dinners.

Uber Eats charged him $190.80 to deliver them.

Salyards paid Uber Eats 30% of his earnings.

I found averages stating that a driver can typically make 2.5 deliveries per hour, though this depends on geography. Out of respect for the drivers, let’s hypothesize that Salyards is operating in a city that’s passed a $15 minimum wage and that he decides to employ in-house delivery persons.

It would take 8.8 hours for one driver to make 22 deliveries.

8.8 hours x $15 an hour = 132.00.

Salyards would be paying 20.75% for in-house delivery instead of 30% for third-party fulfillment for the same work in this dynamic. And obviously, where the minimum wage is lower, Salyards costs for in-house delivery would be far less.

On the face of it, in-house fleets look far more profitable than third parties, but here’s what my math doesn’t cover:

Do in-house drivers use their own cars, or does the business have to make a major initial investment in a vehicle fleet?

Who pays for gas/electric charging, auto maintenance, and liability insurance?

How do you measure out the benefits of marketing your own brand by advertising on your company vehicles, vs. the loss of that opportunity because third-party vehicles don’t display your logo?

What is the true cost to reputation, retention, and revenue when a brand loses control of the last mile of the customer experience? Is there an acceptable level of customer dissatisfaction caused by slower delivery times, lack of proper equipment, or ghosting drivers?

Each business has a unique scenario, and all of them will need to find customized answers to all of these questions.

Trust issues with the middleman

Customer service rules the viability of local businesses, and the best ones labor over every aspect of their operations to get things just right. Handing off the home stretch between the physical locale of the business and the customer’s front door is a phenomenal act of trust, and unfortunately, the local SEO industry has long been documenting the damages of trust misplaced.

To be completely honest, being set down amid Google, Yelp, and some of the major delivery brands, local business owners are gazelles amid a pride of lions. Some of the more infamous accusations against the lions over the past few years have included:

This last example, published by Ranjan Roy, received hundreds of frustrated comments, but it was the epic statement of Collin Wallace that glued me to my screen and deserves excerpting here:

“I was the former Head of Innovation at Grubhub, so I have seen the truth behind many of these claims first hand. Sadly, I invented a lot of the food delivery technologies that are now being used for evil…COVID-19 is exposing the fact that delivery platforms are not actually in the business of delivery. They are in the business of finance… like payday lenders for restaurants and drivers…

In the case of restaurants, these platforms slowly siphon off your customers and then charge you to have access to them. They are simultaneously selling these same customers to your competitor across the street, but, don’t worry, they are also selling their customers to you.

For drivers, they are banking on a workforce that is willing to mortgage their assets, like cars and time, well below market value, in exchange for money now. They know that most delivery drivers are simply not doing the math…If they did, drivers would realize that they are actually the ones subsidizing the cost of delivery.

Delivery platforms are “hyper-growth” businesses that are trying to grow into a no-growth industry. Food consumption really only grows at the rate of population growth, so if you want to grow faster than that, you have to take market share from someone else. Ideally, you take it from someone weaker, who has less information. In this industry, the delivery platforms have found unsuspecting victims in restaurants and drivers… Restaurants need to realize that they are now running e-commerce businesses and they need to act accordingly. Being proficient on Google, Yelp, Facebook and the dozens of other platforms is no longer optional, it is essential.”

Local SEOs will nod their heads over the need for local Internet proficiency, but it’s Wallace’s summation of the welfare of the drivers that strikes the most discordant note with me for relationships hinging on trust.

The Instacart driver who didn’t bother to bring me my potatoes sincerely worries me, not for my family’s sake, but for theirs. I already knew before reading Collin Wallace’s comments that some gig workers are living in their cars, camping in parking lots, and being forced to choose between safety and money. When you a moment, brace yourself and read Quora threads in which gig drivers are arguing about how little they make. One of my own nieces is a gig worker, and she’s out there today as I write this column, trying to make ends meet and sanitizing her hands every five minutes. I’m worried about her every single day.

There are local business owners who treat their staff like family, and others who don’t. Where trust and your brand’s reputation are involved, a question that deserves to be asked is whether you can trust business partners and models that rely on a desperate workforce. How do you feel about your handcrafted pizza being delivered, not by employees whose wellbeing you directly influence, but by one in four drivers who are hungry enough to be eating the food they’re supposed to deliver?

As we look ahead with hope to a post-COVID marketplace, it’s worth taking the time to reflect on this question and how it relates to the quality of life in the community where you live and serve.

Dignified work for local delivery drivers

“Please leave it on the walkway. Thank you so much!”

“Okay. You take care!”

“Thank you. Stay safe! Take care!”

This is the socially-distant duet I now sing through my kitchen window several times a week with the essential delivery workforce. While we may not deserve a Grammy, I do feel every driver who has brought water, food, and goods to my family these past few months deserves more than recognition — they deserve a dignified workplace and wage.

If Grubhub’s former head of innovation is troubled by drivers subsidizing delivery costs in exchange for urgently-needed quick money, I am completely convinced that no local community is improved by reliance on an underpaid workforce with few protections, inadequate healthcare in time of illness, or housing insecurity. That’s the thing about seeing life through a local SEO’s lens: everyone is a neighbor, and people working in your city are your friends and family.

I would prefer my niece to find work with a local business with an in-house delivery fleet being paid a living wage. I’d prefer her workforce to have a union, too. This is the advice I would give both as an aunt and as a local SEO, but if you are a driver trying to evaluate your personal decision about where to work, these links are for you:

In recent memory, many delivery jobs were filled by teenagers — like my big brother at 16 — with a new driver’s license, a stack of pizzas, and a need for part-time income to purchase disco records and car insurance. Now, it’s mothers, fathers, and grandparents driving those long miles to bring absolute necessities to our doors.

If you work in delivery, my best advice to you is to study what Collin Wallace has said, study the market, and seek jobs with the best pay and best protections. You and your work are essential, and if you plan to work in delivery for the long haul, finding a union job, like the American Postal Workers Union, is likely to offer you the most protections and benefits.

It’s not accurate to state that in-house drivers will automatically do a better job than gig workers for third parties. Many gig workers are going above and beyond to provide excellent service, day-in-day-out. But it’s only the in-house model that enables employers to ensure staff are receiving what they need to support themselves and support the brand. Last year, I did a very quick Twitter poll asking what it is that employees want most:

Employers: keep seeing that through-line between reputation and revenue when weighing the wages and working conditions you feel will make your brand most trusted by customers. Think of me, and my hunt for taters, and my feelings of uncertainty about trusting Instacart again, or any business that’s using them for fulfillment right now.

If you opt for in-house delivery, how will you compete?

While competition will differ from market to market, here’s a very simple schematic of the typical set of Google results I’ve seen in my region for delivery-related queries, broken down into third-party vs. in-house delivery entries:

As referenced above, corporate delivery services have massive, authoritative websites and big ad budgets that allow them to gobble up visibility in Google’s SERPs (search engine results pages). In my schematic of 16 opportunities — which represents an actual SERP in my town for the keyword phrase “hamburger delivery near me” — 10 of the entries are being bought or won by brands like GrubHub, DoorDash, and Postmates.

If your business isn’t listed on the highly-ranked directories published by these services, and you lack a large paid advertising budget, a SERP like this leaves you just six places to compete for the customer’s attention. Here’s a basic three-part framework for how to compete:

1. Build your business for customers

If Collin Wallace is right in casting third parties as payday lenders and in the business of finance, your competitive advantage is to be in the business of customers’ needs. In practical terms, this means:

2. Build the strongest website you can

The usefulness, optimization, and technical quality of your website will all help you compete in both the organic and local SERPs. The more competitive your market, the more you will need to invest in implementing:

Moz’s Beginner’s Guide to SEO and Local Learning Center will get you well on your way to competitive wins. And double down in writing about the superlatives of your delivery service — don’t be shy about explaining exactly why ordering directly from your brand is best for the customer, the business, the delivery staff, and the community.

3. Build the strongest local SERP presence you can

Your ability to publish, distribute, and manage your non-website-based local assets will strongly contribute to your ability to compete in Google’s local search engine results. Depending on your market competition, you’ll need to meet and exceed your competitors’ investments in:

There’s no downplaying the hold corporate delivery websites have on Google’s SERPs, nor the fact that Google has special relationships with some of them that redound to Google’s own financial interests. In competitive markets, it will be no easy task to compete with these brands. Many local businesses may feel that “if you can’t beat them, join them” is the only option to remain operational.

But don’t overlook the powers you do have to compete by dint of running a beloved business and a brilliant search marketing strategy. You could even choose to utilize a third-party service only until you’ve got a large, built-in customer base you can guide to come directly to you for fulfillment in the years ahead.

Summing up third-party vs. in-house delivery risks and benefits

As you evaluate which solution will be the best fit for last-mile operations for your brand, you’ll want to painstakingly chart out the pros and cons of each option. Here’s my simple checklist to get you started, delineating which solution is most likely to afford the benefits we’ve covered today, as well as a few extra points of consideration:

It’s too soon to predict what the sum total of change will be to the whole concept of delivery across all relevant industries. I talked with multiple business owners on St. Patrick’s Day, when California instituted its shelter-in-place order and all of them were hustling to create piecemeal solutions for remaining operational and serving my community. Several months later, brands are in a better position to evaluate consumer feedback and make adjustments to their delivery strategy.

As our risk/benefit chart shows, there are clear pros and cons for in-house vs. third-party implementation. Many brands will take a “best of both worlds” approach, like Just Salads, while hoping more customers come directly to them instead of their outsourcing partner. Other business owners may steer clear of the big delivery brands and bet on a smaller service, like Takeout Central serving North Carolina, or Lodel covering seven states in the American West. And definitely check out this CHOMP restaurant cooperative story over at Localogy.

What we can say with certainty in June of 2020 is that the brands you operate and market have major decisions to make about serving customers in both the best and worst of times. This is crucial work, and the only thing more important in local commerce right now is the significant power brands are suddenly wielding to set standards for how delivery and delivery persons will work. Recognize that power.

We’ve all had enough of experiencing the “worst”, and it’s motivation enough to plan a better future, with consistently excellent service for customers, the building blocks of lucrative reputation for brands, and local communities that deliver fair and dignified livelihoods for valued essential workers.

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vickisventures · 5 years

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The Grand Canyon-trip report

I’m going to try and make this so that anyone considering a trip to the Grand Canyon, can use this as a reference for planning their trip. I will include the pluses and the minuses. If you’ve never been to the Grand Canyon, it should be on your bucket list.

Where to stay the night: I highly recommend staying in Williams, AZ for this trip. There are places to stay in Tusayan and even in the Grand Canyon but unless you are rolling in the dough or don’t want various dining options, I would rule that out. Besides, Williams is on Route 66 so you get a feeling of nostalgia thrown into your trip. Williams is a very walkable town. You can easily walk to all of the shops, restaurants, train depot, etc. Just stay anywhere between the Rodeway Inn to the west and Red Roof Inn to the east and you’ll be good to go.

How to plan your trip:

I think one should reserve at least 2 days for going to the canyon, 3 or more if you plan to do some serious hiking. Anything less and you’ll feel rushed to see it all. 2 days was just perfect for us. For day 1, we had purchased tickets on the Grand Canyon Railway ($67/RT ticket). There are various car options depending on what you want to pay but we went cheap and didn’t regret it. We rode in the Pullman car. It was a 1923 Harriman style coach car fully refurbished by the Grand Canyon Railway and it has windows you can open. This is the only car they have without A/C. If you go in a hot month, you might consider one of the air-conditioned cars (cheapest one is $82/pp) but otherwise, save your money for souvenirs! Steve liked the fact that he could take pictures without glass between him and the scenery. Also it was a nice day and the breeze felt good. We didn’t feel like the scenery warranted the domed coach which was $122 more. Part of the way it was just wasteland, the other part, forest. We saw very little wildlife along the way and I realize that can vary from day to day. You have to get your tickets an hour prior to departure so I recommend you go the day before if possible and pick them up in the depot. The day starts at 9 a.m. with the wild west show. That was not the highlight of the day! The actors’ mics were not very good and made it difficult to hear their lines. Also there’s no fear of talent scouts coming for these guys and taking them away to Hollywood. I was really kind of surprised they weren’t any better than they were assuming they’d been doing this all summer long. After that it was time to board (at 9:15) and the train departed at 9:30. The train trip took 2 hours and 15 minutes. On the way to the Grand Canyon, your PSA (Personal Service Assistant) gives you the lowdown on the canyon and sights along the way. Ours, Adrianna, was very spirited and entertaining and made the trip enjoyable. A guy and his guitar came through each train car and sang a few songs (not nearly enough, in my opinion.) If you were lucky enough to sit by some kids, you’d get to hear the sheriff when he came by “harassing” the kids or doing a magic trick. We were lucky enough to get to witness one of his gags. There’s a restroom (about like a plane’s bathroom) at the back of the car and the car behind us was the “dining car.” They sold various snacks and drinks. We didn’t check it out but I assume you pay way too much for things there. Better to bring your own snacks! The trip there seemed to go rather quickly.

Once we arrived at the GC, we were whisked off to our bus tour with only a 3 second view of the canyon. This tour was 1 ½ hours on an air-conditioned bus. Sit on the right side of the bus, on the top level; wish we had, it makes a difference. Our driver/guide had a thing for birds, so we heard a lot about condors and hawks and other flying things. Our tour took us to the west side of the South Rim. We stopped at the main sights along the road (which is bus only, no cars allowed, Apr-Nov) and got out to take lots of pictures. After we were let off at The Village, we had about 1 ½ hours before we had to reboard the train. Our goal was to get some lunch, but we found out that they don’t really make things bus tour friendly. They tell you all the places you can dine and what is good there but forget to tell you that you can’t get seated and eat before time to board again. There is a “food court” type of place in Bright Angel Lodge that we probably should have tried but we chose another place which couldn’t seat us for 35 minutes. We ended up at the snack bar sharing a cold, turkey sandwich and eating a scoop of ice cream ($16) for our lunch. (By the way, they made a big deal about the ice cream only to find it was just Dreyer’s ice cream…$4 a scoop.) We had a bit of time to see some of the things in The Village before it was time to go. I’m not sure what the answer to that lack of time to eat is. Our hotel room didn’t have a fridge or we probably would have packed our own sandwiches. We didn’t have that option so we just carried snacks; but it’s hard to live on that from 9-5:45. The train trip back was the same scenery. Ha! They had a lady playing the accordion on the return trip and at least she stayed for a while. The actors came on and held a mock train robbery and the photographer came through hoping you’d buy the photo he took of you on the trip up. ($20)

The final word: If money is tight, you might want to skip the train. If you’ve never ridden on a train or want a different kind of adventure, then cough up the money and go. We don’t regret spending the money on the train tickets.

Tour options: There are 2 bus tours you can purchase to show you around the park. Both tours leave as soon as the train arrives. Remember, if arrive by train, you have only 3 ½ hours before the train leaves the Grand Canyon; it doesn’t leave you a lot of time to see the sites. The bus tour allows you to see a lot of the rim in a short time. One tour included lunch and the other doesn’t. I never like paying the extra money for an expensive lunch, but I might reconsider knowing what I know now. The bus tour takes 1 ½ hours so that only leaves 1 ½ hours for lunch. Sounds like a lot of time but refer back to my comments about lunch in the section above. The difference in ticket prices is $13.50/pp which is the cost of the lunch. Both tours take 1 ½ hours..the lunch one just adds another hour for lunch. Maybe $13.50 would be worth the cost to have a real lunch and know that you’ll still make it back for the train!

Day 2: We decided to drive into the canyon on our second day. It’s about a 45-minute drive from Williams. Do not be fooled into stopping at the Visitor Center in Tusayan. (We did because there’s another one with the same name IN the Grand Canyon park.) You can buy a pass that will last 7 days and you can either buy it with your train ticket if you choose to go by train first OR you can buy it at the entrance station. We chose to buy a National Park Pass and it will let us go to some other parks we want to visit this year. Big savings! GC Park passes are $35; an annual National Park Pass is $80. The line into the park was short and we zipped right in and parked at the Visitor Center on the east side of the rim. Since our bus tour had taken us west and to The Village, we wanted to use this day to see the other side. We were ambitious and wanted to do some hiking so we figured we should do that first. The GC has a great shuttle bus system that allows you to go quickly to all of the great points in the park. So we hopped a bus and went to the South Kaibab Trail and proceeded to hike down it. It’s pretty good going down but a doozy going back up. We started at the trailhead and almost made it to Cedar Ridge. (The picture at the top bottom of this section shows the trail points and drop in elevation.) They say plan for it to take twice as long to get back up than it did going down. Also bring plenty of water. There was a water nazi along the trail, disguised as a volunteer ranger, asking people how much water they had and suggesting they go back up if they didn’t have enough. It was worth the sweat and “tears” for the great views we had. After we got back up and fought back the elk for some water for our water bottles, we caught the shuttle bus and continued to see some of the highlights on that side of the rim. It was equally beautiful which is why I believe you should take at least 2 days and experience the whole South Rim. We were going to do the Desert View (a 50-minute drive with nice viewpoints) but we were beat and ready to eat. Once again, we had trouble with lunch…there were no restaurants on the east side. The visitor area had a small coffee shop but no real food to speak of. So, once again we were living off of peanut butter crackers, mixed nuts and beef jerky. They do have a 22-minute video about the Grand Canyon that is shown in the Visitor Center that is worth your time.

Where to dine:

We stayed in Williams, so we ate in Williams. As I mentioned, it’s on Route 66 so lots of cute diners and eateries. I will review all of the places we tried. I used Trip Advisor and Google Reviews to choose restaurants to try.

Twister- It’s a cute old fashioned diner with a lot of Coke memorabilia. Also they had an old Ford sitting outside with Elvis by it. I had a burger and fries and Steve had the bbq brisket sandwich and fries. They have skinny fries and steak fries. We both preferred the skinny fries although we tried both. My burger was good (nothing special though) and Steve said his sandwich was okay.

Goldie’s Diner- We both ordered burgers and fries. I think they must have lost our order because everyone was getting their food lickity split and we had to wait on ours. The buns were a bit burned on the edges. Again, nothing special. I think the burger at Twisters was better.

Pine Country Restaurant- We had heard about their great desserts and country-like atmosphere so it was a must. I had read they had Navajo Tacos and it sounded good. Steve and I decided to split it so we would have room for pie. The Navajo Taco was a disappointment. The taco was really not what I think of as fry bread…theirs was a bit thin and blah. It was good; not great. Then we looked at the pie menu. HOLY COW, they have a huge list of desserts. They have all kinds of pies…some strange ones like Strawberry Peanut Butter and normal ones like Coconut Cream. We chose to share a piece of Chocolate Peanut Butter ($5). It was really yummy! I recommend you check out the pies here! As for food, maybe we just ordered the wrong entrée.

La Casita- We always have to find some Mexican food when we travel. This place was not on Route 66 and really wasn’t walkable from our hotel, but it was close by. We both had burritos (Steve had the shredded beef and I, the green chile pork.) Both were good but we both agreed that the pork was better. The salsa was good too. Being from Texas, it is hard to find anything we consider amazing Mexican food so I couldn’t give this place 5 stars but it was a solid 3.5. We weren’t disappointed; especially after so many other disappointing meals on this trip.

Anna’s- We wanted to eat breakfast on the day we left and I found a place that we hadn’t tried that had really good reviews. I heard it was in the red light district. The restaurant is pretty small so you may have a wait but when we got there they had seating available outside and it was a nice morning so we enjoyed it. They have Mexican food as well as regular breakfast items. I was craving pancakes so I got the small stack(2) and a side of bacon. The pancakes were huge…and delicious. Bacon, nice and thick. Steve had the biscuits and gravy. I believe they were around $6-7 (good price in general) and the portion was huge. I got to taste his and it was good too. Sausage gravy was well made! I sure wish we’d found this place earlier because I would have liked to try their lunch and/or dinner options. I’d also would have liked to try their Mexican food but it was too late…we were done being tourists.

Weather:

Don’t be “dumb” like us and think when you put Grand Canyon, AZ in the search on weather.com that you are getting the temps for the rim! We’d been panicking seeing temperatures of 97 and 99 at the Grand Canyon and were so upset. We had intentionally chosen this time to go because school was back in session (hopefully fewer people) and the temps were better. So you can imagine our disappointment. I did a lot of praying! When we got to Williams, it was in the upper 70’s and cool. I told Steve, we’ve got to be mistaken about the temperatures in the canyon. So he got out his phone and did a different search. This time he looked for weather at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Guess what? High one day was 80 and the other 82. Now that’s what I was expecting originally. I think God got a good laugh! I could imagine him chuckling and saying “You should have known, I had this all of the time.” And he did. The weather was great. A little warm in the direct sun but nice in the shade and clear days, perfect for picture taking. There was a fire south of Williams that brought in some smoke so there was a little haze but it wasn’t bad.

SO what have I left out? I’ve tried to be thorough for those of you haven’t gone but would like to. If you think of something I missed and would like to ask me a question, feel free to send them my way! The sooner the better; my memory is pretty good right now!

#Grand Canyon #trip report

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stevep-uk · 5 years

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SUNDAY the 23rd.

Morning Possums!

06.00am: We beat the Larks again – this is becoming a habit! 😁

08.58am: We said goodbye to Hobart (and our first Apartment) and travelled North-east to Freycinet National Park leading to Coles Bay. This location has a lot going for it in terms of sandy beaches and secluded coves – it’s the home of one particular area – Wineglass Bay – voted as one of ten best beaches in the world.

We deliberately chose the more ‘scenic route’ (about 115 miles) known by the locals as it gets closer to Coles Bay The Great Eastern Drive. Although it was a straightforward journey, the mostly single-carriageway roads with plenty of curves (a bit of a feature out here) meant the journey took longer than expected even though there was hardly any traffic and they were as smooth as Mr Smooth from Smoothville.

For the first ten miles or so, we followed a camper-van boasting some typical Aussie Philosophy…

Beer! It makes you see double but makes you act like you’re single!

That put a smile on our faces! But we returned to the serious business of holiday driving before too long!🤔

Given the distances today, we planned to divide up our long journey into chunks, stopping every so often along the way, to take in the views. Our first was soon in our sights…

09.30am: Our first stop was the quaint village of Richmond. …probably the cleanest village we’ve ever been too! It felt very English and boasts many things including Richmond Bridge that was constructed by convicts and is the oldest bridge in Australia!

The Village felt very ‘sleepy hollow’, you know, the sort of place where people leave their front-doors unlocked. Today, someone also left their CAR unlocked as we managed to get into the WRONG car just as we were about to leave. Luckily, no Police were around to throw us in Gaol!

…and they could have easily done so, as Richmond also boasts the location of Australia’s oldest existing colonial lock-up! (opened in 1825).

I even found some long-lost relatives who’d tried out the facilities… 😉

This was an impressive refurbishment that had only re-opened last year. Well worth a visit (especially as it’s free admission!).

10.25am: Next was a short pit-stop for a Coffee and a Danish in the Village before grabbing a few more photos of this scrupulously clean part of Tassie.

Petrol stations seem to be few-and-far between in these parts, so we were fortunate enough to spot that Richmond had its own. None of this new-fangled self-service marlarkey though! This was delivered by the man who err, manned the till, changed your tyres, serviced your car and fixed your flat battery – a modern example of yesteryear when compared to good ol’ Blighty!

10.40am: With us now in the correct car (!!) and filled to the brim with £20.87 of Richmond’s finest hand-delivered unleaded, we said goodbye to this village caught in its own time-warp and continued our journey.

As I mentioned earlier, the roads were almost empty and pothole-free but the journey felt like a long one – much longer than Mr Google had predicted.

12.30pm: We took another pitstop in Swansea (where we would return to later for our bed for the night) for hurried nibble and something to drink.

12.50pm: We were pleased to spot a watering hole enticingly titled: Devil’s Corner

In one corner was a viewing tower with splendid views out to sea… whilst in the opposite corner was the loo! A perfect combination then! Back in the car and our next target was Freycinet National Park leading to Coles Bay.

2.05pm: We arrived at the latter just as the temperature hit its maximum for today of 25°C (even though it was quite chilly closer to the water).

…and we realised that in spite of the long journey, it had all been worth it for such beautiful views!

2.45pm: By now, we’d seen all the scenery we wanted for today so we headed for our bed for the night (back along the route to Swansea that overlooks Great Oyster Bay).

With its population of less than 1000 (even with us two swelling the numbers) it’s recognised as the ‘hub of the East Coast’. It was buzzing when we drove through it earlier today, but now it was almost deserted.

3.30pm: We found our next Bed-for-the-night easily and were soon checking-in to the Meredith House B and B. I say ‘soon’ but the very enthusiastic owner sensed our interest in the local area and Tassie in general, and proceeded to cram in 200 years of its history whilst explaining options for breakfast and the best places to eat locally! Clearly he’s the guy you need on your next Tasmanian Pub Quiz team. Amazing! 😁

Meredith House is a delightful 1853 Colonial house overlooking the Freycinet Peninsula and Great Oyster Bay. It’s enjoyed a great many positive reviews scoring between 4 and 5 stars over the years – hence why we picked it. Free parking, a BBQ area, a spacious room and well appointed room together with free Wi-fi too! What’s not to love? Oh, and a phenomenal cooked breakfast is promised tomorrow too! 😁

Given it was a Sunday, and we’d learned via our Pub Quiz Captain that Eateries tend to close up early in these parts (and they don’t like paying overtime), we quickly headed towards one of the recommendations…

Saltshaker Pizza Café

5.05pm: Well, I don’t think Jamie Oliver will lose any sleep over their menu, but it did the job, and was far tastier than we expected it to be! Service with a (Texan) smile too!

Starters…

Mains…

…and at £14.28, don’t say I don’t know how to impress the ladies! 😉😁👍

7.15pm: That’s it for today Reader, tomorrow, we’re back on the road heading north for two nights in Launceston and our next accommodation.

😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴

Holiday: Return to Oz – Day 6 (of 18): Heading for Swansea via the Gaol SUNDAY the 23rd. Morning Possums! 06.00am: We beat the Larks again - this is becoming a habit!

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whitneykt · 6 years

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SEASON 2018: Trip #1 (Part 1)

We finally were able to get the “ORAH” Chalet out of storage and out for its first outing for the 2018 season. AND . . . without any major issues!!! WHOO HOO!!! At least none that ruined our trip!!!

As we get to travel the country, I will try to post as many pictures of the campgrounds that we stay at and give a review for them as well. On this trip, there were several campgrounds that we would definitely return to and one that we will NEVER go to again!

I hope you enjoy this journey as we travel this beautiful country.

THURSDAY, MAY 17, 2018

Thursday and Friday were spent in Amarillo (our home) gathering all the stuff from the apartment that we had not been able to take to the RV. We also got the truck and RV inspected. Then we took the RV to our local RV park, Fort Amarillo RV Park, . . . our favorite “staging” park . . . where we gave it a much-needed bath and got her all loaded up. We love having this nice RV park fairly close to us but it sure stinks that we have to pay for 2 nights just to load and unload the RV when we leave or return from a trip. Since we don’t have anywhere at the apartment to park the RV to do that chore, we just don’t have any other option. It just another cost that we factor into our trips.

A little bit about Fort Amarillo RV Park:

Per the Website: At Fort Amarillo RV Park & Resort, you’ll enjoy an authentic western setting, complete with a stream-fed fishing pond, illuminated walking paths and sunsets so breathtaking, even the most eloquent cowboy poets don’t do them justice. Huge pull thru sites, free WiFi & be sure to shop at Lizzie Mae’s Mercantile. 10% discount to members of Good Sam, AAA, AARP, KOA, FMCA, TACO and the Military. Daily Rate: $42 | Weekly Rate: $210 If you need more than 2 weeks, please call for price and availability.

My Review: The staff is very friendly and helpful. It is a really clean park, there are trees on most sites, full hookups, large level gravel sites, most are pull thru (I believe the back in ones are mostly for live-ins), laundry, really clean bathrooms/showers (hotel quality), there are two spaces that can be rented for parties, one of them is for guests with tables for cards, there are movies/books, a small kitchen (I believe it’s free to use but rentable for parties), a lit courtyard with BBQ, basketball court, tennis court, playground, indoor pool, game room, a small fish pond with nice grassy area and BEST of ALL there is an AWESOME gift shop called Lizzie Maes!! It is soooo cool!!

All of the sites have a concrete patio with a table and a fence that blocks the other site. They are gravel but they are level. AND, the roads around the park are gravel and well kept as well. Even tho the sites are close together, the fence blocks the utilities from your campsite so you are not staring at the sewer or hoses while you are enjoying your patio.

It is near I-40 making it an easy on/off stop but far enough away that it’s not noisy. Because of the wind in Amarillo, the trees and fence around the park help to serve as a slight wind block. You are close to a lot of eating places and shopping. If you are into walking, you could walk but it would be easier to drive because most everything is South of the I-40 (the park is on the Northside of I-40) CONS: No firepits or grills (but many bring/use their portable grills), all gravel roads inside and at the sites but they are level.

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On Saturday morning we got all hooked up and headed out of town only to have a tiny issue just as we got on the highway . . . the rubber stripping around the front Cap was flapping in the wind!!! I guess the power washer from the RV wash pushed it out of the track. We pulled off the road and hubby stuck it back into place. Hopefully, this would be our only issue this trip. Well . . . actually, we did have one issue that hubby would try to fix when we get or our first major stop . . . the water to the ice maker wasn’t coming on because the cut off valve must be broken. No matter which way you turn it, there was no water to the icemaker. He used to fix valves like that on coffee makers in his previous life . . . so he felt confident that it would be an easy fix . . . if he can get is big hands in that tiny space to fix it.

Lamar, Colorado

Our first overnight stop was in Lamar, Co at Sportsman’s RV Park and Horse Hotel. Normally when we go to Castle Rock, CO to see hubby’s sister, we go thru Raton Pass. This time we decided to take another route to AVOID the Pass! Not sure we wanted to take that pass for our first outing after having so many other truck issues. We thought that staying on flat ground was the better option this time out and chose to take Highway 287 thru Boise City, OK up to Lamar, Colorado.

As soon as we hit Oklahoma on Highway 287, the roads were REALLY ROUGH!! The expansion joints were rough and the tire lanes were really rough. I actually drove with my passenger tires on the shoulder and my drivers’ side tires in the middle of the lane . . . it was still rough!!! No potholes . . . just washboard type roads. In any case, they SUCKED!!!

We thought it was going to shake everything out of the cabinets of the trailer and shake all the bolts loose. The only disaster we encountered was a 12 pack of cokes that fell out of the case inside the truck. The case was open and they all fell between the seat and door. I had to open the window so hubby could use his long arms to reach them instead of opening the door and having them all roll out and ‘spew’ everywhere. The only thing that happened inside the trailer was that the bedroom closet door opened and two small items fell out . . . nothing major! WHEW!! Oh . . . later, we found out that a cabinet shelf where we had more 12 packs of Coke had broken. No worries on that one tho . . . we only put our cases of drinks in that one. They can be stacked. Once we hit the Colorado border, the roads were like “butter” . . . either that or they just seemed like “butter” after the Oklahoma roads. So . . . for reference, try to stay off Highway 287 from just North of Stratford, Texas to the Colorado border!! Seriously, when you hit Colorado, the roads were AWESOME . . . 2 lane but wide lanes with wide shoulders. THANKFULLY it was only about 50 miles of bad roads.

Instead of driving all the way to Cherry Creek in Aurora, CO in one day, which was about a 7 hr drive from Amarillo, we decided to break the trip up and spend a night in Lamar, Co. That way IF the roads were really slow or we ran into trouble, we’d have plenty of time to adjust and adapt. It’s nice to get somewhere and not be really tired from driving all day and just sit back and relax . . . which we both needed desperately. In fact, we have decided to drive about 200-300 miles per day OR to be parked somewhere by around 3pm. . . . whichever comes first. That way we have time to set up and relax. . . or adapt our plans if needed.

Highway 287 – Lamar, CO to I-70 Nice 2 lane, nonbusy, flat road

The weather was AWESOME in Lamar, Co. . . . nice and cool!! They apparently they had some major wind, rain and hail come thru here the night before. We went from the 99-degree weather at home to the 60’s here!! AWESOME!!! We had the windows open with no A/C running . . . GLORIOUS weather!! There was a little bit of wind but nothing like we are used to. They say that Chicago is the “Windy City”!! I beg to differ!!!

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One of the first things we had to do was to cancel a Retirement Gift for my husband from our daughter. She knows that he has always wanted a Porche 911, 6 speed, Convertible. This was her 3rd attempt to get him a Retirement Gift. The first attempt was an Alaska fishing trip with her husband, Jon Nite, who was going there to write songs with someone. But it fell through. Her second attempt was a trip to St. John. However, the Hurricanes had other plans. Her third attempt was to rent a Porche 911 Convertible for him to drive for a day. She knows that he has always wanted a Porche 911 and thought it would make a great gift for him. However, once we realized the dates she rented it for, where the dealership was in relation to where we were camped, the logistics just were not workable, we had to cancel it. The dealership was about 87 miles from where we were going to be and that day was going to be a “moving day” or us. Had we gone to get it, the entire day would have been driving back and forth to the dealership. Which would be over the allotted 100 miles per day limit and we’d have to pay $1/mile after that for the gas . . . waste of money to not fully be able to enjoy it. Some may say “Third time is the charm” . . . not in this case . . . for now. Maybe next time we go to the Denver area he can get it. When he first heard he was getting this gift, he was all ready to take it up Pikes Peak . . . which, after seeing a video of that road, he would be going without me!!!! There is NO WAY I’d go up that in a ‘race car’!!! Apparently, it wouldn’t have happened anyway because later in the trip we found out that they have actually closed Pikes Peak to most traffic. You have to park and ride a passenger van up to the Summit now. The only ones that can drive up Pikes Peak are anyone with kids who need a car seat and the elderly who need assistance. Their vans cannot accommodate those persons.

UPDATE on Pikes Peak as of July 10, 018:

Shuttle no longer required for all drivers on Pikes Peak Highway

In the next episode, we will continue on Highway 287 and pick up I-70 to Cherry Creek where we stayed for 4-5 days. We have family in that area who we visited and even celebrated with a Niece who had just graduated from college.

Stay tuned for more excitement to come from “The Ole Rooster and his Hen” . . .

2018 Travel Journey begins Trip #1 (Part 1) SEASON 2018: Trip #1 (Part 1) We finally were able to get the "ORAH" Chalet out of storage and out for its first outing for the 2018 season.

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foundtheworl · 7 years

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New Post has been published on Found The World

New Post has been published on https://foundtheworld.com/travel-cambodia-week/

How to Travel Cambodia in a Week

Cambodia is a country that has been shrouded in turmoil and unrest for decades. The country and the Cambodian people have suffered immensely, especially during the late 20th century.

During the 1970s especially, the country and population suffered from the deadly and devastating Khmer Rouge and the Cambodian Genocide for which they were responsible. You can still see the ways the country is struggling to recover from this era today.

For all its struggles, Cambodia has prevailed in the wake of conflict and controversy. Blending ancient history with its undeveloped beauty, Cambodia is a remarkable yet inexplicable country to travel through. There is the constant feeling of never knowing what to expect, which makes visiting Cambodia that much more appealing.

The painful past has perhaps made the Cambodian people stronger. Slowly but surely, the country is moving towards a move stable political and economic scene. It’s been a roller coaster ride, but the Cambodian people have risen to the challenge each and every time.

Traveling in Cambodia

All the above (and much more) is important to understand before traveling to Cambodia. But don’t worry, if you go before you know (like I did), you’ll learn along the way. There are plenty of museums and sites dedicated to educating locals and foreigners on the country’s complicated history.

If you’ve only got one week, it’s possible to hit most of the main attractions. However, if you have the time, take it! You can explore all the smaller, lesser known places and discover what Cambodia is really all about.

Travelers walking across the Thailand-Cambodia border.

But for now, let’s start with the number one destination in Cambodia:

Siem Riep

Angkor Wat

Cambodia’s claim to fame and largest tourist attraction is undoubtedly Angkor Wat, located in the city of Siem Reap. The largest religious temple in the world represents the country’s ancient history like nothing else can.

FYI: Most people refer to the whole complex as Angkor Wat. In actuality, Angkor Wat is the name of the main temple that sits outside the gates. Angkor Thom is the proper name for the ancient city, including the site of the royal palace, that lies inside the gates.

Background

Built in the early 12th century by King Suryavarman II, Angkor Wat is a perfect example of classic Khmer-style architecture. Spanning over 400 acres, the temple complex housed roughly 100 temples as well as the royal palace and public buildings from which the Khmer dynasty ruled.

Although Cambodia is a Buddhist majority, the original monuments were built as Hindu temples and dedicated to the Hindu God, Vishnu. After the 12th century they were transformed into Buddhist temples.

Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992, the Cambodia people are so proud of Angkor Wat that they’ve even used the temple outline for their national flag.

Getting There

Most visitors of Angkor Wat stay in the city of Siem Reap, an awesome city with a lively backpacker culture. Much of the downtown targets this demographic with rows of bars with loud music and cheap drinks. If you’re traveling solo, you’ll meet some friends in this town.

From Siem Reap you can either rent a taxi or bicycle to get to the temples. We chose to rent bicycles the night before and woke up early the next morning to peddle to Angkor for sunrise. Angkor Wat sits facing west, so it’s pretty spectacular to see the sun rising behind the massive temples.

The Grounds

The temple complex is stunning. You truly feel like you are being propelled back in time. What it took to make such a magnificent compound is incomprehensible. The details and designs are painstakingly intricate and the size is staggering. The way the trees have grown around and on top of the temples creates a genuine, old world feel.

It’s highly recommended to hire a tuk-tuk to cart you around the grounds, or rent a bike from Siem Reap. Walking around will take far too long and there’d be no way to see everything in one day. Regardless of your mode of transportation preference, two days is recommended length of time to spend here.

The highlights other than Angkor Wat include: the city of Angkor Thom, Preah Khan, Bayon, and Ta Prohm, AKA the Tomb Raider Temple, the sight where Angelina Jolie filmed scenes from her famous movie.

Phnom Penh

After soaking up a few days of temple ruins, the most common move for travelers is a 6-hour bus ride to the cultural, political, and economic center of the country.

Phnom Penh is a wild place. The atmosphere is electric, the vibe is intense, and there are very few rules. During the day, the dusty streets are buzzing with motorbikes and cars, markets spring up around every turn, and locals, foreigners, and ex-pats stroll the streets.

This is also the city where I experienced my first and last fish foot massage. It is as disturbing as it sounds. Tiny flesh-eating fish swarming my feet in a small pool of water and nibbling at the dry skin around my heels was not really my cup of tea. Thankfully the fish massage purchase included one free beer.

In the evening, the bars start warming up, the younger crowds turn out in hoards, and yes – the red lights turn on.

There are many more worthwhile activities to partake in, however calling the next few items “attractions” doesn’t seem right due to their horrific nature. Despite the disturbing subjects of the following sites, a visit to both is strongly encouraged in order to get a better idea of what Cambodia has endured.

Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21 Prison)

The abandoned Tuol Sleng High School became the site for the Khmer Rouge’s detention and torture chambers in 1975. For four years, the atrocities that happened here were meticulously documented until 1979, when Vietnam invaded Cambodia and defeated the Khmer Regime.

Pol Pot, leader of the Khmer Rouge, was determined to have a purely communist population. Educated people like teachers, doctors, and the religious were considered enemies of the state, rounded up, and brought to this prison.

The site has since been turned into a museum, including haunting photos of many of the victims, as well as torture devices. If wandering around the grounds doesn’t give you goosebumps, then nothing will.

One of the most depressing and darkest pieces of Cambodian history and not for the faint of heart.

The Killing Fields of Choueng Ek

The Killing Fields is an outdoor, walkable museum that tells the horror story of the Cambodian Genocide. It’s emotional, disturbing, and 100% deserving of a visit.

The Killing Fields is the site of the execution of over 17,000 men, women, and children who were tortured at the S-21 Prison. This place doesn’t hold back in the information or the displays, some of which are truly grotesque.

There’s a touching memorial outside of the site to which anyone can contribute. Trees and bamboo stocks adorned with woven bracelets pay homage to those who lost their lives here.

Admission includes a very informative audio tour, which tells the entire story from start to finish.

Sihanoukville

After Phnom Penh, it’s time for a complete change of pace and scenery. A 5-hour bus ride southwest will land you in Sihanoukville. This is a somewhat grungy beach town overrun with ex-pats. It’s known for its all-night parties and a chilled-out vibe.

The main beach is called Serendipity. You can find plenty of cheap hostels and accommodation options near here. It’s where the $1 drinks and thumping house music can be heard literally around the clock. If this is your scene, you’ll post up here for days.

Be prepared for seemingly sweet children trying to sell their trinkets on the beach. They can get pushy. There’s also always a few locals patrolling the beach with a big basket of fruit and snacks. Sliced mango at your service!

If serenity is what you’re after, rent a scooter and check out the other beaches of Sihanoukville. Otres and Independence Beaches are good choices and don’t have the same party vibe as Serendipity.

Island Getaway

It would be a big mistake to leave Sihanoukville without escaping to Koh Rong. This island is about 2 ½ hours off shore by slow boat or 45 minutes by speed boat. Boats leave every day from Sihanoukville.

Wow. When you arrive to Monkey Beach you’ll find it hard to believe such a blissful place could exist this close to Sihanoukville. This island is breathtaking; nothing like the grubby mainland. The clearest, light blue water you’ve ever seen lap the shores of the white sand that run straight into the dark green jungle. It’s simply paradise.

Many foreigners must feel the same way, because ex-pats essentially run this whole island. From the hostels to the bars, this place is a smorgasbord of nationalities with a common story: left home to travel the world, discovered Koh Rong, and never looked back.

Several bungalows, small bars, and seafood BBQ restaurants line Monkey Beach. A fish dinner at one of these toes-in-the-sand joints is a must. A plate of grilled barracuda with two sides costs just $5.

There are no roads on Koh Rong. If you want to get from point A to point B, you do it the old-fashioned way. I highly recommended exploring this island. It’s refreshing to see that so much of it is still in its’ natural state.

The jungle is thick, and there is literally no development at all in the middle of the island. For all its beauty, Koh Rong is a very untouched place. Unfortunately, the construction seen on Monkey Beach suggestions a more developed future on the horizon.

If you think Monkey Beach is something special, just wait until you see the other side of the island. The 7km stretch of white sand known as Long Beach is a Utopia. It’s true you need to trek over an hour through the dense jungle on haphazardly mark trails, but it is SO worth it.

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Cambodia is a difficult country to describe. It’s dark and dirty and at the same time it’s beautiful and pristine. It has a somber and serious history and simultaneously has some of the best nightlife in Southeast Asia.

Visiting Cambodia for a week will only scratch the surface. You’ll likely feel that you’re leaving without discovering all its secrets, and you probably are. Cambodia doesn’t disclose everything in one go. That’s why you’ll need to return, and after a week here, I’m sure you’ll want to!

#Angkor Wat #Cambodia

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