Press release submitted to Maryborough Advertiser, a print newspaper.

“To celebrate 15 years working for Maryborough Ballarat Real Estate, I decided to do something different to celebrate. I learned about Hands Across the Water, an Australian-based charity supporting disadvantaged children across Thailand, who were hosting a 500km charity ride across the country to raise funds. I joined the ride as part of a group of real-estate-industry-related riders from around Australia and the UK.

Setting out on my journey to participate in this ride almost a year ago, I set the aim of raising $10,000 to contribute to the charity, knowing every cent would go to on-the-ground assistance.

With the amazing support of our community, my family, and friends, I reached the $10,000 milestone on day 5 of the journey. 

We began at Bueng Kan, riding south along the Mekong River and finish by riding into Homehug, one of the charity homes. 

I was part of a team of 35 riders, who became great friends and community – we came together for a cause our relationships will last forever.

It has been a life-changing experience. 

We were supplied hybrid bikes and had mechanics and support crew with us the whole journey.

There was a vehicle at the front to direct us on the route, a motorbike to go where cars couldn’t, a crew setting up each stop for us, and another crew with extra bikes and mechanics. 

The ride was broken up into sections of 20-30km at a time, allowing us to rest (and put on more sunscreen) multiple times a day. 

It was not a race and we were all to make it to the end together as a team and support each other. 

The first day I took the ride in sections, with some giant hills forcing me to push myself further than I’d had to before. This was the first time I really understood what the physical and mental support by teammates was about to get me through. 

At the end of the first day, I was exhilarated that I had ridden over 100km in a day – something most of us hadn’t done before and a huge personal achievement.  

A large amount of our ride was through the countryside, largely through dodging the number of potholes in the road and farm animals making their way out to see us.  

The ride totals over 535 km, which allows us some wiggle room if we needed to rest from riding or receive medical attention in the truck behind, but I wanted to make sure I was riding on day five with the rest of my team to see the children. 

After 2 days we had a well-earned rest day in Nakhon Phanom, with lots of swimming and relaxing as well as an adventure down the Mekong river.

The heat was very different from what we experience in Australia, with the combination of humidity, sun, and temperature taking an extra toll on our bodies. We stopped at a local school for a rest and it was amusing to see all of the faces of the kids’ when a bunch of crazy lycra-wearing sweaty cyclists arrived.

 There were a lot of mixed roads, highways, and narrow country roads, with locals burning off in local paddocks and rubbish piled right next to the road. 

The final day was an 85km ride into our last destination. It wasn’t about speed, but we were all very emotional as a team knowing we’d almost finished our journey. 

We rode into Homehug, a safe place for children of Ages 2 months to 18 years old.

The children were dancing and singing, and so excited to see us as they’d been looking forward to our visit for months. 

We shared lunch with them all before having a massive water fight and playtime, with no worries about the language barrier. 

That evening, the children put on a huge concert of singing and dancing, with extremely special traditional ceremonies including the blessing and tying of a cotton bracelet that I still have today, nearly 2 months later. 

I am reminded of the emotion and the journey every time I look at it – Homehug is a place where children are given choice for their future.

The children come from a range of backgrounds – some were abandoned, some ill, some had lost their families, but they were all brought together into the safety of Homehug. 

 They have a safe place where they are cared for, educated, supported, and most of all given love and attention.  

Homehug is just one of the seven homes operated by Hands Across the Water, launched after the impact of the Boxing Day tsunami and the damage it caused to families and children’s lives. 

All money raised goes towards the annual operating costs of the homes run by Hands Across the Water, totaling $1.8million per annum. This not only covers the living costs, but also education and lifesaving medicine for the children who then get to live a life full of their own choices and opportunities. 

 After seeing the work that Hands Across the Water do, and the impact that our fundraising made, I have decided to commit to an even larger ride next time it’s being held.

With COVID-19 impacting the world, fundraising will be more important than ever to assure that the most vulnerable are still able to be cared for and given opportunities.