Hi Everyone,

You guys have been awesome and it’s been great to see people pledging over this time of endless social/familial obligations. We’re now at a handsome 60% and are gearing up for a final push to bring this puppy home before time runs out, so here’s the plan:

Our friend Keagan in the great city of Denver, CO had the fine idea to contribute cover charges from his NYE bash towards the Kinyei Kickstarter campaign. We’re honored to factor into their holiday shenanigans and we want to invite you to join in.

All you have to do is shout Kinyei a drink on New Year’s Eve.

Here’s how you get in on it:

Step 1: Pledge the cost of one drink towards the Kickstarter, and get a drink for yourself

Step 2: Take a snap of yourself raising said drink to Kinyei

Step 3: Tweet/facebook/email that pic to Kinyei and your friends with the text: “Global toast for Kinyei! https://www.tinyurl.com/kinyei“, plus whatever “cheers” is in your area.

Step 4: Get as many friends as you can to do the same

We will be collecting pictures you let us know about on facebook or twitter on the facebook fanpage and www.kinyei.org/global-toast

We’d love to see 6k by 2011. Join Kinyei for new year’s and take your NYE party global!

Global toast or Kinyei! https://www.tinyurl.com/kinyei Som Juol Moi!

And here’s a PDF version of the kickstarter info in case you’d like something to show around on the night: kickstarter-one-pager

How to make a cafe over the internet from Kinyei on Vimeo.

What does “Kinyei” mean? from Kinyei on Vimeo.

Srey Pheak with our first macchiatoni!

Institutionalised postage-corruption almost got the better of us, but the espresso machine arrived! Our electricians, it turns out, were more creative than qualified and the 20A line we had run for the machine terminated in a 10A socket. Once we had that sorted out, Jasper Coffee’s Shane DelZoppo kindly donated a Saturday to set up our espresso machine and adjust our grind through the internet.

Local coffee consultant Clay gave some advice regarding the largest latte ever concocted.

By the end of the day we were able to produce some acceptable brews. As Justin said, “I’ve had plenty of worse coffees in Melbourne.” Our macchiatoni doesn’t quite look like that by our remote trainer, K, from Gypsy Hideout, but as she says, “you just have to practise to make good coffee.”

This week we launched our Kickstarter campaign to raise money for the Kinyei Cafe! We hope to raise $8,500 to get the cafe up and running. The cafe will provide hospitality training and employment for local at risk youth. The upper storey of the cafe will be used as a venue for local art, music, and collaborative learning projects. The profits from the cafe will go towards start-up costs for further locally-run social initiatives.

To say thank you we will be providing rewards for donors, including the prestigious “top tier” reward for Kickstarter donations of $2,500 or more:

Imagine cycling the roads of the Cambodian countryside, sampling local Khmer cuisine, and delighting in the charm that is Battambang! We’re sharing our spectacular “tour de  Battambang” itinerary, your ticket to enjoy all the pleasures of this Cambodian paradise, with donors who pledge $2,500 or more.

Rooftops of Battambang

Sample Itinerary: 3-day tour of Battambang

Accommodation and local transport provided

Day 1: – Srey-saat photo shoot – Welcome dinner at local Khmer Barbeque

Day 2: – Soksabike bicycle tour – Latest show at Phare Ponleu Selpak circus and dinner with the artists

Day 3: – Smokin’ Pot Khmer Cooking Course – optional trip to local sites: – Bamboo Train OR – fruit wine OR – local winery OR – Aek Phnom, Wat Banon, or Phnom Sampeou (local temples)

Day 4: – Depart

Last night’s Soksabike promotional launch at the Kinyei space was a great success. Soksabike bicycle tours is a social enterprise offering people all around the world aninsight into the traditional livelihoods of the Cambodian countryside. Soksabike places an emphasis on educating guests in the realities of life in rural Cambodia, and ensuring that your visits make a positive impact on the local communities – economically, socially and ecologically.

The aim of the project is to give visitors an honest insight into life in ordinary Cambodian communities and Soksabike guides, all Battambang students, are passionate about sharing and preserving their culture.

Tourism should not be a passive experience, and by allowing guests to connect with the people they are visiting, Soksabike offers a more satisfying experience to tourists, and a profoundly re-humanizing experience of tourism to locals.