Jeremy Wilking of Looking Glass Jeep Tours, March 2014.
Persistence Reveals an Award for Excellence!
Established over three years ago, I’d like to highlight this little business in DaNang, Vietnam. ‘Looking Glass Jeep Tours’ is my son’s company. Despite the odds for success being a foreigner in Vietnam, persistence has paid off.
Jeremy Wilking was frustrated trying to find work a few years ago in North America. He was tired of the circus: employment, unemployment, employment, etc. When he set out for Vietnam to teach English as a Second Language (ESL) he fell in love with the country and the people.
This resourceful group of people, thriving in 2014, still has tangible remnants of the war from almost 50 yrs ago! The people have made use of all left-over materials from that era: Airplane wings are made into boats and homes on the water, helmets became buckets and many other tools are in use on the farms. Jeremy found there were old, authentic US ARMY jeeps that needed a little TLC, and an idea was launched.
He could start a tour operation! He could take veterans and tourists through the former fighting zone in central Vietnam with an authentic US ARMY jeep! He had been in the US Army for three years. He knows all about the war and this area! Heck, he even had a trucker’s license. His mission would be to take former service members back to their area of operations. As a kid, he was obsessed with ‘army guys’; hence he had found his niche!
Looking Glass Jeep Tours launched in December 2010. Jeremy helps tourists learn more about the war, explains the recovery of the Vietnam people and how their society has flourished. For veterans and soldiers, he has old ordinance maps to identify where the fighting took place and even where each battalion was stationed. Many of the soldiers coming to DaNang look for closure, and answers, about what really happened out there so long ago.
Jeremy now owns 3 jeeps: two US Army Jeeps and one Russian jeep. The toughest task for him each is to keep them running. They have been re-fitted over the years. One has a Honda engine, another a Toyota brand, and they do not have interchangeable parts. Another concern is finding additional drivers to help drive on larger tours. As much of the local population travel on scooters, they do not have a driver’s license.
My young son, now in his thirty’s, has some great feedback! Wayne Purinton, a veteran and volunteer for rebuilding the country, took a jeep trip with Jeremy in April. He was so impressed; he wrote an article to his local paper for Memorial Day. Mr. Wayne Purinton will be speaking at the Kansas Veterans Cemetery, Fort Dodge, Dodge City Memorial Day, May 26, 2014. his paper-Sacrificed Honored
I thought this was appropriate to pass along at this time, just before Memorial Day. This personal service to help vets and their concerns has been a vision for Jeremy, and his persistence has finally paid off.
This week, a note landed in Jeremy’s e-mail:
TripAdvisor is delighted to award
Looking Glass Jeep Tours
a 2014 Certificate of Excellence!
Congratulations on your accomplishments, Jer!
If you’d like to connect with Jeremy Wilking and Looking Glass Jeep Tours:
www.lookingglassjeeptours.com or google jeep tours Vietnam
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Kathryn of Kathryn Wilking Designs is an Author and Feng Shui Consultant. Her recent book; Practical Feng Shui for the Office, is available in e-book and paperback. Check out amazon.com or indigo.com
There are more Practical Solutions for Life at kathrynwilking.com
Kathryn’s son, Jeremy Wilking, lives in DaNang, Vietnam. He has a tour business ‘Looking Glass Jeep Tours’ in central Vietnam.
