What are the steps to laying pavers?
A hand compactor will not cut it I am afraid. Is there no one where you live renting out plate compactors by the day? The subbase and sand need to be really compacted, flat and laid to falls, for the concept of block paving to even work, plus you also need to run the compactor over the finished paving (using the supplied rubber mat) to settle in the paving and this is why the base levels also need to be compacted flat (otherwise I fear that the paving will undulate up and down like the sea!)

Also you need to figure out your edge restraints on the sides not butting up to the concrete or the paving will creep apart over time.

Here is some good info...

http://www.pavingexpert.com/blocks2.htm

http://www.aggregate.com/documents/bradstone-laying-guides/bradstone-laying-guide-block-paving.pdf