Australia 2000 Travel

Australia 2000 Travel

Thank you from Karen Peterson

Once my husband and I decided we would take a long awaited trip to Australia and New Zealand, we cracked open the guide books and began the arduous task of deciding where to visit, where to stay, what to see, how do we get there and all of the other logistical nightmares that come with planning a month long trip to a foreign country.

Feeling completely overwhelmed by our options and all the possibilities, we started to contact various travel agencies.  Of course, the large, well- known companies came to mind, but when we spoke with them, we felt as though they wanted to pigeonhole us into the established tours they offered, not a customized itinerary.  We felt disappointment at every turn.

Then a friend, who we had not seen in some time, told us about Karen Hodgson and Australia 2000 Travel.  That changed everything!

Karen, an Aussie living in Detroit, has received numerous awards during her 20+ year tenure as a travel specialist.  After our first conversation, I knew Karen was the agent for us.

She asked all the right questions, listened attentively during our calls, made sure she was meeting all our needs, regardless of how much effort and work she and her team would have to do to make this dream trip a reality.

Karen’s extensive knowledge of these two countries, her creativity (“how about taking a guided tour on a Harley” a highlight of the trip), her recommendations, connections in each town, attention to every detail were unsurpassed. We had a contact in each country who was there to welcome us and intervene if needed. Karen was also available and often emailed just to make sure the trip unfolded as we had imagined it would.

Looking back on our trip, in these troubling, unprecedented times, I am thrilled to say our vacation exceeded our expectations and we are grateful to be able to call to mind all the wonderful experiences we had. It is the perfect escape from the Corona Virus epidemic.

Our thanks to Karen and her team for a lifetime of precious memories. Our only regret???? Not having the pleasure of meeting this extraordinary woman in person. On our bucket list!

Karen Peterson

The Face of Australia 2000 Travel ~ Karen Hardy Hodgson. Featured this month as Hour Detroit Magazine?s Faces of Detroit 2019

Australia 2000 Travel weaves a touch of Aussie magic into every Bespoke Luxury Journey, handcrafted for the discerning traveler seeking to explore Australia, New Zealand, and remote South Pacific islands from a unique perspective.

Australia 2000 Travel was established in 1992 by fifth-generation Australian Karen Hardy Hodgson, whose mission is to help travelers discover the South Pacific through a local’s eyes; experience the vibrancy of immersive travel during stress-free journeys tailored to include each person’s specific interests and desires; and take travelers beyond the beaten path, where lifelong memories of wonder are created.

Australia 2000 Travel stands alone with recognition by Tourism Australia as Michigan’s only Premier Aussie Specialist, by Tourism New Zealand as one of Fewer Than Ten North American 100% Pure New Zealand Life-Time Gold Specialists, by elite Luxperience as one of the Top Two-Hundred-Fifty Travel Designers in the World, and by Hour Detroit as Detroit’s Best Travel Agency.

https://www.hourdetroit.com/faces-of-detroit/australia-2000-travel-karen-hardy-hodgson/

 

What is the Meaning of Luxury Travel?

Luxury travel commences when the discerning traveler meets a passionate, knowledgeable travel designer who specializes in handcrafting bespoke, luxury journeys to a specific part of the world, based upon each traveler’s interests and desires.

At Australia 2000 Travel we focus on luxury travel to Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific Islands, notably Fiji.

In visiting those countries annually I meet the locals, select boutique accommodations, choose the quintessential vibrant, private tour guide, move beyond the cities, seek the usual from a unique perspective.

As a travel designer I ask travelers, ‘”what” makes your eyes sparkle and your heart sing? And so begins the magic of creating individual, one-of-a-kind, stress-free, immersive travel experiences. Experiences that could include waking in a luxury tent at sunrise to see water buffalo walking by glistening in the sun after an early morning swim, dining in a local’s home, private wine tastings with the local vintner, visiting sacred indigenous sites, helicopter flights over Lord of The Rings country, firework displays at New Year, private garden, gallery and museum tours, diving on a glorious Fijian island.

I’m considered one of the top 250 travel designers in the world and recognized by Tourism Australia and Tourism New Zealand for my expertise. We take care of every single detail. All travelers need do is show up and be prepared for a good time.  Past clients often say I helped them create the best trip of their lives. Now that’s luxury travel.

Vinaka vinaka, Nga Mihi, Cheers

Karen Hardy Hodgson

President

Australia 2000 Travel

Creating Bespoke Luxury Journeys to Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific Islands

 

 

 

 

Today is Wild Koala Day

Fauna, Koalas Copyrighted Image Tourism Australia

Wild Koala Day recognizes declining koalas in the wild in Australia due to climate change. Koala conservation groups all over Australia have united to declare May 3, 2019 Wild Koala Day, to fight for protection of healthy eucalyptus forest, and to plant new forest.

Learn more about our gentle friend the Koala here.

Thank you from Susan Gibbs

Dear Karen,

Our trip was wonderful. We saw beautiful countries, had knowledgeable and energetic guides, and experienced the friendly people of New Zealand and Australia.

Overall the trip was stress free and I attribute that to your detailed planning. The drivers were always there to meet us; the hotels were always ready for us; the guides were always there to pick us up. We had local contacts to address any questions and concerns.

Because we could trust the plan, all we had to do was follow the itinerary and show up. It would be hard to go away for a month and not have any glitches. However, ours were minimal and were resolved quickly.

Thank you for helping to make this a positive, pleasant memory. I would recommend your services without hesitation.

Fondly,

Susan Gibbs

Thank You from Dan & Erica Nye

Photo Credit to Dan & Erica Nye

We met with Karen about a year and a half before our Honeymoon trip to Australia and New Zealand. The entire process with her has been fantastic and very fun. We met a couple of times in person during the planning phase and then once more in person right before the trip. During the planning phase most of the correspondence was through email, which she did great at keeping us informed of what our itinerary looked like and what the plan was. She has been very supportive, accommodating, and had great communication (let us know when she would be travelling, how long to expect updates, etc.). She gave us recommendations of the best time to go, things to do/see, and what to expect. The activities and excursions she had us signed up for were incredibly fun and once in a lifetime experiences. All of the travelling went very smoothly and even though we were busy and did a lot of things, Karen still managed to build into the itinerary plenty of time to relax. The scenery and everything we experienced had the perfect amount of romance attached to it as it was our honeymoon.

Photo Credit to Dan & Erica Nye

Our trip started in Sydney (Botanical Gardens, Private Harbour Tour, Bridge Climb, Opera House tour and show), then up to Cairns/Port Douglas (Dive Great Barrier Reef, Rain Forest Resort, Aboriginal Tour), then to Brisbane (Night in the city), then over to Auckland (Hobbitton/Shire tour, Waiheke Island winery tour). Every stop had breath-taking views and awesome guides (majority of time was all private, which helped make everything more romantic). All of the flights, airport pickups, and excursion drop-offs were right on time and went perfectly.

Photo Credit to Erica & Dan Nye

The 2 and a half weeks spent in the land down under will be remembered and cherished forever. We’re planning on going back every 5 years to celebrate our anniversaries and as long as Karen is still doing travel arrangements we will absolutely go through her.

Thank you again.

Dan & Erica Nye

Spicers Potts Point ~ A Luxury Sydney Hotel. An Urban Oasis in the Heart of One of Sydney’s Most Iconic Suburbs.

Photo Credit: Spicers Potts Point

Welcome to Spicers Potts Point where history meets modern luxury

Photo Credit: Spicers Potts Point

Nestled in the midst of Potts Point on the edge of the Sydney CBD, surrounded by fashionable shops, cafes and restaurants Spicers Potts Point is a luxury boutique hotel with a distinct urban feel. Comprised of three meticulously restored Victorian terrace houses that, with a neutral, peaceful and restrained palette reflect a fresh contemporary style. The blend of old and new has created a private club feel that envelopes each guest once inside and away from the hustle and bustle of busy city life.

Photo Credit: Spicers Potts Point

On my recent stay at Spicers Potts Point I was delighted to experience the same unparalleled service synonymous with the Spicers brand as I had encountered on past occasions. From the warm welcome on my late-night arrival to the luxury of a warm bath and exquisitely comfortable bed I knew a marvelous sleep awaited me.

Photo Credit: Spicers Potts Point

The following morning a scrumptious breakfast created from a selection of fresh cheese, smoked salmon, fruits, croissant and vegan delights sent me on my way for my return trip to the United States. I’m happily looking forward to the next warm welcome I will receive at Spicers Potts Point this December.

Whether you seek romance or adventure, food or wine, Spicers Retreats offers a broad range of experiences for you to enjoy. Do give Australia 2000 Travel the opportunity to include Spicers Potts Point in your Bespoke Aussie Adventure.

Cheers!

Karen Hardy Hodgson
President
Australia 2000 Travel

Thank you from Natalie Robinson

Karen planned the perfect trip of a lifetime for our family of 5 (kids are age 22, 19 and 16) for our 30th wedding anniversary. It had been a dream of mine to visit Australia and although I usually plan and book all our trips I wanted to make sure that I sought expert opinion for this one. I had a couple of initial meetings with Karen where we discussed preferences and options and budget and Karen then put together an initial plan. I would say our final trip consisted of 95% of Karen’s suggestions.

Photo Credit to Natalie Robinson

We stayed in 5 different locations in Australia and New Zealand and they were all superb from the flights, accommodation to the airport pick ups and drop offs to the excursions. The majority of our excursions were private with an expert driver/guide who looked after us extremely well. Our highlights of the trip were Orpheus, just paradise! Sydney harbour tour with lunch, Queenstown is a beautiful city and our accommodation at Millbrook was fantastic. Doubtful Sound is one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited and the tour was very well planned. The least interesting city we stayed in was Auckland but it was worth it for our day trip to Waiheke (an island 35 minutes ferry ride from Auckland) with another expert guide where we visited wineries and olive groves.

Photo Credit to Natalie Robinson

This trip slightly exceeded our initial budget but it was well worth it to have the expert planning and attention from Karen and her team in Australia and New Zealand and to have so many exceptional experiences. I would recommend Australia 2000 to anyone looking to travel to Australia and New Zealand.

Thank you from Vivian, Danny & Eric Chan

My family of 3 has spent one week in Port Douglas and one week in Fiji last month. My son has never been to Great Barrier Reef. We went out to different reefs at two separate tours. We saw many different kinds of reefs, fish and a few giant clams, so colorful! It’s remarkable and breathtaking. Karen has arranged a private cultural tour to Daintree for us. The guide Aaron was a native there. He was very familiar with all the plants and where to spot crocodiles. He showed us different plants to heal sinus and mosquito bites, very fascinating as we are all big city people. He took us to the beach spearfishing, which my son had so much fun playing with the spear. We didn’t catch anything but again, it’s something that we don’t get to do in the big cities.

We’ve stayed at Savasi Island in Fiji. The resort was beautiful and private. They have a very good activity center there. We kayaked in the channel and did line fishing by the shore. We also snorkeled at Split Rock and Turtle Alley. Our guide Thomas brought food to feed the fish and we were surrounded by tons of stripped sergeant, it’s amazing. We didn’t see any turtles at Turtle Alley but we saw couple sharks there. The weather was perfect that day, the sea was calm, the giant rocks with coral reefs and fish was spectacular. Maybe because we were the only people there, it’s so peaceful and relaxed. We love the ocean!!!

Photo Credit to Vivian, Danny & Eric Chan

Orpheus Island ~ An Award Winning Luxury Private Island Accommodation in the Great Barrier Reef Hand Selected by the Owner of Australia 2000 Travel

Welcome to the kindness, the beauty and the innate healing power of Orpheus Island…

Orpheus Island Photo Credit to Tourism Australia

At Orpheus Island the accommodation is sophisticated, inviting and a stone’s throw from the water’s edge. During my recent travels to an invitation only Tourism Australia event I had the utmost privilege to off a stopover at tropical secluded Orpheus Island. I cannot tell you how much I appreciated being embraced by the bliss, the beauty, the magic, the comfort, the taste sensations of beautiful Orpheus. Every member of the team exuded a sense of joy through each welcoming smile. I was unobtrusively cared for in unpretentious comfort with minimal fuss and maximum care.

Orpheus Island South Suite Photo Credit to Simon Shiff

Oh how I savored the beauty of my suite, the chaise lounge by the beach, the garden, the exquisite cuisine. I snorkeled, read, drank champagne, luxuriated in the garden bath under the Milky Way at midnight and saluted the Southern Cross! For a passionate Aussie life could not have been better.

 

Orpheus Island Snorkeling Photo Credit to James Vodicka

Fringed by sheltered bays and seven unspoiled sandy beaches, wreathed in spectacular coral gardens and invigorated with native flora and fauna, Orpheus is a kaleidoscope of the senses. While snorkeling or diving in the underwater gardens surrounding the island guests glimpse giant clams in their natural environment, observe over a thousand species of tropical fish and more than three hundred varieties of multicolored reef coral that have been spared the bleaching that has occurred in other areas of the Great Barrier Reef.

For over twenty years I have shared the wonder of this breathtaking destination with hundreds of travelers and now it’s time to introduce it to you. Contact us to include Orpheus Island awarded the Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence in your Bespoke Down Under Adventure.

 

Contact Us

Phone: +1-248-647-4530
Email: cgoodman@downunderendeavours.com