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June 21, 2018

Thank you from 2 Happy Germans, Peter and Meggie and Their Family

Welcome Back to Fiji – Photo Credit to Peter Schmitz

It is exactly 15 years ago that I asked Karen to apply some of her magic and work out a trip to the Southern hemisphere for my wife’s and my 30th wedding anniversary.

I thought it is about time to have the honeymoon trip we never had since, at that time, I was still attending university and we didn’t have the money.

And what a trip Karen proposed!

It started on Fiji’s Nukubati Island, a small private island off the Northern coast of Vanua Levu, an hours drive from Labasa. It is a paradise for those who like a quiet and peaceful time to relax and recharge batteries. Luxurious service, pristine waters, outstanding scuba diving, fishing and so many more things to do and last but not least, being pampered by the wonderful Fijian people.

We spent Christmas on the island and then went on to Sydney for the New Year celebrations.

Harley-Davidson Tour – Photo Credit to Peter Schmitz

Not surprisingly, Karen found what we believe- is the best location to experience this event: The Quay Grand Sydney Harbour hotel at Circular Quay, with a direct look at the Harbour Bridge and in walking distance from the Opera House and the center of the city. Sydney is a great place to visit, a truly wonderful city.

After a few days in Sydney we continued to the Whitsundays further North. Seaplane trips to Whitehaven Beach and out to the reef for some snorkeling are a must.

After four weeks, which were filled with lasting impressions and just flew by, we returned home and for weeks, we couldn’t stop talking about this miraculous trip, praising Karen’s magical work. As a result, we got our kids all wound up so that we promised to take them also on the same trip, which we did a few years later.

New Zealand – Photo Credit to Peter Schmitz

Since then Karen has organized 12, four to five-week trips to Australia, Fiji, and New Zealand.

Every trip was top notch and even in the places where we returned to, like Sydney, Karen made sure that there was always something new to see or experience. Not one boring minute in now nearly one full and exciting year of accumulated travelling time.

Australia, Fiji and New Zealand, their wonderful people, lifestyle and breathtaking nature are worth to sit 20+ hours on airplanes to get there and every dime spent, was worth spending thanks to Karen!

We have seen many wonderful places and met great people among them some very memorable:

Tasmania Australia – Photo Credit to Peter Schmitz

Cities: Auckland, Melbourne and Sydney.

Nature: The Whitsundays and the Great Barrier Reef, Nukubati’s Great See Reef, Flinders Range and Tasmania, North and South Island of New Zealand.

Locations: Nukubati with wonderful Jenny and the Nukubati family and The Manse in Hawkes Bay with the equally wonderful hosts Dietske and Gary.

Karen will never cease to amaze me with the magic she does. We cannot thank her enough and I hope that she will continue with this wonderful work for at least as long as we are fit for travelling those distances so that we can continue to put our travel plans in her expert hands.

Photo Credit to Peter Schmitz

Article by Hillary / Blog, Testimonial / Anniversary, Anniversary Trip, Auckland, Australia, Celebrate Anniversary, Christmas, Circular Quay, Fiji, Fiji Honeymoon, Fijian people, Fishing, Flinders Ranges, Great Barrier Reef, Honeymoon, Honeymoon Trip, Karen Hardy Hodgson, Labasa, Luxurious service, Luxury, Melbourne, New Years celebration, New Years Eve, New Zealand, New Zealand Tour, North Island, Nukubati, Nukubati Island Resort, Nukubati's Great Sea Reef, Paradise, Pullman Quay Grand Sydney Harbour, Scuba diving, Seaplane, Snorkeling, South Island, Southern Flinders Ranges, Southern Hemisphere, Sydney, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Opera House, Sydney Tour, Tasmania, Tassie, The Whitsundays, Tour of Australia, Tour of New Zealand, Tour of Sydney, Travel Expert, Travel to Australia, Travel to Fiji, Travel to New Zealand, Trip to Australia, Trip to Fiji, Trip to New Zealand, Vanua Levu, Wedding anniversary, Whitehaven Beach, Whitsundays

July 28, 2015

Thank you from Angela

Karen,

Well, we’re back, and we had an absolutely wonderful time.? We have traveled a fair amount, and this was my all-time favorite trip.? Australia is such an amazing?country–the people, the food, the sights, the activities.

You did a wonderful job planning everything.? We all agree that you put the four destinations in the right order, and you had a nice mix of different types of activities.

Photo Credit to Angela

I am one of the most organized people I know, and your booklet and vouchers met even my high standards.? Every evening I would look at the itinerary for the next day and pull any necessary vouchers.

Thanks for the welcome bottle of wine and fruit in Melbourne too.

We all wish it were two weeks ago and that we were just starting our Aussie adventure!

Angela

 

Article by Hillary / Blog, Testimonial / Aussie, Aussie Adventure, Australia, Australia Trip, Melbourne, Travel to Australia, Trip Down Under

April 30, 2015

Thank you from Mary Jo Drew

Hi Karen,

My entire foodie trip in the Lands Down Under went off with nary a hitch. The business class flights were the best splurge I’ve given myself in years!

MEL - Downtown from Mary Jo Drew
Photo Credit to Mary Jo Drew

The Hotel Lindrum in?Melbourne was well positioned with easy access to shopping and attractions.? The Lanes and Arcades tour is an absolute must for anyone visiting Melbourne for the first time. As our guide pointed out, by not knowing to look down the city?s narrow alleyways?many Americans would walk right past them and miss out on so much vibrant local culture.

There is so much colorful history in Melbourne.? At our guide’s advice, I even stopped in and had a drink?upstairs?with the famous Chloe in her namesake bar across from Flinders Railway Station!? The?Yarra Valley?winery tour was great fun. I really enjoyed seeing the Chandon Estate and didn?t realize Chandon had a vineyard in Australia!

Hobart in Tasmania was a really nice respite after the hustle and bustle of Melbourne.? The Old Woolstore Hotel was so close to the downtown area and harbor that I was able to walk virtually the entire downtown during my stay.? My private tour and lunch at the Morilla Estate was fantastic though the artwork at MONA came as a bit of a shock!?? The trip to Bruny Island was great.? The weather started out very rainy but by noon everything cleared out and I had a lovely day.

ZQN view from Mary Jo Drew
Photo Credit to Mary Jo Drew

And then came Queenstown in beautiful New Zealand. The Dairy may have been my favorite accommodation – had I not stopped at The Manse later!? The view, room, breakfasts and staff service were all superlative.? I also enjoyed the hot tub on the back deck – a great place to sip wine while enjoying the view!? Although the weather was on again, off again, I had mostly great weather for my wanderings about town, the public garden, and the narrow streets.? I also enjoyed great meals at a couple of unique tapas bars on Lake Wakatipu.? The Doubtful Sound trip was quite majestic, but as The Sound is so remote?it was a very long day. The winery tour to Otago was great and the charcuterie lunch was quite good.

NPE - The Manse view from Mary Jo Drew
Photo Credit to Mary Jo Drew

Lastly came Hawkes Bay. I knew I was in for a treat when I saw the plane I?d be flying on the leg from Christchurch to Napier – a regional aircraft not unlike some I have been on in the Pacific Northwest!??After staying at The?Manse and being totally spoiled by the fantastic accommodation, the pool, the drinks before dinner, Gary’s sumptuous meals, and his and Dietske’s hospitality, I can only say that I wish I had had spent more time there!? My guide on the winery tour had spent years in the business himself, and it showed in his insights into the various wineries and producers.? My tour of Napier with Gary on the last day of my trip certainly cemented my wish to spend more time in stunning Hawkes Bay.

The trip was spectacular and I will have great memories to share for years to come.? Thanks for all your help in making this happen!

Best wishes,

Mary Jo

Article by Hillary / Blog, Testimonial / Australia, Boutique Hotel, Bruny Island, Chandon Estate, Christchurch, Doubtful Sound, Down Under, Flinders Railway Station, Foodie, Hawkes Bay, Hobart, Hotel Lindrum, Lake Wakatipu, Melbourne, MONA, Morilla Estate, Napier, New Zealand, Old Woolstore Hotel, Queenstown, Tasmania, The Dairy, The Manse, Tour Guide, Trip, Vacation, Wine Tour, Yarra Valley

April 27, 2015

Discover Melbourne’s Hidden Secrets with our Specialist Tour Guide

MEL - Lanes and Arcades Hidden Secrets TourOur Hidden Secrets Tour focuses on Melbourne?s history, politics, folklore, pop culture, architecture, street art, boutiques, restaurants, cafes and bars. You?ll meet quirky and unique Melbournians and several entrepreneurial shop owners while you discover some of the hidden lanes and arcades of downtown Melbourne.? A generous sprinkling of shopping opportunities will arise that focuses on small and creative Melbourne businesses hidden within the cities nooks and crannies.? You will visit a diverse range of shops including clothing designers, leather goods and the most extraordinary and beautiful jewelry. During lunch you will be able to study your map plotting your return to a number of the unique shops you have discovered.

 

Article by Hillary / Blog / Architecture, Bars, Boutiques, Cafes, Clothing Designers, Downtown Melbourne, Folklore, History, Jewelry, Lanes and Arcades, Leather Goods, Melbourne, Melbourne Hidden Secrets Tour, Melbourne Tour Guide, Pop culture, Restaurants, Shop owners, Shopping, Shops, Specialist Tour Guide, Unique Shops

January 31, 2014

Thank you from Gerald Fuller & Siamak Gholami

Our two week Australia/New Zealand adventure experience was truly one of the finest vacations either of us has ever had. Karen and her Michigan office and international staffs executed a fine-tuned, action-packed, successive whirlwind that we slept dead 12 of the 14 return hour flight from Melbourne to Los Angeles. Exploring the north Sydney beaches on Harleys, flying low along the Sydney beaches in a sea plane, climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge, swimming in the Coral Sea with three sharks, sand boarding, New Zealand jet boating, paddling the Waka (Mori outrigger), gazing in awe walking the Milford Track, mountain biking down a 3,000 foot mountain to downtown Nelson, hiking the Abel Tasman and Heaphy Traks, climbing active volcanoes of New Zealand?s north island, and chartering 11 helicopters, 3 planes, and a sea plane are just some of the excitement included in Karen?s adventure itinerary.

Gerry Fuller & Siamak Gholami SYD (2)Now to the hotels. Wow! Park Hyatt in Sydney, Eichardt?s Private Hotel in Queenstown, Edenhouse near Nelson, Peppers Awaroa Lodge in Abel Tasman National Park are just a few of the perfectly suited for the experience and location we enjoyed. Even with walking/trekking, mountain biking, paddling a Waka, and climbing mountains, we still gained an average of 7.5 pounds each; enough said on the naturally nutritious, delicious, and extremely well-presented food.

Gerry Fuller & Siamak GholamiWe spent nearly two years working with Karen to get the trip we wanted. Gerald wanted to end his 60s with a bang and Siamak just lives life with a bang. Together we all pulled it together, but the nucleus was Karen and her staff. Thank you.

Gerald Fuller and Siamak Gholami

Article by Hillary / Blog, Testimonial / Abel Tasman, Adventure, Australia, Climbing Mountains, Eichardt Hotel, Itinerary, Melbourne, Milford Track, Mountain Biking, Nelson, New Zealand, Park Hyatt, Peppers Awaroa, Queenstown, Sydney, Sydney Harbor Bridge, Trekking, Vacation

November 22, 2013

Thank you from Carl & Laura Woodruff

Thank you, Karen and staff, for a wonderful three weeks in Australia!

P1000221We truly enjoyed relaxing Palm Cove and our magnificent Angsana Resort accommodations, right on the Pacific, and at the perfect time of year, October: 70F degrees and sunshine every day. How about orchids growing beside your front door? How about glorious sunrises and sunsets? A little piece of heaven. Then on to Melbourne, such a clean, vibrant, artistic city, and ending in Sydney, perhaps the most special metropolis on the continent with its unique Opera House and Harbor Bridge. Who could ask for a better vacation? Thank you, too, for arranging all the necessary help for Carl, who is handicapped and unable to walk more than short distances. You made everything so easy! Fortunately, there is more to see and do, which gives us all the reason we need to go back for a second (or third?) trip.

You are the best!

Carl & Laura Woodruff

Article by Hillary / Blog, Testimonial / Angsana Resort, Australia, Melbourne, Palm Cove, Sydney, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Opera House

April 8, 2013

Thank you from June Fasang

Dear Karen,

My trip was wonderful!? A big THANK YOU to you and your associates for your help in planning it.

I never really thought I would take this trip until I found out about your agency from the write up in the Sunday Detroit Free Press.? I had to keep pinching myself that I was really there after wanting to go for 60 years!

I am very glad you advised me to spend the extra money to upgrade my seat on the Air New Zealand flight to Auckland.? I cannot say enough good things about Air New Zealand and the flight attendant you alerted ahead of time to watch over me.? She was incredibly kind to help me through immigration and customs.

Auckland was lovely, the personal tour guides, Pete and Christine, were so helpful and went out of their way to welcome and show me their part of New Zealand.? City Life Hotel upgraded me to a suite and it was very comfortable. I only wish that I had more time there.? My last day in Auckland Pete showed up at 7 a.m. all spiffed up in suit and tie to transfer me to to the airport for my flight to Australia.

A friend was waiting for me in Adelaide and I really think that was my favorite part of the trip. Adelaide is a beautifully laid out city and the surrounding country is gorgeous. I loved Kangaroo Island.? It was perfect weather wise and it was there that I first saw kangaroos and koalas. Other places I enjoyed were the wineries at McLaren Vale and Granite Island where we hopped aboard a horse drawn carriage tour.

On to Melbourne on Virgin Australia, where I was upgraded to business class for the short flight and yet another reunion with friends.? After resting for a couple of days at their lovely home, their mother, who is my lifelong friend, arrived.? We visited the wonderful botanical gardens and enjoyed viewing the wild life.? Joanne made a Kangaroo supper one night and it was surprisingly good. The next day we set off to Canberra where we toured the new Parliament building and the War Memorial.? They were both amazing.

On to Sydney… The Sydney waterfront was all that I expected and that is where we met my sister and husband. I parted with my Melbourne friends and spent the rest of the day with my sister and family over in Manly Beach. I walked to the Quay to explore the Rocks and took a tea time harbor cruise.

I enjoyed the food but found Australia very expensive both in restaurants and grocery stores. Lamb was cheaper than here and I brought back Vegemite which I love (like British Marmite).

The Sheraton Hotel in Los Angeles that you arranged for me was just fine.? I took advantage of both the lovely accommodation and the limo transfers you arranged for me.

Thank you again, Karen, I could not have done it without you.

Regards,

June Fasang

P.S. I will not hesitate to recommend your agency.

Article by Hillary / Blog, Testimonial / Adelaide, Air New Zealand, Auckland, Australia, City Life Hotel, Detroit Free Press, Granite Island, Kangaroo Island, Kangaroos, Koalas, Manly Beach, McLaren Vale, Melbourne, New Zealand, Sydney, The Rocks, tour

April 11, 2012

Journal Entries from Down Under Travelers

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Hi Karen,

Yes, the vagabonds are writing again! We had a wonderful 4 days in Tassie! Too short and already looking to return. Ian and Tanya at the Red Feather Inn were amazing. Saffire was gorgeous and we definitely could have stayed there longer.

We are on our way to Melbourne and almost the end of our adventure. We had a wonderful guide here in the Macedon region and tasted some amazing wines. And what a time we had with the Munaris! They invited us to lunch yesterday and it was as if time had stood still from the first time we met nearly 12 years ago in Ft Lauderdale! Another wonderful wine story!

Got to run…will call you next week after we adjust our “clocks” abit!

My best,

Marlies

Article by Hillary / Blog, Testimonial / Macedon Region, Melbourne, Red Feather Inn, Saffire, Tassie

April 9, 2012

A Traveler’s Notes from Australia

My trip to Australia seems ages ago but my memories run deep.? The land down under is indeed full of beauty and spectacle and amazingly friendly people.

Here are a few of my favourite places and things unique to Australia:
  • First there’s the delicious lamington! (Ha! Did you think I would start with the Sydney Opera House? Not focused on the uber-tourist trail with this little blog post. Besides food always comes first!) If you’ve never had a lamington, you must try one (or two) immediately…if you can find a place that makes them…or you’ll have to make your own. Lamingtons are sponge cake cut in cubes and dipped in a light chocolate frosting and sprinkled with coconut. They are divine!
  • The spectacular Great Ocean Road! (Yes I know this is on everyone’s list but there is good reason!) The highlight of my very long but incredible day was a helicopter ride to see the Twelve Apostles and Shipwreck coast from an unforgettable vantage point!
  • Lots of great wine! From the three wine regions (of which there are plenty!) that I visited across Australia and the few wineries that I was able to experience in each area, here are the standouts…
Margaret River:
There are the bigger, more well known estates like Voyager and Vasse Felix that are consistently good so I will focus on the houses that offered me the most memorable experiences and wines that were fantastic in my opinion (not to mention some interesting names!)
+Laurance – excellent reds in particular the Icon Cabernet
+ Evans & Tate – loved their whites and a beautiful pink Moscato
+ Wills Domain – excellent whites especially their Semillon
+ Knee Deep – fantastic, refreshing Sauvignon Blanc
+ Swings and Roundabouts – great reds and a beautiful Chardonnay
Yarra Valley:
+ Yering Station – this is a popular and quite commercial estate but they had a Shiraz Viognier (2008) that was amazing
+ Rochford – lovely, elegant wines especially their Chardonnay (2001)
Barossa Valley:
+ Schild Estate – very nice, smooth whites like the Semillon, Frontignac and Chardonnay and there was a fabulous blend of Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvedre (GSM as the Aussies love their acronyms!)
+ Hentley Farm – fantastic Zinfandel and a Shiraz called The Beast (2010)! It was to-die-for…much more complex and interesting than The Beauty!
  • If you find yourself in Melbourne and you’re a huge fan of sushi, then you must try Jamon (www.jamonsushi.com) which is a little sushi place in the charming suburb of?South Yarra. The owner and master sushi chef (be prepared to meet Charles, a long-silver-haired Harley Davidson type dressed in black) prepares everything for you fresh that day – the menu is omakase so the chef will make whatever he chooses from the fresh fish, mushrooms and vegetables that he had gotten from the markets that day (you can just tell him what you may not prefer). It was like an opera watching him prepare the whole fishes and creating delicate pieces of sashimi from various parts of the fish, slicing the beautiful shiitake and enoki while grounding fresh wasabi root and sprinkling some of his homemade mustard. Oh, and in that tiny space of sushi bar for 7 and 2 tables for 2, they project Japanese animation on the large white wall in front of the
    bar. It was a lovely, spontaneous and unforgettable experience!
  • Kangaroo Island is a spectacular place where you feel like you’re at the edge of the world…and you are! It’s on the Southern Ocean and there’s nothing between you and Antarctica! The island was bigger than I expected with so much nature to see…of all the beautiful natural surroundings, I would have to say that the Remarkable Rocks were a highlight and of the few man-made places, there is nothing more amazing than the Southern Ocean Lodge (www.southernoceanlodge.com.au) which is an eco-friendly resort that caters to your every whim! The rooms, food, guided tours, spa and hospitality are all absolutely second-to-none! If only we could have stayed longer…
  • Finally, after seeing so much natural beauty, I was ready for a big dose of urban culture when I reached Sydney. And the Art Gallery of New South Wales didn’t disappoint. The gallery is at one end of the beautiful Botanic Gardens and surprisingly had on view the works of some of my favourite modern and contemporary artists. It was the perfect closing to a fabulous holiday.

Article by Hillary / Blog, Testimonial / Art Gallery of New South Wales, Australia, Barossa Valley, Down Under, Great Ocean Road, Kangaroo Island, Margaret River, Melbourne, Remarkable Rocks, Royal Botanic Gardens, Shipwreck Coast, Southern Ocean Lodge, Sydney, Sydney Opera House, Twelve Apostles, Yarra Valley

December 5, 2011

The Australian Open Heats Up Melbourne

Tennis anyone? Whether you ?love? the singles, doubles or mixed doubles competition, the only Grand Slam tennis tournament held in the Southern hemisphere, the Australian Open, is certain to heat up Melbourne this January.

SPORTS: Milos Raonic rising fast at Australian Open
Photo Credit to Globalite

Considered the Grand Slam of the year, the Australian Open matches begin on the 16th of January with final rounds concluding on the 29th. Two main courts, Rod Laver Arena and Hisense Arena, host a majority of the matches where players volley day and night during fierce competition against the best tennis players in the world.

With a rich history of over 100 years, the inaugural tournament, firstly known as the Australasian Championships, took place in 1905 on a grass court of the Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club.??In time, the event faded into obscurity as top tennis players from around the world found it difficult to travel to Australia before the advent of air travel. Revived in 1988, the tournament moved to?the newly built National Tennis Centre at Flinders?Park, currently known as?Melbourne Park, to accommodate the?growing number of fans,?in part, because of the popularity of tennis legends like Andre Agassie, Mats Wilander and Ivan Lendl.

So popular is the sport today, that in 2010 over 650,000 Aussies and travelers from around the world, gathered to cheer on their favorite competitors and ultimately watch Serena Williams come out on top in the singles and doubles competition. Roger Federer went on serve up a win in the singles competition and was handsomely rewarded with the coveted Norman Brookes trophy, named after the Aussie who was the first non-Briton to win the men?s singles at Wimbledon and was also a major figure in establishing the Australian Open, which he won in 1911.

Want to be a part of the action?? Call us to design a customized itinerary?around the excitement of the Australian Open and we will?weave your dreams into?the adventure of a lifetime.

Article by Hillary / Blog / Australia, Australian Open, Grand Slam, Grand Slam tennis tournament, Hisense Arena, January, Melbourne, Melbourne Park, Rod Laver Arena, Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Tennis, Wimbledon

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