We research and make travel reservations that turn your family's dreams into reality and memories that you'll cherish for years to come.
We know because we are still talking about our family adventure years afterwards.
Did a little more exploring of the Canadian Rockies - mountains, beautiful coloured lakes, hot springs, wildlife (we didn't stop and take a photo of the bear we came across), and ski resorts which become mountain biking and hiking spots at this time of year.
We had a long layover in Vancouver on the way home so took advantage of that and caught up with some friends, and then a quick stop at the outlet mall which is a short, and free, train ride from the airport.
I don't really need an excuse to visit Canada, but my niece getting married there is a pretty good excuse!
Doing a little exploring of the beautiful Canadian Rockies.... the weather wasn't the best but at least the forecast thunder storm didn't eventuate!
A few pics from a few days exploring in French Polynesia...
The view from my office today...
Will be out exploring the next couple of days so not so much office work will be happening...
Saturday night I got all glammed up to attend the New Zealand Travel Industry Awards. NZ Travel Brokers came away with a couple of awards which was pretty cool.
We finished up our US trip by ticking off one of my bucket list items, something I have wanted to do since I was 16 - skiing beside Lake Tahoe.
The next leg of our US trip involved trading in the motorbike for a 4 wheeled vehicle and heading up the northwest side of Nevada. We dipped into California to visit Death Valley National Park. A pretty cool park I have to say, with lots of variety of scenery.... and the onwards road trip included some funky art installations and a ghost town.
Given hubby & my recent trip to Zion National Park, I thought I would share one of my favourite pics from our family trip to Zion National Park a few years ago.
The National, and State, Parks in the USA are fabulous for family adventures (and don't tell the kids, but they can learn heaps too!), and are great places to stay on road trips.
My socials manager (aka hubby) and I recently popped over to the US and ticked a couple of things off our bucket list.
First up... US road trip on a Harley Davidson (that was on Mr Socials Manager list). We travelled through small corners of 3 states in 3 days and including 1 National Park and 1 State Park, and across Hoover Dam (what an amazing engineering structure!). Lots of cool rocks! The pics really don't even come close to doing them justice.
Nevada
Hey All, Karen's socials manager here again. Just a quick note about why she's the best travel broker in the whole world. This is what Karen looks like living it up in Lake Tahoe luxury - staying on top of client needs before she walks the 100m to the gondola to grab some spring skiing for the day. If I was looking for a travel broker, I'd pick her for life :-)
Last year I visited New Caledonia for the first time. New Caledonia is different to all its South Pacific island neighbours with its touch of France, complete with pain au chocolats which one must indulge in while there (it's compulsory, at least if you go with me!!), but without the 24+ hour journey to get there! Surrounded by a beautiful lagoon, which is the world's largest lagoon by the way, with lots of fish and turtles that can be seen from your very own overwater bungalow, or while snorkelling, or on a glass-bottom boat ride. Plus hiking, mountain bike riding, visiting cultural and historical sites... Great for couples or families with so much to see and do, and eat, or, just chill. And some fabulous deals to be had at the moment!
Vietnam is a popular family destination at the moment! I've put together several itineraries for clients recently with our amazing supplier there. Highlights include an overnight cruise on the beautiful Halong Bay, explore the Cu Chi Tunnels, tour the city by Jeep with expert guides, try Vietnamese cuisine and even take a cooking class, a cycling tour, a boat trip on the Mekong Delta, relax on the beach.... so many options that we can arrange for you, and you will be well looked after by the team on the ground. If you get in quick, we may be able to get you there for the July school holidays.
Calling all Paddington Bear fans... a new interactive experience opens in London at the end of May. It looks like The Paddington Bear Experience will be a fab time for the whole family, complete with marmalade sandwiches. A must-do to add to the list when in London.
I spent this afternoon inspecting this beauty. Last night I met with luxury suppliers from around the world, and now about to head into a trade show to meet with a range of suppliers from all over the US. Busy keeping up to date!
LinkedIn reminded me that it is 7 years since I started my business under the NZ Travel Brokers umbrella. A gradual start on this chapter, and thanks to my amazing clients who book regularly with me and refer other people to me, my business has grown (let's not talk about the 2+ years during this time where we couldn't travel... and thus hardly any business). I love being able to work from home rather than going into the office like I used to do.
Thank you to all those who book their travel with me. It is fun to send you all off to exciting places, and yes, I do get jealous :-)
Kicking off 2024, hubby and I left the kids behind and enjoyed a few quiet days in Samoa to celebrate our wedding anniversary. Great time of year to visit - it's quiet so not having to line up for anything and share the sites/activities with very few others! Also a great place to visit as you can be as active or inactive as you like. Plenty for families to do (maybe next time kiddos!). In spite of having hubby along with his camera, we didn't manage to capture many pics. Lovely snorkelling - beautiful fish, turtles, giant clams... and beautiful warm water! What more can one ask for on a tropical island holiday :-)
Happy New Year! I trust 2024 has started off well for you.
It's started off well for me - I received the exciting news that I have qualified as a Premier Aussie Specialist. What does this mean you ask?! I've been an Aussie Specialist for years, and as a Premier it means that I'm recognised by the Australian travel industry as a superior performer in selling travel to Australia. It also provides me with further opportunities to upskill in my knowledge and experience of Australia that are only available to Premiers. I'm one of 24 Premier Aussie Specialists in New Zealand, which I think is pretty cool.
I have recently returned from the winter wonderland of Switzerland where they were getting ready to celebrate Christmas. So beautiful!
It has been an amazing year for travel, both professionally and with my family. It has also been a very busy year, so as I sign off for the year to spend some time with my family and refresh for the coming year, I just wanted to take a moment to wish you all a very Merry Christmas. I trust Christmas will be a special time for your and your family. I look forward to connecting with you in 2024 (where did 2023 go???).
Karen's socials manager here again. I had a dream my travel broker left me for some Swiss Chocolate. Then I woke up, checked my phone, and found I was Tobler-all-alone.
Last night I attended an industry event with representatives from all over the USA. Both Grapevine Texas and Oklahoma which I have visited in the last few weeks were there and their presentations brought a smile to my face as I remembered my visit.
The following photos are still in Oklahoma - it's off along Route 66 with lots of quirky roadside stops to Tulsa, and then on down to Durant.
Off to Oklahoma for 4 nights to pack in as much as we could, including a stretch of Route 66. Started with Oklahoma City. Got a great overview and could easily have spent longer here.
So November meant a work trip to the US! First up, Grapevine in Texas which is actually the city where DFW airport is! A historic main street which is the Christmas Capital of Texas which they were starting to decorate while we were there, and construct an outdoor icerink. Lots of fun stores and historic sites on the main street, includes chocolate makers and wine tasting rooms, and an observation tower. The vintage train was also starting to transform into the Polar Express in preparation for the Christmas season. Such a fun place to visit, especially from 20 November when the official Christmas events kick off.
After those amazing experiences on Australia's Ningaloo Reef on the western coast, we flew over to Cairns in Northern Queensland (and the flight was longer than flying from NZ to Queensland!) for the trade show and some more adventures in and on the water.
Also while in Western Australia we enjoyed the beauty on land... although we definitely took a dip in this beautiful bay after a hike!
October is cruise month! In conjunction with that the cruise line NCL have been running Walk for Wellness, and this year is the 4th time they have done so and I've participated. This has been a month of wellbeing-focused activities, and a World Record Attempt for the Longest Distance Achieved by a Team of Travel Professionals in One Month.
You all know that I love cruising! It is a great way to visit multiple destinations in one trip, not to mention economical. One of the features I like about NCL ships are their Haven 2 bedroom suites which are perfect for families.
My recent trip to Australia started in Western Australia, with an all too brief 4 nights. Packed full...
As an Aussie Specialist, I attended an industry trade show in Cairns, Australia last week alongside 300 travel specialists from around the world (only 7 of us from NZ) - it was fabulous to reconnect with some Australian suppliers and meet ones I hadn't met before. Either side of the 3 days I also experienced some of their products which was pretty fun. I'll share some pics on the fun stuff soon.
Hi All, this is Karen's socials manager here. Just to let you know she has slightly reduced hours until this weekend but is still available via usual channels for queries and on-trip support. After you've checked out the screenshot of where she is 'working' today, I need to point out she was in Perth yesterday. Also, her updated reference material has arrived. BTW, the kids and I are fine, thanks for asking :-)
Last week finished up with a 2nd trip up to Auckland to inspect, and enjoy lunch onboard, the P&O Explorer cruise ship. It is based out of Auckland at the moment with some fantastic itineraries to the Pacific islands, so great value for a family holiday with not having to book international flights to get to the ship. There were some very excited families boarding and settling in as we disembarked.
There's been a happy dance in our house. A big happy dance. By me. This week I was invited on 2 separate industry trips - Texas & Oklahoma, and Switzerland. This year. To ever be invited is a privilege. I'm one of 6 Kiwis on a USA itinerary and 1 of 9 Australians/Kiwis going to Switzerland. Super privileged! Super excited! I will have lots to share with you from my explorations and learnings I'm sure.
PS: My family are super jealous that they can't come with me on either trip. It's work😃
Hamilton
| Monday | 9am - 4:30pm |
| Tuesday | 9am - 4:30pm |
| Wednesday | 9am - 4:30pm |
| Thursday | 9am - 4:30pm |
| Friday | 9am - 4:30pm |
Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Karen McIntosh - Travel Specialist posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Send a message to Karen McIntosh - Travel Specialist:
Last week finished up with a 2nd trip up to Auckland to inspect, and enjoy lunch onboard, the P&O Explorer cruise ship. It is based out of Auckland at the moment with some fantastic itineraries to the Pacific islands, so great value for a family holiday with not having to book international flights to get to the ship. There were some very excited families boarding and settling in as we disembarked.
It's great to be travelling again! Hubby and I just returned from a 7 night cruise of some of the Tahitian Islands. Yes, we totally believe in the value of family travelling together, but also in couples having time to themselves! I made a video on the top of Bora Bora's Mt Pahia...
