Carrie Walshe - Travel Broker

28/07/2023

Right now an incredible group of clients are hiking up Mt Kilimanjaro, Tanzania.

A lot of time & hard work, training, planning, organising, trialing, dreaming & these guys are realising this epic achievement- how cool is this! 🎉

26/07/2023

Yep☺️

24/06/2023

2023 list!

01/06/2023

So having too much of an incredible time on holiday, followed by devastating emergency surgery in Morocco(!) put a delay on my real-time holiday posting…

Top 3 Tips

- Morocco is incredible, the places, the people, the experiences, the everything !

- Travel Insurance ! Cover-More NZ were amazing in our time of need in support, advice, on going checking in on my well-being & of course claiming and paying.

- Absolute highlight was our time in the Sahara desert staying at Beldi camp and the incredible help & kindness of Youssef & Achraf. Our trip would not have been the same without them. We left our heart in the desert & we shall return, Inshallah.

I have about 100 more tips, so add Morocco to your must travel list, and talk to me!

25/04/2023

The USA is a great place to stopover on the way to Europe. You break the long journey, get to explore somewhere new & eat & shop all the things.

Here was a few days in Chicago!

- Incredibly clean & pretty city. Spring tulips everywhere. No homeless on the streets.
- Super Cold & snow(!) even in ‘Spring’
- Very walkable, great shopping street on Magnificent Mile, architecture & a different angle of the city along the River Walk, Millennium Park for ‘The Bean’
- Taxes are high here & so is pricing, prepare to spend a bit of $$$
- Great live Blues & Jazz scene
- Lots of good eats but known for their Deep Dish Pizza (IMO super weird, more like a Pie, but yum!)
- Love a good shop & we are really into country so stocked up on some country gear, even found here.

Top Tip
- You can’t get a normal Uber from T5 upon arrival at the airport, only Uber blacks for 3x the price. Organise an arrival transfer instead to save $
Normal Ubers City-Airport for approx $50USD no problem!

10/04/2023

I think the word is ‘Travel Agent’ 😆
Happy 12 year Anniversary to me! ✈️ 💗🥂

20/03/2023

“The travel industry is back in full swing in 2023, but not without notable shifts in how and where we wander. Steeper costs and increased interest in sustainability and authenticity are reshaping the landscape. To compile this list of the World’s Greatest Places, the top spots to visit this year, TIME solicited nominations of places from our international network of correspondents and contributors, with an eye toward those offering new and exciting experiences.

The result: 50 far-flung and familiar spots, from Giza and Saqqara in Egypt, where the long-delayed Grand Egyptian Museum is finally revamped and reopened, to the gastronomy hot spot of Dijon, France. Some of the destinations are enforcing more sustainable tourism practices to protect their natural beauty; Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia is moving toward allowing only one foreign visitor per local resident. Others are thriving, growing, and changing, like the city of Medellín, Colombia, which has blossomed into a culturally vibrant metropolis”

Discover awe-inspiring destinations across the globe

31/01/2023

So somehow I missed Christmas, New Year etc!
Travel has been crazy busy!

Welcome to 2023…
Auckland summer just had to get crazier 😫

Devastating floods, 27Jan23
Everyone OK, clean up physically, emotionally, spiritually, insurance claimy is all a bit hectic.

09/12/2022

Seeing as we’re yet to see summer arrive, and because I can’t seem to get Taylor Swifts new song out my head… I’ve been thinking about how I can see “Snow on the Beach?!”

Turns out there’s a bunch of epic sounding places to see this weird, but f&$ beautiful phenomenon. Have you seen Snow on the Beach?

Bye, bye, bikini. Hello, parka!

10/11/2022

“For all the good it can do in bolstering local economies and connecting cultures, tourism is a significant contributor to climate change. Three years after the word “covid” entered our daily vocabulary, tourism numbers from April to July 2022 exceeded pre-pandemic levels.

For this year’s No List, we’re highlighting destinations to reconsider visiting in 2023 in three main categories: natural attractions that could use a break in order to heal and rejuvenate; cultural hotspots that are plagued with overcrowding and resource depletion; and locations around the world immediately and dramatically impacted by water crises.”

Fodor's provides expert travel content worth exploring so you can dream up your next trip. The world is a weird and wonderful place—we want to show you around.

18/10/2022

YES! No more NZ Traveller Declaration needed to enter NZ from the 20th October 2022.

22/09/2022

Who wants to go on a DISNEY CRUISE?!

Disney Cruise line is coming to NZ & Australia in 2023. It is important to acknowledge that demand will outstrip availability and it will sell out, fast - so if you want on board, get in touch with me NOW.
We have a plan to secure cabins as fast as possible when they are released 29th Sep.

Indications from Disney is that prices for a 3-night ex Auckland sailing will start as listed below (based on double cabin, per person excluding gratuities).
Inside Stateroom: from NZD $1245 per person
Ocean View Stateroom: from NZD $1345 per person
Ocean View with Verandah: from NZD $1525 per person
Concierge Stateroom with Verandah: from NZD $2800 per person
Prices are indicative only, these will likely vary for each sailing and do not include gratuities.

From Australia, there are:
10x round trip cruises from Sydney (Including Tasmania & Noumea itineraries)
4x round trip cruises from Brisbane
8x round trip cruises from Melbourne.
PLUS repositioning cruises between the cities.
Disney Wonder is scheduled to be in our local waters for a limited time only, from October 2023 - February 2024.

PM me or text or call me on 021410852

17/09/2022

So cool! 🎉💖

13/09/2022

09/09/2022

Rest In Peace. Her Majesty The Queen 🇬🇧 ❤️

25/08/2022

Yippee the big guy is back!! ✈️

🛬 EK'S A380 BOUND FOR AKL 🛫

Emirates' A380 is coming back to New Zealand, with the carrier announcing that it will restore its non-stop A380 services to and from Auckland from 01 Dec.

The news comes as EK readies to re-open The Emirates Lounge at AKL on 03 Sep, next Saturday.

05/08/2022

😆 Pretty much how my brain works!

01/08/2022

Loving my daily WORLDLE
Each day you get 6 guesses at which country it is. Each guess gives you a direction & distance of how far off your guess is to the correct one.
Good fun & great for your brain & geography!

20/07/2022

1 month back and already got them itchy feet again 💖😵‍💫😆✈️

18/06/2022

The top 40!! 🌎

I wanna get to number 7, 37 & 39

What’s your top 3?

Although COVID hasn't disappeared from our lives quite yet, more and more places are opening up for Kiwi travellers and since Flight Centre is turning 40 this year, we thought we'd give you a list of the best 40 travel destinations for 2022!

16/06/2022

This is great news for travelling New Zealanders and NZ tourism!

I am proof that the pre-departure testing was outdated and doesn’t actually work ! !

…Did a Negative pre-departure test in the UK Sunday. Flew Mon-Wed. Arrived Wednesday and tested positive for Covid19 on my Day 0 arrival test. 🙄😷🏡

26/05/2022

A week in Puglia, Italy. 🇮🇹
Bari>Polignano a Mare>Alberbello>Martina Franca>Taranto>Porto Cesareo>Lecce>Ostuni>Monopoli 👌

20/05/2022

I just travelled to the other side of the World!!!
✈️🎉
Today I woke up in Bari, Italy 🇮🇹 after a long slog, 33hours of travel, 4 flights, 5 Airports…
It was nerve wracking ensuring all our ducks were in a row before we left, and that we had everything we needed completed, but knowledge & preparation was the key and it turns out the rest of the world cares ALOT less about Covid than NZ does.. the hardest part was leaving at Auckland.
HELLO WORLD I’m back!! 👋🏻 💗🙌

09/05/2022

This is exciting news ! Coming to Christchurch-Dubai route by the end of this year.

30/04/2022

Great article on what is becoming the ‘new normal’ and why…..

I knew we were BUSY. Like BUSY BUSY…. And this is why “New Zealand used to have about 5,000 travel agents. Now there are about 1,500.” 😮

https://www.bloggeratlarge.com/travel-agent-fees-the-new-normal/

Since Covid the travel industry is changing. Travel agents will likely start charging consulting fees and this is what you'll get

27/04/2022

Excellent news that justice has been served on the Government against MIQ-

The High Court in New Zealand has just issued a judgment slamming the operation of MIQ! To quote Justice Mallon exactly:

“… I have reached the conclusion that because, and to the extent that, the system did not sufficiently allow individual circumstances to be considered and prioritised where necessary, it operated as an unjustified limit on the right of New Zealand citizens to enter their country."

You can read the full judgment here-https://www.courtsofnz.govt.nz/assets/cases/2022/2022-NZHC-832.pdf

The judgment came about because an amazing group of Kiwi Expats called the Grounded Kiwis filed a claim in the High Court last year, seeking a declaration that the way MIQ operated was an unjustified limit on the right of Kiwi citizens to enter New Zealand.

Alexandra Birt and the Grounded Kiwis team are Kiwi heroes and they deserve our thanks for obtaining judicial confirmation of what we all know to be true anyway – that MIQ was a lottery of human misery and caused enormous hardship for so many people and the entire Travel Industry.

The judge said there were other ways the MIQ system could have worked – even pointing to the points system proposed by the National Party as a better way of prioritising people.

The government now has a choice – they can either appeal the judgment and prolong the pain for them, or they can accept that they got it wrong, and issue an apology to everyone negatively affected by MIQ. The ball is in their court.

MIQ has now ended, but today’s judgment is an important one for all Kiwis. It’s finally official recognition of the cruel and unjust way the MIQ system worked while New Zealand had it for 2 years!

13/04/2022

🙌 AIR NZ EASES C-19 TEST/VAX RULES 🙌

From today Air New Zealand domestic passengers no longer need to show their vax certificate or a negative test to fly, following the move to Orange Traffic Light setting.

Plus in-flight food and beverages will be back domestically from 15 Apr.

The carrier is also removing its ‘no jab, no fly’ policy for international flights from 01 May. See today’s issue for more details.

😷 Masks will still be required onboard under the Orange Traffic Light setting for customers and crew.

11/04/2022

11 years today being a Travel Agent!
I have loved it, I have hated it. I have jumped for joy, raged against the world and everything in between. It is the hardest and most rewarding thing I have ever done. When my career ended literally overnight in 2020 it took my light away with it.
I am SO happy that finally it is back and I can do what I was born to do again! ✈️💖🎉

22/03/2022

START SPREADING THE NEWS!!
Air NZ is off to the Big Apple! ✈️
First non stop flight from Auckland to New York departs 17th Sep 2022. On sale now!
I❤️NY

Air New Zealand

16/03/2022

Border Update!!!!

FINALLY New Zealand has brought forward the relaxation of border restrictions for fully vaccinated Australian Citizens and eligible travellers from Visa Waiver countries. The changes are as follows, changes to other visa holders not mentioned will be announced at a later date:

From 11:59pm 12 April 2022
The following fully vaccinated people can enter New Zealand and do not need to self-isolate or enter MIQ:

-Australian citizens and permanent residents.

-Current temporary work and student visa holders from anywhere in the world, with a valid visa who can still meet their visa requirements — this includes both visa holders currently offshore, and those in New Zealand who choose to travel overseas and wish to return.

-Up to 5,000 international students from anywhere in the world, for semester 2.

From 11:59pm 1 May 2022
The following fully vaccinated people can enter New Zealand and do not need to self-isolate or enter MIQ:

-Visitors from countries who do not need a visa (visa waiver visitors).

-Visitors from other countries who already hold a valid visitor visa.
Visa waiver countries and territories | immigration.govt.nz

THIS IS SUCH GOOD NEWS!! Not just for reuniting millions of torn apart families but also for bringing airlines, routings, competition and choices back for Kiwis and Travel 🥰✈️

04/03/2022

🍾🍾🍾🍾

🙌 GLOBAL ‘DO NOT TRAVEL’ ENDS 🙌

It’s official, the SafeTravel.govt.nz global ‘do not travel’ advisory has ended.

This paves the way for Kiwis to travel the globe with some C-19 insurance cover (policy Ts&Cs will apply) & will significantly bolster Kiwis confidence to ttavel. ✈️🎉👍

The destination-specific travel advisories are back & available here…. https://safetravel.govt.nz/travel-advisories-destination

I think we’ll celebrate by booking a trip!

28/02/2022

Exciting step in the right direction ! 🎉
It’s been a loooooooooooong 2 years coming.

13/02/2022

Happy day of love! ❤️

My top 3 would be #44, #40, #16
How about you?

https://bigseventravel.com/most-romantic-hotels-world/

The 50 most romantic hotels in the world from small boutique properties to large beach front hotels for honeymooners and lovers

11/02/2022

What year is it? Who’s ready to travel?! ✈️💃🏻🤞

11/02/2022

06/10/2020

Witness the world's most remarkable natural light show. The Southern lights...also known as the Aurora Australis!

Departing from Christchurch 20th March 2021, Join Viva Expeditions & Aurora hunter and astrophysicist Dr Ian Griffin & a team of expert astronomers and fly into the night, to witness of the world’s most magical natural phenomena. Take off onboard an Air New Zealand Dreamliner, you will head south over the Southern Ocean towards Antarctica, aiming for latitudes of 62 degrees south where the Aurora Australis is brightest. We will take you far away from light pollution, high above the clouds and weather systems to see a magical and unforgettable display with uninterrupted view of the southern lights. Along the way you will see constellations, stars, and planets as you have never witnessed them before.

Throughout the flights you will receive a full inflight catering service in business, premium and economy classes. Expert astronomers will provide information on route about how an aurora is created, as well as pointing out their favourite night sky.

How cool is this?! 👏👏👏👏
Travel ✅ bucket list ✅ Southern Lights ✅ AND no Covid or quarantine risk! ✅
Contact me for more info!

28/09/2020

Excellent news. 👏

Airpoints members have been given a further break to maintain their status.

25/09/2020

🚢💯

17/09/2020

Perhaps a sign of shining light at the end of this tunnel!! Or maybe just a glow worm.... 😬🙏 ✈️
Travel Today NZ