Blog

Before joining Qantas Holidays part of my previous life involved travelling the world following the World Rally Championship. One of the highlights of the year was the visit to New Zealand where I was amazed to find the scenery really is as green as the tourist board photos show! Out in the country you will find miles of rolling hills and fenced fields dotted with pampas grasses and the ubiquitous New Zealand sheep but, sadly, not a Hobbit in sight…

Over several years I watched Auckland emerge as a vibrant city (I’m old enough to remember Auckland pre-Sky Tower!) as the Kiwis developed the Viaduct Quay area to accommodate the teams and visitors for the America’s Cup yacht races. Rugby might be New Zealand’s sport of choice but ocean yacht racing runs it a close second in the ‘City of Sails’. When the Louis Vuitton and America's Cup teams were in town they needed cuisine to match their diversity and Viaduct Quay has plenty to offer.

New Zealand in general and Auckland in particular is now one of my favourite destinations for its great hotels (most within easy walking distance of Viaduct Quay) and fantastic restaurants both in Auckland itself and in the nearby fashionable district of Parnell (just a 5 minute cab ride from the city).

Apart from the trendy Viaduct Quay area, Auckland offers great shopping and of course Sky Tower which dominates the Auckland skyline and which offers not only accommodation (Sky City hotel) but also restaurants, casinos and the Sky Jump. Slightly north of Sky Tower is the bohemian Karangahape Road (‘K’ Road to the locals) with an eclectic mix of coffee shops and small shops – some not for the faint-hearted…

Nothing is too formal in Auckland but for a fairly sophisticated lunch or dinner recommendation, try Kermadec – especially if you can get a table overlooking Viaduct Quay – or enjoy an informal dinner at the lively Iguacu in Parnell. And for the best view of the city  during lunch or dinner, book a table at Orbit, the revolving restaurant at the top of Sky Tower.

I recently had the pleasure of travelling to Hong Kong.  Hong Kong is a vibrant city with a real mix of east meets west.

A few personal highlights were riding the Tram up to the Peak offering the best views of the city, a gondola ride to Lantau Island to visa the Giant Buddah statue, a cruise on the Star Ferry across the Harbour, endless shopping at the night markets, a day at Disneyland, and a short trip to Shenzhen on mainland China.

The city comes alive at night with the famous light show overlooking both the Harbour and city.
Hong Hong offers something for everyone whether it be a spot of shopping at the famous night markets, a delicious high tea at the Langham, or a punt at the Happy Valley horse races... Hong Kong never sleeps!

I recently travelled on an APT small group tour to the Marlborough region of New Zealand. Marlborough is blessed with year-round sunshine and has one of the biggest concentration of wineries in New Zealand. I was lucky enough to take in the breathtaking views of this region on a cruise through Queen Charlotte Sound and walk along the Queen Charlotte Track. I tasted Greenshell mussels washed down with Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc wines and took part in a gourmet wine tour sampling the wines of iconic Cloudy Bay as well as many other wine producers. Overall this was a great 4 day break and highly recommended to all those who love food and wine.

I recently went to the magical Castaway Island in Fiji which is situated in the Mamanuca Group of Islands.

I caught the ferry from Denarau, which was so nice as you got to pull into some of the various other islands on route to drop passengers off. As we arrived on the island we were met by the staff playing guitars and singing us a welcome song.

The island has so many things you can do, catamarans, windsurfing, kayaking, snorkelling, I saw lots of coral and fish! Some non water based activities include volley ball, massages and table tennis.

The food on Castaway is lovely, they really emphasis on fresh seasonal produce from local Fijians and you can really taste the freshness.

It really is a magical place!

Last year in November I had the chance to visit Australia's Red Centre which proved to be one of the highlights of my trip. There is so much to see and explore all over the Northern Territory but because of my limited time I was only interested in the main attractions - the King's Canyon, Uluru and (Ayers Rock) and Kata Tjuta. I managed to squeeze to see all these places in 3 days by travelling around with a small group in a mini-bus and instead of staying in resorts and hotels, we were sleeping in swag (Aussie bedroll) under millions of stars together with snakes, dingoes and other animals living in this part of the world.

King's Canyon and Ayers Rock were amazing but the biggest surprise was Kata Tjuta (The Olgas). I have been fascinated by the sheer beauty of the mountain range, its majestic features and the hike through the Valley of the Winds.

Another reason why to visit the 'Red Centre' now is that due to the unusual amount of rain the area had last year, the whole Red Centre isn't actually that red but more green. I'll never forget waking up at 5 in the morning and watching the sunrise over the 'Centre' , the sun rays hitting the never-ending flat land, creating the most unusual lighting conditions one can otherwise only imagine.

Whether you’re after a quiet trip or an action filled holiday; Queenstown has it all. When we first flew into this picturesque 'party town' we found the view through the window simply breathtaking. As you glide through the Remarkables the plane is flanked by towering mountains, capped with pristine powder. You are instantly taken aback by the natural beauty of this place.

A stroll into town can be easily diverted by the many bars that offer warmth from log fires in the winter. You are inevitably met by the charm and fun loving attitude of the locals. With so much to do it’s easy to lose track of time so plan wisely! My friends and I opted for an adventure escape.

Queenstown is the home of the bungy jump and hundreds still visit the Kawarau bridge site everyday. The bungy itself is an exhilarating experience; it just about sums up Queenstown (there are another three if you get the bungy bug!). It’s a fun, activity-orientated hub that bustles with life. But for those that don’t fancy throwing themselves off a bridge or out of a plane there is plenty to do on the quieter side of things such as trout fishing or golf. We took a few days out to do the Routeburn track which is a walk from Glenorchy that lasts about three days. It’s both rewarding and demanding and the scenery is stunning (Lord of The Rings territory!).

Once we returned to the town, we were pretty eager to reward ourselves for our endurance, so we took a trip to the Amisfield Winery, about 20 minutes out of town. The winery is a cool spot to taste some fantastic pinot noir; a speciality of the region. The tasting cellar and the restaurant has been designed beautifully, with a contemporary interior and a sophisticated menu (always a surprise to first timers to New Zealand - the food, coffee and wine here is some of the best in the world).

Suitably merry we headed back for our last night out at Winnies, a gourmet pizza restaurant by day, pumping bar by night. Great pizzas washed down with some Winnies special brew was a great end to a fantastic five-day trip to Queenstown.