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Travelling to Oregon

Posted on May 9, 2013 By sue

One of the hot new destinations in the US these days is the beautiful state of Oregon.

Columbia Gorge, Oregon

I’ve gathered together a few gems here to help you get the best out of a trip there. Just email me if you want to know more.

Oregon sits on the northern border of California and opens out to the Pacific coast. Climatically it’s on the cool side but it has a diverse range of habitats and activities, especially if you’ve already done all the usual US must-dos like Las Vegas, the Disney Worlds and New York. It’s also an easy place to self-drive and there’s plenty of wilderness to get lost in.

The biggest city in Oregon is Portland, about 125 kms inland from the coast. It’s a decent sized city – around 2 million people – and is known for its friendliness and fantastic foodie culture. According to Time magazine Oregon is currently the top food state in the US. There’s an excellent local transport system, good accommodation options and the shopping is tax free.

Portland has a lot of green spaces allowing plenty of walking and cycling options in the city. Work that in with a trip to their fabulous Farmers Market, then check out some of the great eateries and local beers. You’ll easily fill a few days around the city.

One of the bigger attractions outside of Portland is the Columbia River Gorge, with its huge basalt cliffs, waterfalls and walking trails. The highest point in Oregon, and a key part of the Columbia system is Mt Hood, an active volcano. Here you’ll find year round snow, fishing, kayaking, interesting local foods and some very luxurious lodges. It has three ski areas, a long ski season and good night skiing.

The nearby Willamette Valley is the state’s wine region, specialising in cool climate aromatics like riesling, pinot gris and chardonnay.

Central Oregon is another area where outdoor pursuits triumph. You’ll find good golf, more fishing, caving and rock climbing. Southern Oregon is more rugged with good cycling and mountain areas. The local foods are also worth checking out. The high point (or is it a low point?) of Eastern Oregon is Hells Canyon, which is actually deeper than the Grand Canyon. The east is a very laid back area and key farming region.

And like most Kiwis we are usually drawn to the coast at some point. Oregon has a 400 mile long western shore, just over an hour’s drive west from Portland. Sandy dunes and rocky islands line the coast and there are good golf courses nearby.

For more info on travelling to Oregon contact sue@nztravelbrokers.co.nz, www.travelgallery.co.nz

A Tropical North Queensland Winter Getaway

Posted on May 1, 2013 By sue

If the budget cuts haven’t hit too hard and a winter holiday is still on the cards, then here’s an idea that’s relatively close to home but still lets palm trees, soft white sand, sultry rainforest and balmy trade winds become a reality.

Take a direct flight from Auckland to Cairns (it’s only 5 ½ hours) and enjoy a real tropical break, even if it’s only for a week. Tropical North Queensland is a place you can return to again and again. The World Heritage values of the Great Barrier Reef and the rainforests of the Daintree area provide a wide range of activities and lots of very cool places to stay.

And one of my favourite places is the Daintree Eco Lodge. As far as luxury lodges goes it is very good value with a room rate starting at around $NZ700 for 2 people, including breakfast, in the high season. But prices can be half that in the low season, which is from November through to April. This, however, is no ordinary hotel, with its free-standing rooms perched out on stilts within a forested valley. Each room (or bayan, as they are called) has a screened verandah, some with a spa out there as well, which opens out in to the tree canopy. It’s a bewitching place with an ancient story (it is run in close conjunction with the local Kuku Yulangi people) and is a fabulous place to unwind.

A few days in Cairns is well worth it, and gets you close to the marina for an early start if you’re going out on a reef trip. There are lots of trips to choose from – some head to the inner reef where less experienced people are happy to snorkel around the shallow coral gardens and soak up the magic of the reef. Other trips head to the outer and northern reefs, either as a day trip or for anything up to a week. These trips visit some world-class dive sites, whale and shark playgrounds and the occasional off-shore island.

Port Douglas and Palm Cove, both on the coast north of Cairns, are quiet little resort towns that have grown over the years from their coastal backwater roots. But they’re ideal for a family getaway if you don’t mind lots of other families doing exactly the same thing (you’ll find at least half of them are Kiwis). Port Douglas has an interesting weekly market, lots of funky cafes and is close to both the reef and the rainforest. It’s an ideal getaway and beats the winter mud around the cowshed any day.

For more info contact sue@nztravelbrokers.co.nz, www.travelgallery.co.nz

Lizard Island Resort – a Superb Coastal Design Statement

Posted on February 18, 2013 By sue

A wide curved verandah sweeps around, following the line of the bay and catching the feisty ocean breeze. Cool natural weave sofas in the colours of the sea and the sand, bright glassware and vibrant fabrics lighten the inner spaces. Very contemporary, the look on Lizard Island, 200 kms north of Cairns on the Great Barrier Reef, is minimalist against the strong background of a remote island national park, yet it all blends perfectly.

The main lodge area is a huge, perfectly proportioned beach house verandah overlooking the turquoise blue of Anchor Bay. This large unwalled area houses the lounge and restaurant areas, reception, the bar and a small boutique. A huge granite back wall has been retained from the original resort and creates a backdrop to the library area at the rear of the lounge. It’s solid presence helping tie the lodge to its site while bringing in the colours of the surrounding rock.

The Aussie beach house design has become a benchmark in Australia for good coastal architecture. Common themes can be seen at Lizard Island in the use of louvred wooden doors and windows, high cathedral ceilings to lift the heat out of room spaces, floor to ceiling glass on the shaded side to maximise the use of natural light, and wide eaves to protect the interior spaces from the ravages of the tropical sun and heavy monsoonal rains and cyclones.

These elements all create a spacious open environment that encompasses the feel of the wide open spaces outside. Wide sliding doors in the villas and suites open to embrace the view to the beach, and the main lounge and restaurant complex has neither walls nor doors to separate it from the surrounding landscape.

The original resort was first suggested in 1972, and in 1973 a Brisbane architect was commissioned to live on the beach in a caravan for three weeks to get a feel for the place. The only prerequisites he was given were that the building had to reflect it’s island location and include an old homestead-style verandah. Thirty years later the resort carries on those exact same themes, although in a modern style.

Flooring is mostly spotted gum and the joinery in the suites is European beech. Wonderfully luxurious Javanese style day beds on the verandahs are of stained hardwood, designed and treated to achieve the look of the weathered driftwood that litters the high tide line after a storm. The shapes and spaces, fabrics and fittings used at Lizard Island all combine to create the perfect beach house, one we would all want to own with the long hot summer in mind.

But it’s probably the oldest residents of the resort that give it that look and feel of really belonging. As the local, lumbering lizards (Gould’s Monitors) amble their way across the lawn, flicking their tongues out lazily over the ground as they go, they appear quite at ease in their nice, new beach house surroundings. They, like everyone else who stays at Lizard Island, definitely feel at home.

For more info contact sue@nztravelbrokers.co.nz, www.travelgallery.co.nz

Sue has visited Lizard Island Resort twice as a freelance writer to document resort refurbishments and to visit the neighbouring Lizard Island Research Station

Cooking Tours

Posted on January 31, 2013 By sue

Here’s one for the ladies – mostly. A fast-growing niche in the travel market is that of food travel – cooking tours, local foods, farmers’ markets, culinary cruises and chef master-classes. And they come with as little or as much of a focus on food as you want.

There are well-known destinations like Italy and France, where the love of food has been part of the culture for centuries. Places like Tuscany, Umbria, Paris and Provence all have exciting options where you can stay in local homestays or boutique lodges, learn from a local chef, shop in the local markets, visit the wineries and the cheese-makers and then cook and eat the fantastic ingredients that you’ve been discovering all day.

Italy is the home of the Slow Food movement and tours often feature this element of Italian cuisine. Tours wind through the countryside, visiting farmers and growers, and often ending the day with a shared cooking experience at your accommodation. Paris is famous for its little neighbourhood street markets, which are spread throughout the city. We found our own favourite along Rue Mouffetard where we could buy fruit and veges, wine, cheese, bread and fish on the street early each morning. Afterwards we’d stop for an espresso and a brioche for breakfast, and sit at a little table overlooking the local square – always a great start to the day.

Other food tours in Europe include places like Sicily, Spain, Ireland, Austria, Turkey and Hungary. Many of these tours are suitable for couples as food is often only one feature of the day, leaving plenty of time for sightseeing.

Asia is another area with plenty of cooking tours and options. Vietnam is the most popular foodie destination with tours running from Ho Chi Minh city north to Hanoi, or centred around Hoi An and Hue. There are several well-known cooking schools where the beautiful food of Vietnam is taught in courses ranging from a half-day to several days. Cambodia is a growing food destination, as is China. Tours include places like Sichuan, the French-Chinese fusion of Shanghai food and the Yao food of Yangshuo.

A new option is culinary cruising, where you can join chef master-classes and take part in the behind-the-scenes food preparation. Silversea Cruises also have L’Ecole des Chefs cooking school led by an on-board masterchef. It’s a great way to immerse yourself in beautiful food while relaxing at sea.

For more info contact sue@nztravelbrokers.co.nz, www.travelgallery.co.nz

Exodus Travel is now selling in New Zealand

Posted on December 4, 2012 By sue

World-wide travel company, Exodus, is now selling its quality range of out-there travel experiences in New Zealand. In an arrangement with Adventure World, the Exodus range is available through good New Zealand travel agents – and the range is exciting.

I was particularly excited to see trips like a cycle tour through southern Iceland, and another from Manali in India to Leh in Ladakh. There’s a photography and wildlife tour on the Picos de Europa in Spain and one through Cappadocia and the Taurus Mountains in central Turkey. There’s a discovery tour through Sierra Leone and another through Ethiopia, and a 13-day trip through central Mongolia. So much to choose from – more than 500 itineraries in 171 countries.

Exodus are the experts. They have now been doing these adventure tours for 35 years and were one of the original global adventure travel companies. In addition to their big Discovery book they also have separate book brochures for cycling, trekking, winter activities, polar travel and family trips. And they use local leaders in over 85% of their trips.

But one of the biggest selling points they have these days is the fact they publish unedited trip reviews on their website. If you’re thinking of going somewhere you can scan through the website and find the good and the bad aspects of the trip – which will help no end in making sure you get the trip best tailored to your needs. A cycling trip that takes you 2000 metres higher than where you started may sound very exciting, but is it set up so you can acclimatise on the way? Or are you going to suffer altitude sickness because the trip is moving too fast? You’ll be able to get these and plenty of other gnarly questions answered through the review posts.

It’s all small group travel with an average trip size of 16 people, and an average age of 42. There’s no age limit but you need to be fit and active and, most of all, have an open mind to all the adventures you will be experiencing along the way. The pricing is very good, giving great value, but its not luxurious, although they do have 4-5 star premium trips to some destinations.

The trips are graded – Leisure, Moderate, Challenging and Tough, and to give you an idea of their levels the Moderate tours require good fitness, so Challenging and Tough tours are just that – challenging and tough. Many of their trips are Solo trips, meaning they are for single travellers only, and ensuring that singles don’t end up on an uncomfortable tour full of couples.

All payments are included in the rate so there is no need to make local payments in the countries you are travelling in. There are also no added tour surcharges.

Exodus is serious about sustainable travel and they endeavour to ensure that their itineraries only leave a positive impact on the places they travel to. They also actively support aid projects in places like Kenya, Morocco, Tanzania, Nepal and Peru, helping with local schooling, conservation, healthcare, education and employment.

We have booking information on all Exodus tours so email us for details.

The Gift of Volunteer Travel

Posted on November 18, 2012 By sue

Volunteer travel is something very dear to my heart. It gives something back, whether you’re working in remote rural communities or in underprivileged urban areas. Some volunteer trips will take you to endangered habitats and still others to drop-dead gorgeous places where the problems lie hidden beneath the startling beauty of sandy beaches and tropical islands.

Cambodia volunteer trip

But however you look at it, because we have the income and the resources to travel to these places, we can help.

It’s not that easy to find genuine volunteer travel opportunities. How to be sure the named charity is actually receiving the money? Or using it in the stipulated way? Are they bona fide organisations in the first place? And will the trip be well-run, taking into account the volunteers’ safety and health? All good questions to ask before you sign up to go.

We’re very lucky to work with a number of trips that we know are well run, honest to the core, and provide real help to the communities and environments they have set out to help.

But how do they work? How can a person really make a difference? Firstly these are not glamorous trips to exotic third world countries, with a little cameo appearance at an orphanage for a few hours to hug the children. All are part of a much larger picture where the aid work is ongoing, helped by regular visits by volunteer tour groups.

Mexico is a great example, where a volunteer group arrives and a house is built, usually in three days. The recipient family are involved and the community benefits as a whole. The shorter five day Mexico trips are all about building the house, with travel to and from the US included. Longer ten day trips allow time to do other volunteer work in the community, meet the locals, visit the markets and get a bit of sightseeing in as well. Groups travel from as far away as Australia and New Zealand, or you can meet up with a group in Los Angeles or San Diego. Prices are very reasonable, with the longer Mexico trip costing around $NZ2500, excluding airfares. This gives you some of your meals, your accommodation, land transport from California to Tijuana and back, and also includes an $NZ800 contribution to the building fund.

There are also trips to save the sea turtles in Australia and Greece, work in schools and orphanages in Russia and Uganda, to build houses in Cambodia or Fiji or rebuild a village’s shattered reef in Bali.

Volunteer travel is a great way to get to know the locals in a place, not just as spectators, but as contributors. It’s also an opportunity to get to know yourself a little better. And at the same time you can help to make their world a better place, whether it’s a new roof over their heads or a new reef out their front door to bring back the fish that feed their children.

We have a range of volunteer trips listed on our website. And if you want to know more about any of them, or of trips to any other destination then email us.

Summer Cruising in Antarctica

Posted on October 31, 2012 By sue

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Summer is the time to head to Antarctica.

There are a number of cruise and adventure tour companies taking ships down each year. Although some of the bigger cruise ships do head south it’s the smaller ones, around 80 to 100 metres long, that provide a much closer encounter with the big white land. These expedition ships are designed to handle the harsher sea conditions, deliver a good standard of service and an excellent land and sea experience. The season runs October to March.

Almost all the Antarctic cruises leave from Ushuaia, at the bottom of Argentina. The vast sea area to the south of Patagonia, which incorporates Cape Horn and parts of Tierra del Fuego, is a wild, empty place that begs investigating. Most cruises head to the Antarctic Peninsula, which is an extension of the Andean mountain chain, broken from the mainland by the tempestuous Drake Passage. It curls up in an arc from deep within the Antarctic Circle, giving an opportunity to see many kinds of penguins, seals, whales and seabirds.

Most ships have kayaks and zodiacs on board so passengers can get off and explore, and several allow on-shore camping, if the weather is good, and diving for the hardy. On-board biologists lead shore excursions and facilitate lectures and discussions on the surrounding wildlife and environment. Food is very important on any ship and even the cheaper cruises have a great menu and good standards of service. There’s a full range of cruises available from 5-star down to standard, and the prices to match.

Peregrine and World Expeditions have good mid-range cruises, while G-Adventures (ex-Gap) have more entry-level cruises. These start at around $5300 per person for a basic 9 day trip, triple share; while a 15 day trip in a deluxe cabin on a Peregrine Cruise costs around $20,000 per person. Add on airfares to and from Ushuaia; through Buenos Aires is easiest and allows you to add a side trip or two pre- or post-cruise – maybe the Galapagos islands, Iguazu Falls or Rio de Janiero.

Some cruises include, or only go to, the Falklands, South Georgia, the South Orkney Islands and the South Shetland Islands including Elephant Island. World Journeys also have what they call an Air Cruise, where you fly direct from Punta Arenas to the South Shetland Islands, avoiding the sometimes hostile sea crossing past Cape Horn and the Drake Passage.

There are still some good specials for this season if you book by 30 November.

For details of any of these trips email us today.

Cherating Beach Club Med is a Green Globe Silver resort

Posted on October 17, 2012 By sue

Cherating Beach Club Med is a Green Globe Resort in Malaysia

Club Med has come a long way since their early beginnings, over 60 years ago. For a while they mainstreamed the concept of all-inclusive holidays when their opposition were still running holiday camp-style stays.

Club Med’s first foray into eco-tourism looks exciting and I can’t wait to go there. Cherating Beach is about midway down Malaysia’s East Coast, north of Kuantan, in an area that was pretty popular with the travelling hippy brigade twenty-odd years ago. It’s a one hour flight from Kuala Lumpur. It’s been a Club Med site since 1977 and is just finishing a major change of image as they bring their Green / Zen image to completion.

Cherating Beach was Club Med’s first Eco Nature resort and was recently awarded Green Globe Silver certification, having achieved Bronze back in 2009. The resort is set in 80 hectares of exotic jungle surroundings which includes four kilometres of beach. The architecture matches the setting with a heavy use of natural timbers, natural colours and indigenous kampong-style design features. As do the activities, with options like jungle walks, rock-climbing and an exciting rope challenge course through the forest. There’s also sailing, kayaking and swimming, golf, cookery demos, tennis, yoga and climbing.

But it’s for things like their work with a local turtle conservation program that make this resort so interesting. Endangered green sea turtles come to lay their eggs on the beach at night and guests can ask to be woken and taken to watch this very intimate event. The nearby Cherating Turtle Sanctuary is recognised nationally for its work in turtle conservation and is well worth a visit while you’re there.

Other local endangered species around the resort include the Clouded Monitor lizard and the Hornbill bird, and there are also macaque monkeys running wild through the jungle.

The resort employs all the usual ‘green’ policies expected at complying hospitality venues including wise water management (despite the area having a pronounced monsoon season), recycling, composting and sourcing product from responsible suppliers.

But if you’re there purely for the pampering then there’s a Mandara day spa, a revamped menu offering healthy cuisine options and a new adults-only Zen space, designed for ultimate relaxation. Like I said, I can’t wait to go there.

Email for details on Club Med Cherating Beach. Or fill in our contact form to make a booking.

Scenic Flights over Antarctica from Auckland

Posted on October 10, 2012 By sue

Take a Sightseeing Day Flight from Auckland over the Antarctic Continent with Qantas

I don’t usually write about commercial trips on our blog but here is one trip that is too good to miss.

On 3rd February next year Qantas is running a day trip scenic 747 flight from Auckland, over Antarctica, and back. It sounds amazing. The same company that has been flying scenic Antarctic flights from Australia for the last 18 years is introducing its first flight out of New Zealand. It’s a 9500 km round trip and takes about 12.5 hours.

The first ice is generally seen about 3 1/2 hours after leaving, and this will increase quickly to dozens of icebergs and ice flows. The plane then usually heads off to cross the South Magnetic Pole, and takes it from there. They have 19 pre-approved flight plans so they can usually find a part of Antarctica that has clear weather and good visibility for sightseeing. Places they typically fly over include Mawson’s Hut at Commonwealth Bay, the Mertz and Ninnis Glaciers, Durmont D’Urville’s French base, Cape Adare, the Transantarctic Mountains including Mt Minto in Victoria Land, Mt Melbourne, McMurdo Sound, the Ross Ice Shelf and the Ross Sea.

Your ticket includes on-board Antarctic experts and videos, an information kit, two full meals and snacks and a full bar service. Those people sitting in the centre area of the plane are encouraged to get out of their seats and find the best views. There are seven seating classes from Economy to Ice Class and the prices range from $NZ1599 per seat for economy class to $NZ9299 for Ice Class. Most of the classes include a seat rotation partway through the flight so everyone gets the chance of a good view.

A $400 deposit will hold the booking and full payment is required 8 weeks before departure. Cancellation and change fees apply.

Email for more information or if you want to make a booking – these seats won’t last long.

September 2012 newsletter

Posted on October 1, 2012 By sue

Travel tips and news, thoughts and trends – something for everyone

This newsletter is only just going to make it into September, but it’s been a busy month. And this month the place to be is the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. The days are warm, but not too hot, with just a hint of the humidity that will make life fairly sticky in mid-summer. The nights have been a mix of warm and cool, with a few storms to keep us amused. There was even a wallaby with a little joey bouncing around on the front lawn a few days back. See below for a few ideas on what to do on the Sunshine Coast when you visit.

What to Do on the Sunshine Coast

Although most people look on Noosa as the main event on the Sunshine Coast it is a surprisingly big area with a diverse range of things to keep you busy. The coast runs from Caloundra in the south to Noosa in the north, and takes in the larger places like Mooloolaba and Maroochydore and many smaller places along the way. The beaches range from awesome to amazing with the sheltered waters behind Bribie Island and along the Noosa River contrasting with the big ocean beaches around Perigian and Coolum. There’s a different beach for every day of your stay.

* the Eumundi market, inland about 15 minutes from Noosa, is a must-do. Saturday is the big day with smaller markets on Wednesday and Sunday.
* the Noosa Farmers’ Market is on Sunday morning, down along the Noosa River. It’s a great spot to try out some local foods
* the Ginger Factory at Yandina is another foodie stop with a great little train ride for the kids
* Australia Zoo is a big attraction – think the Irwins and some big wildlife – up by the Glasshouse Mountains
* a nice day drive is the loop up around Maleny and Mapleton through the Blackall Ranges
* another is up to Hervey Bay and Fraser Island, although that’s a big day if you want to spend time on the island
* if it’s wet spend some time shopping at the Sunshine Plaza in Maroochydore
* and wander along Hastings Street in Noosa, although avoid Sundays if you have a choice as it can be very busy

Did You Know

- that travel agents and brokers still book
* 65% of all flights
* 85% of all tours and packages
* 90% of all cruises
* 55% of all car hire
* 55% of all hotels

People do still value the assistance and added value a travel specialist offers

Earlybird Fares and Tours

Airlines and tour providers are jostling for position as the first Earlybird fares and products are released for the coming northern hemisphere summer. If you want to get the best prices and availability then now is the time to start gathering information and looking to book. Even package providers like coach tours and river boat cruises release an Earlybird range so you can pull together a very good value package and relax knowing that your travel arrangements are already in place for next year.

Dive Volunteer Trip to Bali

We have a very special tour available for those who like to put a bit back into where they travel. Les Village, on the northern coast of Bali, has opened their village to dive and snorkeling visitors to help them rebuild their reef as part of a Reef Restoration Project. Destroyed by unsustainable fishing practices and cyanide, the reef was in a dire state. But over the last few years the villagers have placed the underwater framework for a new reef (using huge concrete slabs) and have been slowly planting it with plugs of new young coral taken from nearby. Their new reef is already beginning to grow. Several beachfront cottages have been built to provide accommodation and the villagers provide all the hospitality. This is not resort-style travel with all the luxuries, but a fascinating way to participate in a worthy cause and have a great trip at the same time.
The trip is ex-Auckland for 9 days/8 nights and starts from $3150 pp twin share

New Brochures in this Week

* Cox & King’s Exotic Escapes
* Albatross Tours
* World Journeys
* Contiki Europe
* Tempo Self-Catering Apartments
* Royal Caribbean

Personal Travel Service

I am very happy to visit at your home or business if you would like information and help with your travel plans. There are so many options to choose from and it’s not easy to pick the best ones. So feel free to call or email and arrange a time to get together, or we can meet in your favourite cafe if that’s easier. My contacts are at the top of this newsletter.

Luxury and Eco Travel

are two of our favourite aspects of travel – they are such a treat and a great way to mark something special in your life. From contemporary lodges to sumptuous super yachts and fabulous safari camps there’s plenty to choose from. But closer to home we also have some beautiful luxury and wilderness stays right here in New Zealand and Australia. Call us for details. And if you like to fly-fish check out our New Zealand Fishing Lodges site.
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Click here to link through to our Specials page

We always have a few travel group specials available through the NZ Travel Brokers website.
Most are to destinations within the South Pacific, from the Chatham Islands to Rarotonga, but they also head further afield to Europe, India and North America

Feel free to pass this newsletter on to anyone you know who loves to travel, or who even just loves to dream about it.
We also have a busy Facebook page with regular travel updates, a Google+ page, and a Travel Blog on our website, which you can receive by joining our RSS feed.

Sue Farley – Travel Specialist – Nelson

www.travelgallery.co.nz www.newzealandfishinglodges.co.nz

ph 021 555836 or send an email
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