“For the those bold enough to make the climb in the dark, Bridge Climb’s ‘Vivid Sydney Climb’ delivers dazzling night views over the city and provides a different perspective of this light extravaganza. You’ll need to book in advance as its popular.”
Be dazzled by Vivid Sydney
Sydney
Sydney’s sparkling harbour, in all its iconic glory, is lusted-over by the world’s most avid travellers, all hankering to tick this beauty off their bucketlist. And yet for Kiwis, it’s just a three and a half hour flight from New Zealand.
The city so many yearn to visit is on our doorstep, and every year we have the opportunity to experience Sydney in her finest light.
Sydney and its iconic landmarks, including the Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, and Royal Botanic Garden, will come alive from 23 May-14 Jun 2025 with mesmerising art installations, light projections, live music and culinary delights.
Seeing the Vivid Sydney lights from the Sydney Harbour on-board one of Captain Cooks Vivid Sydney cruise and dining experiences makes this the perfect on-water Vivid Sydney experience.
Jazmin Pudney
House of Travel Tauranga: The Crossing
Travel creates happiness and I love to make people happy! I love all aspects of travel-adventure, food, culture, relaxation and most importantly making life long memories.
I pride myself on my organization skills and I have extensive knowledge of travel world. I love creating clients special holidays and will always ensure they have everything they need to have the best holiday!
Jazmin
Melissa Topp
House of Travel Christchurch City
Travel really is my passion and I perhaps love organising it just as much as the actual travelling. Being able to open up options for people they had no idea they could accomplish is truly exciting. I love the scope of what we can accomplish as a travel agent; our systems, knowledge and relationships with the right people all add up to being able to organise a truly memorable trip. I’ve done it all from tours, safaris, ocean and river cruises, adventure travel, self-drives, rail journeys, family travel specialising in all things Disney and I love to share my knowledge to help you achieve the trip of your lifetime.
Outside of the office I like to spend my time skiing, horse riding, tramping, scuba diving, getting outside on our lifestyle block with my two little girls or enjoying a glass of pinot with a side order of chocolate mousse.
Years in the Industry: over 20
No. of countries visited: 50+
Favourite place to visit: Niue, no wait Cuba, hmm no
maybe it’s Egypt….. Or Italy….
Next place on the list to visit: Disneyworld
· “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” – Augustine of Hippo
Why I love travel?
Travel gives us our greatest stories, our most cherished memories and countless irreplaceable learnings that we can choose to pay forward to others. It teaches us about ourselves and each other, it broadens our horizons and, just like a reset button, it forces us to refocus on what really matters.
My travel tips:
- Pack your patient pants; Don’t sweat the stuff you can’t control. Your trip is
much too short to stress. Did you miss your bus? No worries, there will be
another one.. ATM out of
money? Great! Take an unplanned road trip over to the next town and
explore. I know it can be hard sometimes, but just
take a deep breath and remind yourself that it could be worse.
- Focus on value over
deals. It’s so easy to not look past the initial $ signs when organising
your trip but how much extra will there be in added costs once you are at
your destination, lost time or enjoyment is that initial saving really
going to cost you once you are there.
- Wake Up Early To Avoid Crowds. Rise before sunrise to have the best attractions all to yourself while avoiding large tourist crowds. It’s also a magical time for photos due to the softer light and often providing great opportunities to interact with locals getting ready for their day. Sketchy areas are less dangerous in the morning too. Honest hardworking people wake up early; scammers and criminals sleep in…
My top 5 favourite destinations:
- Rio
De Janeiro – Such an incredibly vibrant city. Imagine, having dinner in a
local favela, no other tourists in sight and locals from ages 1-99 all
together, laughing, dancing to the live music, everyone talking to
everyone. A local group of young people came down the street performing
the traditional capoeira martial art/dance and everyone heads outside to
watch and cheer them on. It is always the people that make the place and
Brazil’s people are very bit as colourful as this amazing city.
- Europe
River cruise – A true holiday. Pull up each day in a different location,
right in the heart of things, wander off the boat and go for it. Return
when you feel like it to every luxury you could want, top class food and
drink and every room has a front row view. No crowds, most ships have
under 200 passengers and a great option for both first time travellers and
more experienced as you tend to visit many of the smaller and often less
visited towns.
- Rocky
Mountaineer train journey – Starting in Banff, which really feels like the
Queenstown of Canada and ending in Vancouver, a stunning city just a few
minutes’ drive and from the beautiful redwood forests this train journey
is must do travel experience. Seeing the spectacular scenery of the
Rockies from the comfort of your warmed up spacious leather seat, the
mountains are not just to either side but also above you through the glass
roof of the train.
- Borneo
– Here you can combine stunningly beautiful beach resorts with a visit to
the jungle; see the Proboscis monkeys, baby turtles being released into
the ocean and one of the only places in the world to see Orangutans in
their native habitat. One of the least explored areas on the planet with
many adventures to be had but you don’t need to skimp on luxury.
- East Africa Safari – It is a strangely exciting experience to be told not to wander too far from your tent at night because wild animals are really all around you. From elephants wandering through our camp one evening, to hearing bison grazing in the grass around us while sleeping, Africa really is as wild as you hope it will be. So many travel experiences these days are replicas – shows put together for your enjoyment. Africa definitely is not; it could not get much more real. Seeing orphaned baby elephants playing football with each other, wandering over to you reaching out their trunk so smell you as you stand behind only a rope fence watching their antics is just one of the incredible experiences on offer in this amazing location.
What’s in my suitcase?
- A
dog bed. I kid you not. These days I’m travelling with two little ones in
tow and as strange as this sounds it’s a life saver on long haul
flights-pair it with one of those big inflatable pillows that go where
your legs usually do and you have a comfortable bed for the little ones to
curl up in.
- A
dirty laundry bag. One easy spot to place all the worn things and easy to
take to the laundry with you while travelling or dump in the machine when
home.
- Earplugs. I need a good nights sleep be ready to do everything I have planned for the next day on my holiday and you just never know what noises you might want to shut out while travelling.
Melissa
Monique McKechie
House of Travel Nelson
Hello there! You may be
asking, "Why choose me?" Truth be told, I've never been one to wax
lyrical about myself. But ask me about travel—my real passion—and I could chat
with you for hours, sharing experiences and hearing about yours!
I'm tremendously honored to have been part of the travel scene for 15 fabulous
years. This isn't just work for me; it's a love affair that defies reason. The
joy of facilitating someone's journey is unparalleled. Travel is the key to
personal growth, offering insights that enhance our souls and let us cherish
the beauty of our world.
I pride myself on my unwavering dedication to delivering exactly what you're
seeking. I live for those moments when clients find the joy and ease in travel,
and I’m dedicated to ensuring you get the holiday you’ve been dreaming of.
If you’re on the lookout for a travel consultant who truly cares and stands by
you throughout—and beyond—your journey, look no further. I'll make sure that
every detail aligns perfectly with your desires, from selecting the ideal ship
or tour to finding the right accommodation. Reach out, and let's brainstorm
your next adventure together.
Monique
Jared Wilson
House of Travel Christchurch City
No. of
countries visited: 40+
Favourite
place to visit: Anywhere in South America
Next
place on the list to visit: Kenya
Quote: “Never pass
up a bathroom”
About
me: With over 2 years of solo travel across 40+ countries,
I am passionate about immersing myself in new cultures and uncovering the
unique experiences each destination has to offer. Fluent in Spanish, Latin
America is my particular area of experience and expertise. Whether you're after
an exciting adventure or a peaceful getaway, I’m committed to designing a
memorable and seamless trip tailored specifically to you.
Why I love travel: It allows
me to escape the sometimes repetitive nature of daily life. I enjoy experiencing
new places or returning to ones that I love. I like making connections with
people from places around the world and having experiences that can’t be
replicated.
My travel tips:
- Meet the locals – Almost all of my favourite and most cherished travel experiences have involved meeting and making friends with the local people. It is a sure-fire way to have a more unique and intimate holiday experience.
- When in Rome – A cliché but one to that will enrich your travel, observe how the locals live and learn from it. Try the local brew or dish, join in on the fun. Also respect local customs and traditions, this will allow a richer and safer experience.
- Expect the unexpected- Be ready
for unforeseen circumstances that will inevitably occur at some point during a
trip. If you are expectant and prepared for troublesome scenarios you can save
yourself a lot of grief. After all, you want to make your break from reality as
stress free as possible.
My top 3 favourite destinations:
- Colombia- An up and
coming travel destination, a country cursed with the reputation earned from its
past. It is extremely geographically diverse and amazing bang for your buck. I
still haven’t found a country with warmer and friendlier people.
- Spain- A country full of amazing destinations to discover, with a rich history and a world class gastronomical scene. The fun loving people, the nightlife and the picturesque towns with uniquely their Spanish architecture are a must experience.
- Mexico- Mexico is
a country which is truly fascinating, an amazing place to get to know. It’s a
big country with lots to explore - like the US it is made up of states (32),
the more you see the more you’ll want to see. It is full of the most beautiful
places you’ve never heard of. The locals are extremely friendly and of course
the cuisine one of the best and most famous on the globe.
What’s in my suitcase:
- Spare phone, cables and a travel adaptor- Fact is electronics are a very important travel tool and to be prepared is important so you don’t have to go in the dark.
- A Journal- A
great way to record all the little details and memorable moments. When moving
fast and or experiencing a lot we naturally forget things. Writing it down will
help to recall in future and also to have what you’ve written forever is
something special.
- Travel cubes- Will help
you to keep your suitcase nice and organised for easy packing and ultimately
will save you time making things easier to find.
My most memorable travel stories:
- Walking the Camino de Santiago in Spain together with part of the Camino
Portugues from Lisbon to Porto – totalling 1200kms. My hiking shoes broke so I
did the last 1000kms in Sandals.
- Doing a 32 day Top Deck bus tour around Europe. Easily one of the best months of my life full of laughs and all round good times. I made some strong friendships and saw a lot in such a short space of time.
Jared
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