Canal boating along the Canal du Midi

Sarah's passion for her career and professional manner is reflected in her efficiency when taking care of your business travel arrangements. It is no surprise that Sarah is consistently recognised as one of the Top 10 Consultants for the House of Travel Group in New Zealand, including being one of the legends in the Hall of Fame!

"I love making travel simple for my client's. I know exactly where they like to sit on each aircraft type; their favourite hotels to stay and all the nitty gritty details to make travel less stressful." 

Having recently celebrated working at House of Travel Christchurch City for 20 years, Sarah has extensive experience for all travel scenarios and is committed to finding the best possible solution for all her clients - even when issues are beyond her control. 

When not at her desk, Sarah loves competing in the weekly pub quiz and on the weekends you will find her planting more roses in her 150-year-old Homestead garden. 

Favourite place to visit: Disneyland 
Next place to visit: Paris and someday, Russia

Sarah

Minji is our Japan specialist in Christchurch. Born and raised in South Korea, her passion for travel began at an early age. This passion led her to study tourism management and become a tour guide in both Japan and Southeast Asia.

Minji has spent most of her tour guide career in Japan, leading tours across the country and gaining an in-depth knowledge of the region. She has also guided tours in Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos, and has backpacked extensively throughout Europe, Australia, and Canada. Minji has lived in London, Vancouver, and Sydney, spending at least a couple of years in each country.

My top travel tips

• Pack as light as you can (except for cruises). Heavy luggage can be tedious to manage and exhausting just getting on/off trains. 
• Try to pre-book and pay in NZ dollars. If you pay locally, you will need to pay in local currency and the banks will apply their exchange rates plus international transaction fees. 
• Utilise your stopover opportunities. Two holidays, one ticket, you are basically genius.

"Investment in travel is an investment in yourself" - Matthew Karsten

Why I love travel 

I love meeting new people, discovering new cultures, tasting new food and beers and having new experiences. Travel is the best way to tick all the boxes and be inspired. 

It is exciting and rewarding to help make my clients' holiday easier with better value and making it more memorable with my travel knowledge and organisation skills. I just love talking about travel, and hearing about their holiday when they return home is the best part of my job. It is very rewarding to hear what a great time they had. I am continuously learning about new travel destinations and new products and experiences so I never get bored. 

My top destinations

•  Japan – Japan is the country that I have travelled through the most and I can never tire of it.  Japan offers so much, from old historic shrines and temples to the most modern architecture and latest technology, fascinating culture, beautiful nature areas and incredible food. It is also a very safe and easy place to travel so I recommend it for all types of travellers.
• Spain - I love the Andalusia region in particular, including Granada and Ronda. You feel like you are walking back in time, or perhaps through a movie set with the many sublime landscapes, spectacular vistas and famous historic sites. A warm evening drinking sangria with some delicious tapas over a view of Alhambra is a personal favourite. 
• Vietnam - you can have an amazing experience within a very affordable budget. In one day, you will see more motorbikes than you have seen in your entire life. Interesting French Colonial architecture and indigenous castles and villages, beautiful beaches and rice paddies, the little art and culinary boutique town of Hoi An, unique and delicious food, UNESCO Heritage site Ha Long Bay and much more. 
• Galapagos - If you are into wildlife, this is one of the ultimate places in the world to visit. I still say Galapagos was the best travel experience in my life. The everyday encounters with unique species of sea lions, turtles, tortoises, all different types of birds, penguins, sharks, rays, marine iguana are unforgettable. The best part for me was diving amongst schools of hammerhead sharks and eagle rays inside the crater of a submerged volcano.

What's in my suitcase

• Foldable backpack - It is the best thing ever. I always put one in my bag, and it is perfect for a casual day out exploring.
• Travel organiser bags - I have one for clothes, one for underwear/socks and one for toiletries. It will make your pack/unpack so much easier. 
• Compact rain jacket and small collapsible umbrella - You will always have some rain during your holiday but unless you are expecting lots of it, you don't want these items to take too much space in your travel bag. 

Minji

I have had a lifelong love affair for exploring the world. Raised in a family that prioritised travel, I inherited a passion for all things travel. I have lived in different countries (London, USA, Argentina) and I am fascinated with the rich tapestry of culture, people, religion and food in new places. 

My love for travel has taken me to some of the world’s most amazing places!

From Mauritius to Bahamas and all in between, I have been privileged to experience the world and being able to speak and understand 5 languages English, Afrikaans, Dutch, German and Greek) certainly comes in helpful.

I have grown up in South Africa, spending most of my adult life there, being able to show my clients what makes this region so unique is a privilege. Africa was my backyard after all and even after living in NZ for almost 12 years, my heart still beats to the African Drum.

For me, choosing a favourite destination is impossible. But .. Bali has literally captivated my heart, and even though I have been there 20+ times, I still always find new things to uncover. As does the Maldives, Mauritius and Seychelles, these islands just have the “it” factor

I also love ocean cruising, especially Mediterranean and the Caribbean. Cruising offers such a great variety and a chance to see multiple destinations and experiencing iconic landmarks and locations from your hotel on the sea. 

I WOULD SAY MY PASSION IS MAKING MY CLIENTS DREAM HOLIDAYS COME TRUE AND I PRIDE MYSELF ON MY EFFICIENT SERVICE AT ALL TIMES.