Why you should never think twice about using a Travel Specialist!

I have been asked many times over the past 24 years of being in the Travel Industry why people should use a Travel Specialist. Especially now that they can read reviews from other travelers on the internet and do things themselves. Here are a few of my reasons why.

1/ These days everyone thinks they are a Travel Agent just because they have stayed at a hotel or done a tour. The reality is these people are not looking out for you the other consumer as they do not even know your wants and needs. Reviews are great if you take them very lightly. But when spending your hard earned cash, why would you not get the reviews vetted with a Travel Specialist who has not just inspected or stayed in one hotel in the region but many of them. They will then be able to talk to you about what suits you and only you. Here are a few examples..... You go online and read reviews about Barrier Reef Cruise companies. Everyone says a certain company is great... What you do not know is the age of the people who wrote the reviews, the health status of these people, and much more... What if you went and booked a trip on this boat but once you got on there realised that they use stairs to get into the water instead of a ledge.. You use a walking stick so can not do stairs... Or that this cruise company did not pick up at your hotel and was actually departing 50kms away and you had no car! What if this boat accepted kids but you then discover that there is no where for them to really sit after going into the water they can not even move around! That really this boat is not suitable for kids at all!... Or you are fearful of being in deep water and this company did not have staff swimming with you in the water...  These are things Travel Specialists assist you with. They know the companies that work best for their clients to cater to the wants and needs and the experience.

2/ When natural disasters or delays occur we are there with you... Imagine those poor people who were stranded in the Christchurch Disaster. They were miles away from home. They had booked online. The phone and internet lines were down. They had nobody to contact, nobody to help rescue them. When using a good Travel Specialist they always have emergency contacts in the same country you are in. They also are always watching what is going on. When something happens you can rest assured that your Travel Specialist will be working behind the scenes speaking to their airline reps, hotel contacts etc to have you re-routed. The best part about this is usually there is no charge. When you are on your own you are truly on your own. You have to stay on hold to the airlines the hotels etc and hope they will help you out free of charge which they do not have to at all.

3/ The Travel Specialist has some major clout when things do not go right or a disaster happens. You are just one person complaining to an airline or a hotel. We are many many people. The airlines and hotels will often come to play with us as they know the consequences if they do not.. lost bookings! We also have the behind the scenes contacts to get things done, from that room that you may not be able to book... to seat requests... authorities for issues with airlines... a special tour that you may want to take but have no clue how to make it happen.. to even getting you into a busy restaurant. Whilst you may have a belief that things are cheaper if you book them yourselves this is actually not always very true. Specialists have access to many specials that the public online can not book themselves. Plus, just to save yourself a bit of money by doing it yourself can cost you a lot of money when a delay happens, or something does not go right. It is so not worth it!

4/ There are many things that a consumer does not think of when designing their own trip. I once had a lady call me who booked online. She had arrived at the airport in Australia and been denied entry on her honeymoon due to not having a Visa! Insurance would not cover this and she was out over 30 thousand dollars for not using a specialist.

5/ Last but not least a Travel Specialist knows how to design trips for all types of experiences. They usually are very passionate about the countries they specialise in and have worked for many years to really know their product. A great Travel Specialist would have usually inspected or stayed in the property or been on the tour or flown the airline many times.


Just like using a Lawyer, an Accountant or a good Medical Specialist...a great Travel Specialist is worth the investment and will be part of your Bucket List Dream Team...


To find out more about GoWalkabout Travel your Australian and New Zealand Travel Specialists for Canadians and Americans please go to the following link. Oh and by the way we do not book anything we have not inspected!

http://www.gowalkabouttravel.com/

Cairns and the Barrier Reef Region

Most Canadians and Americans when visiting Australia usually opt to visit North Queensland. This region is the home of 2 World Heritage listed sites the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest ( the oldest rainforest in the world).
There are many things to know about this region before considering a trip up to this area.

1/ What season are you going? ... The Tropical Northern Queensland region is tropical to say the least. During the months of Nov- April ish this is the wet season. This means tropical storms can happen even cyclones. If you can not handle humidity then this is not the place for you during this time of year. The wet season also brings out the box jelly fish or stingers as we Aussies call them. There are nets in certain areas on beaches and you are advised to only stick to swimming in these nets. Out on the Barrier Reef itself the tour companies usually either hire or supply stinger suits for your safety when swimming. That being said the wet season is usually the best time to visit the rest of the southern States in Australia.

2/ How long do you wish to stay in this region for? I would recommend 5 days at a very very minimum. It is quite easy to spend over 2 weeks in this area and still have plenty to do.

3/ What things interest you?  A day out on the Barrier Reef, a full day to the Rainforest? Aboriginal Culture? Whitewater Rafting? Food and Wine Tours? Kayaking? Holding a Koala and hand feeding a Kangaroo?
Beach relaxing? Cane Toad racing? Nocturnal Wildlife spotting?

4/ What other regions of Australia would you like to combine with your trip? Cairns is the gateway to many other areas in this region and it is quite easy to combine places like Sydney, Adelaide, Ayers Rock ( Uluru), Melbourne, The Whitsunday Islands and Perth into your itinerary.

5/ What type of accommodation would you like? This region is very much known for self contained apartments and in Cairns itself there is also a mix of normal hotels. There are many award winning restaurants to dine out at and also some cheaper options like food halls plus you can also cook or BBQ for yourself.

6/ Do you wish to self drive? I honestly would not recommend this as most of the tour companies will collect you from your hotel and if you have a rental car it is just sitting there and costing you money. When traveling to this region especially the Rainforest, you really do need to be on a guided tour to get the true experience. Otherwise it is just another walk through some tropical plants.

For more information on this region please contact us and check out the links below.

http://www.gowalkabouttravel.com/destination-melbourne-australia/
http://www.gowalkabouttravel.com/destination-Cairns-Port%20Douglas-australia/
http://www.gowalkabouttravel.com/destination-Whitsunday-Islands-australia/

Or to see some videos of this region click on these links.
http://www.gowalkabouttravel.com/media/tourMovie.swf?myURL=bestBeaches_controller.swf
http://www.gowalkabouttravel.com/media/tourMovie.swf?myURL=reef_controller.swf

Twinkle Twinkle little star.

Twinkle Twinkle little star…

Have you ever arrived at your accommodation and been majorly disappointed? “But they said it is a “5 star” … I cannot believe we paid this much for this!”

The star rating system has for years been the bane of every travel agent’s existence. After 24 years in the travel industry I have learned that a star is never a star!

So what is in a star you ask? Well it really depends on what country you are in. As of right now there is no standard international rating that is consistent for all accommodations across the world. It would be a lot easier if there was because then every country would be rated in the same way.

Each country has their own rating system and in some countries it is not done by stars but a diamond rating. The majority of the time, a rating involves many things, not just how the room looks. What amenities does it have? Does it have 24 hour room service, a restaurant on site, a safe in the room, parking?  All of these things and more make up a star rating. Each country generally has their own administrative body that issues the ratings. Star ratings usually range from 1 to 5, with the higher number being the so called better accommodation. Recently there have been a few hotels advertising that they are a 6 or 7 star, there is no actual rating for this level, so please do not be fooled.

Our standards in North America are very different to many other countries in the world. For example a hotel in Fiji may advertise as a 5 star, but we in North America may only have given it a 3.5 star rating.

A rule of thumb that I apply is to always drop them down by a star. If the star reading says 5 star, then think of it as probably a 4 star, this way when you arrive you will either be satisfied or very surprised.

When booking to the South Pacific, you can rest assured that the staff at GoWalkabout Travel  have probably stayed in or inspected the properties you will stay in. We will give you our opinion on “real star ratings” of the property taking into consideration North American standards as well as your personal preference and experience.

Food Food and more Food!

I once stayed in this hotel, and much to my disgust, they had bathroom scales in the room!

While glaring at these scales and pondering whether I should go speak to reception, I had the revelation that without good food you have lost a major component of an awesome Travel Experience.

No matter what budget you have there is something to suit everyone’s taste buds in Australia and New Zealand.  For those folk who just want something quick to eat, try stopping into a local bakery in Australia or a Dairie in New Zealand.  Pick yourself up a meat pie and enjoy ( do not worry if you are a non meat eater there are different types of pies to suit most peoples taste buds).

Nobody should ever visit New Zealand or Australia without visiting the local Fish and Chip shop. Make sure you pick a coastal town because fish and chips always taste better when sitting by the ocean, and yes, you will be the new best mate of those pesky seagulls.

Stepping it up a notch are the local pubs and surf clubs. Walk on in and check out the blackboard on the wall for the daily special. I have to tell you folks, I had the best Roast Lamb dinner ever at a pub at the Viaduct Harbour in Auckland.

When in Australia make sure you try Moreton Bay Bugs (no they are not really bugs, they are more like flat lobsters) If that isn't your style, we also have an abundance of other fresh seafood to try..  Oh... and remember, we call them Prawns in the South Pacific not Shrimp!

In Queenstown, New Zealand, try our hidden gem “The Cow” or for something truly upscale “Wai Waterfront Restaurant”

Of course Australia is full of amazing places to eat, from Melbourne and its European Influence and underground hidden gems to dining under the stars at Ayers Rock.

If you are a true foodie let us book you on a Zest Food Tour in Auckland or Wellington, New Zealand. These are an amazing way to get a great taste for the region and meet the people behind the scenes.

The staff of GoWalkabout Travel are regular visitors to the above destinations and we all love our food. For this reason, we know all the great places to eat at from the hole in the wall to the five star cuisine. Ask us for our recommendations and allow us assist you with pre-booking those hard to get into places, and remember, if you ever run into a bathroom scale in your hotel room do as I did and throw it in the wardrobe!