Paula & kimkim! What a stellar team! Mahalo...

Australia | Jan 23 - Feb 4, 2025

Paula & kimkim! What a stellar team! Mahalo so much to Paula for her patience in coordinating our remarkable trip to New Zealand (Auckland & Queenstown) and Australia (Sydney & Cairns).
Paula's knowledge of both of these amazing destinations truly helped us enjoy our trip to its fullest!
Why choose kimkim:
1. The personal attention that we got from Paula not only allowed us to embark on a trip of a lifetime, but we gained a new friend - Paula!
2. From confirming hotels, booking flights, to arranging airport transfers, tours and so much more - this was by far, the best way to travel - peace of mind and worry free! Our hotel, M Social was very modern and perfectly located to all activities. The daily breakfast buffet started our days with delicious and healthy options!
3. Our guide Jono for the Auckland Food/Drink City tour was so engaging and very informative as we walked through downtown Auckland and stopped at several eating and drinking establishments! We made new friends along the way and Jono kept us informed and full of joy! The tour and food/drinks and desserts is a must do!
4. Our next stop was Queenstown! My new fave place to visit in the future! Our hotel here was the Millenium - another awesome choice - walking distance to the hub of the town and other activities.
5. Paula arranged for us to take a tour to Milford Sound via coach (Mercedes glass top) and this did not disappoint at all. Our driver was very informative and shared so much about the area and culture along the way, He stopped at some points of interest and the views were absolutely spectacular! We even stood in the field where they filmed the Orcs running through in the movie Lord of the Rings! Arriving at the Sound and journeying on the ferry was surreal. The sound is stunning and we saw dolphins, seals and sea birds. We opted to fly our of Milford Sound at the last minute and THAT was AWESOME! I highly recommend that you do this! The pilot flew us close to the mountain range seeing the glacier tops and lakes too! It was thrilling beyond belief!
6. Our next adventure that Paula booked was the Jet Boat Ride! OK, as a 70 year old, I was a bit weary of this one. However, it was SO MUCH fun and exhilarating - I am ready to go again! Our guide, Dane was Maori and gifted us with his knowledge of the area and its cultural significance. This is another must do....not matter how old you are!
7. We allowed for some free time at our destinations in order to do some spontaneous things and discover things on our own. We rode the Gondola in Queenstown and hung out downtown. The food did not let us down. EVERYTHING was delicious!
8. Next we were off to Sydney where Paula booked us into the Intercontinental. My fave hotel now in Sydney! Breakfast buffet included - clearly the best we have had - ever. Here we did our own things - visiting the Opera House, taking in La Traviata at the Opera House one nite, walking through the Royal Botanical Garden and simply going on adventures in Sydney on our own.
9. Our next stop was Cairns! Flights were all arranged by Paula! We go there, and it was storming. Our snorkel cruise was cancelled due to the weather. As this was pre-paid, the vendor provided a letter for us to receive a refund from our booking agent - kimkim. Upon our return, Paula quickly worked on this and we will receive refunds within a week!
Although our cruise was cancelled, we still found fun things to do while in Cairns. Our hotel, Flynn Crystalbrook booked by Paula, was another winner - centrally located with morning buffet breakfast included.
Paula worked her magic to allow us to have a stress-free, beyond comfortable vacation. Balancing "must see & do" experiences along with free time was perfect. We had SO much fun and learned a lot about the area, the culture and the people.
For all of this Paula, mahalo palena 'ole - with deepest gratitude. Marcie