My wife and I both thought the 2 night cruise was very well organized and allowed us access to parts of the Bay and adjacent coast that couldn't be covered on the single night one. The crew were very friendly and helpful and kept the ship spotless. Our only criticism would be the lack of variety in the evening meals but they were of good quality so it is difficult to complain. Certainly the cruise offered very good value for money. [More+]
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Andy King (Malaysia)
Tour Date 28/01/2012 |
It was a terrific tour, all aspects very good apart from the Millennium hotel in Rotorua which I and others thought was below a 4 star hotel in many areas and a couple of communication issues between hotels and the Tour Director. [More+]
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Wayne & Kerry Firns (Australia)
Tour Date 21/01/2012 |
We had a really wonderful time! New Zealand is such a beautiful country. It was really great to be able to see so much of South Island during our 10 day self drive tour. The suggested itinerary was good although it was a bit tiring to cover so may miles on some of the journeys. Milford Sound was awesome and the Real Journeys nature cruise guide was very informative and friendly. Generally accomodation was very good. Our favourite was the Glacier View Motel in Franz Josef. Our tour consultant, Jarrod, was very professional and helpful and also very prompt in replying my emails. Thanks a lot Jarrod! I hope to visit the North Island some time in the near future and will have no hesitation in booking with Relaxing Journeys again! [More+]
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Doreen Khoo (Malaysia)
Tour Date 21/01/2012 |
We saw so much in such short time - great way to make the best out of it. Of course needed to get up early each morning, which we usually don't do on holiday, but that was part of the plan. Especially enjoyed the hiking trips on Routeburn and Milford track which we added to the package. Fjordland is very beautiful! Most impresssive was our heli flight up to the glacier, which we luckily did spontanously on the free day at Fox Glacier. [More+]
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Frank & Baerbel Becker (Singapore)
Tour Date 19/01/2012 |
We were very impressed. From the very first email till the end of the trip. Not a single hickup in the bookings anywhere which indicated to us that there is attention to detail in your company. The accomodations were very good and comfortable and all very centrally located. The rental cars were excellent and I loved driving in New Zealand. This trip was to celebrate my parents 50th wedding anniversary and it could not have been a more appropriate trip. [More+]
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Robert Princen (Hong Kong)
Tour Date 12/01/2012 |
Our tour was truly delightful. Toni helped us choose all kinds of different activities which made the trip have a lot of variety, catering at one time or another for each one of us (my husband, my three-year old and me). Every motel room was exactly what we needed and, with the very complete information package that we were handed, it all went really smoothly. Perhaps the only suggestion I have is that if someone were to ask about options when traveling with a three-year old or so, you should let them know earlier (probably before paying) what kind of distances they would be looking at as the number of hours spent in a car when traveling between the bigger cities might be a bit much for some small kids to deal with. We personally didn't have any problems as my daughter is used to traveling distances of anywhere between 400 and 800 kilometers over a weekend every two weeks, but at a certain point I did get a bit stressed about how she would manage these four to five hour trips three days in a row. As a matter of fact, she did great, but other parents could end up having a harder time if their kids are not so used to traveling so much on such short periods of time, specially if they don't get this information until everything has already been arranged. Other than this suggestion, we have nothing but good things to say. We will certainly recommend you if anyone we know wants to travel to New Zealand and we really want to thank you for playing such a big part in helping us enjoy our holiday so much. [More+]
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Lorena Varela Flores (Mexico)
Tour Date 11/01/2012 |
Everything went like clockwork. The recommendations for events and sightseeing along the way were all very good and worthwhile. Many of these you would not be aware of unless told of. Accommodation was often very 70's but all were clean and well presented. WIFI was available at each stop but one. Some were free, most were $5 per day but one at Dunedin was a cable connection and it cost $35 for the two days which I thought was outright gouging. All up it was a terrific holiday with no hitches at all. Well done Jarrod I would certainly recommend this to anyone considering an NZ holiday. Many thanks. [More+]
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Chris & Isabel Horwood (Australia)
Tour Date 10/01/2012 |
What a wonderful experience this tour was! The scenery, the activities included in the price and the lack of any pressure to go on the optional activities was greatly appreciated. The accommodation was top notch too. I have to make special mention of the tour leader, Phil Wilson. Nothing was too much trouble for him, and his calm manner and respect for everyone made sure the tour ran smoothly. Along with the driver, Vale, who was also excellent, they made a great pair. Overall, as a personal experience, and as value for money, I am very pleased with this tour. [More+]
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Anthony Steel (Australia)
Tour Date 09/01/2012 |
Great value, 1st class itinerary. Transportation was always on time, comfortable with very pleasant drivers, especially Linda of Kea Tours, who was generous to my friend in allowing her great photo opportunities as we wended our way from Greymouth to the Fox Glacier. Commentaries were good but, with the exception of Linda, Wayne (Milford Sound) and David (Queenstown to Christchurch), who were all loud and clear, most of the other drivers mumbled! Or else the intercoms were of poor quality. Due to that mumbling, and the abrupt malfunction of the taped commentary onboard the TranzCoastal train, we didn't hear any announcement that we were in Kaikoura, failed to recognise the Kaikoura stop as a railway station - the hut-like building was labelled 'Whale Watch', so, thinking it was just a stop-off for whale watchers, we stayed on the train - all the way to Blenheim! We were not asleep, honest! We apologize to the Kaikoura shuttle drivers and the White Morph Motor Inn, but we were not at fault! I suspect that the 2 young women who strolled through the rail car a few times were conductors? Well, they didn't conduct! But, in Kiwi-talk - no worries! Your Auckland office rescued us in Blenheim and we got home to Nelson a day early. The hotel accommodations were excellent, The Elms in Christchurch valiantly offering good service despite earthquake damage. I wept at the destruction of favorite buildings in Christchurch, but that did not detract from the quality of Relaxing Journeys' itinerary and execution. Liz Hoffman and I compliment all of you, and will heartily recommend your company to our friends. [More+]
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Doreen Moore (United States)
Tour Date 09/01/2012 |
We had a wonderful time with Relaxing Journeys on the Southern Panorama Tour. The TranzAlpine train trip is a must. The scenery was breathtaking. We had a great time with the other travellers and would especially like to convey our thanks to Vale and Phil (the driver and tour director) who are definitely two of New Zealand's finest. We cannot fault any part of the journey and would recommend Relaxing Journey's to anybody who would like to see the highlights of the South Island in a short space of time. The tour was very well organised with Kirby the tour consultant, and the whole experience was flawless from start to finish. We will definitely recommend your company to everybody when we get home and would like to thank you all for a wonderful experience. [More+]
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George & Barbara Morrison (New Zealand)
Tour Date 09/01/2012 |
Overall, the tour plan was relaxing and NZ is picture perfect. We enjoyed ourselves at the various sites. The accommodations were generally suitable for family. However, my husband felt the Sherwood Manor was kinda old relative to the others. While the extracurricular activities were optional, we found it to be expensive especially at Queenstown. If there is a way to build it into the package, that might be more affordable perhaps. The tour guidance was short and brief. We found the Tour Atlas the most useful, along with the vouchers for accommodation. Thanks overall for the package. I will recommend your company to friends if they plan to visit NZ. [More+]
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Grace Choo (Malaysia)
Tour Date 09/01/2012 |
Our hugest thanks to Jarrod for organising our fabulous tour - all done in less than a week! A tour consultant extraordinaire! Our group of 6 had a fantastic time. The Hyundai IMax was spacious, comfortable for all and easy to park too. The hotels were well located and lots had beautiful views and we were very well looked after. The tour gave us enough time to see plenty at each location and NZ is so pretty we have hundreds of picture postcard photos. We saw whales and dolphins, kiwis, seals, so many beautiful lakes and waterfalls, mountains and coastal scenes. Lots of adventure too with jet boating, help-hiking and horse riding too! A great family holiday.We would recommend you most highly. [More+]
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Cathy & Duncan Hewett & Family (Australia)
Tour Date 09/01/2012 |
Our tour guide Marty was fantastic and organised a brilliant tour. The scenery of the South Island was beautiful. We especially enjoyed our time in Dunedin, Milford Sound and Queenstown. [More+]
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Rhys Butcher-Mullins & Esther Ruskulis (Australia)
Tour Date 08/01/2012 |
Loved the tour and NZ, the hotels and food were excellent. Didn't like having to get up every day at 6.30am and sometimes not getting to the hotel till 6.30pm, didnt always have time to shower and change before dinner. Our driver guide was called Hugh Robinson he was very friendly and caring, but he never stopped talking, sometimes I left the coach with a headache, he told us a great deal of information, but waffled on to much. [More+]
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Celia & Peter Fulton (United Kingdom)
Tour Date 07/01/2012 |
We thoroughly enjoyed the tour, good fun and informative. The coach was very clean and comfortable. The tour director Ted Ratahi and driver Tamati Tehua were excellent. Ted was so enthusiastic and knowledgable. The tour was very well organised and we were always given clear directions. The hotels and meals were excellent. Activities included in the tour were very good. The scenery and places we visited were spectacular. We would certainly recommend this tour to others. [More+]
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Garry Cummins (Australia)
Tour Date 07/01/2012 |
My family really had a ball in New Zealand. They were very much impressed by the service. Thanks a lot for all the help throughout a wonderful wonderful experience. We will surely be recommending Relaxing Journeys. [More+]
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Imran Chhavniwala (Australia)
Tour Date 06/01/2012 |
Jarrod put together an excellent tour for the number of days we had in NZ. If we had had 1 or 2 days more we would have welcomed more time in Dunedin and maybe split the first day into two. A little surprised in the driving notes that Oamaru wasn't mentioned as it was definitely worth a visit. The only time the organisation fell down was upon our arrival into Christchurch airport when the rental car company desk claimed not to have our documentation containing all the vouchers. We queried this at the time and was advised they didn't have it. The next day, following a phone call to Jarrod we had to drive back to the airport to get the documents. We went to the Thrifty desk which was closed with a note to go to another part of the airport. We finally obtained the vouchers but the staff were not very apologetic and we had wasted part of our valuable holiday time. We really appreciated Jarrod revising the hotel accommodation following my research on Trip Advisor. The accommodation was generally very good - particularly the motel in Dunedin. The motel I selected in Te Anau was disappointing but for one night didn't really matter. The one I chose in Queenstown was in a great location and very spacious for our three days there. Many thanks. Hope to come back again for a walking holiday in a couple of years time. [More+]
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Lyn Simmons & Kevin Hann (United States)
Tour Date 06/01/2012 |
We joined Milford Sound Overnight Cruise and it was a fantastic experience. Jarrod was really helpful - his response was super quick and very kind. Because he put 'nice weather' on request for us, we had great time on the boat surrounded by beautiful nature. I highly recommend Relaxing Journeys if you need an expert's help to organise your holiday in NZ. Thank you again. [More+]
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Yuri Murata (Australia)
Tour Date 04/01/2012 |
We were always offered outstanding service and hospitality in NZ. Even when weather prevented us from our first choices, Kirra had exciting options available and the coach captains went out of their way make our wishes possible and our experiences top notch. Their advice was invaluable. Meeting the girls in the Kirra Christchurch office was a great way to finish our time there. Thank you, Kirby, for all of your assistance with our tours and for making it easy for our friend to join us.I can't wait to return to NZ. [More+]
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Angela & Geoffrey Polden (Australia)
Tour Date 04/01/2012 |
I really enjoyed both of the tours in which I participated however I must say that the bus driver, (Dennis), for the first part of our major tour, beginning on the 9th, was so fantastic that he made that part brilliant. He made me feel included from the beginning by individually introducing the new people to the others who had been with him for 5 days. He made an effort to get to know all of the new people, moving our seats each day so that we also got to know everyone else on the tour and at no time did I feel like the odd one out which if I am honest I felt during the first tour we did. I am maybe being a tad unrealistic with that comment in that I do find new situations difficult and while I was travelling with friends they are a couple and therefore I was still one of the 'singles' and a 'newbie' and I very much felt that with everyone except my friends. Our bus driver had developed a fantastic rapport with those who had been touring with him for a number of days before we joined them. They were very much a tight group (most of them being around the same age and older than I am) and it was not always comfortable at meal times especially. Also we didn't have a seat rotation which may have encouraged the clickiness to exist. However I really enjoyed all of the activities we did and the driver's commentary on the bus was good. I think that all of the activities which both tours offered gave a range of choices which was good, choices that included fitness levels, cost and interest. While I was looking forward to the white water rafting (and with some fear I must say) I had to miss out because I was sick. I discovered that there was not really a lot to do at Taupo if you didn't go whitewater rafting! It would be good if an alternative activity was offered as well. While I may still not have been able to do an alternative activity there were others who would have loved it, as would I had I not been ill. Mind you I managed to find a beautiful koru necklace, handmade by a local artist in sterling silver - a lovely find which everyone back at home is commenting on! The service and quality of the meals at Taupo was brilliant! The time out also gave a few of us the opportunity to sit around chatting and getting to know each other and this also proved to be a brilliant thing. On the first tour we sat at small tables for meals and on the second tour we usually had one table which did provide us with more opportunities to get to know each other so I guess that would be one of my suggestions - no small tables if at all possible. The reason I was sick was self inflicted but can serve as a warning for future travellers. While in Rotorua I swam 40 laps in a 40 degree pool! I didn't realise how bad this was for me and it raised my blood pressure causing me to be very light headed and foggy and vomiting! Those hot temperatures are for lolling around only! I was impressed with the way in which people could leave and join at different stages of the tours we did. I am sure that must be a logistical nightmare for you to manage but it meant that many people did what they wanted to do and could hook into a tour of choice. This also gave us the opportunity to meet quite a lot of new friends because our second tour was only small but it kept changing and there were new people to meet. As someone who left mid tour though it was really sad to say goodbye. I didn't feel that closeness with people on the first tour but with the second tour I had two lots of farewells and when we left to go on the TranzAlpine train I felt a sense of loss which surprised me! The TranzAlpine was FANTASTIC and I really want to do it again when it is winter! Finally - Dennis - what a treat he is! He is interesting, entertaining, informative, level headed, fun, interested in people and places, inclusive. Please pass on my regards to him. [More+]
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Tessa Creeley (Australia)
Tour Date 04/01/2012 |
Overall the tour was very enjoyable, but quite intensive in terms of distance, time spent in a place, one night stays in hotels except in Queenstown where we were able to relax a bit more, but overall for a nine day tour we saw a lot of the fantastic sites in South Island, plus we were able to do quite a few optional extras, such as two light plane flights, one over Mount Cook, the other whale watching; as well as a helicopter flight to Fox Glacier. I think this nine day tour is ideal to get an appreciation of what the South Island has to offer and if you should want to return again you can earmark special places of interest you would like to spend more time at. We of course had spent a week in the North Island before joining the tour; Christmas at a batch on the coast for four days, then driving down to Wellington to eventually fly into Christchurch to meet up with AAT Kings, which made our holiday even better. Just a note, that our tour rep. Ngaire, and our driver Vale were absolutely first class and a bundle of fun to be with, and they definitely enhanced our journey. Overall it was a brilliant holiday which we both will never forget. [More+]
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Mike & Marlene Holman (United Kingdom)
Tour Date 01/01/2012 |
You have some very special people in both Ron, who did the North Island with us, and Steve, who did the South Island with us. Both took the time to understand our interests, and engaged in dialog that was factual and entertaining. The two do have different senses of humor, but its good to have variety! We also feel that you have two employees who try very hard to keep everyone happy...and always do so in a very professional manner. Steve, especially, had a challenge with one of his travelers, and his efforts resulted in all of us having a better time. We are happy to recommend this tour and this company for friends of ours who want to see and do as much New Zealand as is possible in 18 days! It is interesting to note that this same tour was recommended to us by our church friends...and so on it goes!! [More+]
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Jon & Vivien Jacoby (United States)
Tour Date 01/01/2012 |
Thank you for organizing a great holiday. Everything planned went well. Self drive is a great way to see New Zealand. Ours was a 'mid-range' tour and we were most impressed by the quality of most of the acomodation and included tours. We were grateful for the assistance of Relaxing Journeys in modifiying the 'standard' tour to our needs. We would recomend this tour and this company to others. [More+]
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Robert & Sue Taylor (Australia)
Tour Date 27/12/2011 |
Our tour was excellent, included much more than we expected as far as scenery and activities to do. The pace was steady but also relaxing with much more time allowed for travel than we required. Your itinerary made our trip easy. Accommodation was excellent and easy to find. We did upgrade at Mt Cook as the chalet wasn't suitable for 2 couples to share for 2 nights. We had separate motel rooms which worked out well. New Zealand is just beautiful where ever you are. A very easy country to navigate with lots of freindly people. We thoroughly enjoyed our experience and hope to return soon to explore the North Island. [More+]
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Carol & Michael Gardiner (Australia)
Tour Date 27/12/2011 |
It was excellent. We enjoyed every bit of it. Our tour guide Clarke and the driver Mark were marvellous, very well organised, very efficient, and above all very friendly. And to you Kirby, thanks for organising such wonderful tour for us.
Amulya & Vijaya Tiwari (Australia)
Tour Date 25/12/2011 |
I had a great time on my South Island journey. I was especially pleased with the logistic arrangements, everything was so handy and I havew to say it is very useful for travellers who don't want to drive on their own but still manage to travel from point to point. Thanks Toni for the expertise & advice. It was actually my first time using an on-line service to plan the tour from overseas. Everything went so well and I enjoyed it very much. I'd recommend your service to my friends!
Ginny Yung (Hong Kong)
Tour Date 25/12/2011 |
For our Christmas 2011 holidays, my wife and I selected the 11 Day Southern Glaciers drive/stay itinerary from Relaxing Journeys. It was a wonderful and most memorable experience. All of the logistics including the car rental, boutique hotels, and activities were superbly handled by our Relaxing Journeys’ travel advisor Jarrod Scharvi. Besides the impeccable and personal service, Jarrod’s suggested routes and stops to maximize our New Zealand experience were spot on. We traveled the 11 day Southern Glacier tour which took us from Christchurch to Lake Tekapo and Mt Cook, Queenstown, Milford Sound, Te Anua, Franz Josef Glacier, and then to Greymouth for the TranzAlpine train back to Christchurch. The sights were wonderful, the scenery fantastic, the accommodations definitely deluxe, and the added adventures made this a most memorable, relaxing, and enjoyable trip. It all started with the fabulous organizational skills and attentiveness of Jarrod at Relaxing Journeys. I definitely recommend their services and assistance when planning your trip of a lifetime to the South Island of New Zealand. [More+]
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Chuck & Lori Dodson (Singapore)
Tour Date 25/12/2011 |
I was pleased I stuck with this tour - it worked out to be a really great tour, apparently doing a few things not done by the larger groups. (Incidentally only 8 of us out of Wellington and 4 out of Auckland!) Really enjoyed Napier, and the extension to north with Hokianga and Bay of Islands. The cruise and the quality of the cruiser Ipipiri is of a high standard. In fact all the accommodation was very good and obviously each place chosen for a reason. eg Puka Park Resort and the Chalets in the trees. We also visited the Kauri Museum at Matakohe - not on the itinerary but highly recommended by our Driver/Guide and one of fellow travelers who had previously visited. And I agree, it is really well set up and very well run and gives a very comprehensive overview of the history of the region and the early settlers who ran the industry. Also made us even more appreciative of the significence and majesty of the 2000 year old Tane Mahuta tree we 'visited' later in the day. Our Driver/Guide Keith Mason was very good - really enjoyed his work and really worked hard to see that we were well looked after. He had an extensive knowledge of the history and present day situation of the areas we visited and passed through. I am a bit disabled and he was very helpful to me - which perhaps wasn't necessary but I did appreciate it. So, once again very many thanks for your help and guidance along the way and hope you have a great 2012.
Elwyn Jones (Australia)
Tour Date 23/12/2011 |
Stan and I agree, one of the best vacations we have ever taken! Very well organized, from the minute we picked up our packet at the rental agency, until we used our last voucher. The hotels were all first rate, the suggested driving routes were spectacular, the planned tours all run by great companies, I just can't say enough. New Zealand should be on everybody's 'bucket list', and a Relaxing Journeys self drive tour is the way to see it.
Valerie & Stan Christopher (Singapore)
Tour Date 23/12/2011 |
Everything was well taken care of by Relaxing Journeys. The itinerary was very helpful and considered 'our bible' on our trip as many tips were on it to see and do along the way. Voucher system made it that much easier and stress free checking in..out..getting tickets, etc. Jarrod was very helpful and planned our family a great vacation of New Zealand.
Tara & Greg Huss (China)
Tour Date 21/12/2011 |
We are finally back from the splendid tour of NZ (South) and still savoring the amazing experience that we had. Your country is really wonderful and what makes it even more interesting is especially its people - they are so nice and friendly that I felt really sad leaving the place. The tour was organized splendidly and we never faced any problems anywhere. Your efforts really paid off and a big thank you for the same. The motels were very comfortable and in a word excellent. Driving was such a pleasure with hardly any traffic on the highways. We also took the helicopter ride for the glacier at Franz Joseph which was really amazing. Experiencing a polar storm in the International Antartic Centre was an exhilarating experience. We missed the cheese-making tour at Barrys Bay as we didn't know that it is done only in the morning hours. We were visiting them in the afternoon on our way back from the wonderful Akaroa cruise but I did get my bagful of hand-made cheese. We were also (un)lucky to experience a real earthquake on 28 Dec night at Christchurch without any collateral damage. I would love to come back once again, this time for North Island although I'm not so sure whether it will be as scenic and wonderful as the South. (Ed. Oh it is!)
Kaushik Chandra (India)
Tour Date 20/12/2011 |
The most impressive thing of our trip was the beauty of the country especially the South Island. Loved the scenery, the sparkling blue waters, the mountains, the lakes, the wild flowers. I think this trip was a celebration of all of my senses. Loved the unspoiled beauty of nature without billboards, advertisements, rubbish or old things piled on roads or outside the houses. What a refreshing array of beautiful clean views. The tour guide, Martin and the bus driver, Tamati were superb. They worked together and with us better than the most sophisticated Swiss watch. Liked the rotating seat technique, easy to do and fair for all people. Liked the way Martin explained everything in great detail. Liked the 'break the monotony' activities we did. Everything was well organized, on time and with a variety of activities. Kirby at your office is the best. She was quick to answer all of my questions in a most knowledgeable, fast and professional way. Suggestions - more stops for photo opportunities I think would be welcomed by all. Maybe longer stops to enjoy a beautiful setting like next to a lake or overlooking the mountains would have been good. (Several of us wished that we had more time in settings like these to just look and enjoy the view.) More three course meals & at least a couple more free activities or outings where we don't have to pay. Thanks for the memories!
Poppy & Ray McAfee (United States)
Tour Date 19/12/2011 |
Great trip thank you. The accommodation was excellent and centrally located. The car was excellent to drive. The only thing we would say as constructive criticism is that the length it took to drive from place to place was not accurate and it took a lot longer than we thought. Perhaps you should suggest that it takes a little longer to get there!! Thanks for a great trip.
Cameron Young (Australia)
Tour Date 19/12/2011 |
Thoroughly recommend it as a way to see South Island in a short space of time. Not sure why we stayed in Omarama though on our penultimate night. Would have preferred somewhere with a bit more life but that really is my only niggle. Thanks so much for a great trip.
Sunjay Gambhir (United Kingdom)
Tour Date 19/12/2011 |
We had an amazing trip! From start to finish, it was spectacular. The whole tour was organised flawlessly. The accommodation was great, lots of space for the kids. We would have liked a bigger room in Queenstown, as we were there for 3 nights, but it was still a great hotel. The Thrifty representative was waiting for us when we arrived in Greymouth, so there was no worry about finding the office, this was one of our concerns when we read an earlier review. The car was perfect, no problems at all. There were plenty of highlights, the Dolphin Encounter was right at the top. Thank you for making it a wonderful holiday. [More+]
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Silpa & Dhiren Jethwa (India)
Tour Date 19/12/2011 |
Excellent trip. Two weeks may not have been enough but the itinerary was fantastic and exceeded our expectation and timeline. At least now, we know areas to focus on our next trip to New Zealand. You are very fortunate to live in a amazingly beautiful country and we are equally as fortunate to have a chance to visit and discover the awesome beauty. Everybody was sooooo friendly, nice and helpful and of course, we overdosed on food which was fresh and intensely flavorful. We will be back. [More+]
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Heidi & David Nettles (United States)
Tour Date 19/12/2011 |
The tour was one of our best holidays. The tour director (Phil) and the driver (Murray) were great. Their sense of humour was contagious. We will definitely come back. Would it be possible for you to advise the hotels (were we had lovely dinners) to provide after dinner some music and may be a place to dance. People on holiday want some fun too!
Carmen & Mark Gordon (Australia)
Tour Date 18/12/2011 |
Many thanks to the Relaxing Journeys team for chalking out the best itinerary - your efforts made my honeymoon trip truly special and memorable. The tour was absolutely phenomenal and I will cherish every moment for years to come. Thanks to your efforts, the bar has been raised by several notches for any of my future holiday plans.
Debanjan Bhadury (India)
Tour Date 18/12/2011 |
Kia Ora (see, we did learn something!) We are very happy to rate the tour you arranged for us as 'Excellent'. The hotels were excellent, with the exception of the hotel in Mount Cook which was, unfortunately, mediocre. We understand you probably didn't have a choice of where we could stay, particularly with the incredible view of Mount Cook from our bedroom window. As we only stayed one night we were OK with that, and the view was wonderful. The food on the evening of our stay (a buffet) was pretty awful! We particularly loved The George Hotel in Christchurch (could you take time to pass our thanks to all the staff who coped so well. We arrived during an earthquake, and they did everything possible to ensure our safety and comfort. I understand the hotel is privately-owned and it would be good if the owner could be told how great his staff are!). The hotel was lovely, with beautiful rooms, and excellent food. We also loved our stay in Lake Taupau. The Soak and Sail (even though it was pouring with rain it didn't spoil anything but the view) was wonderful, and Matt (skipper) was brilliant. Browns Boutique Hotel in Queenstown was fantastic - peaceful and yet only 5 minutes walk to the main town centre. The Christmas stay in Kenepuru Sound was idyllic, and the staff excellent. The food was wonderful, and the place and views just wonderful - we didn't want to leave! The Holiday Inn in Rotarua was, well, a Holiday Inn. However, the Maori experience was very good, and the food better than expected (when having to serve so many people in that kind of environment it can be difficult to maintain food quality). We enjoyed the North Island very much, but South Island is, in our opinion, one of the most beautiful places we've ever visited. The people are lovely, and we loved everything about it. One note to bear in mind is Auckland at Christmas and New Year. An awful lot of shops and restaurants were closed during our stay there (31st December thru' to 4th January). We found that a bit difficult, as it was the last leg of our stay and we'd planned to visit restaurants and shops. However, more opened up on the 3rd and 4th January, and some restaurants were open in the Viaduct area. Just worth mentioning to visitors. Wellington (only one night there) was also a bit like a ghost town (I think we were there on the 27th December), though we persevered and found a very nice Italian restaurant. The support we had from you both before we left the UK and whilst in NZ was much appreciated. Thank you again for arranging such a wonderful 'epic' trip for us. We have already recommended your company to everyone we know, and have told them they have to go to New Zealand at least once! [More+]
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Peter & Serena Page (United Kingdom)
Tour Date 18/12/2011 |
We really enjoyed our cruise on Oceanic Discoverer and, being our first visit to New Zealand, felt it gave us a good impression of the country in the space of 12 days. The ship is excellent and surprisingly spacious given its quite small size. Our cabin on C deck was not at all cramped - indeed, the cabins on this deck are probably the best choice since although they are the least expensive they are bigger than those on the higher decks. The entire crew were incredibly efficient and very friendly, and the food was always of a good standard. We particularly liked the days spent in the solitude of the Marlborough Sounds and Southern Fiords - we think this is possibly the only international cruise ship allowed to venture into and overnight in Dusky and Doubtful Sounds. We felt very privileged. [More+]
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John Beddoe & Ann Pitcher (United Kingdom)
Tour Date 18/12/2011 |
Everything was very well-arranged, including all transportation and accomodation selection. Rental cars provided were new and very comfortable. Our itinerary contained a very comprehensive ceverage of the South Island although the weather was not too accomodating the first two days. We all enjoyed the fantastic scenery throughout. The only drawback was the amount of extended driving in order to cover the rather long distances. In general it was a very enjoyable trip and one I would recommend to anyone who wishes to have a quiet and yet wonderous two-week break.
Ahmad Kadis (Malaysia)
Tour Date 16/12/2011 |
We had a fantastic holiday and Toni was wonderful to work with. Most of the accommodations were great but some were a little less than expected - especially for the amount of money we paid for the trip. The biggest disappointment (which turned out to be fine, but was a shock at first) were our accommodations on the Doubtful Sound overnight cruise. We were separated from the other passengers via a curtain and had to share bathrooms and showers with 8 other 'cabins'. Not exactly what we're used to. Both of our hotels in Queenstown were fantastic. We loved the excursions and the travel arrangements (planes, trains and automobiles) were great. [More+]
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Rebecca Francis (Hong Kong)
Tour Date 16/12/2011 |
Thank you for organising the tour of your remarkable country, New Zealand. Lesley, Sam, Ally and myself had a wonderful unforgettable holiday. There wasn't a single hiccup, your recommendations were great, accomodation good and the weather not too bad. We hope that one day we will be able to return to your beautiful country. We will certainly recommend your tour. [More+]
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Alan Pearson (South Africa)
Tour Date 05/12/2011 |
Thanks for the arrangement for my tour to NZ! I had a splendid time driving myself around and discovering NZ's natural wonders! It was a great feeling to be driving amidst great scenery, and being surrounded by mountains, especially during the drive from Te Anau to Milford Sound. I have ranked the cities/towns I visited, and here they are:
Number 1: Queenstown!!!!!
Number 2: Rotorua!!!!
Number 3: Dunedin!!!
Number 4: Franz Josef & Twizel (Tie)
Number 6: Te Anau / Milford Sound
Number 7: Wellington
Number 8: Christchurch
Number 9: Nelson
Number 10: Auckland & Hawkes Bay (Tie)
Not that the last few rankings were bad, because all scored varying degress of over 9 out of 10 when I ranked them. Just that I had less time to explore both Auckland and Hawkes Bay. Tha main problem I had with NZ is that there's just too many things to see and do there, such that I ended up driving late at night in the dark on highways without street lights, because I left my earlier location late. Thankfully, as a solo self-drive, I had the flexibility of taking this risk of driving late into the night. That being said, I ended up missing out quite a bit on the smaller towns to stop at on the way from one place to another. If I get to come to NZ again, I'll probably spend more time on the towns in between. Thanks again for helping to arrange my tour. It was very convenient to show vouchers at the various places, and with the GPS, finding places was easily accomplished! Great job to all!
Florence Loh (Singapore)
Tour Date 04/12/2011 |
Trip was really good and amazingly comprehensive, I don't think there's much of NZ we haven't seen one way or another!Would have been nice to spend more time in Wellington - we only had one evening really as we were on the early morning ferry the next day - but would have liked to maybe have two nights so we had a day free to explore the city, this maybe something to review on the trip as I'm sure we're not the only people to think this? Wasn't really much going on at Napier - we visited Taupo on the way to Napier and on reflection would have much preferred to stay in Taupo instead of Napier. But thats just us. Milford Sound was pretty - not sure it's worth spending over 8 hours in a coach from Queenstown for though, especially as the trip includes a couple of other similar tours. But an absolutely fantastic trip, the itinerary provided was really good as it gave us loads of pointers of things to do in between our overnight stops - not that we needed much help, the North Island was full of beautiful little beaches and coves to stop at, and we managed to fill every bit of spare time we had doing one of the may hundreds of activities NZ has to offer - swimming with dolphins, sea-kayaking, river surfing, you name it I think we did it. We're already planning our next trip - have to save for many many years before it happens though. In a nutshell we had a fantastic trip, and all thanks to you guys for putting it together for us - the package of info we received when we arrived at the airport was really useful and much appreciated. I'll be recommending you wherever I can! So thank you very much for organising a fantastic honeymoon for us, we've got so many memories from our 4 weeks in NZ.
Amanda & Martin Phillips (United Kingdom)
Tour Date 30/11/2011 |
I was a solo traveller and it was indeed a great tour, convenient and with peace of mind. Everything was well organised and quite flexible too. I was able to see best of NZ while having my own time to enjoy it too. Worth every cent spent! :)
Sanduni Wickramasinghe (Australia)
Tour Date 29/11/2011 |
From the very start Kirby at Relaxing Journeys made our holiday stress-free, nothing was too much trouble. She even taught me how to use e-mail, my wife and I have made a great friend, thanks Kirby. As for the tour nothing was left out, spoilt really. The tour manager Marty Paranihi and driver Craig Johnston, make one of the best teams you would wish for on a tour like we did. Marty did not miss one bit of information about his wonderful country from farming to skiing, wine to wood. A great trip as I did not have to drive and took in all New Zealand has to offer & I would recommend this tour.
Harold & Janice Briggs (Australia)
Tour Date 26/11/2011 |
This was the most incredible trip I have ever been on! Accomodation was excellent throughout our time. Trevor our coach driver was brilliant - extremely informative, good sense of humour but had a real thing about 'yet another squashed possum'! I met some lovely people, saw amazing, breathtaking scenery and even got the chance to fly up to a glacier in a helicopter! The service from the moment I first found the Relaxing Journeys' website was second to none and Kirby my tour consultant left me feeling like a personal friend by the time everything was sorted. I'm not normally easily satisfied but I seriously can't fault a single thing to do with this trip - even the weather behaved itself :-) Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Jane Holland (New Zealand)
Tour Date 23/11/2011 |
We thoroughly enjoyed our trip. Everything was very well organised and the drivers very helpful and informative. The food was great and we stacked on some kilos unfortunately. Thanks to Kirby for her efficiency in arranging the tour for me.
Barbara Clifford & Ann Townsend (Australia)
Tour Date 21/11/2011 |
The tour was excellent. The tour bus was comfortable and clean. The tour was made up of 18 people which we thought was a good size. The bus driver (Daryl Kirk) was amazing and contributed a great deal to our enjoyment of the trip. I would warn anyone interested in this tour to be prepared for changes in the itinerary. The weather on the South Island and in particular the West Coast contributed to a couple of changes to ours. The tour company (in conjunction with Daryl)handled these changes well and our comfort and the options provided were first rate. I would also add that our tour consultant (Georgie) was very helpful and answered all of our questions in a very professional manner.
Kurt & Katie Robinson (United States)
Tour Date 21/11/2011 |
The tour was fun and educational. Everyone enjoyed it tremendously. Our tour host, William Taylor, is a wonderful and friendly person. He took care of our needs and made us feel truly at home! The highlights of the tour were.........all of them were highlights! The only regrets we had were probably the dolphin watch and the scenic flight from Milford Sound to Queenstown. They were cancelled due to bad weather. We especially loved this exclusive small group tour. It was relaxing and refreshing. The scenery of South Island is awesome. We would love to visit New Zealand again in the future when possible. Thank you very much Relaxing Journeys and our tour consultant, Jarrod, not to forget as well, Mr. William Taylor. My children enjoyed the tour very much. All the best to everyone and a BIG THANK YOU from all of us in Malaysia.
Bee Koon (Daphne) Low (Malaysia)
Tour Date 20/11/2011 |
We'd just like to say thank you to Toni and everyone else for organizing a great holiday for us. We saw so many beautiful places and enjoyed travelling the independent way using the intercity buses. The shuttle services arrived promptly whenever needed. The train trips were simply amazing. The commentary was great along the way and people (drivers, motel staff) were very helpful and friendly, with good natured ribbing about being Aussies. We had a great mix of activity and relaxation. Every day was an exciting adventure. Everything went off without a hitch. We'd definitely travel this way again and recommend it to others.
Alison, Gerard & Tegan Bates (Australia)
Tour Date 19/11/2011 |
We went on an eleven day coach tour of the North and South island of New Zealand. The tour started in Auckland and ended in Christchurch. Everything went fine the tour was good value for money, the accommodation was superb the personnel involved with the coach tour were well organised and appeared to be quite experienced. We had a wonderfull time and we would recommend the coach tour to anybody contemplating to go on a similar tour. Thanks again to Kirby for following up the progress associated with the details of the tour. Compliments of the season to everyone at Relaxing Journeys.
James & Liliane Denver (Australia)
Tour Date 17/11/2011 |
We thoroughly enjoyed the tour. We didn't know what to expect, but the tour seemed to cover the places that we could have hoped to see in the south island. We were particularly pleased with the Milford Sound portion of the tour. If we come back to New Zealand, we will definitely keep Relaxing Journeys in mind.
Robert & Linda Glazener (United States)
Tour Date 15/11/2011 |
Absolutely 'fentestic'... We did a 12 day self drive tour of the South Island with a trip on the TranzAlpine train and had the best holiday!. The apartments were extremely high quality and easy to find. Possibly the Rees at Queenstown was my favourite - due to the degustation menu! The car was comfortable, the views were nothing short of spectacular. The kids enjoyed it all..even testing out the electric fence inadvertently. Kaikoura was a highlight....seal pups playing in the waterfall - magic!
Brigid & Peter (Australia)
Tour Date 14/11/2011 |
From the start this was a wonderful experience. Kirby, the tour consultant, was very helpful when deciding which tour to select and quickly answered any questions I had. Once on the tour, the tour manager was very knowledgeable and made sure everyone was enjoying their experience. One comment that I would give to future travelers is, since the tour covers so many locations in a short period of time it can feel that you are moving to much and don't get enough time to enjoy the stops.
Lauren Gillery (United States)
Tour Date 14/11/2011 |
We both enjoyed this trip immensely. Everthing was very well organised and went to plan. There was a good balance between group time and free time and not too much driving between destinations. All our guides were knowledgeable, helpful and passionate about NZ- especially Steve Burgess. Our accomodation was of a very good standard throughout. Two standouts were the Heritage at Mt. Cook - great food and a breathtaking view and the Copthorne in Christchurch with excellent service, food and decor. Akoroa was one of my favourites with it's beautiful harbour, pretty village, many art galleries, appartment with a fabulous view and fantastic fish and chips! The train trip along the coast to Kaikora was another highlight and to top it off we saw three whales up close and another two in the distance. We loved your expanse of snow capped mountains and cruising Milford Sound without a sandfly in sight. The flight back to Queenstown was amazing too. I would have liked more time to explore Fox Glacier and Franz Joseph Glacier. The first was impossible due to the late arrival and the second was made difficult by the need to catch the train at Greymouth. Great country and we will visit again. Thank you for your important part in organising the trip.
Robbie & Irena Costmeyer (Australia)
Tour Date 13/11/2011 |
The arrangements made by Toni were great. Everyone who was supposed to pick us up and get us to the next bus or railway station, hotel or tour was very prompt (minor delay with shuttle pick up at Wellington hotel to get us to railway station, but Wellington traffic is difficult). Hotels were good, on the whole. I especially liked the Scenic Te Pania in Napier, the Millennium in Rotorua, the James Cook Grand in Wellington and the hotel at Fox Glacier. The Copthorne in Blenheim was attractive, but the room had poor lighting and the restaurant refused to serve us because they had a large group booked and 'the ovens were full'. The Heritage in Queenstown gave us a great room, but the overall service was mediocre because of the large number of trainees who served us. The non-trainee personnel were good. The additional day trips we scheduled for Auckland (Waitangi/Russell) and the Central Otago wine tour from Queenstown were wonderful. We loved New Zealand and only wish we had more time to spend there!
Anita & Arnold Sobol (United States)
Tour Date 12/11/2011 |
I thoroughly enjoyed the tour and Jarrod was a pleasure to work with, even though we scheduled the tour fairly close to our departure, had no clue what we were doing and modified the tour significantly (adding days here and there, reordering the south island, adding a third for the second half of the tour, etc). Everything on the tour went off without a hitch and it was all planned out for us very well. The only downside was that we didn't spend nearly enough time in New Zealand - it's a beautiful country full of very friendly people. For those of you planning a trip in the future, the one thing I would think hard about is how much time your spending at each stopover - it can seem a bit on the rushed side when you spend only a single night in most of the hotels, and this also tends to make the trip very weather dependent.
Roger Sunshine (United States)
Tour Date 10/11/2011 |
Overall we had a really great trip. Having the booklet of prepaid vouchers made everything very easy, and having pre-booked breakfasts also proved a very wise move. We were very impressed with all the accommodation you arranged for us - the rooms were usually large and light, with tea and coffee making facilities - indeed often an entire small kitchen area for our use. Being a 'self-drive' tour, one suggested improvement would be with regards to parking arrangements in Auckland and Wellington. The Scenic Hotel at Auckland operate a valet parking service for $20 a night, which we were delighted to be able to make use off - the alternative would have been to trying to find parking on the street, or a suitable all day/multi-day car park. We were more than happy to pay the valet parking charge and know that the car was safe - so perhaps you could offer to pre-arrange this, or include it in the total tour cost? The Ibis Hotel in Wellington did have 'under hotel' parking, but only 14 spaces which needed to be pre-booked. We were fortunate that on our first night there was a space we could purchase, but not for the second. Given that we needed to leave early the next morning for the Picton ferry, public car parks which only opened at 8am were not an option, so for one night we parked in a space on the street as close to the hotel as we could find. Nothing happened to the car, but as we hail from Liverpool we had been understandably somewhat concerned. Again, perhaps pre-booking spaces at these city hotels and adding them in the cost of the tour would save anxiety and hunting for a safe place to leave a car. Perhaps one final suggestion for improvement - there wasn't actually a specific 'Lord of the Rings' trip arranged for Queenstown. We very happily arranged our own 1/2 day Safari of the Scenes with Nomad, and had a really good morning seeing all the major sites close to the city - including up Skippers Canyon which can only be reached by 4WD. Given that 'The Hobbit' is still currently filming in and around Queenstown, I think specifically adding a tour as part of the overall tour package, rather than leaving it to individuals to book their own, would really help end (or start) the tour appropriately. I'm aware that the majority of this feedback might sound somewhat negative - that is not my intent. These were just thoughts about how an already great trip could have been made even better. We had a really amazing 3 weeks, and were thoroughly impressed by the landscape, wildlife and people of New Zealand. Having so much already booked and paid for in advance took so much of the stress out of things, we were able to really stop and enjoy the places we visited, rather than worrying about where we were going to stay for the next night. Needless to say - we intend to come back!
Jane Loveday (United Kingdom)
Tour Date 09/11/2011 |
We have had a wonderful time in New Zealand - our experience of Relaxing Journeys has been very positive and Toni was excellent in providing help and suggestions and in her speed of response when we were making the arrangements. We also feel that we had good value for money. We will certainly be recommending you to anyone we know who is traveling to NZ. We liked the tour and felt it was well balanced and gave us a very good experience of what NZ has to offer given the time available. The tour notes were accurate and gave good suggestions for things we might want to do. As we only have one driver the relatively short driving days were appreciated and gave us plenty of time to explore and do things on route. We liked the cheerful efficiency that we came across pretty much everywhere and the help and information that was freely given by hotel receptionists, transfer drivers etc. We felt that people were sincere in wanting to make things work properly and us to have the best experience we could and the smiles were not just on the surface, there was a genuine desire to show NZ off to its best advantage. We did many things that we have not done before including swimming with dolphins, Segway riding, black water rafting, jet boat riding and a glacier walk. These were all great experiences although I would admit some were a little more challenging than others. We have also done more walking and appreciating of the outdoors than we have done for many years - NZ just seems to be so beautiful that you want to get out there and see it. Thank you for helping make our trip so memorable and such a positive experience.
Ann Coley (United Kingdom)
Tour Date 09/11/2011 |
We are really glad that we chose this tour of NZ. Everything about it was up to are hopes and we thought that Grand Pac were terific. Super coach & drivers , good hotels, good food , and all the arrangements went smoothly & were well planned. The hotels in Wellington & Auckland were not quite so good & the farewell dinner on the last night was poor. Some of the stops along the tour were unnecessary, whilst others were not long enough. Generally it was pretty good. All in all we thought we had good value for money and would recommend it to our friends. Thanks for your help in the arrangments Kirby.
David & Andrew Meadows (United Kingdom)
Tour Date 08/11/2011 |
The tour was lovely. Negatives: The title on the itinerary for the first day was confusing about whether dinner was included. A few hotels were disappointments. I would have preferred departing earlier each day in order to have more time at the sites. I was disappointed with the Scottish night. Personally, I would have liked more bagpipes and Scottish entertainment and less poetry. Positives: Laurel, tour manager, and Rob, driver, were excellent and very professional. Some of the hotels were a treat. We were assigned an apartment in Queenstown that was so lovely that we returned to the hetel early in order to enjoy the rooms and view. Milford Sound was the highlight of the trip for me. The beauty of the fiord, the excellent dinner, and the rain the next day that produced all the waterfalls were all perfect. This was my second trip to New Zealand, and while we returned to some locations I had toured before, I saw different places and things. The variety was enjoyable and interesting. I enjoyed the times we met with friends who live in New Zealand. Kirby was very helpful in getting information for me to arrange meeting these friends and in answering all my questions.
Diane & Frank West (United States)
Tour Date 08/11/2011 |
We had a wonderful time on our trip. We had 2 wonderful drivers (one on the North Island and one for the South Island) who were informative, helpful, and creative. The trip was as good as other top companies we have toured with. The accomodations were great and so was the food. I am so glad that most meals were included in the price. We would most definitely tour with Grand Pacific Tours again.
Alvin & Nickolyn Russell (United States)
Tour Date 08/11/2011 |
We had the best time - NZ is a most beautiful place. The tour was well organised and drivers from both North & South Islands were helpful, available and always there for us - to recommend help and advise, they kept everyone safe and had the best sense of humour making our long days shorter by passing the time with DVD's, tapes and expert knowledge of the different areas travelled. Our group of 48 were easy to travel with, good humoured and we all got along famousley. We were sorry our holiday had to end and e-mail adresses were exchanged for future correspondance. Thank you Grand Pacific for a great holiday!
Terence & Margaret Veitch (Australia)
Tour Date 08/11/2011 |
We had a wonderful holiday. The well-planned itinerary enabled a good balance between the longer drives and just looking around. Other than in Christchurch, the accommodation was excellent. The Hagley Motel unit was somewhat ordinary - tired but clean. The Ashleigh Court Motel unit was very nice and well equipped but was small and cramped - a particularly problem on a last night when a major concern is space for repacking for the flight home. Thank you.
Anne Doherty & Denis Townsend (Australia)
Tour Date 07/11/2011 |
I thought everything was made extremely easy and for that we were extremely thankful. From the booking process all the way to the end it was always a simple process which was nice. Toni was great at getting back to me and answering all of my questions both big and small. If time allows, I would recommend taking an extra day in Auckland before the tour starts just to hang out, get on NZ time and see some of the city. I would also recommend at least one extra day in Wellington...that city was fantastic. You definitely get to see a lot of the country and we felt like we got a good grasp of the country. Highlights were the train ride from Picton to Christchurch...beautiful and a fun experience. Apparently they just got new carriages as well so it's nice and modern/comfortable. Ask for a sea side view seat. Lots to do in Queenstown and a fun stop to visit...we enjoyed our free time there. As well, the pre-planned excursions in Rotorua were awesome. Suggestions for improvement would be that some of the hotels weren't quite up to par in our opinion. We splurged for the 'gold' package so we were expecting nicer rooms and hotel stays. In particular the disappointments were the Sudima in Christchurch. Nothing much around so you are stuck in the hotel or taking a very expensive cab ride. Otherwise most of the other hotels were nice with much better locations. It is a lot of travelling but you get to see quite a bit. I would recommend this trip for a traveller or couple that like to go off and do their own thing but also like the convenience of getting from point a to point b hassle free. Thanks! (RJ: Please be aware accommodation in Christchurch at the premim level is fairly non-exisitent until mid 2012, as a result of February's quake. Tour prices have been adjusted to reflect accommodation in central Christchurch is 'mid range' - 3 1/2 star).
Graham & Rebecca Schulte (Canada)
Tour Date 07/11/2011 |
Our tour consultant, Jarrod, was very helpful in arranging our tour. We covered most of the major sites on both islands and was thrilled by the beauty of NZ. Our tour guide, Steve, was a very careful and safe driver. His knowledge of NZ added much to our understanding and enjoyment of the country. We found him to be very helpful and entertaining. The accommodations were all lovely and on beautiful sites with the exception of one. Overall it was an exceptionally enjoyable and relaxing holiday.
Katharine Gross & Morton Civen (United States)
Tour Date 06/11/2011 |
In general it was a wonderful tour. Ian Wooster, our tour guide was great. The agenda got revised several times and I would have preferred not to do the TransAlpine train twice. All the other days/locations were great. A beautiful country. On many days, we did not get back to our hotel untill 6:00 PM or so. It would have been nice to arrive earlier to explore the area, especially where we had one night stays. Perhaps Ian could have shortened up the frequent bathroom and cafe breaks we had. The accomodations (hotels) were generally very nice. In retrospect, I would skip the whale watch. While we did see whales, you don't see much of them. All the other venues were excellent.
Hale & Karen Cochran (United States)
Tour Date 05/11/2011 |
David and I thoroughly enjoyed our Grand Pacific tour of New Zealand. Only problem was it went too fast. We certainly couldn't complain about the comfort of the coaches or accommodation and the food was delicious. Our two coach drivers were excellent and we felt very safe and that's saying something particularly on the moutainous and winding roads. We were really well looked after and fortunate in that our group was fairly small, we could spread out on the coach and got to know each other and mix well with everyone. We all got on very well and looked out for each other. There we no laggers in fact we were so well organised, we were all early rather than late when leaving. The closeness of the group was certainly a very important factor in the enjoyment of the tour. We were very lucky to have such lovely people along with us. November was an excellent time of year to be visiting New Zealand. There was still snow on the mountains and everything was so green and fresh. New Zealand is such a pretty country and also clean. The tour was very well organised. We have no complaints.
Trish & David Shuttleworth (Australia)
Tour Date 05/11/2011 |
The Sudima Hotel could not find our vouchers when we got there at midnight, but they let us have a room. The day clerk found the packet. When we left on the 18th at the end of the trip, they told us we owed money, but then again found the vouchers we had given them and said all was ok. They were swamped with customers and looked frazzled. The Grand Mercure was wonderful. It would have been nice to have clear directions. We wasted about an hour finding it as the road could not be accessed from the highway. Hotel and restaurant was a delight! The map book in the packet was invaluable. The CD not as much. Punga Grove was just ok. I had to put my mattress on the floor on the second night. The bed was weak/soft and gave me a backache. Management was very helpful. I highly recommend the Alice May restaurant just down the road. I had a massage at the Glacier Pools and we both soaked in the hot water...also recommend this after a day of hiking on the glacier. In Queenstown, we found the best meal of the trip..Bella Cuchina. Also recommend Prime for beef. We had rain on the Milford Sound cruise; not to be helped, but the shorter cruise would have been fine and a bit cheaper. Dunedin...poorest hotel of the trip. Quality Hotel Cargills. We would have paid more to be closer to CBD and better hotel. Absolutely no complaints about Mt. Cook chalets. Great place and amenities. Back to Sudima in Christchurch. Bad service in restaurant and food not good. However, the Transalpine trip was fun...we got stuck in the mud on the sheep farm, but that was entertaining also. So, we had a great time, and I am only letting you know of the minor negatives for future use. We appreciate your work in making this a really good trip!
Barbara Thomas & Robert Covington (United States)
Tour Date 04/11/2011 |
It was a great trip. It all came together very well. We had a wonderful time! We were fortunate the sun always came out when it absolutely needed to. Everything went very smoothly. The B&Bs were all great; very warm & helpful hosts, locations excellent, nice variety. We enjoyed each place we went to and don't know if we would change anything. I should however comment on the B&B in Wellington. I believe it was a substitute as the one you would normally use as this was not available. It wasn't of the same calibre as the others. There were a number of issues; one that probably says it best - I found a used tissue in the pocket of the bath robe in my room. The place has the potential to be a great B&B and although the hostess was nice she probably needs to brush up on how to present & run a welcoming, comfortable & clean B&B. Thank you Jarrod for organizing our trip!
Lillian Dueckman (Canada)
Tour Date 04/11/2011 |
We had a fantastic tour and enjoyed every step of the journey. All the plans went smoothly and we enjoyed all of the accomodations arranged. Our favorites were The Dairy in Queenstown ,Fiordland Lodge in TeAnau, and Wanaka Springs Lodge. Also enjoyed Browns Boutique in Queensland and Te Waonui Forest Retreatat Franz Glacier, James Cook in Auckland (the refurbished room). The car rental went smoothly and the train trip from Greymouth also went according to plan (except for the weather!). We enjoyed working with Jarrod and would recommend your agency to others.
Beverley & Paige Brielmaier (United States)
Tour Date 02/11/2011 |
I absolutely loved my tour and would book through your company again, everything was more than I could have hoped for. Only two snags, we missed our connecting flight from Auckland due to the extra time it takes to travel with an elderly person and on the way back. We loved the first motel booked for us in Christchurch, it was the chardonnay and was much quieter and cleaner than the Christchurch motel that was booked for us on the way home. We were provided with a brand new car from Thrifty and it was a pleasure to drive, we actually did 2500 km in our 12 days so we saw a lot of New Zealand, although I did navigate away from the motorways and took the scenic routes whenever I could. Thank you for including the map book. We got some unseasonal snow which was a gift for us as neither of us had seen snow before. Overall, the motels were clean, the people friendly and the country 'awesome'. Thankyou for all of your help in creating a wonderful holiday for us.
Donna King (Australia)
Tour Date 02/11/2011 |
We enjoyed our holiday immensely. New Zealand is amazing. Whenever you turn around there is something interesting or beautiful to look at. We would like to compliment you on the fact that despite the components of our tour being provided by a variety of different services everything worked brilliantly. I would have complete confidence in recommending your services to others.
Geoffrey & Jennifer Lambert (Australia)
Tour Date 01/11/2011 |
First and foremost, a word of thanks to your staff (Ms Kirby) for being so helpful and prompt response to our queries. This was our first time booking and going on a tour via the internet. Ms Kirby was very attentive and thorough in attending to us. We are most pleased and happy with the services provided by her. As for the tour, it was really relaxing and not stressful. There was ample time provided to us for sightseeing and resting. We were equally impressed that the hotel rooms (especially the bathrooms) were clean and tidy. As for NZ, it is really a very beautiful country and scenic. Pictures alone do not do justice and one has to personally experience or see it for themselves. Overall, it was really an enjoyable trip and we would like to take this opportunity to thank you Relaxing Journeys and staff for a wonderful job.
Yvonne Cheah (Australia)
Tour Date 01/11/2011 |
We had a great time! The bus was full but that worked well too. We saw so much, were very well looked after and learnt heaps about NZ. We were with a diverse and wonderful group of people too. A tour director who did not yammer on but knew when to tell us stuff and a fantastic driver. We loved the way they moved you around the bus. There were plenty of breaks too. We were blessed with great weather for 90% of the trip too!! I was a little disappointed that once we had paid our deposit we did not hear anything from Relaxing Journeys for months. It would be great to a get a regular email to be assured that the tour was still going ahead, tips about the travel... just reminders that we were in fact still on a tour. I can be a tricky experience booking from overseas with a company you find on the internet. There is always a bit of fear - what if they don't exist? Regular comms (just once a month) might have eased that a bit. Otherwise it was all processed smoothly, the tour did happen, we were picked up from the airport (though there was a bit of guesswork with who our driver was). I came home really 'relaxed'. It was just what I needed. I am recommending you guys all over the place! Jarrod may have heard from a friend of mine already!! Thanks team. Can't wait for my next trip!
Penny & Dorothy Johnson (Australia)
Tour Date 24/10/2011 |
The tour was very nice. We would have appreciated more guided activities and more time in each city instead of only one afternoon. The accommodation was very luxurious but we thought it was a bit too far away from the city center. Overall, we had a good time. NZ is a really beautiful country.
Kenneth Wu (Hong Kong)
Tour Date 22/10/2011 |
This trip exceeded our expectations and someday we will return to New Zealand as it is such a beautiful country. Food, bathrooms, accomodations and tour were all excellent. Thanks for a great tour.
Bob & Doris Wygal (United States)
Tour Date 22/10/2011 |
Apart from Relaxing Journeys having been recommended to us by a friend, we felt we were in for a good time because of all the careful and friendly 'handling' prior to the trip. We weren't disappointed, in fact, we were overwhelmed by how well everything went and how good a time we had. NZ is such a beautiful and friendly country, your choice of hotels and excursions showed the country off at its best. We have already passed on your details to two groups of friends who are planning a visit and if we are ever lucky enough to go back to NZ, we shall definitely be contacting you. [More+]
Value For Money
Accommodaton
Tour Pace
Our Service
Angela & Mick Kett (United Kingdom)
Tour Date 19/10/2011 |
Well, we are back from dreamworld to reality. We all enjoyed the tour thoroughly. Grand Pacific performed meticulous planning and service throughout our tour. We've already conveyed our feelings to our friends and relatives who look forward to visiting New Zealand and Australia. It was really a different experience. Only thing of concern - vegetarian food. There were not many options for vegetarians, so travellers from India may find it difficult. Otherwise for those who can adapt their taste buds, this tour is superb. Our coach captain Ross was also superb.
Bharati Kamat (India)
Tour Date 16/10/2011 |
All the arrangements went well. We enjoyed the the South Island. Saw a lot in a short time. Maybe one extra day Christchurch would have been nice. Weather OK. The coach divers were good and infomtative.
Paul Pratchett (United Kingdom)
Tour Date 12/10/2011 |
It was a good hoilday in which I have seen the highlights of scenery in New Zealand. Everything was well organised and the group was a good mixture of international people. Hotels were in general also good. The tour guide was great.
Andre Van Mierlo (Netherlands)
Tour Date 10/10/2011 |
The 19 days I spent in New Zealand was absolutely wonderful. The Grand Pacific Tour was extremely well organised, Craig our coach captain was knowledgable with a great sense of humour. Fay was professional and pleasant and they worked well together. New Zealand is such a special place, the people are lovely, helpful and friendly. I will definitely return & I particularly loved Queenstown! I think at times it was a little bit rushed & would have appreciated even 30 minutes more shopping time in some of the very interesting towns like Kaikoura and Omeru but otherwise it was fantastic. Lots of highlights and wonderful memories. Thanks very much.
Virginia Rasheed (Australia)
Tour Date 04/10/2011 |
Great tour. Everything went like clockwork. After scaring my wife and myself many times learning to drive on the 'wrong' side of the road for the prior week, it was great to sit back, relax, and enjoy the sights and people. Our only complaint is that the trip to New Zealand was too short. Many Thanks! P.S. Toni was great!
Pamela & Larry Connolly (United States)
Tour Date 28/09/2011 |
Well organised trip. We were on a tight schedule and particularly wanted to see the Bay of Islands, but did not know where to start. This trip sorted car hire, hotels, and trips for us. If we had waited until we got to the area, we may have missed booking some of them, especially the flight to Cape Reine and the walk in the forest at Hokianga. You were flexible and were able to extend our stay in some hotels. Highly recommended.
Philip & Margaret Gordon (United Kingdom)
Tour Date 26/09/2011 |
We're back and are happy to say that our Tour of your beautiful country was fantastic. Kirra Tours are nothing but professional and we thoroughly enjoyed the beauty of the country, the very friendly people and the company of our fellow travelers. The coach captains on both the North and South Islands were exceptional, especially Reece Winter on the South Island. It is indeed seldom that one cannot single out something that might not have been just right or perhaps a bit annoying in any vacation but we have only good words to say about our New Zealand experience. The hotels were fine, the meals were excellent and the attractions were enjoyed by all. The coach captains went the extra mile to explain the country and its people, were always available to answer questions and did their utmost to ensure a comfortable journey for all. We won't hesitate to recommend Relaxing Journeys and Kirra Tours to all who are interested. A visit to Australia wasn't possible this time but it is certainly on our 'bucket list' for the future. Thanks very much for your assistance to make this one of our best vacations. P.S Was it really necessary for the All Blacks to give our Canadian rugby team such a drubbing? Good on them for for winning it all.
Gordon & Heather Steeves (Canada)
Tour Date 23/09/2011 |
We had a great time! The scenic route taken was exactly what we wanted, the hotel locations are convenient, the transport arrangement were timely except for the day we arrived in Nelson. The unfortunate train accident whilst onboard the TransCoastal train shortly after leaving Christchurch had added some excitement to our journey. Toni, many thanks for your suggestion to extend a day each in Kaikoura & Mt Cook. Kaikoura is such a beautiful little town. The extra day gave us the opportunity to do the peninsula walk which both of us enjoyed totally. At Mt Cook, we are fortunate to have the perfect weather and the view is absolutely stunning! We actually had a relaxing time engulfed in the beauty of nature. Thanks for a very nice holiday arrangement.
Sew Sook Fong & Sew Wai Fong (Singapore)
Tour Date 19/09/2011 |
Hi to everyone, especially Georgie and Frances who were so helpful in organising the tour. For feedback concerning the 'Relaxing Journeys' team, I could not have found you more helpful, organised, professional and I sincerely thank you for all the organisation and expert advice that you gave me. You truly have a spectacular country and people and I was hugely touched by the outstanding beauty of your country and the sincere and genuine kindness of the New Zealand people. Regarding the tour: - all the coach drivers were extremely helpful, knowledgeable, punctual and carried out their duties with true energy and professionalism. They provided such great added value to the experience and did NZ proud with all their knowledge of the surrounding area and history. When I went to Milford Sound, I had no idea how long the journey there and back would be. I took a flight back. I was wondering....is it noted on the website that you can take a flight back and the price? It would be helpful to then budget etc the cost of all you wanted to do for that day. One day of the tour that I would not do again would be the day from Queenstown to Christchurch via Mount Aoraki/Cook. To be honest, I did find that day a bit of a waste as it was a very long day on the bus and the stop at Mount Cook too long. If the option had been there to fly back to Auckland from Queenstown I would have taken it and spend an extra day in Queenstown. When I think of it, at Mount Aoraki, we had over two hours, which was not really needed. This meant an extra night hotel in Christchurch, taxi, meals etc. Just a thought..how about an iPhone or Android application for your company? Then we could download itinerary and other information about the tour :-) Very much liked having the choice of a range of hotels before booking, and being able to know what hotels I booked. Thank you. - It was SUCH a help to be allowed to pay off the tour in installments prior to travelling. Great service and I thank you again. I sincerely hope to be back in your country again soon. Last but not least.....HUGE HUGE CONGRATULATIONS on the All Blacks win. Thoroughly deserved. Wishing you all a happy, warm, summer!
Oliver Connick (Switzerland)
Tour Date 19/09/2011 |
We had a really nice time during this trip. John, our tour driver/guide is very knowledgeable and experienced. We got to know more about the places we visited as well as NZ as a country. Also met many nice friends during the tour. All in all, it was an enjoyable experience and would consider going again the future.
Mei Ling Wong (Malaysia)
Tour Date 16/09/2011 |
Thoroughly enjoyed the tour. Our tour director, Alan, was very friendly and informative. The only problem we had was at the Mercure Hotel, Willis Street in Wellington. We had checked in on 12 Sept as had two nights booked before the tour started. On 14 Sept our tour itinerary said we would be picked up at 13:00 at the hotel for an afternoon of sightseeing in Wellington. We waited at the hotel but the coach did not arrive. I asked at reception if they knew anything about it. They said they didn't but would find out. Eventually I understand they managed to call the tour director, Alan, who advised them that they were running late and the coach would now be arriving at 3pm (15:00). That evening when we met Alan he said he had faxed the hotel with this information so they should have been able to tell us and also they should have given us a welcome letter which they did not. There just appeared to be a lack of communication/understanding on the part of the hotel which was a bit disappointing. Other than this the rest of the tour was very good - hotels and coach comfortable. Included excursions good - very much enjoyed the Agrodome Sheep Show and the Maori evening at Tamaki, and the glow worms at the Waitomo Caves were amazing. A really great trip.
Claire Livesey (United Kingdom)
Tour Date 14/09/2011 |
On the whole the trip was A1 but with a few exceptions. The motel in Hanmer Springs was 4 star. The motel in The Hermitage Mount Cook was not good, even if the hot water did work, the basin tap was not broken and the remote for the TV did not work. In complaining, we were upgraded to the hotel which was great. I would never want to stay in the motel there. The motel unit in Queenstown was depressing and very ordinary. Regardless of it's rating I would give it 2 stars. I would not include it on this tour. There are so many other places to stay. The two bedroom unit at Franz Josef was well equipped and comfortable. The train trip was wonderful and the Sudima Hotel at Christchurch Airport excellent. The Shuttle people were wonderful. I left my briefcase on the footpath at the Train Station and discovered this half way to the hotel. The driver radioed back and another Shuttle driver at the Station retrieved it and we went back to collect it. It contained technology worth $3000. We love NZ. It is so easy to drive around even for oldies. We were not able to do the boat trip to the Tasman Glacier as we could not walk the 20 minutes there (crook knees). The four wheel driver tried to get us there in an exciting trip up beside the Glacier ridge in his buggy, but we had to abort. A great guy Graham. Thanks to Jarrod for organizing the tour.
Lorraine Gibson (Australia)
Tour Date 12/09/2011 |
It was a trip of a lifetime. We were able to see the entire country and had many pleasent experiences. The tour guide and bus driver was a real plus. They knew the country side and were able to tell us many stories about your country. I have to say that this was the best coach trips we have ever taken. During our visit we were able to see the opening of the World Cup of Rugby. Being from the United States and never understanding what the game was all about, we became overnight fans and were able to see one of the matches on the trip. Our tour guide was able to take care of the entire process for us. I would highly recommend the NZ Wanderer for people who really want to experience New Zealand and the great people who live there.
Glenn & Louise Dobos (United States)
Tour Date 10/09/2011 |
I would like to take this opportunity to thank your tour consultant Toni for her great services. We have been preparing this trip since Nov 2010 and during the past few months, Toni has helped us with a lot of enquiries. Tonis' fast response and helpfulness is greatly appreciated. Keep up the good work! Thank you! There is one area I would like to highlight, tour package costs are quoted in one lump sum. I requested to see the breakdown of how we derived this amount but I was told that it is not possible. It might be the company rules but as a customer we would like to a see the breakdown of the total costs. Hope Relaxing Journeys take this into consideration. Transfers, accomodation and tour were well organized. There were no problems encountered during the trip. I enjoyed the 18 days trip to the South and North island. Thank you Relaxing Journeys!
Maryse Yeow (Singapore)
Tour Date 08/09/2011 |
Allan (John) and I had a most wonderful holiday. We enjoyed the company of our follow tour companions, we loved the scenery, the accomodation was perfect and the meals plentiful and yummy. Our tour leader and bus driver were friendly and helpful. We have no complaints at all.
Anne Parry (Australia)
Tour Date 05/09/2011 |
The tour was amazing and definitely appreciate your knowledge of the country , best route etc. The only difficulty was the hire car company. The Thrifty office was the only one not actually situated in the railway station at Franz Josef. The car they gave us was malfunctioning, so we had to return it. They advised us that it was the only one they had available and we had to take it to the garage to have it fixed! They eventually did make a call to head office and after some time and valeting another vehicle where we able to continue our journey. I was not impressed and would suggest you seriously consider using this company again. The accommodation was excellent and the service was superb, and I would definitely recommend your company to friends and family. (RJ - Thanks for your feedback Leisha, we will be looking into this issue. Glad the rest of your holiday was worth recommending!)
Leisha Burns (United Kingdom)
Tour Date 29/08/2011 |
Wow, we had a wonderful time! Probably would have liked more time. Christchurch to Dunedin did not leave us any time to look around Dunedin during daylight hours, as we stopped along the way at the boulders, Whitestone Cheese Factory and also a Berry Farm coffee shop. The trip to Te Anua did not allow time to dawdle in the morning, as we wanted to see the Glow Worms. Unfortunately we missed the boat by one minute (very unbending girls on the desk) - they were only running limited tours. The team at Fiordland Lodge were wonderful, they bent over backwards to ensure that our trip was not spoilt by this experience, and secured a refund for us. We went to Milford Sound, as arranged, and as our trip finished at 3pm, we arrived quite late in Queenstown, even though we did not waste any time in our travelling. It seemed to us that it would have been better to travel from Milford back to Te Anua and have another night there, then travel to Queenstown in the morning, which would have allowed us to look at things along the way. Franz Josef was lovely accommodation, but lacked the ambience of the B&B's and the smaller hotels. The breakfasts at Te Wanui were very average. Unfortunately the weather did not allow us to take a Helihike tour, but we found plenty to do around the area. The drive to Christchurch from Franz Joseph was long but manageable. Greymouth was disappointing, and really just added to our travelling time. All in all, a wonderful holiday and fantastic accommodations. You have converted us to B&B's, we had wonderful hosts and great experiences. We will be back! Thank you Jarrod for your assistance and input while we were planning our trip.
Robert & Janine Curtis (Australia)
Tour Date 23/08/2011 |
I really enjoyed the holiday. This was our first time doing a self drive and I was a little anxious. But, everything was organised beautifully and I was very impressed by your company and how smoothly changes were made when necessary. For example, our glacier trip was cancelled but you contacted us in good time and gave us other options. The penguin trip was an excellent substitute and for the first leg of the tour, we were the only clients so we had a guide all to ourselves! I think Blenheim was the only stop we didn't enjoy as neither myself or my sister are wine drinkers so there was very little to do here. We did find the chocolate factory (where I ended up spending a small fortune) and the fudge factory but, it is a thought if other guests are not appreciative of wine! Overall the pace of the holiday was good, the travelling distances were fine as they were broken up with many places to stop. I loved New Zealand and thought the roads and the well sign posted stops (mostly with toilet facilities) were a dream to travel on. Most of the motels were well equipped, some were a little tired and dated but all were clean. The big difference I noticed from UK, was that there was no free Wi-fi. Most places either charged or had a PC in reception available to use. I would definitely recommend this holiday to anyone that wanted to go to New Zealand.
Anna Sallis (United Kingdom)
Tour Date 15/08/2011 |
This was one of three back-to-back tours I did in 2011. For fifteeen days, I envied the quality of life New Zealanders enjoy. The biggest advantage of letting Relaxing Journeys do all the planning was - exactly that. If I booked everything myself, I would have put in countless hours and perhaps spent more. Professionalism and courtesy of all NZ'ers invloved was very impressive. Thank you again Toni, and any Kiwi reading this as a matter of fact.
Daniel Luzdem (Canada)
Tour Date 05/08/2011 |
The tour was absolutely fantastic! The accommodations booked were comfortable and unique with character, locations were centralized and convenient within each city near restaurants, bars, supermarkets & even a little shopping. Especially our hotel in Queenstown, our room had an awesome view of the remarkables and lake. We really appreciated that the itinerary was relaxed and the bus guides were warm, entertaining, informative and helpful. We loved that they routed the journey along scenic views. We kept thinking postcard pictures!! Trying to fit the view into our cameras. Despite the need to constantly be on the road to travel from city to city, everything was organized flawlessly ensuring that our days were maximized, hotels were expecting us and transfers from airport/ bus depot to hotel and back was smooth and punctual. We felt so comfortable traveling independently even though it was our first time to New Zealand. Thank you for sharing beautiful New Zealand with us!
Melanie, Melina & Marianna Khong (Singapore)
Tour Date 04/08/2011 |
