• Richard n Sheila Travels
  • Richard n Sheila Travels

2016 Mystery Christmas

A 10-day adventure by Richard n Sheila Travels Read more
  • Trip start
    December 23, 2016

    Let's Go

    December 24, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 11 °C

    About be picked up by the Shuttle and taken to Auckland airport to go ... somewhere? Sheila booked house sitters and had our travel consultant organise a week away without telling us where. All we know right now is we are away for a week, we are being picked up 7am today, bring our passports and summer clothes! What else does one need for a great holiday? We have a wad of envelopes with instructions on which to open when...just like everyone else, we are looking forward to seeing where we go. Will check in here maybe ourselves to keep up with where we are at along the way.Read more

  • A Mystery Vacation in every sense!

    December 24, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    At the Emperor Lounge enjoying a snack and a drink now....however, we've already had a wild ride! When we opened the next envelope it said check in with Air Vanuatu ... oh, wow, yes sir that's awesome! We are up for that, for sure!

    Not to be, though...Richard's passport doesn't have 6 months left, so, sorry guys you ain't going to Vanuatu today. Now we know how to feel supremely disappointed. Guess we'll thumb a lift home again. Certainly can't afford a bus after losing all that on flights accommodation treats and the like! What a bummer Christmas this is going to be...

    Called Trista our travel broker, who it turns out could well have an actual magic wand hidden away. In the space of an hour (about the same time we took to destroy a box of tissues) Trista has (and remember this is her Christmas Eve too):
    - booked us flights to Port Douglas via Brisbane ...6 month passport validity not needed for oz...
    - booked us into a super apartment resort
    - arranged Christmas lunch and a grocery basket for dinner
    - organised airport to resort transfers
    - set up a way of picking up our apartment key at 1am or whatever it will be
    - kept up a flow of detailed texts and emails to keep us informed

    Just a few hours to wait now...made all the more pleasant in the lovely lounge here, compliments of Trista and Lance. Whew! Couple of bourbon's should help too...

    But no doubt about it, Trista is definitely the travel guru supremo! Thanks so much you guys, we could have been lining up with homeless tomorrow, so so so appreciate everything!!!!
    Read more

  • Mantra Heritage Resort

    December 25, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    This the view we woke up to this morning...look at that out there, very nice .... also very warm!

    Got in last night / this morning at 2am local time so a slow start today. Heading out for a look around, then xmas lunch 1pmRead more

  • Hot Air Balloon ride

    December 30, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    Another tick on the bucket list! For one who gets that tingling up the spine with heights this was a major conquest! Not a lot of looking straight down mind you...too much time spent looking out at the view maybe? The hot roar of the flame...the silence drifting along...a truly unique experience. Neil our pilot managed a landing that would not have spilled a drop (if we had a drink with us 😎).Read more

  • Trip end
    January 1, 2017