POSTCARDS
“We cannot say enough good things about Journey Earth!”
They are a superb Australian-based travel agency that knows their country well! When we began to plan our 3-week trip 7 months prior to our departure, we first had to choose the travel agency we felt most comfortable with and who would put together an itinerary that ultimately would meet all of our needs. And we had a lot of needs!! From figuring how best to schedule around the Australian Open dates to visiting as many things as possible without constantly moving around to various hotels, all while keeping to a budget, the puzzle was complicated. But Journey Earth and Penny's patience and willingness to work with us through 16 draft itinerary versions is what ended up making this trip so special!! It was truly a trip of a lifetime!
The Travel App that Journey Earth uses is extraordinary! It was so convenient to have our entire itinerary and necessary documents digitally and all in one place, including the ability to communicate with them directly. Their response time was always so quick and much appreciated!
Upon returning from our trip, several friends and family members have already asked us what part of our trip was our favorite, but we are unable to answer because they all were! Nothing disappointed and so many events even exceeded our very high expectations. Each part of the 3-week trip was unique and special in its own way, from our lovely stay at the Louise in the Barossa Valley to our wonderful visit to Melbourne (and the superb location of the Next Hotel for the Australian Open but also being in the local neighborhood as well as experiencing various excursions outside the city) to our visit to Tasmania and the unique lodging experience at the Freycinet Lodge as well as our final 4 days in Hobart. We also cannot say enough good things about the cuisine throughout the trip. Penny at Journey Earth did a fabulous job booking daily excursions with excellent tour guides, who were both friendly and knowledgable, and she provided great restaurant recommendations.
Of course, experiencing only one day of rain over the course of 21 days along with perfect summer temperatures was icing on the cake. And the one rain day just so happened to be on our last day when we had our scheduled visit to the amazing underground MONA, a museum we will never forget - a must-see if you are in Tasmania.
It was truly a trip of a lifetime, one in which we would not change a single thing! That is how good the itinerary and travel agency was for us. If we could have afforded to be away longer than 3 weeks, there are a few more places we would have loved to visit, but we were very happy with the decisions we made as far as locations, activities, lodging and restaurants.James F, USA
February 2024
“We had the trip of a lifetime…”
Simone put together an amazing itinerary for my 2 week bucket list trip to Australia with a friend. I don't travel often so having everything planned out and taken care of was a must. During our trip we were kept informed of minor changes and given additional advice. We had the trip of a lifetime and much of that was because of Simone's guidance which far exceeded our expectations.
Lisa F, USA
January 2024
“Our trip to Australia was incredible!
We had been wanting to go to Australia for our honeymoon for years, and excited we made it happen! We are people who enjoy a full itinerary, getting to see all the sights and do all the activities! The most challenging part was deciding between all the activities in Australia because we only had 2.5 weeks!
We were so happy to work with Journey Earth, and Penny in Australia! She was so knowledgeable about the best things to do, and had great recommendations. She asked us the types of activities we wanted to do, and built the perfect itinerary for us! We were so excited about the wildlife, so had many incredible animal experiences! Penny also helped us understand what was reasonable based on the budget we had set out, which is greatly appreciated! She focused on every detail to ensure we had the best honeymoon bucket list trip ever!”
Kathleen K, USA
May 2023
“Penny from Journey Earth was an incredible travel planner.
Our travel planning was a bit out of the ordinary, primarily because our original travel plans had to be postponed due to visa delays...after we had already fully booked the trip. Penny planned an amazing initial itinerary, based on careful consideration of our strongest interests and preferences. When that original itinerary had to be rescheduled, Penny did not miss a beat...she was able to largely preserve our initial (and ideal) itinerary, but also went to great lengths to ensure our rescheduling costs were kept to a minimum.
When we were finally able to take our long-awaited trip to Australia, we were not disappointed. The trip, and itinerary, exceeded our expectations. We can't thank Penny, and Journey Earth, enough for sticking with us throughout a challenging travel planning event, and for delivering an amazing trip that we will never forget.”
Thad F, USA
April 2023
“No one has ever done a better job than you!
Penny,
I can’t begin to tell you how much we enjoyed our time in Australia/New Zealand. Every place we went was wonderful in its own unique way. Tracey and I experienced so many new things together and successfully challenged ourselves physically more than once! We found the Australians to be helpful, friendly, down to earth and overwhelmingly trustworthy. People ask me everyday what was our favourite place or activity. Well, that’s an impossible question to answer. The beauty of Sydney, the gorgeous Great Ocean Road, the serenity of Tasmania, the vastness of the Outback, the naturalness of New Zealand or the awe inspiring Great Barrier Reef, how do you choose just one?
We’ve been a lot of places and worked with a lot of travel agents, but I can say hands down, no one has ever done a better job than you! Firstly, your friendliness was reassuring and after our first phone call, I knew you were the right person for us. Your ability to grasp our personalities and suggest just the right things for us to see/do did not go unnoticed. You were so patient and willing to make changes and your attention to detail was impeccable!! All the flights, hotel rooms, rental cars, reservations, tickets and tour guides were all correct, on time and exactly as you said they would be. Not one error or omission. That’s a remarkable feat, especially considering how many things had to go right! Rooms were ready, guides were there, tickets were waiting on us and flights were all perfect. Truly amazing!
My only regret is that I won’t get to work with you any more. I’ve enjoyed it so much and as I said before, I now consider you my friend. If you’re ever in Alabama, or anywhere close, PLEASE let me know so I can meet you and introduce you to our southern hospitality. It would be my honour.”
Debby T, USA
April 2023
“This trip was on my bucket list for 50 years and we finally made it!
From the beginning to the end, this travel agency delivered an outstanding service on our trip to Australia and New Zealand. My husband and I usually plan our trip by ourselves, but boy, it sure made a big difference with Dick, from the agency, helping us. Having a local travel agent made all the difference in the world. We couldn't have done possibly any better than what his service has provided.
We had an awesome 28 day trip, 10 days in New Zealand and 18 days in Australia. Dick is very knowledgeable of all aspects of the travel in Australia and New Zealand. He personally knows the locations/hotels/restaurants/vendors very well. We had an initial conversation on Zoom to discuss our interest and the budget and to get to know each other better. Dick made us feel at ease from the beginning and then proposed a plan according to our wishes in a few days. We visited many places and did a lot of activities that we thoroughly enjoyed. I also liked his suggestion that we'd have some free days along with many planned days. It was a good idea for us since we are senior and could use some down time or just sit at a cafe, watching people.
My husband liked the app the agency has provided that has all the information of our trip; date, time, hotels, flight schedules, activities, and something about where we visit. It keeps reminding you so there won't be any misunderstanding. Each day, we referred to the app so we know what we will be doing that day and where we should be. This trip was on my bucket list for 50 years and we finally made it and we thank Dick for making this trip such a memorable one!”
Yoriko S, USA
March 2023
We had an absolutely amazing trip!
I imagine we were a bit of a difficult group to plan for - 13 people, ranging from toddler to upper 70s, with different ideas of how much a vacation should cost, arriving at different times, traveling to 4 regions within Australia, and doing the planning when the country was just beginning to re-open. Our agent, Penny, did a fantastic job of talking us through options, helping us decide when to splurge, and customising the trip for days when only some people wanted to do an activity.
I normally plan all the details of my own trips and it was a little uncomfortable to sit back and trust that everything would work, but day after day everything went exactly as planned. She even gave restaurant suggestions and made dinner bookings for nearly every night of our trip - a massive help for group travel.
We had some weather related hiccups at a time when she was on holiday with her own family, and even then she was responsive and helpful. I’d highly recommend and we’d definitely work with Penny and her team again!
Matthew K, USA
December 2022