Pukekohe Travel is an independently-owned and operated company based in Pukekohe. We are one of the largest private owner-operated travel offices in New Zealand and have been in business for 31 years.  Our office has grown from a staff of two in 1978 to currently working with a team of 15.

Pukekohe Travel is a member of First Travel Group (a non-branded group of travel agents) ASTA(American Society of Travel Agents) IATA (International Air Transport Association) TAANZ (Travel Agents Association of NZ) We have two divisions     1 . Retail Leisure -   Our very widely-travelled consultants bring a wealth of experience to the office and complement each other to give you the best travel advice available. Commercial -   Our commercial division are experts at servicing small to medium accounts, providing you with the most cost-effective travel solutions with the highest level of service.   2 . Tours / Groups  Worldwide Escorted Tours Special Interest and In-house Groups  Our tours are noted for including 'that little bit extra' which distinguishes us from the rest.   We take pride in using qualified escorts, guides and hosts with our groups which creates an enjoyable atmosphere whilst away from home.    The popularity of many of this year's group destinations has resulted in repeat tours planned for 2009 / 2010 We specialise in: Special Interest groups (Farming in Outback Australia, Schools, Rotary, Sports groups, Seniors) Sports Tours (Bathurst V8s, Cricket World Cup, Netball World Championships, Rugby World Cups, Sevens Rugby, Triathlons, Hockey, Netball)   Cultural Tours (Egypt / Jordan / Dubai, Vietnam, South America, Canada. South Africa, Vietnam, Italy, Scandinavia, India, Namibia, Cuba / Mexico, Slovenia, Australia, Prague, Croatia   Inbound Travel (Special Interest Groups)

For 2009 / 2010 Tours - see Home Page

    Jim Murphy

Company Director

jim@pukekohe-travel.co.nz

Even after more than 30 years in the travel industry, Jim never tires of travel whether it be organising, planning, escorting, reconnoitring, advising or simply holidaying with family. His long-standing travel experience is a bonus for other travellers.

He has been a Director of the First Travel Group for the past ten years.

New destinations are always high on his agenda, but he still has his favourites that keep calling him back.

He never tires of visiting Southern African Game Parks, while holidaying in Rarotonga is his favourite getaway.
 
He has camped in tents and sampled the good life of cruises, but the train journey across China from Beijing to Kashgar and on to the former Soviet Republics of Kyrgystan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan (of Silk Road fame) rates as his most amazing.

Jim has escorted many groups to many world-wide destinations and this year, along with Eve, escorted a group through Namibia, Okavango and the Victoria Falls.

The recent holiday on Oceania's 'Nautica' from Istanbul to Venice was a wonderful experience.
Jim and sport go together with cycling a major pastime. As well as longer events like around Lake Taupo and Mt Taranaki and the cycling leg of an ironman, Jim regularly enters triathlons with family and friends.

Philosophy on Life - "Use it or lose it"

         Eve Murphy

Company Director

eve@pukekohe-travel.co.nz

From the time Eve went from Rhodesia to the USA as an AFS Exchange Student, travel has been in her blood.
This travel experience is invaluable in the Tours Department and many friends she has made along the way call into the office to reminisce and discuss their next destination.
She enjoys the personal touches that come with travel and loves planning, organising and escorting groups to far-away places.

Her recent cruise from Istanbul to Venice aboard the 650 passenger liner 'Nautica' (Oceania) along with Namibia are her highlights of 2009.
Despite having travelled to many places, Eve still has a yearning to see more of the world and many of these destinations will become our future tours.

Snorkelling is a favourite pastime and she always takes advantage of snorkelling whenever the opportunity arises on her travels. The latest new tour is to the Outer Cook Islands in May 2010.

Eve has not been converted to a dedicated cyclist, but loved her recent cycling of the Otago Rail Trail in late February.

Ask her about her newly-acquired favourite Majito - a mint / rum drink from Cuba. If she could combine it with home-made pizza on the beach in Rarotonga, so much the better.

Philosophy on Life "Do unto others as you wish to have done to you."

Travel Department - Craig Boyt

General Manager / Shareholder  

craig@pukekohe-travel.co.nz                              

Craig's 20 years in travel; from working with Air New Zealand, his extensive personal travel and now as a consultant, plus his attention to detail, gives him an ideal background to assist others with their travel plans.

Craig heads our busy Commercial / Leisure departments and personally works with a large number of long-standing business and leisure clients.

Gone is the exuberance of youth where Running with the Bulls in Pamplona, mountain biking in Bolivia, sampling the delights at the Munich Beer Festival and a 10 week camping safari through seven Southern African countries were top of his off the beaten track experiences.
However he probably could be persuaded to try them again if he is allowed.

He has visited some interesting locations with Namibia, Serengeti National Park, Okavango Delta in Botswana, Victoria Falls in Southern Africa, Patagonia in South America and experiencing living in UK among the highlights.He is passionate about sport especially cycling, having competed in longer cycle events such as Round Taupo, Mt Taranaki and other shorter rides and still has an ambition to turn his pedals in France following the Tour de France.

However fatherhood and moving to a small country holding has given him a different perspective to life and he and Lee are enjoying their new parental responsibility in the form of young George and the new arrival Charlotte. All go! 

Philosophy on Life "Always try to put yourself in the other persons shoes"
 

 
Travel Department - Gail Littin

Office Manager / Senior Travel Consultant / Master Cruise Consultant

gail@pukekohe.co.nz

Gail's humour is never very far away in the office and her long list of clients, with whom she has a strong empathy, enjoy her experience while organising their travel.
She brings a pragmatic and caring approach to her responsibility as Office Manager and assisting the younger members of staff.

Gail loves cruising and has idled away the hours escorting groups to a variety of world-wide destinations including North Africa and the Mediterranean to Lisbon - gaining her Masters Cruise Consultant certificate aboard the Italian liner 'Poesia.'along the way.

Arriving at Lion's Gate in Machu Picchu in Peru at 5am, transiting the Panama Canal on her birthday and travelling through Europe and UK are among the highlights.

Sport is dear to her heart and once her beloved garden is up to standard, she enjoys nothing better than playing golf and relaxing over a wine - not necessarily in that order. However the wine is on hold at the moment with her new fitness regime.

In her past life she played and administrated netball, but now enjoys watching her grand daughter show her prowess as a Goal Shoot and grandson learning the first skills on the way to becoming an All Black by scoring 44 tries in his first season.

Thirty eight years of marriage and gaining control of the TV remote for an hour are said to be life-time achievements.

Philosophy of Life "If it can't be changed, it's not worth worrying about"

Travel Department - Bruce Hudson

Senior Consultant / Master Cruise Consultant

bruce@pukekohe-travel.co.nz

Bruce has a wealth of experience in the travel industry and enjoys passing this on to others.
His easy-going nature and this experience in a wide range of travel including cruising, groups and general travel, enable the public to get the best out of their arrangements.

His travels have taken him to many places, especially Egypt where he found the pyramids and history of such an old country compelling and absorbing, while he enjoyed visiting Rovaniemi in the Arctic Circle which he says is Santa's Home.

Bruce is an avid follower of sport and enjoys debating the merits of any match in and out of the office. Whatever you do don't take him on at indoor bowls as he won the Chartered Club's pairs championship in 2007.
He would like to attend Royal Ascot Races in England one day, especially to be able to wear a top hat.

He continues to encourage the staff to eat healthily and is embarking on a new fitness campaign.

Philosophy on Life "When one door closes another opens."

Travel Department - Jan Arthurs-Schoppe

Senior Travel Consultant 

jan@pukekohe-travel.co.nz

Balancing work, a busy family and living on a lifestyle block are among Jan's major achievements in life.

Jan has been in travel more than 20 years (too long? in her words) and during this time she has built up a long list of clients.Her own travels have taken her to the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Europe  and UK with other excursions throughout the Pacific.

Somehow Egypt and Asia have an attraction  maybe it is the cultural differences, the food or just the sense of adventure that goes with experiencing these ancient cultures head on.
Travel is in her blood - there is always another holiday planned.

She loves nothing more than involving herself in children's sport and activities whether it is cricket, football or school activities and she and husband Willy are often seen organising and supporting their children and others in their activities.

She also enjoys a good Shiraz and spicy food.

Philosophy on Life "You get back what you put out."

 Travel Department - Colleen Hill

Time in Travel: 12 years 

colleen@pukekohe-travel.co.nz

 Colleen is the mainstay of the office, responsible for the financial areas and general office organisation.
Travel and Colleen go together and she enjoys seeing different parts of New Zealand, especially the South Island.
Sport, especially netball is her love and despite having retired from active administration and playing (a former representative player), she still follows the sport and has escorted several groups following the Silver Ferns.
Highlights have been watching the Silver Ferns win gold in Melbourne and watching the 1999 Rugby World Cup. Having to sell her tickets to the RWC final after the All Blacks were beaten in the semis still makes her smile.
Nowadays her time is taken up with her family, especially grand children, watching sport and the get-togethers with all her old sporting mates.

Colleen and her group of intrepid former netballers have returned from a cruise to the Pacific Islands and Norfolk Island for a family get-together. 
Along with husband Carson, Colleen would like to cruise the Greek Islands and Mediterranean in the near future.

Philosophy on Life "Treat others as you want to be treated"

Tours Department - Bernadette Lim

Senior Tour Consultant

berndadette@pukekohe-travel.co.nz

Bernadette is a well known local  identity and the contact person in the Pukekohe Travel Tours Department.

With more than 17 years experience in the industry, Bernadette is responsible for groups, working with schools, sports clubs and other organisations.

She says travel opens one's eyes, makes you look at your and others' lives in a different light and adds the challenge of being out of your comfort zone.

Bernadette's recent trip to the Chatham Islands made a lasting impression with its remoteness, diverse landscape and geography. And of course the fishing.

Bernadette loves helping others and is looking forward to her 10th consecutive week-long Variety Bash - part of 'Variety' - The Childrens Charity, raising money for needy NZ kids. She is part of Team Waikato which travels in a 1958 International Ambulance.

She also enjoys fishing and playing Golden Oldies Rugby (is a member of the notorious 'Tuakau Terribulls), watching motor racing and restoring her 1966 HR Holden Premier (Desperately seeking a carburettor).

She is also the Onewhero Rugby Club's delegate on the Counties Manukau Rugby Union and was part of the founding committee of the recently formed Rural Woman's Group.

Philosophy on Life:  "Treat others the way you wish to be treated"

 Tours Department - Vicki Leuschke

Senior Tour Consultant

vicki@pukekohe-travel.co.nz

Vicki with 24 years experience in travel, shares a desk in the Tours Department with Belinda and is responsible for processing and organising various tours including cruises.

Before her marriage and family, Vicki travelled on her OE with future husband Dean, using this time to experience as many countries as possible. Highlights were living in London with up to 14 Kiwis, Aussies and South Africans in a four bedroom house and travelling around Europe with Dean in an orange mini and tent.

Coming home she went the long way seven months through Egypt, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Kenya, India, Kathmandu, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore..

Highlight of this year's family holiday to Nevada, Utah and Wyoming in USA was seeing a black bear from the safety of their cabin in Yosemite National Park.

Vicki juggles motherhood, her two sons, husband Dean and work, with cycling around the roads of Franklin. This year she is planning to go around under six hours for the Taupo Cycle Challenge after coming so close in 2009.

But socialising, going to the gym, a good book at the beach and enjoying the odd Margarita also feature. 

Tours Department - Belinda Wilson

Senior Tour Consultant

Tours Department - Dave Hunt

Tours and Travel Co-ordinator

dave@pukekohe-travel.co.nz

After travelling and living overseas for an extended period, Dave joined Pukekohe Travel in the Tours Department.

Areas of responsibility include production of brochures and newsletters, advertising, the company website and promotion, escorting and assisting with tours.
He also has the important role of coffee, water and wine monitor.

Living and working in Britain for 5 ½ years was a fantastic experience where he delivered and collected new motor vehicles throughout Britain and later lived and worked with his late wife Tessa in the castle on St Michael's Mount in Cornwall.

He and his wife cycled from Land's End to John O'Groats twice for charity, in France and Italy and from Cape Reinga to Wellington.

Dave, along with a group of their friends cycled the 1100 km from Picton to Bluff in December / January in memory of his wife - raising more than $35,000 for the Leukaemia and Blood Foundation.

Earlier in 2009, he spent three weeks in a campervan in the Kimberleys and the UK where he spent time on the Orkney Islands and watching the Eagles live in Dublin.

Dave enjoys sport, is a former representative rugby and cricket player,  first class rugby referee, rugby and cricket administrator and is the current vice president of the Counties Manukau Rugby Union. He is always encouraging people, especially the younger generation to develop a sporting ethic. He is also a former Pukekohe Borough Councillor.

 Philosophy on Life "Sail your vessel 'till the river runs dry"

Pukekohe Travel Outside Consultants (Senior)

Stephanie Graham

Stephanie has 20 years experience in the travel industry including large group bookings such as overseas trips for several schools, concert tours and tours to the Wellington Sevens.

Her solid base of loyal customers is testament that she goes the extra mile when it comes to service.

Stephanie and her husband Reon have three daughters, hence a very busy lifestyle. All daughters play netball and if it wasn’t for a serious knee injury in 2007, Steph would still be playing.

She now coaches the Pukekohe High School premier netball, Pukekohe Intermediate A Team and the championship winning Hill School team.

Stephanie’s old passports are filled with stamps from around the globe including UK, Europe, Asia, Pacific Islands, Australia, and U.S.

Next on the wish list is to take the family to Croatia.

stephstravel@xtra.co.nz

 09 238 0759 / 021 134 8098

Sharon Guard

Sharon has joined Pukekohe Travel as a Senior Travel Broker, working from home

Sharon enjoys sharing her 20 years experience extensive industry knowledge and her attention to detail with clients so they can have the holidays they have dreamt about.

Sharon has a young family and is heavily involved in their school and sporting activities.

The most extreme holiday Sharon arranged was for a client who successfully climbed to the top of Mt Everest.

sharon@pukekohe-travel.co.nz

Ph: 09 232 8959 / 0274 158 061 

Vanessa Hornell

Vanessa joins Pukekohe Travel with more than 10 years experience and has travelled extensively through Asia, the South Pacific and Australia.

She and her husband live in Waiuku and enjoy fishing, playing netball and golf and most importantly, socialising with friends.

vanessa@pukekohe-travel.co.nz

09 910 0228 / 021 467 635

Jan Arthurs Shoppe (see Company profiles above)

jan@pukekohe-travel.co.nz

09 236 3679 / 021 032 5823

Carol Taylor

Carol has been with Pukekohe for many years as a Senior Consultant, Branch Manager, Office Manager and now is responsible for general accounts. Carol operates out of her home near Hamilton.

pandctaylor@xtra.co.nz

 Ph: 07 856 0204 / 021 461 185