Column By Brando Quinn
Brando Quinn, Travel Advisor, & General Manager of Brando’s Fun N’ Sun Travel & Cruise recently returned from a 24-day Australia, New Zealand, & Fiji Adventure with Collette Tours, completing his long-time bucket list trip of traveling to all Seven Continents of the World! Brando has traveled to 65 foreign countries, 49 of the 50 U.S. states, and has been on more than 55 cruises worldwide.
Brando and Janet Quinn of Trophies N’ Tees began their journey flying with Grand Canyon Scenic Airlines from Safford Regional Airport to Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, where they would then connect to American Airlines for their 15-hour flight to Sydney, Australia. “Fortunately, I had a lot of American Airlines points, and they upgraded us to business class seats that lay down into a bed! With comfortable seating and great service, we landed in Sydney and felt rested and ready to begin touring,” said Quinn.
Upon landing in Sydney, Collette Tours Shuttle Services were waiting for us as we exited the baggage claim area, and our driver whisked us off to the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth Hotel in the heart of Sydney. Internationally renowned for hosting royalty and dignitaries and offering elegant and rich legacies with contemporary charm, our room was spacious, sleek, and comfortable. After checking in, the porters dropped our luggage in the room, and we began to hear bagpipes playing in the street below. We decided to explore.
The annual ANZAC Day Parade was beginning; a National Day of Remembrance and commemoration that celebrates and remembers all Australians and New Zealanders who have served and died in war, marking the Army Corps’ 1915 landing at Gallipoli, Turkey, in World War I.
We watched for three hours as thousands of Military and Former Military Veterans proudly marched through the streets, their medals and uniforms on display. Bagpipes and tribute bands played marching tunes, and the crowd clapped and cheered for every military member as they walked by.
“What an honor it was to be in Sydney for this showcase of Australian Patriotism. I had served with both Australian and British troops during Operation Desert Storm in 1991 while serving with the U.S. Marines. What a touching day it was to see their countrymen wave the flag and honor those who have served and sacrificed!” said Quinn.
The following day, we met our Guide and Host, Clare Martin, a proud Australian who had been raised in Melbourne, Australia, and who would be with us over the next 22 days. We began our tour of Sydney with an Aboriginal-guided walking tour of The Rocks District, then visited Kings Cross, the Harbour Bridge, Chinatown, Circular Quay, the Botanic Gardens, the fashionable suburb of Darlinghurst, and, of course, the Sydney Opera House, poised majestically on Sydney Harbor! After our day of exploration, we boarded a beautiful ship for a Nightlife Dinner Cruise around Sydney Harbor.
The following day was a Free day to explore, “So Janet and I decided to visit the Taronga Zoo in Sydney.” Quinn said. This Zoo is a government-run public zoo and offers magnificent views of Sydney Harbour and the city. Here, we would see just about every animal you can imagine that lives in Australia, and many more from around the world. Red Kangaroos, Koalas, Tasmanian devils, Platypus, Hopping Mice, Alpacas, Quokkas, Wombats, Cockatoos, and more! After spending the afternoon enjoying the park, we boarded the Ferry and sailed across Sydney Harbor back to the Circular Quay district, which is filled with restaurants, shops, and museums.
After spending five beautiful days in Sydney, our group boarded a plane to Cairns, Australia, the gateway to one of the world’s most spectacular natural attractions, the Great Barrier Reef, a UNESCO World Heritage site and haven for thousands of species of sea life, turtles, and birds.
The following morning, we boarded a high-speed catamaran for an exciting excursion to the Great Barrier Reef, where travelers could choose from riding on glass-bottom boats, taking submarine rides around the reef, snorkeling, scuba diving, or going on a Scooba Doo —an underwater scooter ideal for exploring the reef. “After donning on a full body diving suit, two expert divers assisted me to load on the Scooba Doo where a helmet creates a bubble around your head so you can breathe underwater without a mouthpiece. I then powered up the scooter and off I went for an hour exploring an abundance of sea life right out of the movie, Finding Nemo! I think I saw every creature in that movie except Bruce the Great White Shark.” Quinn said. Although Quinn said he didn’t see any sharks, other divers in the area did see sharks.
The following day, our group headed to Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures to watch a spectacular presentation with real crocodiles and a trainer who reminded us of Steve Irwin, the crocodile hunter. We then took a boat ride through a swamp area and saw well over a dozen live crocodiles living in the wild. Afterwards, we ventured aboard a Skyrail Rainforest Cableway and took in stunning views of the unspoiled rainforest canopy above.
Our adventure then took us to Alice Springs, Australia, where we enjoyed a cultural immersion and a memorable bush dinner set against the backdrop of this unique desert environment of the outback. Our host pointed out many of the fascinating constellations of stars in the sky, including those that are not visible from our atmosphere in the USA, such as the Southern Cross, Carina, Centaurus, Musca, and others. While in Alice Springs, we also took a Hot Air Balloon ride over the outback and watched the sunrise from the air with Kangaroos hopping below. We then toured the Royal Flying Doctor Service museum, the Old Telegraph Station, and Anzac Hill, which offers fascinating views of Alice Springs and the surrounding areas.
A long bus ride through the outback took us to Uluru Rock, the “Red Centre” and heart of the Australian Outback. This massive monolith and the surrounding sandstone domes, known as Kata Tjuta, were created through upheaval and erosion. This Rock’s significance to the Aboriginal culture is one of reverence. We spent the day riding camels around this unique area, then watched as the sunset transformed the colors of the sandstone from red hues to orange, to flaming yellow, and finally to dark desert gray.
Our adventure then took us to Melbourne, Australia, where we viewed Port Phillip Bay and the Yarra River, as well as Fitzroy Gardens, Melbourne’s Botanical Gardens, and the Shrine of Remembrance. “Janet experienced some dehydration, and I opted to take her to the Hospital Emergency Room at Epworth Hospital to have her checked out. Dr Bob Poulton and his team got an IV started to rehydrate Janet, and she was soon feeling much better.” Quinn stated. Dr. Bob also loved American Football, and conversations with Brando, who is an avid Arizona Cardinals fan, delighted the Doctor, who has tickets to the first NFL Game being played in Melbourne in the history of the game in 2026.
The group then headed to Queenstown, New Zealand, and Milford Sound, “Probably one of the most scenic and beautiful areas I have ever seen in the world!” Quinn said. We took a steamship through the fjords, and the views through New Zealand’s Southern Alps were spectacular. After a couple of days, we headed along the Kawarau River, across Lindis Pass, and arrived at Mt. Cook National Park to spend the night, where Sir Edmund Hillary began training for his historic climb up Mount Everest.
We then arrived in Christchurch, New Zealand. We paid a visit to Willowbank Wildlife Reserve, a conservation area dedicated to New Zealand’s species of the “Big 5”, including the elusive Kiwi, Kea, Tuatara, Kaka, and Takahe. We learned more about the fascinating Māori Culture as we paddled up the Avon River in a traditional canoe, or “waka,” and then enjoyed a home-hosted dinner with a local Kiwi family. We were then treated to a Sheep shearing and Sheep Dog herding demonstration, where the Dog herded the sheep expertly, and the sheep shearer sheared a sheep in under four minutes!
It was time for us to leave New Zealand and to say hello to Nadi, Fiji, or “Bula” as the locals like to say. Fiji is an archipelago of more than 330 islands in the South Pacific Ocean. The people are welcoming and delightful, with expansive sandy beaches and clear ocean waters that draw visitors from around the world. “We took in the beauty and relaxed for the day, then toured the island with our new tour guide, Joe, a local inhabitant of the island,” Quinn said. The following morning, we boarded a sailing vessel and sailed to Tivua Island, where we enjoyed hammocks, stunning beach views, snorkeling along the reef, and a wonderful Fiji BBQ cookout!
Our trip was coming to an end, and Fiji Airlines would soon take us to San Francisco, and then back to Phoenix, where we once again boarded Grand Canyon Scenic Airlines for the one-hour flight back to Safford. Although we were exhausted from our 24-day adventure, we will forever treasure the memories of the wonderful people we met and the beauty of the lands of Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji!
If anyone is interested in learning more about a trip to Australia, New Zealand or Fiji, contact Brando Quinn, Travel Advisor at Brando’s Fun N’ Sun Travel & Cruise an Independent affiliate of Avoya Travel located at 513 W Main St, Safford, AZ 85546, (928) 322-3271, brando.quinn@avoyatravel.com
