Based in County Wexford

Kathy O`Sullivan

It's Nice To Meet You

Hello and welcome to my website.

My passion is travel and I have been in the Travel industry for the last 23 years. I am focused on offering my clients a personal, professional and confidential service to create an amazing holiday to suit our clients’ needs and wants.

I specialise in organising honeymoons, cruising, walking group tours and those special occasions long haul trips. I am connected to destination management companies in different countries around the world, have access to a state of the art in house booking systems helping me create a truly authentic experience that will stay with you forever.

I have travelled extensively throughout the world and have been lucky enough to have visited many amazing places from North America, Mauritius, The Caribbean, South Africa, Vietnam, Bali, various cruises to name a few with South Africa and Bali my favourite to date.

Travel Counsellors uses award winning technology. With the latest development of our mobile App “My TC”, your experience will be enhanced like never before; enabling you to keep in touch with me at anytime, anywhere in the world and it stores all or your travel documentation.

Travel Counsellors are licensed and bonded with the Commission for Aviation Regulation in Ireland which gives you that added peace of mind.

For the best personal service, give me a call or send me an email.

I look forward to hearing from you.

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My Blog

I absolutely live and breathe travel and I love to write about my experiences! Please take a look through my posts - you might find your own holiday inspiration.

Camino Frances St Jean Pied de Port to Estella 130km

17 December 2018

“The Camino calls you to contemplate, to be amazed, to welcome, to interiorize, to stop, to be quiet, to listen to, to admire, to bless…nature, our companions on the journey and ourselves” This Camino incapsulates all the above and more. This would my first time taking on this section and I was accompanied by an amazing group of walkers as I do every year when I take on different sections of the Way. We flew into Biarritz and transferred to St Jean de Pied where we spent our first night. St Jean is the traditional starting point of the Camino de Santiago. We arrived in the afternoon on the 20th September and spent the rest of the day strolling through this lovely quaint town, having a welcome drink and getting to know each other. The atmosphere is nervous excitement as this is the starting point for most pilgrims, some will go on to walk the full Camino to Santiago de Compostela, others are cycling the way and then there is others like us who are taking it on section by section. A visit to the Pilgrim office is a must for all walkers as they give an update on weather and route for the following day crossing the Pyrenees. First day walk from St Jean de Pied to Roncesvalles 26km Napoléon Route (8 hours): This day was one of the most demanding walks of this section especially the first three hours, a steep uphill walk which got the heartrate going and legs pumping but boy are you rewarded with the most spectacular scenery. The weather was just perfect as we got higher the mist over the mountain came and went. We got lucky at the Statue de La Vierge where the clouds and mist had just lifted to show beautiful blue skies and stunning views over the Pyrenees. Walking through this wonderful vista, horses roam freely, and the cow bells are the only sound breaking the wonderful peaceful silence. This has got to be one of the most scenic days I have spent on the Camino. Day 2 Walking Roncesvalles to Zubiri 22km: Today’s walk was easier through stunning countryside, woodlands and passing through charming little towns but still walking uphill. Arriving into Zubiri passing the cross bridge where pilgrims are soaking their tired feet in the river. Here we decided to tap each other on the back, two days down and everyone is good condition so a few cerveza and some tasty tapas to celebrate. Day 3 Walking Zubiri to Pamplona 21km: Another beautiful day, blue skies and very comfortable walking. Passing through Oakwood’s, riverside wood paths, village of Zabaldika where we took a little detour to visit San Esteban Church which has the oldest church bell in Narravo and had the opportunity to ring this wonderful old bell. The trek today gave more a taste of the old medieval pilgrimage route. Today’s walk finished in the old historical heart of Pamplona, city famous for Running of the Bulls. Day 4 Pamplona to Puente de la Reina: We can breathe a sigh of relief as we are leaving the city and back into the countryside. Gravelled tracks today surrounded by crop fields and acres of sunflowers (a week too late to get the sunflowers in all their glory) and winelands. A stop in Zariquieg to refuel before the steep uphill walk to Alto el Perdon where reaching the peak is one of today’s highlights. Downhill is slow and rocky and a little tough on the legs and ankles but once down the walking is comfortably through the lovely countryside before reaching the quaint the little town of Puente de la Reina. Day 5 Puente de la Reina to Estella: Our last day walking and again the sun came out to play. The Way just kept giving today with stunning countryside tracks, passing through the village of Cirauqui was one of the highlights of the day. Afternoon was a long gravel track into Estella where we finished our Way. We had an overnight in Estella before transferring to Bilbao for a day free to explore this wonderful city that I instantly fell in love with. Some of us visited the Guggenheim Museum which was simply amazing, others took the funicular ride and other browsed the wonderful shops finishing up with a last meal in a wonderful restaurant where we toasted a Buen Camino. I am honoured to have shared the Camino with a wonderful group of people who embraced the Camino Family spirit. Friendships were made, stories were told, tears were shed, many many laughs were had. Quote from Rebecca “Just back from our third trip along the Camino with Kathy, while this section is challenging initially and not for the fainthearted, however you are rewarded with scenery beyond belief on every turn of the path. The beautiful hotel accommodation and exquisite dinners at night with our new friends were a very welcome reward after a day walking. We have made memories and friends for life.” Quote from Ted “From the first handshakes and hugs at the airport, to the arduous climb up to 5,000 above sea level on the first day, to the thirst quenching drinks after finishing each day, to the tapas experiences, to the endless laughs and fun, to the more serious chats, to the quiet moments and thoughts walking alone, to the exhilaration of finishing the five days together, to the Bilbao visit, to the great planning and organising every detail, to the parting hugs at the airport, It ticked all the boxes as being the best trip “

A taste of the The great Silk Road

21 October 2019

After reading about The Great Silk Road I have always had it on my bucket list, and I was lucky enough to get to experience a little of this historic route. Nothing prepares you for the beauty and grandeur of the ancient cities with their fabulous mosques, madrasas and mausoleums in every shade of blue. The location of Uzbekistan made it one of the key stops on the Silk Road which has left a deep routed legacy which is visible in their culture, architecture and food. Our first stop was the Capital Tashkent which is a showpiece of Soviet and post-Soviet architecture. It was a strange city and felt quite austere which is down to the mix of the stark Soviet buildings and big boulevards. In the old town we got our first viewing of the famous mosques, Tila Shaikh mosque which holds one of the rarest copies of the Quran. One of my highlights in Tashkent is the subway, not to get out of there but each subway station has been designed differently from cosmonauts to mosque like architecture and is really a work of art, but it also had a second role as a nuclear bomb shelter. After all this historic overload we were invited to tea at Akbar and Alisher Rakhimov's workshop who are a famous family of ceramists in Uzbekistan. It was an honour to get to see their unique collection of works. I was only in the city for 24 hours so very difficult to judge a city in that time frame but would recommend a stay here for a couple of nights if your itinerary allows. Next stop is Khiva, a short flight from Uzbekistan to Urgench, just over 2 hours of a flight and 30 km drive from Urgench to Khiva. What a fascinating town! It is UNESCO protected and extremely well preserved. It is quite compact and easy to explore on foot. The city dates back more than 2000 years and you certainly feel like you are taking a step back in time rambling through the city with its beautiful mosques, madrasas and furry hats. My favourite moment of this day is stopping in a little tea house, sipping beautiful refreshing Uzbekistan tea on a balcony overlooking the citadel. It was so easy to let my mind imagine back to what life was like as history seeped from every wall here. After Khiva we set out across Kyzyl Kum desert to Bukhara. The drive took us approx. 7 hours by car with our own private driver. The Great Silk Road was routed through the same road that we had taken. I would like to say that it was a lovely smooth ride, but it was rough in places and the driver was an expert of manoeuvring around the big gaps in the road, prepare for a bumpy but fun journey. Bukhara is home to hundreds of registered monuments, President Putin happened to be in town on the same day we arrived, but our paths never crossed. It was another day of seeing wonderful madrassahs, Mosques and Minarets. A visit to the massive Ark Fortress is a must and we happen to be there on festival day where there were food stalls, dancing, singing and plenty of market stalls set up around the old town. It was an amazing day. While in Bukhara we got to fit in lunch at the home of one of the best Suzan makers in Uzbekistan which are handmade tapestries. Here we got to taste the traditional Uzbek dish plov, which was very nice but a little heavy especially when Uzbek hospitality is a bit like our own once you finish it another dish appears! I would suggest a two night stay here as there is so much to immerse yourself in. From Bukhara we were onto Samarkand but made a stop in Shahrisabz which is the birthplace of Great Amir Timur. It is a worthwhile stop as it ties in a lot of the history and was interesting to see the Saroy Palace ruins, mosque and Amir Timur’s mausoleum. It also seems to be a very popular spot for local weddings, and I lost count of how many I saw there during my visit. Our last stop, Samarkand! One of the oldest existing cities in the world. It is a great city to finish our tour of Uzbekistan. One the highlights was our visit to Registan Square which is the heart of the medieval city with three beautiful madrassahs. In the old days it would have been filled with bazaars selling silks and spices carried by the ancient traders passing through on the Silk Road. The other highlight was a visit to Gur Emir a 14th mausoleum devoted to the leader Amir Timur which the locals say is a prototype of the Taj Mahal. It is wonderfully restored with gold leaf walls and the beautiful detailed ceramic tiles which are everywhere in Uzbekistan. Ulugbek’s observatory and the ancient settlement of Afrosiab are worth a visit if you have time. As our homeward flight was departing from Tashkent, we took the direct and very comfortable train service from Samarkand to Tashkent. Be warned though there it is a frantic pushing and shoving to get onto the train and it is every man woman and child for themselves! Tourism is growing steadily in Uzbekistan and was made easier this year with the new visa process. We were accompanied by English speaking guides who were just amazing and made the trip for me as getting local knowledge is invaluable when visiting a country so rich in history. If the Great Silk Road is on your bucket list and my trip has inspired you to visit this wonderful part of the world why not give me a call. With my first-hand experience and travel experience I can plan your dream trip all tailored to suit you!

Peru, the country where history lives.

08 November 2019

I am just going to delve straight in as there is so much to say about this wonderful Country. Let me take you on my tour of Peru... Day one Lima to Paracas, the road leads us to the archaeological site of Pachacamac. This was a great introduction into the history of Peru where we explored the most important pyramids on the holy site. From the top of the north pyramid we got amazing views of the nearby Lurin Valley, the Pacific Ocean and the large plazas the Incas built to receive hundreds of pilgrims and give their gifts to the Pachacamac God. Day two Paracas-Nazca, our day started off with a visit to Ballestas Island a national park which contains the highest concentration of marine birds in the world we had spent the previous night in Paracas which is only a short drive from the Islands. This is a bird watcher paradise with approx. 30 species of birds, sealions and penguins. One tip when visiting the islands make sure you wear a poncho as the birds take no prisoners but the beauty of the craggy islands and the closeness to the sealions is worth it. Onwards to Nazca where we reached just before sunset and climbed the viewing platform and get a glimpse of the Nazca lines which are enormous patterns and figures etched into the desert sand. It is hard to grasp the magnitude of the Nazca lines, it would be better to take an airplane ride over the site to see it in all its glory which was an option on the tour. Day 3 Nazca to Arequipa, this was one of the days that I was dreading the most as it was a 10-hour bus ride however it turned out to be an amazing day. We stopped at Huacachina, Peru’s desert oasis. I have never seen sand dunes as awesome and the bluest of skies as they were here. It was an adventure filled couple of hours sand boarding and dune buggying. After lunch we set off again enjoying stunning scenery, heading into the mountains and passing little communities along the way, the view never got old as there was a vastness to it that I have never experienced before at times if felt like a different planet. Day 4 Arequipa has to go down as one of the most beautiful cities I have been to. Not sure what it is but when I think of Arequipa it instantly makes me happy, I read somewhere about the “feel” of Arequipa and I definitely got the feel. It is a beautiful colonial town with a backdrop of the majestic volcanic mountains Misti, Chachani and Pichu Picchu. It is a foodie heaven and many artisan shops; we lost the run of ourselves here buying beautiful Peruvian Alpaca clothing. This is a town where you could easily spend a couple of days exploring. Day 5 Arequipa to Puno. Here we pass La Region Puno Les Desea Feliz Viaje which is the highest point in elevation we will reach at 4335m. We stopped here for a picnic and you can feel the coolness and lightness in the air. The landscape was changing from desert to highland with more greenery, lakes and mountains. Before Puno we visited the archaeological site of Sillustani a pre-Incan burial ground on the shores of Lake Umaya. Day 6 Puno & Lake Titicaca. Puna was the place where we all felt the high altitude the most, Cocoa tea helped and this was freely available at the hotel lobby along with some oxygen tanks thankfully none of us needed these. Our day was spent on Lake Titicaca and our first stop was Taquile Island which was simply stunning, the community here live a simple quiet life. There are no motorised cars on the island, and they all live by the old barter system. Here the men are known as the knitting men, when they want to marry, they must show their work to the future in laws and if it isn’t of the highest quality there won’t be a wedding. I could easily spend a couple of days on this wonderful peaceful island where the air is so clean. It is possible to do a homestay and I think a definite must for at least a night. Our second island visit was the Uros Island, this is quite a contrast as this community of people live on reed islands, they harvest the reeds from the lake, bundled them together tightly and built floating island platforms with reed houses and canoes. The families gave us the best welcome and opened their homes to show us how they live. This day is quite an amazing experience and one of my highlights. Day 7 Puno to Cusco 10 hours bus ride. A good stopover was La Raya Pass at 4315m (coming down very slowly) the nicest mint and cocoa tea. Next stop was Racchi another wonderful archaeological site and finishing off our sightseeing in Andahuaylillas before our arrival in Cusco. Day 8 – Cusco, Sacred Valley & Ollantaytambo The excitement is really starting to build as we are getting closer to Machu Picchu and we are all acclimatised. Our first site visit is Saqsaywaman (pronounced sexy woman) this site is one not to be missed the constructions are amazing and great views over the city. We continued our trip to Sacred Valley and stopping at El Mirador, a point where you can see the whole valley, great photo stop with vast terraces sculpted by the Incas. For lunch we stopped in the town of Pisac which has a huge local market and a great spot to pick up some souvenirs. Our final stop of the day was Ollantaytambo where we visited the ruins of Ollantaytambo and the amazing rock formation representing the Inca god Wiracocha. Here is really the start of the Inca trail and a ticket is needed to walk the huge terraces to the top of the fortress. Day 9 Ollantaytambo – Machu Picchu We got the morning train to Aguas Calientas. The expedition train takes approx. 2 hours, it is a beautiful train with big viewing windows. On arrival at Aguas Calientas train station you could feel the excitement in the air, it was so busy but very well organised to accommodate the thousands of tourists passing through. Short bus ride to the entrance of Machu Picchu, through the tropical mountain forest before the beauty and complete wonder of Machu Picchu shows itself. The Lost City of the Incas is truly an amazing site in an extraordinary beautiful setting. Our bed for the night was in Cusco, this town deserves a couple of nights in the itinerary to relax and just amble through the town. The night life wasn’t bad either to celebrate an amazing tour. Peru has been such an incredible journey and one of the most diverse countries I have ever experienced. Everything was organised so well by Exodus Travel and our experience was enhanced by their guides on the ground who were simply amazing.

Walking the Camino with Travel Counsellors

28 October 2015

In May we organised a group to travel to the Camino Way and I was the lucky one to travel with them along with our guide Noel. We set off from Wexford with excited nerves as there was some in the group that came on their own and others came in pairs and most unacquainted with each other but throughout the week friends were made, many laughs were had and even a few tears were shed. Our route was the last section of the French Way Camino from Sarria to Santiago de Compostela which was to take us over 6 days and walking 110km. I would like to say we were hard-core and carried our bags on our backs each day and bedded up in hostels but we like our creature comforts so we had our pick up at the airport, a mix of small family run hotels, Casa Rurales which are beautiful converted farm houses and our bags were transferred each day. On day 1 we were transferred to our hotel from Santiago Airport to Sarria and enjoyed our first evening meal together. On day 2 to 6 we walked an average of 5 – 6 hours a day stopping along the way for a break enjoying a café con leche at the many Camino cafés along the way and then again at lunchtime. We walked through forests, country roads, sleepy villages, over streams where the terrain is not too demanding except for a few hills along the way but a reasonable level of fitness is needed to really enjoy the walk. Each person in the group was aware that this was their own personal experience and their own personal achievement so to enjoy it to the fullest we were encouraged to walk at our own pace. We would regroup for lunch and at the end of each walk before we headed to our next home for the night. Weather at the time was mixed with rain, sun and cloud…something similar to our own you might say. On the dry days everyone is more sociable and what proved a real highlight to me was talking to different people from all walks of life and listening to their stories of why they were doing the Camino. I spoke to an American family whose son just returned from his second placement in Afghanistan and was suffering PTSD and they feared for his mental and physical health but after 3 weeks on the Camino they felt they got their son back! It was stories like these that makes the Camino very special. Rainy days were just as enjoyable as we put the hoods up, heads down and got lost in our own little worlds in the quietness of the Galician countryside. On day 6 we were on the home stretch, we reached our final destination Santiago de Compostela just before noon and just in time for the Pilgrimage Mass in the wonderful ornate cathedral. The bodies were tired and a few blisters picked up along the way but it was an amazing experience, a wonderful sense of achievement and a great privilege to share it with a wonderful group of people. Everyone walks the Camino for different reasons it could be religious, spiritual or a personal fitness goal but whatever it may be, you will come back with a lot more than what you went out there with. Buen Camino!

Vietnam – Southern and Central

07 April 2014

Vietnam has been on my dream list for a long time and I was able to fulfil that dream last month. Did it live up to my expectations? It did and more! Would I go back? In a heartbeat… Our first two nights were spent in Ho Chi Minh City which is bustling from early morning to late evening. Our first visit was to the Cu Chi Tunnels which is amazing to see after reading so much about them. If you are brave enough you can descend into the tunnels. In the afternoon we did a city tour of Ho Chi Minh taking in the Colonial French quarter which is where a lot of the historic landmarks are located, this area is quite upmarket with all the big brand shops and the five star hotels. Rush hour traffic is a site to behold with millions of motorbikes some carrying as much a five people and their dog. We finished off our day by visiting the Ben Thanh Market in the centre of the city which sells anything from leather bags to stalls selling fresh local produce. On Day 3 we made our way down to the Mekong Delta, approximately 3.5 hour drive from Ho Chi Minh. We cruised along various branches of the Mekong taking in stops at local workplaces along the river from a local brick kiln, a coconut processing plant to a mat weaving house. Going through the smaller canals we took a local Sampan. To experience the real Delta village life we took a local rickshaw into the village passing by plenty of farming and rice fields. We ended having a late lunch at a local house tasting the local speciality of Elephant Ear fish. The next day we spent going deeper into the Mekong Delta experiencing just did what the locals do, taking local ferries, cycling on very small lanes passing local schools and churches, children just appear out of nowhere shouting “Hello” to the visitors; it was an amazing day of exploring the Delta and probably the highlight of my trip. Up for an early start the next morning to see and experience the floating markets of Cai Rang which are very much working markets for locals selling a huge variety of fruit and vegetables. The afternoon was spent driving back to Saigon for our internal flight to Hue. Hue is a UNESCO World Heritage Site which houses the Imperial City and Citadel, here is the best place to learn about the old Nyguyen dynasty and the French invasion and we also took in a visit to the 7 storey Pagoda. Our second day here was spent on a bike ride through villages on the outskirts of Hue which is stunning and so peaceful. We then travelled from Hue to Dnang over the scenic Hai Van Pass. Dnang is a coastal town with the Marble Mountains in the back drop. This was our beach stay at the Furama Resort which is on a lovely stretch of beach and only 20 minutes’ drive from Hoi An Town. Hoi An Town is beautiful with really quaint cobble streets with ancient little homes. Strolling around this town is such a pleasure taking in the Japanese Bridge and Chinese Temple. At night the town is magical with all the lanterns lighting up the town and live music from river boats and disco bars for the more lively. Here is where you can get some suits or dresses tailor made by the local tailors. Alas our time was over way too soon in wonderful Vietnam where the people are the most welcoming and accommodating. The standard of food from local restaurants to family homestays is excellent and highly recommended. Its infrastructure is progressing but hopefully not too fast in my opinion. Vietnam has something special and will have to go back on my wish list as there is plenty more to explore.

All that Dubai has to offer

16 October 2013

I was very fortunate to travel to Dubai with Emirates Airlines and Dubai Tourism. We travelling in Business Class which was an amazing experience and definitely something to look at for that special occasion. We regularly receive special fares for upgrades to Business Class or Premium Economy with various airlines. Transfer from Dubai airport to our Hotel on the Palm took approximately 30 minutes. We stopped off at Atlantis the Palm followed by an afternoon exploring the Aquaventure water park. This is a great day out for adults and children where you can do as much or as little as you like. Swim with dolphins, for those brave enough try out the Leap of Faith water slide, for the little ones lazy river and the other great attraction is its access to the beach. Shopping at Dubai Mall in a day is not enough! This size of this amazing Mall is so impressive it is more than a shopping mall it has every type of shop imaginable, restaurants, a huge indoor ice rink, cinemas, Sega Republic, KidZania and the famous Dubai Aquarium. Comfortable shoes are a must. After the Mall make sure you head out to the fountains where you will be greeted with an amazing display of dancing water, you can take it all in for free or plenty of cafes to get a drink and a bite to eat. Check out times of the display. One of the highlights for me was a visit to the World’s highest restaurant at Burj Khalifa where we had afternoon tea which was a very special experience with the most amazing views, in peak season it is advisable to pre-book and I can do that for you. We spent time getting to know the many areas of Dubai by taking in a city tour starting from the old town where you will find Dubai Museum which is the oldest building in Dubai and dates back to 1797 (not very old). We then continued to the Souks, Old Marina, The Creek, Jumierah Beach area, the famous hotel Burj Al Arab and much more. One afternoon we were picked up in 4 x 4 jeeps for Desert Safari followed by a visit to an Arabian Style camp where we had a barbeque dinner, this is fun evening out for all ages. Of the four nights we spent in Dubai two of them were in the Sofitel The Palm which is a beautiful 5 star property that only opened its doors in July and the last two in the Kempinski which was equally as lovely. We also visited the One & Only Royal Mirage, Atlantis The Palm, Armani, Address downtown, Fairmont the Palm and Vida and last but not least the very opulent Jumeirah Zabeel Saray. Dubai was a city that I sent my clients to mainly as a stopover package but having seen first-hand what this amazing city has to offer, I would easily recommend as a one stop destination and look forward to visiting again on my own family holiday or even a ladies long weekend away!!!

Dominican Republic

25 September 2012

I had the pleasure of been invited to Dominican Republic by Air France/KLM and the Dominican Republic Tourist board to learn more about the Destination. My expectations were far exceeded after visiting this wonderful Island. On arrival in Punta Cana airport, you know you have arrived in the Caribbean, besides the clear blue sky and the wall of heat that hits you as you step out of the aircraft the airport terminal is built in typical Dominican style with roofs built with Palm fronds and a lovely "Welcome Home" from airport staff which I soon learned is a phrase very well used around the Island. We were based around the resort of Punta Cana where the beaches at most of the resorts were picture perfect, with powdery white sandy beaches and turquoise waters of the Caribbean. We came across one or two resorts that had a lot of seaweed from a recent rainfall but staff cleaned it up to the best of their ability. Dominican Republic is very much a resort based holiday with Punta Cana leading the way with fantastic resort hotels that cater for your every whim. Having visited a lot of the properties along the Punta Coast, I was extremely impressed with the standard, facilities, food and service. Punta Cana has over 50 all inclusive properties so something for every taste and expectation. Hotels in Punta Cana cannot be built higher than the tallest palm tree! Venturing outside the hotel at night the resort has a few local bars and the Imagine Club (Dom Reps answer to Copper Face Jacks) but as hotels are all inclusive, not many tourists venture out at night. The Island has plenty of adventure and action to offer. For a true adrenaline rush zip line through the lush mountain range of Bavaro, zipping from platform to platform wasn't for the faint hearted but a truly great fun filled day serviced by professional and friendly staff. We spent time visiting Altos De Chavon in La Romana. Altos Chavon is a re-created medieval village built in the 1970's and home to Dominican School of Design, the buildings and the 5000 seat open-air amphitheatre give a very romantic old charm feel but it is the view surrounding this artist colony that is breathtaking. For culture and heritage buffs a day trip to Santo Domingo is a must with museums and monuments which are located in the very historic colonial zone. If it is World Class golf courses, deep sea fishing, snorkelling tours, shopping trips or swimming with dolphins, Dominican Republic has so much to offer to ensure you have a great action packed holiday. My few tips for Dom Rep: Most services will accept dollars but if you need Pesos most hotels have exchange booths and the bigger hotels have ATM machines. Most of the speciality restaurants require reservations so don't miss out on some great dining experiences within your hotel. A lot of people ask me if Dominican Republic is safe and from my own expierence and walking the beaches on my own in the morning I felt as safe as walking the beaches in Kilmore, they recommend you don't walk along the beaches at night on your own but this can be said of anywhere. Even though all properties are all inclusive, I felt tipping a few dollars to those that make you smile and give great service goes a long way to the recipients. Dominican Republic is no different than any other Caribbean Island their minute is more like our half hour but this is the charm of this laid back Island. If you would like more information or great rates, please contact me.

Camping in France

18 November 2009

This was our first campsite holiday to France and it was one of the most carefree holidays I have experienced - from start to finish. Our holiday started with getting the ferry from Rosslare to Rosscoff and as we only live 20 minutes from Rosslare Port it was an extra bonus! Boarding was extremely efficient with no delays and with children in the car this is quite important. Our holiday started when we got onboard with a choice of restaurants, shopping and plenty of entertainment provided for children and adults. On arrival in Roscoff we had a two hour drive down to Carnac, I was a little nervous as I had never driven on the right hand side before but I am glad to say my concern was unfounded as the drive was a very enjoyable one and very well signposted. We stayed at Le Grand Metairie campsite in Carnac in a 2 bed Holiday Home which sleeps up to six, the holiday home comprised of two bedrooms, Lounge / Dining area and Wooden deck. Kitchen was very well equipped with hob, microwave and fridge freezer and a gas barbecue out on deck for glorious al fresco dining. On site you could do as much or as little as you like, with a huge variety of amenities to keep the children happy such as swimming, pony rides, playgrounds, tennis, bike hire to name a few. My daughter joined the Busy Bees Club which was on for two hours in the morning and she had a blast and made plenty of new friends and the adults were happy too as the saying goes “when the children are happy the parents are happy”. Dining was a mixture of onsite dining, sampling the local restaurants in the nearby town of Carnac and barbecue on deck, there is a local shop on site or for more variety a big Super U supermarket was about 5 minutes drive away. Having the car at hand was the greatest pleasure as we took a couple of days out to explore the local area, we didn't have far to go as 3000 Pre historic standing stones were located at the resort entrance. Whether it’s the beach, markets, medieval towns or fishing ports you can have it all within a short drive. The feeling of tranquillity, cleanliness, plenty of entertainment on site and the freedom to enjoy the surrounding area made this family holiday very enjoyable and one that I would not hesitate in repeating.

Capetown and Garden Route and Safari

10 October 2008

I had the privilege on going on this trip with other agents down to South Africa. For me South Africa has been on my wish list for a very long time and and it will remain on my wish list to revisit with my family in the future. The highlight of the trip I thought was going to be the safari but the whole trip had so many highlights it would be unfair to pinpoint one.. My tour started out in Capetown; a city that has it all. For the first two nights we stayed in a three star downtown hotel, for those on a budget the hotels at this end of the town are more reasonable and the standard was very good. Most tourists head to the V&A Waterfront and I would recommend a hotel around this area. The V&A Waterfront is set in the middle of a working harbour and the original dockside buildings are now converted into a great collection of bars, restaurants, art and craft shops, and an upmarket shopping mall which houses plenty of shops that I happily spent my rands in. After a hard days sightseeing the waterfront is the place to go for a cool drink at one of the many outdoor cafes and listening to the live bands playing in the square, bliss! In Capetown we had got a day pass for the hop on hop off bus and this was excellent value. The route took us all round Capetown with a guide on each bus. The city tour was a great way to start orientating myself with the city. After the tour we headed up on the cable car up to Table Top mountain and to be greeted with such fantastic views made the nail biting ride up worth it. Those of the more energetic nature can hike it and there are specific walking trails mapped out. Onward to one of Capetowns beach, Camps Bay. Here you will find a lovely stretch of sandy beach, albeit the water is quite cool being on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. The whole area has a real cosmopolitan feel to it with the array of cafes and restaurants to sit back in, soak in the atmosphere and watch the beautiful sunset. With the many day trips to take from Capetown, one of the more popular is the ferry from Capetown to Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated, I would advise to prebook to avoid disappointment. Due to our limited time we took an internal flight to Port Elizabeth and made our way to Lalibela Private Game reserve. Our accommodation was a stone thatched room with private viewing decks overlooking the magnificent park and to wake for our early morning game drive to the call of the animals was nothing shot of magical. The park is home to the 'Big 5' whom are roaming free throughout the reserve. We took in three game drives and our guide pulled out all the stops to ensure we saw everything there was to see. In the evening we were treated with a safari cuisine dinner which was shared with other guests and rangers - a great way to share our safari experience and end a fabulous day on the reserve. Next was the garden route, we made our way via the coastal road taking in Plettenberg, Storms River, Kynsna, George and Oudtshoorn. The views along this route are amazing from beaches, lagoons and the forested mountains. Taking in Monkeyland in Plettenberg, the Tsitsikamma National Park, the Ostrich Farms and Cango caves in Oudtshoorn, Fancourt Golf Resort in George and for the more active kayaking, balloon trips, the worlds biggest bungy jump and plenty more for those up for a challenge or not as the case may be. Our final leg of the journey was driving back to Capetown via Route 62 which I can recommend to anyone as the views driving through the spectacular mountain ranges and stopping at the small villages along the way is a must. To sum up, South Africa to me has that piece of magic that I have not found anywhere else yet, and I think the reason for that magic is the scenery, fantastic cuisine and last but not least the hospitality of the South African people. From guest houses to 5 star properties everyone I visited went out of their way to make me feel welcome and allow me to sample a little bit of their South African culture.

Delicious Mauritius

17 October 2008

My trip to Mauritius was our family holiday as it was a destination that I always wanted to see however with a three year child in tow I booked it with trepidation as I wasn't quite sure how family orientated the island was as in my experience it mostly attracted couples. I needn't have worried as they couldn't have been more accommodating. One of the reasons we choose Mauritius was the beautiful resorts on white sandy beaches - for me... and for himself the big game fishing and safe haven with our child and we were not disappointed. On arrival after a long flight we were greeted by hotel staff as we walked in the door who seated us and provided us with a cold flannel and a cool glass of champagne and checked us in there and then, if only every check in was so relaxing. Onto the beach and for those who are beach lovers then this is paradise, the beaches are the white sandy beaches you see in the brochure and the waters are wonderfully warm. Going out a few metres you get to experience some great snorkelling. The hotel provided plenty of water based activities to while away the day from dive trips, glass bottom boats or just the plain old pedal boats that my daughter loved. Whilst on the beach the hotel staff were there on hand with a cool drink or a light lunch if you didn't fancy walking the 50 feet to the restaurant. When we got bored on the beach we walked into Grand Baie which had lovely selection of shops, cafes, Jewellers and the shops here are a lot more upmarket compared to other resorts I have been to. We did venture down a couple of nights to sample the local restaurants and there was a good choice ranging from Italian to fish restaurants. Nightlife here is extremely quiet; the bars were virtually empty with the exception of a few locals as tourists tend to stay in their hotel and avail of the entertainment provided. The entertainment in the hotel was top class and the entertainers themselves encouraged everyone to join in. The honeymooners were seated in a particular section of the restaurant with a little bit more fuss made over them, which I thought was a lovely touch. For two days we hired out a taxi to see the island, I found this was excellent as we had a local gentleman who has lived on the island all his life and shared with us the history and culture of his country. As the island has only gained its independence in 1968 it has plenty of history. Our driver took us inland where we visited the Black River Gorges which is Mauritius' largest national park and if you like hiking there are great trails here but beware of the hungry monkeys. Onward to Chamarel Coloured Earth and waterfalls the earth here was made up of seven different colours due to the weathering of the volcanic rock and this was really cool to see, the waterfalls are a really popular beauty spot for wedding photos and finishing off at Trou Aux Cerf which is a volcanic crater but has been extinct for a long time. The taxi driver was only able to bring us up a bit of a way and we walked the rest but once on top we got these amazing views of the whole island. Another day we headed into Port Louis the capital city where the main area is located at the waterfront with a decent amount of outdoor cafes and shops. Away from the main thoroughfare we headed over to Port Louis's outdoor market which was massive but had a real vibrancy to it however we didn't stay too long here as the smell was sometimes a little over powering. The highlight of the trip for my daughter was the La Vanille Crocodile and Tortoise Park, the crocodile park was more of a breeding farm but the tortoises were giant tortoises and they just potter around this huge area. The highlight for my partner was chartering out a boat from Grand Baie and going deep sea fishing and catching a Shark. For me the highlight was what Mauritius is famous for and that was the white sandy beaches, luxurious hotel and great service but it also had plenty of interesting places to see which I enjoyed immensely.

My customer stories

Sent by Kieran Carroll

We've had a great experience booking with Kathy. From the initial phone call to the advice, consultation, communication, receiving our quote and the booking, Kathy has been great and very accommodating. We have already passed on Kathy's contact details to friends and work colleagues. Thank you and keep up the good work!

Sent by Jodie Walsh

Kathy is brilliant at what she does. She organised a family holiday of over 20 adults and children for us last year and everything was perfect. We have booked again with her this year for even more people. We couldn’t recommend her highly enough!

Sent by Mary Furlong

Kathy is friendly, personable and knows her stuff. We travelled to Thailand, Australia and New Zealand this year with Kathy organising all of our trip. We had 10 flights, many hotels plus car hire and everything flowed perfectly. We had an amazing time and all was hassle free. Thank you Kathy!

Sent by Aisling Nulty

Kathy was amazing from the minute we discussed booking our Honeymoon with her. We gave her a few ideas of what we would like and she came back with some excellent suggestions! We decided on a few days in Tampa, then a Caribbean cruise with a few days in Florida to finish off! It was the trip of a lifetime, the hotels Kathy booked were just outstanding and her suggestion of a cruise was just perfect for a honeymoon. She made it so easy for us, all we had to do was sit back, relax and enjoy! She booked car hire, looked after our travel insurance everything was organised so well, nothing was left undone! I could call her with a question about anything and she answered it straight away! Her knowledge of the areas we were visiting was brilliant and gave us some great ideas of where to visit and things to do! We cant recommend her enough, it was a trip of a lifetime and one we will never ever forget! Thank you so so much!!

Sent by Caroline Lambert

Excellent service, a very big thank you to Kathy, our trip to Iceland went very smoothly. Kathy organised the trip without any hitches! Our friends were impressed with the service provided by Kathy, they will contact her to organise their next holiday and we will have her organise our next holiday too. Thank you very much!

Sent by Declan Burns

I have used Kathy’s services on two occasions and will certainly use them again. What I really like is you tell her what you want and then relax. She does all the work and comes back with lots of options. Just tell her your choice and then forget it until a package arrives with all the arrangements and simple instructions on what you need to do. Kathy has been most helpful and follows up to ensure everything is going to plan. Thanks again.

Sent by Deirdre O Sullivan

From the get go Kathy made the experience of booking our honeymoon very easy. We visited five different places on our trip and there were many flights between each destination, so I felt really stressed and overwhelmed when I tried to organise it myself initially. A friend recommended Kathy and she was amazing - the hotels and flights were all perfect, the car rental was well organised and everything she had promised worked out perfectly. She even had a friend of hers send on a list of recommended restaurants and bars and excursions to get the most out of Cuba. She went out of her way to provide exceptional customer service and I will absolutely contact Kathy again should I be booking a big trip and I would have no hesitation recommending her to a friend, she was brilliant!

Sent by Sharon Carroll

Kathy has booked a number of our family holidays with the latest being a birthday celebration for my husband. After choosing the location Kathy was able to advise us on hotels, transport, dining options and tourist activities. Kathy is a wealth of information and has vast knowledge of so many places. Her accommodation choices are superb with first class service and facilities. I would have no hesitation in recommending her and will avail of her expertise again.

Sent by Catherine O'Driscoll

Kathy as always provided us with another fab experience. Everything was done on a personal and professional level. Can't wait to book my next holiday with her.

Sent by Olwyn Healy

Have allowed Kathy book my holidays for a few years now. Love the fact I've no hassle, Kathy does everything and all I have to do is pack…now I think she should also do this for me! Kathy has also booked a cruise for my mom and sister with absolutely no complaints - amazing workmanship. Always feels she has listened to what I wanted and was always very fast with great options. And as I'm known at home as "lastminute.com,” Kathy has always delivered. Great service and I simply wouldn't go anywhere else... Thanks Kathy.

Sent by Ann Waters

We found Kathy through a recommendation of a friend, and are very happy we did. She has found suggested destinations for us which we wouldn't have thought to look at. She is knowledgeable about so many destinations and can advise accordingly. Kathy puts great individual packages together suitable for each client and we feel we are in safe hands planning for our precious Holiday time with Kathy

Sent by Gillian Coakley

I would highly recommend Kathy for wherever you wish to go on holiday. I've booked everything from Honeymoon to week long stays in the sun with her and could not recommend her highly enough for all her help and holiday ideas when I hadn't a clue where I wanted to go!!

Sent by Olwyn Healy

Our family holiday in Portugal was amazing. The villa that you got for us was beyond what we were hoping for. Everything was done for us so all we had to do was pack and go. And I'm sure Kathy if I had asked nicely you would nearly have packed our cases for us as well! So I would highly recommend your services. Thanks again, Olwyn.

Sent by Karen Kelly

Have dealt with Kathy for a few years and would highly recommend her. Fantastic to deal with and her holiday options have been marvellous. This year we were only going for 3 days but treated no differently or any less service than when we booked a trip to Florida for the family. I can guarantee that when I am heading off again the emails will be heading to Kathy to sort me out but I don't envy her trying to do that. Couldn't recommend her highly enough and would advise anybody to use her service

Sent by Ellen O'Donoghue

What an amazing experience. I went on a cruise with my sister around the Mediterranean on the Liberty of the Seas Cruise liner. My only complaint was we just didn't gave enough time, as the ship was enormous. All arrangments were made to perfection, all we had to do was show up on the dates. Brilliant, highly recommend your services.

Sent by Irene Doyle

I would highly recommend Kathy. I have been using her service since 2008. I have never met her, contact only by phone and email, but she knows our holiday choices so well, that she is able to tell us if we would or wouldn't like a holiday destination. She is extremely friendly, honest and always has a good story to tell of her own travels. Looking forward to all the destinations she is going to send us on in the future.

Sent by Ellen Fitzgerald

I booked my trip to Disneyland through Kathy and I would highly recommend her. I told Kathy exactly what I was looking for and she organised everything for me. The price she got for me could not be beaten. Kathy is pleasent and very helpful. I will definitely be booking my future holidays with her.

Sent by Catherine Miskella

Kathy provides a wonderful travel service. She gave a very honest opinion on the various questions we asked with regard to a number of destinations. She wanted to ensure that we had the holiday that best suited our needs!! Will definitely be using her service in the future!!

Sent by Margaret O Connor

I recently booked a 4 week holiday through Kathy O Sullivan and Travel Counsellors. The experience was excellent from start to finish and the attention to detail by Kathy was commendable. Her service left nothing to chance and what impressed us most was her after holiday service as we had encountered a couple of problems along the way which were no fault of Kathy or Travel Counsellors. I would strongly recommend booking a holiday with Kathy.

Sent by Ivan Donoghue

Very easy to find a holiday through Kathy. Just send her an email and she will do the heavy lifting for you. Then she will answer all your additional questions very quickly.

Sent by Yvonne Regan

My fiance and I contacted Kathy after she was recommended to us by a friend who had organised both a group trip and a couples trip for her. We asked Kathy to see if she could organise a trip for both of us to some cities on east coast of America. We've never been, and had no idea of how much it would be, or in what way to structure it, but Kathy took our idea, and after getting a general idea of our interests and type of holiday we woud like, immediately gave us three possible holiday plans along with excellent prices that we could choose from. Kathy is a very friendly, down-to-earth Travel Counsellor who is open to any ideas we have had and is very willing to work with any changes we've made, along with being very helpful.

Sent by Mark Reeves

Kathy organised an amazing honeymoon for us. She was extremely patient, helpful, pleasant & professional with regard to every single aspect of our dealings with her. We had a hassle free honeymoon, exactly what every couple needs after a wedding. Our honeymoon was out of this world, one we'll remember for the rest of our lives. Kathy Thanks a million for making it such an fantastic experience for us

Sent by Karen Kelly

Kathy has booked a number of holidays for me and I find her to be most helpful and her advice and suggestions have always been perfect. I email her with a basic plan and she will forward a number of suggestions within a short period of time, and I never had a complaint. I have recommended her to friends and family and I would have no problem in recommending her again. Excellent service with a smile.

Sent by Orla Doyle

We booked my honeymoon for next January with Kathy and we found her very helpful on every aspect from quoting, organising packags and price. We found Travel Counsellors very good value and we have and will continue to recommend Kathy.

Sent by debbie howlett

We booked our honeymoon to Malaysia and Borneo with Kathy. The service she provided was exceptional. She put a huge amount of time and effort into organising our trip. We are heading away soon and we are really looking forward to it as we know it will be a holiday of a lifetime. We couldn't recommend Kathy enough, she was professional and extremely helpful throughout the whole experience.

Sent by Frank and Jennifer Mac Rory

We have been using the service provided by Kathy when booking holidays for many years and have always found her to be helpful, knowledgable, efficient and very courteous so when we decided to have a holiday of a lifetime this year and visit Australia we had no hesitation in contacting Kathy and leaving everything in her capable hands. Once again she has come up trumps and we can relax!

Sent by Teresa Wexford

Kathy did a fantastic job with our honeymoon. It was a trip of a lifetime. She took all the hassle out of organising it and came up with a brilliant package. We did everything via email which was great and stress free and she was always ready to answer any questions I may have had. We will definitely use Kathy again to organise future holidays.

Sent by Jacqueline Colfer

I would like to thank Kathy for the excellent personal service she has provided for my last four family holidays. Kathy Is dedicated to giving her clients a tailor made holiday. She deals with all requests in a prompt , friendly , professional manner. I value her expertise and I know I can rely on her to organise every detail of my holiday. Stress free planning! I highly recommend Kathy. Thanks!