As the nights get longer and the days cooler, maybe its time to consider a holiday, and what better person to arrange things than Iride McCloy.
Iride McCloy has travelled the world several times, yet one of her favourite places is a little patch of Waikanae. “I love the spaciousness of Waikanae Beach, and the complexity of the environment,” she says.
Iride owns New Zealand International Touring Company, assessable through Trilogy United Travel in Paraparaumu. It’s the fourth business she’s created in the travel and tourism industry, all based in Kapiti – a place she thinks is under-utilised. “I feel very passionate about the potential for Kapiti,” she says.
She’s spent all her life here. She knows what operators are doing and thinks locals forget the small people. “So many locals have visitors and it’s tragic if they don’t know what to do with them. But there are some small operators like the Parrot Ranch, Nga Manu, and the Four x 4 Adventure people that are exceptional. We need to support them.”
Iride’s recently taken a group of people to Israel, under her company’s spiritual tours banner. She thinks the two countries are similar. “We’re green, and they’re barren desert, but in both places there’s a sense of freedom.”
People travel for many reasons and it’s the people who go to confirm their dreams that Iride feels humbled by. “One woman on the tour to Israel sold her house to go. And someone else who had studied submarine engineering wanted to go to Germany to see the submarine factories there.”
It was the first time she’d taken a tour herself – she usually organises other people to lead. “Israel continues to be fascinating and a very vibrant and spiritual country. It was a fantastic group of people who came back with a wealth of knowledge and some exhilarating experiences which they will have for their lifetimes. You’re never the same after you go to Israel.”
Back home, she takes her loved poodles, Zucco and Missi, to Waikanae Beach to take in this little patch of the world. “Kapiti is a small molecule in a huge universe. And the universe can be accessible through our Kapiti.”
NZ International Touring Company
At Trilogy Travel
132 Kapiti Rd Paraparaumu (cnr Te Roto Dr)
Phone 04 902 5476
Email: iride@trilogytravel.co.nz
www.trilogytravel.co.nz
NZ International Touring Company provides a wide range of tours to all parts of New Zealand and the world, including eco tours of Nelson/Motueka; Christmas in Wanaka; 6-day Northern Sights; National Parks ‘n’ Peaks; and Adrenalin Sparks and Spiritual Solace tours. They specialise in Christian-themed tours and religious pilgrimages.
Posts
