New Zealand Adventure Tours – New Zealand Bike Tours – Hiking New Zealand Vacations
I would say it was a once in a lifetime trip,
but it was so good a person should not only experience it once.
PHOTO OF THE MONTH:
MEET OUR GUIDES:
Barry Hughes
Helen Bateman (Texas, USA) July 2006 Winter Rimu
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Barry |
Name: Barry Hughes |
| Position: Lead Guide | |
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Bio: I am a keen hiker and mountain biker who really enjoys sharing the New Zealand outdoors with visitors. As a traveler at heart, I have worked around the world -- including many years setting up large event sites that led to a short stint as a Formula One safety car driver -- but I always seem to find my way back to the South Island. If it involves scrambling up rocks, fighting through impenetrable bush, packing a backpack efficiently, defending against attacking birds of prey (which doesn't happen on our trips, by the way), and collecting foreign swear words (too much information?) -- count me in. |
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What our clients have said:
"Barry was simply beyond excellent: extremely knowledgeable, smart, funny, kind, thoughtful, cheerful, accommodating and so very very patient. Can you clone him?" "Barry was a great guide. I had been traveling for 6 weeks, and he was by far the best guide that I had. He was SO knowledgeable about NZ and fun to be around. He was definitely a great surprise. Barry and [co-guide] Alice were amazing and made my trip to New Zealand very enjoyable! " "Barry & Alice weren't just guides, they were part of the group and considerably part of the experience. Barry felt like a brother on the trip, right from the start. I loved his sense of humour, his knowledge of all things New Zealand and his support. I actually missed him when we had to split for the 3-day kayaking portion." "Barry was the best! He was fun, knowledgeable, accommodating... I can't imagine a better trip guide! " "Barry was central to our wonderful trip. There are only superlatives for describing his performance. Whatever you pay him (and Mark), increase it!! They are both invaluable ambassadors to ACTIVE NZ and for New Zealand in general. Barry is a walking encyclopedia. He and mark were incredibly patient. they seemed to work well together -- I never sensed any friction/tension between them or towards us -- what a miraculous feat! They both have great sense of humor. I know we could have gotten pretty crazy and they would have been right there with us -- we had the best of intentions, but turned into pumpkins and went to bed early most nights. We flabby old-fart Americans can't compete with the freaks of nature known as New Zealanders!" "He was just outstanding. He knows the flora and fauna, history, literature and culture. He anticipated what would happen next in a masterly fashion. He is well read about world events as well." "Barry was knowledgeable, friendly, hardworking,and a pleasure to be around. He was born to this job, outstanding." "Outstanding! My impression was that this was not a group that gelled easily, but Barry's experience and his fund of knowledge about NZ (all aspects) and his ability as a raconteur got us through what could have been some long silences in the bus and over dinners. Great on technical support. Seemed to manage to satisfy all demands (from jade and merino purchases to swimming holes), which was especially appreciated as he had to do all the driving too." "Can't express in words how fabulous he was. He was patient, entertaining, and always attentive. He put safety first during our excursions and while driving, but also took lots of time to have fun with us. A very bright guy with a great sense of humor, and he is very knowledgeable about the areas we visited. He is one in a million!" "Barry is a fantastic guide. I enjoyed his wry sense of humor and his patience with my fear of heights. " "It was an awesome trip and Barry played the paramount role in that! His knowledge, enthusiasm, humor, patience and physical fitness contributed greatly to the cohesion of the group and success of the trip." "Barry did a awesome job of making sure everyone was having a great time, and also tailoring additional activities to peoples interests and abilities." "Barry could not have done more to ensure I had an awesome trip. Probably one of the best guides I have ever had.His knowledge of NZ was excellent, there was not much he did not know and he conveyed it in an interesting way." |
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