EXPLORE
FUNCTION AND FASHION
Travellingcanbea littlestressful,particularlyforthosewitha medicalcondition.
BridgetScanlan,a Wellington-baseddesignerandtype1 diabetic,
wantedtotakethehassleoutofcarryingallher
medicalessentials,soshecameupwitha stylish
andpracticalproduct– KYTbags(shortfor
KeepingYouTogether).Thesleekleatherbags
lookamazing,buttheinterioriswherethe
magic is. Each bag is made to meet the needs
of diabetics, making travelling with all the
necessities much simpler. $345; kytbags.comVIEWS FOR DAYS
If a torrent of spring showers has you
dreaming of distant places and beautiful
spaces, why not check out the IG Europa
Instagram page, @_igeuropa, for some
serious holiday inspiration. Featuring
stunning shots from all over Europe,
it highlights both well-known landmarks and
off-the-grid destinations to show you the
beauty it can offer whatever the season.Pick up
the trail
New Zealanders have always been
known for our ingenuity and that
shows no sign of stopping. The
brainchild of Kiwis Cameron Brodie
and Brendan Platt, Breadcrumbs is a
free app set up to link people by
having users drop ‘crumbs’ to help
others find interesting spots wherever
they are. Users can drop them at
locations they think others would
enjoy, whether it’s a café or a hidden
waterhole, essentially creating a trail
for others to follow. There are
thousands of these digital crumbs all
over the world, so it’s a fantastic way
to discover unique places from
someone else’s perspective.‘Going the extra mile’
Tanya Aitken and her team from House
of Travel Papamoa entered in a race
against time to get a wayward passport
to the airport – just in time for take-off.The team was working late in the Bay of
Plenty when a frantic call came through
from a customer already at Auckland
Airport. They were due to check-in for their
fl ight to LA, and had just realised they’d left
their passport at home in the copier.
Time was critical as the only other options
for seats on later fl ights were in business
class and missing their cruise connection
would also be very costly.
So one of our consultants went to the
customer’s house, found the spare key and
grabbed the passport. She then handed it
over to another consultant, who took the
passport to Tauranga Airport in the hope
of getting it on the last fl ight to Auckland
that night.
However, we soon discovered there were
rules about not transporting passports
without their owners. After many phone
calls and a sympathetic supervisor, we
found a way around this challenge and
got the passport on the fl ight.
At the same time we were on the phone
with the international airline to ensure the
customers’ seats on the fl ight were
available, and that the plane was held
until the very last minute.
We organised someone at the domestic
terminal to meet the fl ight and get the
passport through to the international
terminal quick smart. The customers got
their fl ight, and with no more further
anxious calls that night, we knew
all was well.TRAVEL TALES
House of Travel making holidays
‘better together’150 NEXT / SEPTEMBER 2019