I booked my first solo trip overseas with the help of the team at Student Flights on Adelaide…read morestreet. I was after accommodation and flight times that would be safe for a woman travelling alone, and Jamaal (the store manager) was patient with me and understanding of my concerns. I could only drop by at late hours (past 5pm) after work, which was when Student Flights was also set to close, and Jamaal was willing to stay back past closing hours until everything was booked. I even caught him stepping out once for lunch and he stayed back even though I insisted he go grab something to eat! This place can get very packed at certain hours, particularly during lunch breaks, Friday nights, and weekends. So be sure to pop in early on a week day if you don't want to be waiting around, unless you like reading masses of travel brochures. But all up I've never had such great service from a travel agency before. I'm definitely going back for the next trip I book.

We booked travel, hotel and excursions with Rima at Student Travel in Brisbane. She was AMAZING!…read more She took the time to make sure we had exactly what we wanted for a trip to Port Douglas and asked us to come back to her for any feedback we had, which we did. Overall, we had a lovely experience in Port Douglas with only a few things that were, well, awful. She immediately looked into getting those items if not fixed, at least removed from their listings. She was incredible and we highly recommend her!

Last year I flew to a rather obscure location in the Caribbean where I would spend the next 7…read moremonths. When I walked into Sta Travel UQ, sat down in front of Rebecca, the store manager, and said, I need a ticket to Martinique, she said, "Where?" After finding it on the map, she quickly planned a route, found me a super cheap ticket with Qantas and with a little deliberation over dates, I was set. Given that I was flying through America and a long stop over in LA, she was really thorough in telling me I'd need to get a US visa waiver online (as I'd be leaving the LA airport to explore) and suggesting hotels in LA. But my contact with Rebecca didn't end when I left Australia. Midway through my stint in Martinique, I decided to change the date of my return ticket. Via email, Rebecca was extremely helpful in doing this for me and was really good about answering all my annoying questions. I can't vouch for any of the other staff at Sta UQ, but Rebecca's service was excellent. Be warned that during university terms the store gets extremely busy and you may have to wait a while to be served.

I went to Straddie for the first time and I called Flyer Gold beforehand to sort logistics. The…read morelady on the phone with me was super friendly and assisted me with all my questions. She was super patient and everything we discussed went according to plan! They provide a courtesy bus from Cleveland Train Station to the ferry. You can purchase your tickets for the ferry when you arrive without any dramas. They are quick and efficient and the next thing you know- you're on the boat heading to Straddie. 25 minutes later, you arrive and the Straddie bus times align with the ferry arrivals making it very visitor friendly. They were a little late arriving but a little early on the return. The buses will wait and adjust their time to the ferry which is fantastic. I really appreciate that. I had a great experience on the flyer gold and would definitely take it again. If you're a frequent visitor or go in a group, you can purchase a multi-pass which may be more economical.

Australians are somewhat spoiled on transit options. It must be noted that this ferry is not part…read moreof Translink, meaning that you cannot use your card or its perks. There is a slight student discount, but the rate as a whole is not bad. The boat runs about hourly, and it is a quick ride and a quick boarding process. It is a large catamaran, and thus very stable. A smooth ride. They allow you to bring pets and whatever you want to carry, and claim to have hosted people who took full advantage of that policy, up to bringing on pigs and goats. I did not see any of those; just people and dogs. It is worth noting that if you take this passenger ferry, you will end up in a fairly anonymous town, so unless you are meeting someone there you will take a bus to the good parts of the island. Since I'm not writing a separate review for that, I'll say that the bus is limited but effective. Again, you have to pay in cash, but for the bus, a student discount makes a rather large difference (half price). The bus is timed to coincide with the boat, though the first and last boats of the day lack a bus service. It goes across the island pretty quickly; there aren't a lot of stops along the way. On the mainland side, a free bus runs to and from the train station, clearly labeled, enabling you to get to anywhere in Brisbane at a very decent clip. All told, this is a cost- and time-efficient way for people in Brisbane to enjoy a day trip to a tropical island paradise.

If you want to see Queensland scenically without the burden of driving or taking a plane or bus,…read morethe tilt train is where it's at. Running from Brisbane to Cairns, the Tilt Train Offers comfortable seating and bedding options for it's patrons. My partner and I took the train from Brisbane to Hervey Bay (bear in mind the leg only goes to Maryborough West and then it's a courtesy bus to Hervey Bay) which cost around $182 return each. So overall it was an OK experience, although I do have few bug bears. Firstly the booking process is overly complicated. The amount of paperwork you have to take with you to present as proof of booking is ridulous. It was around 12 A4 sides for the 2 of us, and our confirmation pages were not even close together. Secondly is the customer service. One of the staff was nice, the rest, miserable as sin. We felt guilty ordering from their basic menu, and the manner of the staff was bordering on rude and dismissive at best. Clearly they are over their jobs. Thirdly, this is supposed to be an express service and on the way back the train crawled at an average speed of around 45 to 50 Kms an hour. This was because we had to wait for other communter services, including a tilt train coming the other way. Last gripe is the check in process. You need to be there 45 minutes early to check in your luggage which is ridiculous. It's not an international airline people. This seemed even more stupid because you could just carry your case on yourself if you liked. With that in mind make sure you check in for departure 45 minutes before the train leaves. Luggage is checked in early and closes 30 minutes before departure. So gripes aside the experience was OK, a few of their processes just need improving and the staff need to be given a refresher in customer service. I would take the train again, especially as I travel to Hervey Bay a few times a year and there's not currently a regular inexpensive way to fly there. It's quite pleasant and a comfortable experience all up.

If you are travelling overseas or going bushwalking in the mountains KD Odyssey will have all the…read moregear you need. They are located on Wickham Street in the Valley and sell everything adventurous from protective clothing to comfortable footwear, backpacks and travel guides. The staff are super friendly and always do everything they can to help you find exactly what you need. I recently went to K2 in search of a backpack (for an extended overseas holiday) and was so impressed at the attention the staff paid to my requests. They helped me to try on a number of different packs and supplied information brochures for my preferences. They fit a lot of stock into the little store and it is still quite easy to find what you need - very neat and tidy. The prices are good but if you are on a budget there is a clearance outlet downstairs (separate from the main building) - head down there for some mega bargains, if you can't find it just ask the staff who will be more than happy to point you in the right direction.

I had a $200 voucher to blow at K2 odyssey. My first trip there I bought an Osprey pack with the…read morehelp of one of the sales assistants there. We had a chat about where each of us was from; he used to be a hiking instructor and had travelled all around the world. He knew a lot about the gear and what constituted a comfortable and safe pack depending on each customer's body type. I returned a little later and spent the rest of my voucher on their wide range of camping bits and bobs. I picked up some neat little trinkets - a tiny whistle I could attach to my backpack for emergencies, a safe luggage lock, a travel wallet, and travel containers for liquids. There are two components of the store that are completely separate to each other; one with clothes, packs, and a small rock climbing wall upstairs for customers to test out gear, and another (two stores down) packed full of your basic camping gear and accessories. The staff were incredibly helpful and recommended some great products. They were all very knowledgeable and eager to lend a hand. I'd definitely recommend coming here if you're planning a trip, whether it be a holiday or a trek to Everest.

Kangaroo Segway tours is the BEST way to see Brisbane! No contest! For the cost Id be happy to just…read moreride the Segway around the parking lot- it's soo much fun. But when you combine the fun of riding a Segway ,over 20km of one of the most scenic bike trails in the world, and a fantastic tour guide you get one of the best values in the tour business :) kevin was a great guide and instructor on the Segway- he when above and beyond to make sure we had a great time and were safe on the segways. Riding through the zig-zagging wooden bridges overlooking Roma street parklands was an unexpected highlight of the tour! We'll be back with our friends and family soon!

HIGHLY RECOMMEND !!!! I'm beyond grateful to #KangarooSegwayTours of #Brisbane ! our guide was…read more Miss Bailey . I had a fabulous time ! She was informative , kind , and very knowledgeable about the city . More than anything, she was friendly and made sure we were safe . Our group had a blast and I'll be sending all my colleagues and family to you .

Well, I'm going three stars for now. I'll decide if they go higher or lower after my trip!…read more I booked through Flight Centre, and Carolina was extremely helpful. Tucked away in a corner near Woolworths, it's easy to overlook this Flight Centre. The staff often seem to be busy on the phone, but I had no trouble being seen right away when I walked in. Carolina spent a long time going through all the options with me, and was extremely accommodating. The hotel I've been booked into has a lot of mixed reviews, so I guess i'll come back and alter my review post trip. Still not convinced a travel agent was the way to go.

Teoni from this store is lovely to deal with. She's efficient, understands exactly what I want and…read moreshe hasn't tried to push me into extras that I'm not needing. Thank you so much Teoni, will be recommending anyone in the Ipswich region to visit you when booking their next holiday