Get to know Meg

I’ve worked in the travel industry for 14 years and have been part of Chirn Park Travel since we opened eight years ago. I started my career as a travel consultant before moving into my current role as Office Manager/CFO.

My favourite destinations include Japan, Cambodia and the Arctic, but over the years I’ve been to many different destinations and experienced many different styles of travel, from backpacking to luxury. When I was younger, I loved the social side of backpacking and the amazing people I met along the way. These days, I enjoy travelling at a slightly slower pace, spending longer in each destination so I have plenty of time to explore, while also appreciating a little luxury and a great hotel to come back to and relax in at the end of the day.

Outside of work, I love spending time with my husband, our one-year-old daughter and our dog. You’ll often find us visiting local parks, walking along the Manly waterfront, or checking out a local brewery or pub.

What I Do for the Team

My role at Chirn Park Travel is quite varied and covers a little bit of everything behind the scenes. I look after our day-to-day finances, including reconciliations and bookkeeping, while also helping the team with systems, processes and troubleshooting.

I’m often the person our consultants come to when they have a question or need help working something out. That might mean updating details on a quote or invoice, helping chase a supplier refund, or making sure a refund is returned to a client as quickly as possible. While I’m continually learning and keeping up to date with changes across our industry, if I don’t know the answer, I’ll help work out who the best person is to ask.

Ultimately, my role is about keeping things running smoothly behind the scenes so our consultants can focus on looking after their clients and creating amazing holidays.

My Favourite Travel Moment: The Arctic

Travelling through Svalbard with Quark Expeditions was unlike anywhere else I’ve been. I loved the true expedition style of travelling with like-minded adventurers, where there was no rigid itinerary and our plans could change depending on the weather, wildlife and conditions each day.

We spent our days cruising in Zodiacs searching for wildlife and hiking across beaches and mountains, where we encountered walruses, a Svalbard reindeer, puffins and an incredible variety of Arctic birdlife. The landscapes constantly surprised me too, changing from glaciers, mountains and snow to hills covered in moss and tiny flowers.

The highlight was seeing four polar bears during our expedition. One particularly memorable encounter was watching a lone polar bear moving across the ice before coming incredibly close to our ship. Seeing such an amazing animal against the vast, icy landscape is something I’ll never forget.

The Arctic became one of my favourite destinations because it feels like nowhere else on earth, combining incredible landscapes, abundant wildlife and a real sense of adventure.

My Favourite Travel Moment: Skiing in Japan

Japan has always been a special destination for me. I lived there from 2010 to 2012 and travelled extensively throughout Honshu, from Osaka, Kyoto and Hiroshima to the mountains of Nagano and many smaller towns and villages. Returning years later with my family, including my aunt, uncle and cousins, made it even more special.

We stayed together in a chalet in Hakuba, spending our days skiing and snowboarding in some of the freshest snow I’ve ever experienced. The mountains offered something for everyone in our group, despite our varying abilities, and staying together meant we could enjoy plenty of quality time off the slopes too.

One of my favourite memories was celebrating my brother’s birthday at a tiny bar inside a yurt in a snowy car park. With 12 of us, one incredibly welcoming bartender, plenty of sake and even fireworks to celebrate, it was a night I’ll never forget.

Japan is somewhere I’ll always return to, and one day I hope to experience it all over again with my daughter.

A Destination That Surprised Me: Cambodia

Cambodia is a destination that really surprised me. It has experienced some incredibly difficult times throughout its history, yet I found the people we met to be warm, welcoming and genuinely positive about their lives today and the future of their country.

One of my most memorable experiences was visiting Wat Hanchey, where we received a traditional blessing and had the opportunity to speak with a trainee monk. Hearing about his daily life, his education at the monastery and his hopes for the future gave us a small insight into the younger generation of Cambodia. I also loved experiencing Cambodian Buddhism and seeing how its traditions and beliefs are woven into everyday life.

Receiving the blessing was a particularly special moment on both of my visits to Cambodia. As I sat listening to the chanting, it gave me a chance to reflect on how fortunate we are to travel, experience different cultures and take part in traditions so different from our own.

It’s experiences like these, and discovering places that surprise me, that always leave me wanting to see and experience more of the world.

Phone: 07 5609 4901
Email: team@chirnparktravel.com