Helen’s passion for travel started when she was selected as a teenager to be a New Zealand delegate to a UNESCO international youth congress. She worked in Japan in her early 20s, then on to Europe, and has travelled ever since as widely and often as possible, for both work and pleasure. Her trips have taken her to more than 60 countries – through Europe, Scandinavia, Russia, Asia, North and South America, Africa and the Pacific.
Helen has a BA from Canterbury University and most of her working life has been in public sector management. She was City Librarian in Auckland and later Director of the State Library of Victoria, before moving on to wider management responsibilities, and more recently to consulting work with local government, mainly in community planning.
Helen lives in Christchurch and is a keen skier, cyclist and tramper. She has led tours for Tours Direct for over 14 years, and loves sharing her enthusiasm for a wide range of places and cultures. She specially likes to share walking and cycling tours, at a relaxed pace suited to travellers for whom this might be a first.
“I love being one of Tours Direct’s great team – giving travellers unique opportunities to enjoy the world’s most interesting and exotic locations in comfort. Our excellent local guides add a wealth of history and their own cultures. It’s a privilege (and great fun!) for me to use my knowledge and experience to help people”
“We were completety happy with her care and attention. She has a lovely personality, and we would happily go on another tour with her.”
“Helen was great, never appeared hassled although she must have felt it at times. Always clear with instructions and showed concern for each of the group and very willing to sort any problems. Really well prepared and organised.”
