Kimkim Trip Reviews

Most memorable: Milford sound cruise,
Hobbiton, Mt. cook hikes, wine and food ferry tour

Activity Reviews

The Gourmet Food & Wine Tour

Auckland

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Te Pō Indigenous Experience

Rotorua

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Milford Sound overnight cruise

New Zealand

First class food and rooms

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

60 Minute Jet Boat

Queenstown (NZ)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mt Cook to Christchurch Small Group Tour Via Lake Tekapo (One Way)

Aoraki / Mount Cook Village

The van’s A/C did not seem to be working so he put it on high which was deafening. We still suffered from heat

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The van’s air conditioning

Hobbiton, Waitomo caves and Auckland

Rotorua

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

It was an excellent experience. Kimkim put together a phenomenal plan for us that helped us cover almost all major cities.
A special word for Rachid who was our English speaking driver cum guide who rendered an excellent service to us. He was always very accommodative and always ready to help us make our trip better than planned. Be it last minute changes to dealing with emergency situations...Rachid handled every situation with calm and maturity. He is the best that the industry can have.
At the end of the trip we were like a family.
Thanks to Kimkim Said and Ali and special thanks to Rachid for making our trip one of the best for our memories.

Activity Reviews

Moroccan Dinner and Fantasia Show at Chez Ali

Marrakesh

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Marrakesh Evening Food Tour

Marrakesh

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I have mentioned it in my review. The best of the best...Kimkim Ali, Said and Rachid.

Transport

Half-Day Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Majorelle Garden

Marrakesh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My trip was amazing. Our tour guides were so nice and knowledgeable. Beatriz did a great job helping us navigate Barcelona. I will be using KimKim going forward.

Our trip to Costa Rica was amazing. It was exactly as described. From arrival to departure experienced was as promised. KimKim worked with Serendipity Adventures. Our trip was divided in 3 locations: La Fortuna (Arenal), Monteverde and Manuel Antonio. We stayed in 3 hotels: Hotel Amor, Poco a Poco and Mariposa. The best experience was in Hotel Amor in La Fortuna then Mariposa in Manuel Antonio.

Serendipity Adventures operated the volcano hike and rio Celeste Hike look. Those were easy hikes. Short hikes. Our guide Mariano was great, super informative. The 2 walks were as expected and as promised. We just wished they were longer and more difficult. Desafio Adventures operated the lake Kayak trip. Great and fun trip. After La Fortuna we transferred by boat and then a bus ride to Monteverde. Aventuras el Lago operated the jeep boat jeep transfer to Monteverde. In Monteverde we went to Don Juan coffee and Chocolate tour. Great and informative. Then next day we went to Selvatura. Best advice: “Please please bring rain jacket even if sunny in Monteverde”. After Monteverde we had private transport to Manuel Antonio. Most of the private transport were taken care by serendipity adventures (highly recommended -> take private transport if possible). Once in Manuel Antonio, La Mariposa is not a beach front hotel. We wish we had spent more time there. Planet Dolphin operated the catamaran experience. Just truly amazing. The drinks and the food were delicious. Amazing cook !!!!. The Endemic birds was the tour operator for Manuel Antonio National Park. Our guide truly amazing. Once the final walk in Manuel Antonio National Park we were taken to a hotel: Studio on San Jose and took our plan back the next day.

Hotel Reviews

Amor Arenal

La Fortuna, San Carlos

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel & Spa Poco a Poco

Monteverde

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room was not ready on arrival. Room had no windows

Hotel La Mariposa

Manuel Antonio

Authenticity & Character

Location

The views

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Studio Hotel

San José

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Stand-Up Paddle Boarding on Lake Arenal

Costa Rica

Really fun activity.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Guided Hike in Arenal Volcano Park 1968

Arenal/La Fortuna

Mariano (guide) truly educated. Great personality.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Río Celeste & Tenorio Volcano Rainforest Hike with Lunch

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee & Chocolate Tour

Costa Rica

Super informative. Really fun.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day at Selvatura including Hanging Bridges and Fauna Exhibitions

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Catamaran Tour with Meal

Costa Rica

Truly amazing and fun. Great food and staff

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Excellent trip with a ton a wonderful sights and experiences. The staff was very responsive throughout the process and always accessible. Our group had an ambitious itinerary which was modified necessary, on the fly, with ease. All the planning was great and thus it allowed us to efficiently navigate this amazing island. Adam and his team did a great job and if we do Iceland again, I will be emailing him first!
Thanks!

We had a great experience traveling in Brazil! Rachel was helpful in planning our trip, always adapting the itinerary based on our feedback. Once we arrived, the local guides were very knowledgeable, and we truly enjoyed every part of the journey. Communication on-site was also smooth — the agency provided us with a WhatsApp number, and any time we had a question, they responded quickly and helpfully.

The only area for improvement is that we would have appreciated a bit more proactivity. For example, it would have been helpful to receive the names and contact details of our drivers or guides in advance without us asking for it, as well as a little more proactive communication with additional information before departure.

My sister Ming was the main coordinating person in our group of 3 adults with the staff from Kim Kim. She mostly coordinated with Mathilde whom I must say did a great job. She was prompt and efficient. Though located in France and we were in Switzerland, she was able to advise and guide well. We had a pleasant and lovely 17 days in Switzerland.

Hotel Review

Boutique Hotel Wellenberg

Zurich

I particularly loved the breakfast spread. It didn’t have many varieties but they provided quality food.

Authenticity & Character

Clean hotel room

Location

Very near to train station and shops

Staff

Very approachable and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room is clean and neat

Activity Review

Peak Walk - Glacier 3000

Switzerland

We had an incredibly time here. We walked the Glacier trail and it was a very good walk. The Tissot suspension bridge was awesome

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I recently returned from an incredible family vacation to Italy, and I cannot recommend our travel consultant, Chris highly enough! As a single mom traveling with six kids, I often navigate the challenges of travel alone, but this experience was pretty easy, thanks to Chris and his counterpart, Maria.

What truly sets them apart is their 24/7 availability while we were in Italy. Having an emergency contact to turn to whenever we had questions or encountered a hiccup made a world of difference. It allowed me to relax and focus on making memories with my children instead of stressing about logistics.

The itinerary was nothing short of fantastic! In just eight days, we explored all the highlights we dreamed of, from the historical wonders of Rome to the captivating art in Florence, the iconic Leaning Tower of Pisa, and the enchanting canals of Venice. Every detail was thoughtfully planned, and we saw everything we wanted without feeling rushed.

If you're considering a trip to Italy, do yourself a favor and reach out to Chris. With their expertise and unwavering support, your travel experience will be seamless and unforgettable!

The Rutopia team was great, very flexible and supportive! We had a good range of interesting activities and we got awesome on the ground support. It was our first time travelling with our baby so it was great having that support!

Some of the activities were a bit too intense for a baby but we were able to manage.

My wife and I and our two girls age 16 and 13, had a fantastic one week trip in Morocco, visiting Fez, Merzouga (Sahara desert camp), Quarzazate, and Marrakesh. We flew into Casablanca and out of Marrakesh. This trip was most certainly out of our comfort zone, and we even considered bailing on the trip in the days leading up. I am so glad we went. Booking through KimKim (MOBT Global) was a leap of faith, but they 100% delivered on the itinerary and riads/hotels as promised and were very responsive to questions before and during the trip. While our driver Farid did not speak English, we were able to easily communicate with him with Google translate, and he was like a genie who appeared at the exact correct times, every time. Farid was extremely warm, friendly, and protective of us during the trip. The Mercedes van provided was very comfortable for the long drives. Zahra, our tour guide in Fez, was outstanding and request her to be your guide in Fez if you can. If we had more time, in hindsight, I would have extended the trip by two days to break up the drive to and out of the Sahara desert, adding an overnight in Midlet (middle between Fez and Merzouga) or some other nearby town and Tinghir / Todra Gorge (middle between Merzouga and Quarzazate). Also consider adding a day for the Atlas Mountains. Don’t skip the Sahara desert overnight and camels, it was the highlight of our trip, which was already filled with many highlights! I would not hesitate to use KimKim or MOBT again.

A true bucket list adventure that did not disappoint! Our driver, Abdel, was absolutely fantastic and went above and beyond to ensure we were comfortable, safe, and didn't miss a single wonderful activity. He made us truly feel like part of his family. Everything was wonderful including the excursions into different city markets, the beautiful Ryads we stayed in across the country, and of course the fantastic camel ride and night glamping under the stars deep in the Sahara Desert.

Hotel Reviews

Eden Boutique Hotel

Boumalne-Dadès

Our absolutely favorite hotel during the trip! Everything was perfect including the magnificently designed rooms and spaces, beautiful mountain location, delicious breakfasts, amazing gourmet dinners, and wonderfully attentive and friendly staff. We would have loved to stay longer there!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Built into the side of a mountain with beautiful mountain views.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Euphoriad

Rabat

We absolutely loved this ryad in Rabat and wished we could have stayed there longer. Everything was wonderful including the beautifully renovated historic building and rooms, the great views of the city, the attentive and friendly staff, and of course the fabulous food. We look forward to staying there again the next time we visit Rabat.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Arrive in Casablanca & Transfer to Rabat

Morocco

We were met on time and communication was fantastic. Our driver, Abdel, was wonderful from the moment he met us at the airport with a huge welcome and a genuine smile on his face. He was a joy to work with and we were very luck to have him as our driver throughout the 9 days.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Abdel was amazing!!! He went above and beyond to ensure we were comfortable, safe and didn't miss a thing.

Transport

KimKim is a very good group to book with. We started working with Ali and had good written and verbal communications with him.
Our trip was then turned over to Said, and he was easy to work with, and responded promptly when we reached out to him before and during the trip. In one city our tour guide didn’t show at our hotel. We contacted Said and he was going to quickly have a replacement, but we didn’t want to wait. He compensated by arranging for a guide on a different day, at a different site.

We were happy with the accommodations they booked for us through Original Travel. We were treated extremely well by everyone at all 6 locations.

The best decision we made was to travel by private car and driver. Our driver/guide was Mustapha and he was GREAT!
Mustapha was professional, friendly, and very accommodating. He did all the driving, handled all the luggage, and knew all the best places to stop for food, photos, shopping, and clean bathrooms. We felt very comfortable and safe with him. He provided a lot of information about the cities, the country, and its history. The trip would not have been the same with out him.
Steve and Lorraine. N.Y.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Dar Mounir

Chefchaouen

The hotel is well located. The breakfast is OK. We did run into a small problem of our own making, and the young man and woman at the front desk went well out of their way to help us. They could not have been any nicer as they spent an hour of their time helping us. We were so grateful! Cars can not pull up to the hotel, and so the hotel sent an employee out to help us with our luggage. All of the hotel staff treated us very well.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room and bed was adaquate.

Orient Desert Camp

Merzouga

Said the owner made us feel very welcome. The men serving our meals were great. They made us a special dinner the 2 nd night. One of the men in particular had a great sense of humor, and had us laughing several times. The tents and beds were comfortable and had showers and private bathrooms. The driver who took us out for the day, Ramadan, spoke a little English, and he took great care of us, and brought us to a great restaurant for lunch.

Authenticity & Character

Location

In the Sahara but not to far from the local sites. If you have the time go for the ATV ride in the desert.

Staff

We were treated incredibly well. Thank you Said and the men who work there!

Cleanliness & Comfort

It exceeded our expectations.

Riad Braya

FesfE

Beautiful Riad. Staff is amazing. We were very pleased. Breakfast was exceptional.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It’s in the Medina. We did not go out at night. Our guide met us at the hotel.

Staff

We were treated like Royalty. Everyone is so nice and accommodating.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Ksar Ighnda

Ait Benhaddou

Really nice property. We arrived late and left early. Wish we had more time to enjoy it.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very close to the Kasbah and everything else.

Staff

The staff in the dining room were very accommodating. They serve a large dinner buffet, but it was late and we only wanted a small meal. They went out of their way to allow us to only eat what we wanted, for less than the full price, which was reasonable priced anyhow.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Bayti

Marrakech

We had a very nice room, and the staff was great. We were treated incredibly well.

Authenticity & Character

We were very happy with our room.

Location

Easy to get to the local square and market place. Many restaurants and shopping close by.

Staff

The staff was great. The manager, the wait staff, everyone is so nice and treated us very well.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

ATV Ride in the Dunes of Merzouga

Merzouga

The guide who took me out was very friendly and helpful. He took pictures and video of me on his phone and sent them to me.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I've never traveled overseas, and KimKim gave me the help and confidence I needed to get past my concerns of traveling internationally (all the unknowns!) in order to make the trip actually happen. Audrey was very helpful and answered many, many questions. I recommend KimKim to first time international travelers especially. There were a couple of minor issues, but Audrey was very prompt with her support.

Hotel Reviews

Apartements du Louvre - Le Marais

Paris

Location was great and the room was nice. The apartment was clean. The balcony was cute and such a nice Parisian touch. The location was near a grocery store and subway station. Had some trouble with the dishwasher and the washing machine had a learning curve (the directions provided didn't match the unit). I would recommend this accommodation.

Authenticity & Character

Parisian balcony!

Location

Close to subway and grocery store. Charming area.

Staff

A little confusion about the prepayment with the travel agent, but everyone was kind.

Cleanliness & Comfort

It was clean and had enough fresh towels.

Vancouver Studio

London

Friendly staff, regular housekeeping, lots of space for the family. Appreciated having a kitchen in the unit as well.

Authenticity & Character

The private garden for our room was a nice touch.

Location

Close to a grocery store and subway.

Staff

Everyone was helpful and we enjoyed the candy dish!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Loved the daily offer of housekeeping in an apartment setting. It was nice to have fresh towels and beds made.

Activity Review

Seine river cruise

Paris

We couldn't find where this tour started. We tried on two different occasions. We spoke with a representative at the address we were given by our travel agent who told us to "walk 15 minutes that way and cross the bridge." We walked for a long time and never found it. It was very disappointing. Never got on a boat. We also couldn't find a schedule to try to time our arrival (not that we could find the boat anyway).

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

A specific address and time of rides.

Transport

Our trip was very well arranged and all the guides and drivers and vehicles were excellent..we ran into rainy weather in Sapa, but entire trip was very enjoyable.

This is the 2nd trip we've booked through KimKim. It allowed us to access the best of the best in local companies. We considered a few different tour companies, but KimKim's connection to Morocco Immersion Tours & Adventures won out, and we can't be happier about it.

Leaving Morocco after just 10 short days was incredibly difficult! We’ve traveled the world extensively, but this trip, meticulously crafted by Morocco Immersion Tours & Adventures, stands out as one of our most cherished experiences.

Before embarking on this journey, KimKim allowed us to Zoom with owners, Sharon and Abdou, and coordinator Nihad. We exchanged ideas and expectations, and the trip they organized exceeded our wildest expectations. Nihad kept us updated throughout the planning process, making adjustments and ensuring that we had everything we needed for our private two-couple vacation.

We travelled all over Morocco - Casablanca to Rabat to Meknes to Fes, Merzouga to Boumalne Dades, and finally onto Marrakesh, with so many places in-between. We even crossed the Atlas Mountains twice.

Morocco is a unique and intricate country, but our trip truly came alive thanks to our exceptional driver and guide, Abdelhadi Oulaid (Abdel). His care, attention to detail, humor, and knowledge made this experience unforgettable. Sharon and Abdou aptly describe their company as a family enterprise, and while Abdel may not be blood, he made the four of us feel like part of his family.

All the hotels and riads we stayed in, carefully selected by Morocco Immersion, were magnificent, especially the Eden Boutique Hotel in Dades.

Throughout our Morocco Immersion trip, their hand-picked, specialized guides led us on an enriching journey of learning and discovery. Exploring with these guides and Abdel, we were introduced to a vibrant tapestry of Moroccan culture and people. The Amazigh, the indigenous Berber people, exude warm hospitality, kindness, and generosity.

Choosing highlights is an arduous task, but the golden sands of the Sahara, the chaotic yet captivating allure of Fes and Marrakech, the tranquil beauty of the Atlases and Dades Valley, and Abdel’s infectious humor and genuine care all stand out. Owner, Abdou, met us in Dades with a heartfelt embrace and personally guided us through the bustling market. He led us on a winding, historical walk through an old kasbah and brought us to a private home where we were warmly welcomed with tea and lunch. Our hosts, two sweet Amazigh women, used our market purchases, and prepared the most delectable couscous of our entire trip.

Despite the vast distances we covered and the numerous places we visited, Abdel’s exceptional care and attention to detail ensured that our trip was an absolute delight. He went above and beyond, escorting us to evening activities, fulfilling every request, and ensuring our safety and well-being at all times.

Morocco Immersion truly excels in providing an immersive experience. Sharon and Abdou’s expertise, extensive connections, and remarkable ability to coordinate complex activities seamlessly throughout a tight itinerary are truly impressive. Thank you, KimKim for partnering with them!

Hamza and Said were very helpful and quick to respond both before and during our trip across Morocco. We reached out to Kimkim at the last minute to plan a trip and they did a wonderful job.

Ayoub was our guide/driver for the full trip and he was everything we could have hoped for. His positive attitude always added to the day. Ayoub helped us see unique sights along the journey and even made our long travel days engaging and interesting. It was genuinely wonderful to have everything scheduled and outlined for us. We felt like we could turn our planning brains off and just enjoy the sights and culture of the regions.

Our city guides, Sharif in Fes and Sellam in Marrakesh, were knowledgeable of the history and showed us around to many of the local hot spots. It was great having an official guide for half day tours.

We had a great time and thank everyone involved in the trip!

Working with Beatriz to plan this very special trip was an exceptionally easy process. She responded quickly to my questions and offered suggestions for itinerary items that aligned with my goals for this vacation. Each element of our trip was carefully and thoughtfully planned and executed flawlessly by the team of local individuals. From the moment we arrived in Italy we were made to feel welcomed and prioritized. Our transportation providers were friendly, safe, on-time and efficient. The hotels were clean, well-staffed and offered high quality drinks and food. The LivTours guides were awesome! Elizabetta (Vatican), Francesco (Colosseum), Liia (Pompeii), Priscilla (Basilicas), Clelia and Chef Gabriel (Pasta making), and Francesca (St Marks) were fantastic - all provided extremely engaging history facts throughout the guided tours. Also, our final guide in Venice / Murano (I am regretfully forgetting his name?) and tour lead Massimo at the Murano glass factory - both so wonderful!! All of the transport vehicles were beautiful Mercedes black vehicles in exceptional exterior condition and clean and comfortable inside. We learned so much. Angelo made our day trip to Positano go perfectly as planned. Everyone made us feel like VIP - truly wonderful hosts, I cannot say enough how pleased I am with this entire experience. Thank you to everyone who was a party of our Mom & Son adventure!
Sincerely,
Jessica

Activity Reviews

Guided Visit: Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel

Italy

Excellent small group activity guided by Elizabetta. Fantastic knowledge of history and was able to answer all questions.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Colosseum & Roman Forum Visit: Arena Access, Gladiators Gate & Ancient City

Italy

Excellent small group activity guided by Francesco. Fantastic knowledge of history and was able to answer all questions.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Pompeii & Amalfi Coast Day Tour from Rome

Rome

Angelo was fantastic - he made our drive down the coast and back so enjoyable! Excellent private tour activity at Pompeii guided by Liia. Fantastic knowledge of history and was able to answer all questions.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Privately Guided Visit of Major Basilicas of Rome

Rome

Excellent private tour activity guided by Priscilla. Fantastic knowledge of history and was able to answer all questions.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Italian Cooking Class at a Local Ristorante

Rome

Clelia and Chef Gabriel were the highlight of our time in Rome. We were invited in like old friends and treated like family! Extensive knowledge of the history of the Jewish Ghetto and truly a happy and fun experience I will always remember!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Walking Experience: St Mark’s & Gondola Ride

Venice

Excellent private tour activity guided by Francesca. Fantastic knowledge of history and was able to answer all questions.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Authentic Murano Glass Experience

Venice

Excellent private activity. Guide had fantastic knowledge of history and was able to answer all questions. Met us at hotel and rode with us on private boat taxi and introduced us to Massimo who guided us through the glass experience. We were treated like VIPs this day - absolutely wonderful experience in Murano. Highlight of our trip and very personal. We loved this as our final activity for our trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My wife and I had an unforgettable 8-day stay in India, and we’d like to thank everyone who helped make it so special.
First, a big thank you to Ravi, who did a fantastic job organizing everything from start to finish.

Our journey began on a high note when we arrived at our hotel in New Delhi and were surprised to find traditional outfits waiting for us—ones we would later wear during the Holi festival in Jaipur. Celebrating Holi was an absolute highlight—throwing colored powder, dancing to traditional music, and being surrounded by so much joy and energy was an experience we’ll never forget.

We felt safe and well taken care of the entire time, thanks to our driver Arvind.
We were also fortunate to have knowledgeable and passionate guides in each city—Varun in Delhi, Manish in Agra, and Vinod in Jaipur. Each of them brought the history and culture of these incredible places to life in their own unique way.

Of course, seeing the Taj Mahal was a dream come true, but another deeply memorable moment was visiting Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib, where we had the opportunity to help serve free meals to visitors. It was a humbling and rewarding experience that left a lasting impact on both of us.
India welcomed us with warmth, color, and kindness. We return home with full hearts and unforgettable memories.

Monika was extremely helpful in ensuring we had a wide-ranging, fantastic experience on both the North and South Islands of New Zealand. Whether it was horseback riding, hiking, and overnight cruises through the Fiordland; movie studio tours, and winery excursions, and whale watching; and everything in between, we were always paired with tour providers and accommodations that were clearly high quality and dedicated to providing meaningful and memorable experiences. In the infrequent times where there were any logistical hiccups, Monika was immediately responsive to get us back on track. All told, our three weeks were absolutely memorable and magical.

Katsu Okada-San of KimKim helped to create lasting memories on our first trip to Japan.

This was our first visit to Japan; my ancestors are from Kumamoto-Ken. I daydreamed about Japan for years, cherry blossoms, Mt. Fuji-san, sashimi and being enveloped by the culture.

The experience changed my life and my family’s lives, and I owe this to Katsu Okada-san. He tailored our needs with definite care and excellent communication needed for a family traveling across the ocean to unfamiliarity.

Upon arrival at Kansai airport in Osaka, he arranged for a driver to take us to our hotel. He helped to arrange guides in Osaka, Kumamoto, Kyoto, Hakone and lastly, Tokyo. Detailed instructions were sent by email and tickets sent to our hotels in advance with handwritten, step-by-step itinerary to travel to and from places. He set us up with lovely Japanese-native, mostly English-speaking guides in each city. Here are their names and memories of them:

Sachi Oguchi-san in Osaka - she was kind, patient and flexible, and took us off course to the Osaka Natural History Museum. She encouraged us to try the foods Osaka is known for.
Noboru Narukawa-san in Kumamoto – He was the kindest and sunniest person; he reminded me of my Japanese family in Hawaii. We communicated with Google Translate.
Akiko Tonomura-san in Kyoto - She was just as wonderful as the other guides, fun, enjoyable to learn from and kind, kind, kind.
Eriko Ishiguro-san in Tokyo - So filled with tender care for our family and really got to know us personally. She helped us to get familiar with Tokyo’s transportation system; I’m envious of its efficiency.

Through continued correspondence with Okada-san before, during and after Japan, I got to know him almost as a friend, sharing stories and emotions evoked by them. That’s the part of this writing I wanted to emphasize, how someone so far could have so much impact across the miles.

Thank you, Okada-san, from my and my family’s heart, for doing what you do so well and for helping to change our lives and viewpoints of the world.