The Australian: The Insider: Wendy Wu

MEMORABLE DESTINATION

Hiking to Mount Everest base camp in April 2018 was something I’d always wanted to do. I took my 11-year-old twin boys as I wanted them to experience the endurance that goes with this type of adventure. Once we’d reached the top, I felt very touched and humbled. The sheer beauty of nature and what we had accomplished really hit home.

Wendy Wu.

TRAVEL TIP

Keep an open mind and always be willing to learn and accept. Make sure you look at things from a different perspective, to learn, to appreciate and to always challenge oneself.

COMING UP

Our new deluxe river cruise ship, Victoria Mekong, is a large business focus. Three years ago, when we started planning the tour, the quieter area of the Mekong, along which the ship sails, was extremely poor. We aim to give our customers an authentic experience and support the local villages through tourism, giving the people a chance to build better accommodation for their families.

Wendy Wu started as a travel agent in Epping, Sydney, and escorted her first tour of China in 1994. Today her company operates more than 300 tours to 40 countries, with offices in Sydney, London, Auckland, Xian and Shanghai; wendywutours.com.au.

HOME + AWAY

Tune Hotel KLIA2, which recently scored Asia’s best airport hotel at the 2019 World Travel Awards, is all about convenience, from 24/7 laundry facilities and its all-day MAKAN restaurant to an on-site REHAT facility for foot and shoulder massages that closes at 1am. It’s a three-minute stroll from Kuala Lumpur international airport’s Terminal 2. Check-in is swift and smooth and my premium category guestroom (pictured) is spacious, with queen-sized bed, alcove seating and table, spotless ensuite with power shower, Samsung Smart TV and well-positioned, multi-region plug points with USB charging. The open-plan lobby is airy and light with plenty of seating; MINUM sports bar features a pool table, tapas menu and Australian wine by the glass and there’s super-fast free Wi-Fi throughout the property. You need to finetune your stay according to flights, however, as check-in is from 2pm; checkout 11am. Transit rooms are available for up to 12 hours from 7am-7pm. Book online for a complimentary meal and drink with the daily rate; twins, doubles or family-style accommodation is available. If flying Air Asia, ask for a Tune Hotel KLIA2 VIP fast track pass, which allows access to a dedicated counter within the terminal for a lightning-fast check-in experience.

• tunehotels.com