Tanya Peach

Fun times as Flighties

Maree started at Flight Centre 3 months after I did and 3 months before Sally. During that time we developed so many strong, friendships (many so important and flourishing today). We had the best times. Working as a travel agent in Flight Centre was really hard.  We often worked way into the late hours of the night, making sure itineraries were booked just right, getting quotes out to clients, as the days were so incredibly busy we never had time to do this during business hours. We always had a sea of people in front of us, waiting for us and we were on multiple calls at once too. We were the ultimate multi taskers! But somewhere in amongst this frenzy we look after each other (except to this day I still wonder why we kept allowing Maree to just eat cereal .. something quick and back to business). Maree's clients loved her. She was always happy, joking (very politely), very knowledgeable and always very professional. She soon became manager of the brand new  Mt Pleasant Store. Our social life encompassed each  other and a few special close friends. Some of the best times of our lives were probably these years.  We partied as hard as anyone at the regular Flight Centre conferences. We formed connections with our mates from other branches. We went on local island familiarisation trips with other travel agents in the district. We would make use of travel agent deals and go on weekends away together with our partners and friends,  Laguna Quays being a memorable golfing weekend. We played paintball altogether....I remember Maree getting right into this and myself and others ended up with huge bruises after being shot at close range! My profile picture is of Maree and I on the day we went sailing as a familiarisation on Tall Ships that came to Mackay. We had such a great day, I remember us saying words to this effect,  'the whole world could have changed and we would be none the wiser'. Well the world did change that day. We decided to go for a drink after at a pub in town across the river. We couldn't get there directly as the bridge was shut off due to a bikie shoot out in our town,  and then into the pub and looking at the TV revealed that Princess Diana had died! Lastly four of us Flighties decided that it would be a good idea to take a trip to Singapore and Malaysia on the Australia day long weekend taking in Tioman Island, without booking anything except for our international flights. We got lost walking the streets of Singapore looking for a dodgy hotel to stay in and then didn't realise it was monsoonal season to travel the 2 hours by boat to Tioman Island. Probably the worst 2 hours of my life. We had a wonderful 2 days at this incredibly basic 'Nipah Resort, but spent a fair bit of it trying desperately to find a way to get tickets (which miraculously we managed) back on a plane from Tioman to Singapore.  No one was getting us back on that boat again! To this day...I don't know how we managed to get back in that time frame and not get in trouble from work (we were all the managers and probably shouldn't have all left at once... sorry!) This is a snap shot of some of the happy memories that we had. (One other memory,  when anyone from had office came to town we always took them to the only Indian restaurant in town for a feed, so this challenge is just such a perfect idea to honour Maree! She loved the idea of India.)

Cooking for Maree

4 years ago today, we lost our beautiful friend, Maree to breast cancer. 

I’m helping save lives, one tasty course at a time!

This October, I’m taking on the 3 Course Challenge to raise funds for breast cancer trials research. I want to help protect the 1 in 7 women who will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime.

By donating to my page, you’ll help fund clinical trials that are finding new ways to treat, prevent and ultimately cure breast cancer. Your tax-deductible donation would be so appreciated and help make a real difference.

I’m sure it will be no easy feat but I’ll have top chef Sarah Todd to help me! I can’t wait to give it a go, have some fun and cook to help find a cure for breast cancer.