Tripping with...
Whether she’s exploring California or squatting in South America, the Australian-born, Los Angeles-based actress, rapper and cookbook author is all about adventure.
Adventure-lover Abbie Cornish recalls her ultimate road trip
Where are you right now?
I’m about to eat some Japanese food on the Melbourne set of a miniseries I’m shooting for the Seven Network called Secret Bridesmaids’ Business.
And where did you go on your last trip?
Over Christmas, I visited my mum in Byron Bay [NSW], where she lives on a macadamia nut farm. It’s incredibly beautiful and we had a wonderful time.
What was your typical childhood holiday?
I grew up in rural NSW on a 70-hectare farm in Lochinvar in the Hunter Valley so our family holidays were always about getting to the ocean and visiting family from the Central Coast right up to Brisbane. I left home just before I turned 16. As soon as I finished school I started travelling on my own through Europe, South America and the United States and I fell in love with it. I travelled for most of my late teens and early 20s.
Do you tend to wander or make a plan?
It’s nice to be organised, to have all of your flights and accommodation ready to go but then leave room to go with the flow.
Is there a place you keep returning to?
I tend to do circles around Europe and I always end up in England.
Which destination was a surprise to you?
When I was about 20, I lived with friends in an abandoned house just outside the city of Maceió in Brazil for a couple of months, training in [AfroBrazilian martial art] capoeira and getting to know the locals. It really surprised me how the community embraced us. They didn’t have much but anything they did have, they’d share with us. We’d share our surfboards and skateboards with the kids and we’d always get them back at the end of the day. It was amazing.
Have you ever been fleeced?
When we were in Brazil, someone broke into the house we were staying at. Because the community around us got together and figured out who it was, the police got the guy and we got most of our stuff back.
Have you ever taken a great road trip?
In 2013, I’d just finished three years of back-to-back work and for a holiday, I rented a luxury RV. I’d always wanted to do it and I invited my little sister [actress Isabelle Cornish] and her then boyfriend and we drove this massive thing all around California. We covered 3800 kilometres in two weeks – Los Angeles, Big Sur, San Francisco, Yosemite, Death Valley, Joshua Tree... It was the best.
What’s the biggest culture shock you’ve experienced?
San Juan Chilateca, a beautiful small town outside Oaxaca, Mexico, is secluded and sustainable and there’s not a piece of
“I DO LOVE LITTLE LUXURIES, MAINLY BECAUSE I STARTED TRAVELLING WITH NOTHING.”
rubbish anywhere. There are no televisions and everything they eat and drink is from the land. It’s like a different time and there’s so much love and respect from the people for the place that they live in. It made me realise how simple things can be.
Do you prefer resort or rustic?
A bit of both. I do love little luxuries, mainly because I started travelling with nothing – a Swiss Army knife, a baguette, tomato and piece of cheese – so I have a great appreciation for luxury. But the country girl in me loves lighting a fire, cooking over it and getting my hands dirty.
When you enter a hotel room, what’s the first thing that you do?
I set the ambience – adjust the light, open the windows, let in some fresh air. I love to set the mood a little bit.
What do you most like to find in the minibar?
I’m not into minibar snacks or soft drink so for me it’s just about hydration: water, coconut water, sparkling water and nice wine.
Can you share a particularly memorable dining experience from your travels?
One of my close friends was a personal assistant to the artist Sandro Chia and I used to go and visit her in Italy. I remember we had an incredible late lunch/early dinner in Montalcino as the sun was setting. It was just magical. The wine was flowing and the food was impeccable.
What are you likely to bring home from your trips?
Most of my jewellery is from my travels. I love finding something representative of my relationship with a place. In my early 20s, in New York, I bought a pencil sketch of the city from a homeless guy for $5 and I had it framed. I love it. It’s really cool and beautifully done.
When you’re in a different city for work, do you get out and see the sights?
Absolutely. I’ve been in Melbourne for three weeks and I’ve tried about 12 different restaurants.
Is there a place that you could have given a miss?
When I was 19, I had a couple of dodgy encounters in Morocco. I remember one night being in a car that was having mechanical issues and handing over a necklace to pass a gate. That was scary. I would have given that a miss.
Have you ever been lost while travelling?
I’m pretty good with maps. I think if you have a map and a compass, old-school style, you’re fine. The only time you can get lost is when you rely on a device and it switches off and you can’t speak the language.
What’s your number-one travel bugbear?
Lousy service, like if you turn up to a hotel and it’s all mixed up and no-one is fixing it.
If you could be anywhere else in the world right now, where would you be?
Anywhere with my fiancé [MMA fighter Adel Altamimi]. We’re getting used to being apart for work but it’s hard. We’ve decided we’re going to go somewhere together every six months and have a holiday. When I finish this job, we’re thinking of going to Hawaii. I can’t wait.