My Holiday: Thalia Kehoe Rowden
with pauses for museums and shows. Learning or practising as much of the local language as I can while I’m there.
What’s your dream destination? I’ve been reading books set in Russia since I was little. One day I’ll see it myself. What’s the dumbest thing you’ve ever done when travelling? An embarrassing number of times I have been too timid to ask how to take the most convenient public transport and have ended up walking for hours in the rain. Once this happened on a public holiday in Tahiti and I very nearly missed the only ferry back to the city from a day trip swimming with stingrays (it was supposed to be dolphins but they were hiding that day — or perhaps taking a well-earned day off, like the bus drivers). What will you always have in your hand luggage? I mostly travel with only carry-on these days. So, everything!
What’s the best thing you’ve brought back from a trip? An intricately framed painting of Mullion Beach in Cornwall. A miracle it got home in one piece. Complete this sentence: I can’t travel without:
My own pillow. In my old age I’ve taken to squishing up a low feather pillow in my bag so I can be sure
I’ll sleep okay, no matter what weird lumps of concrete are on the next bed I sleep in.
Favourite airport to land at? Wellington. The view is incredible, no matter the approach or the weather, and it’s home, despite the bumps.
What’s the next trip you have planned? A Coromandel beach for family Christmas. My kids are already planning their camping exploits, though I prefer indoor plumbing, myself. I plan to spend my time swimming in the ocean or reading in the sun
(if there is any), and this might be the year we teach the next generation to play 500. Maybe even with better attitudes than their elders!