A LIFE IN TRAVEL
The Kiwi musician on his favourite travel memories
What Being do able you to see miss good most concerts. about travel There’s right so much now? more in America. If it wasn’t for Covid, my band and I would’ve been touring there this year. What are your strongest memories from your first overseas trip?
Visiting Fiji as a child, I was very inspired by the deepfried pancakes. Also, we got to drink kava and it made us kids go quite numb and fall asleep. I was 10 years old and the local band playing at the bar let me join in with them. What was a standard family holiday like when growing up?
Dad making us go camping and my hating it. Tents suck!
What is the greatest trip you’ve ever been on?
Apart from the tours we’ve put together around NZ in my band, I got to see Van Morrison in the States. And the worst?
I played a gig in Rotorua and accidentally stayed at the place that had been named the worst accommodation in New Zealand. There was blood on the curtains. We also got locked out for three hours after midnight and couldn’t wake up the guy who ran the “24-hour service desk”. Man, pretty lucky that’s the worst I’ve experienced.
Pretty nice life huh?
What is the destination that most surprised you — good or bad?
I played in a band on a cruise ship around the Pacific Islands five years ago. It was a super-intense and strange experience.
Where was your most memorable sunrise/sunset?
I saw the bands Wilco and Big Thief in Portland, Maine. It was an outdoor show, with an amazing sunset.
What’s the first thing you do when you get home from a long trip?
Avoid looking at my bank balance.
What do you miss most about home when you travel?
Playing the guitar. After about two weeks I really miss playing.
Where is the one destination you must see in your lifetime?
I want to go to the moon, goddammit! I’ll never have the money for that kind of experience so I’ll happy apply to be a guinea pig for any kind of space travel, Mars, the sun, you name it.