Roxane Hayward: When not in LA…
SA actress Roxane Hayward will be starring in the Hollywood feature and is popular for her role in the US TV series Clinton spoke to her
First holiday memory?
If I think as far back as I can, it takes me to one of the many game lodges I went with my parents and sisters over weekends. My mom and dad were in the travel industry, so weekends were far from normal – my homework on Monday would either arrive at the teacher’s desk all dusty or wouldn’t make it to her, having being “eaten by hyenas”.
We used to visit a different game lodge every weekend for their work.
My earliest memory would be sitting outside watching the animals gather at a watering hole with the sunset in the background. I was learning the names of all the animals and remember getting buffalo and wildebeest mixed up. I loved learning about our African animals. Favourite place in South Africa?
We used to visit a private area in the Cradle of Humankind – one of my favourite places in the world. It was magical. Beautiful streams with crystal clear water, regal eland quietly passing by and adventurous walks among ancient olive trees. It is one of the most unspoilt areas of South Africa. Best holiday?
Cuba. My sister had just moved to the US, so our holiday started off with my parents and grandmother and I visiting her in Florida for a few days.
The plan was to spend double the time in Cuba. I was 8 years old and remember thinking “why on earth are we leaving big, bright America to go to this weird place called Cuba?”
I felt like I had stepped back in time onto a movie set. It was before Buena Vista Social Club or Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights came out – so Cuba was very uncommercial and untouched.
We would walk the streets during the day watching people pass the time playing dominoes on the pavement. We visited cigar factories, where I learnt about the art of cigar rolling. What have you learnt from your travels?
I have learnt that people and their differences are what make the world an interesting place to live in. Our cultures, traditions, religions and history are what set us apart, but they can also bring us closer. Ideal travel companion?
Oh no, I can’t answer this question. It’s going to cause a war in my family, ha ha. My dad always knows how to find an adventure in the most remote, untouched locations. My mom knows how to find the best restaurants, tavernas and cafés, while my boyfriend knows how to make sure we relax. Beach bum, culture vulture or adrenalin junkie?
Definitely a culture vulture. And by culture, I mean food. One thing I’ve come to learn is that the thing that excites me most about travel is trying out new cuisines. It isn’t a good match with my modelling and acting career, but life is all about balance.
In Thailand I could eat incredible food all day but spend all afternoon burning it off at Muay Thai training – the perfect combo. Greatest travel luxury?
Without a doubt my handembroidered Kashmiri shawl. It is my blanket on the plane and my scarf when I land at a chilly destination.
And a touch of glam while travelling definitely adds a bit of a sparkle – even to an eight-hour layover in Dubai airport. Holiday reading?
I actually never take a book with me on holiday… I’m either too busy talking to my travel companions or out and about exploring. If I do read while on holiday, it’s only ever about cultural customs or to learn useful phrases and words.
I might read up reviews on restaurants or activities if I can’t find a local to point me in the right direction. Hopefully, I’ll be able to write my own Eat, Pray, Love one day – an actionadventure version so that we can create a blockbuster film adaptation. Which place has seduced you?
Greece. Nothing can compare to those blue waters and that captivating culture – from their music to their food, their language to their dancing. It is a country rich with traditions and oozing passion. Worst travel experience?
Nearly being kidnapped in London. One minute I was walking down a quiet street on a sunny Sunday afternoon, the next I was running away from a man who had tried to throw me into the back of his car with tinted windows.
He got back into his car and followed me, but I thought quickly on my feet and ran down a one-way road, forcing him to drive in the opposite direction. Best hotel? Hayward’s Safaris. It’s a five-star, mobile, tented safari hotel. It takes you back in time and takes luxury to another level – from the Persian carpets in each tent to the hot water bottle put in each bed on chilly evenings. No one safari is the same. Favourite walk, swim, ride or drive?
I went to Cypress with a few Greek and Cypriot friends one year. So one day we decided to take the car and ignore the road signs. We did the opposite of what all the directions pointed out to us and arrived at the most remote, quite special beach any of us had seen.
And the water? Crystal clear! It magnified the pebbles at the bottom of the ocean. I only realised how far out we had swam when I tried to touch the bottom of the ocean, which looked like it was right
under my feet. It was not. Best meal abroad? From fresh sardines and prawns in Portugal grilled to perfection to delicately stuffed zucchini flowers in Italy, I’ve been lucky enough to have some of the most incredible taste sensations. Favourite city? Paris. As soon as I arrived at the station from London, it became clear to me why it’s the city where so many artists, poets, playwrights and visionaries came for inspiration. From the evening lights along the streets to the meticulously trimmed trees lining the roads, every aspect is so well thought out. Where to next?
Los Angeles… It really is an awesome place filled with people who are all dreamers, believers and full of hope. The energy is contagious. I love walking around and hearing my industry’s lingo on ever corner. I feel like I’m constantly on a film set.