The Irish Mail on Sunday

Enticed by the great call of China

-

CONTINUING our series featuring the holiday memories of famous people, this week TV presenter

JOHN CRAVEN, 77, recalls his life of adventures… First holiday I can remember:

In a very basic caravan when I was four. It was during the war and holidays were not really on the agenda but my mother and Aunty Edna (my dad was a prisoner of the Japanese) took me for a week in the countrysid­e at Eccup, not far from our home in Leeds. A bad-tempered guinea fowl pecked me – I’ve been wary of them ever since. First school trip:

To Cambridge and Ely when I was 12 with the junior historical society of my grammar school, Leeds Modern. Having never travelled south of Yorkshire before, the coach journey seemed to take for ever. We stayed at a hostel in Saffron Walden and I remember wondering where all the hills had gone. First time abroad:

I was 21 and went with some friends to the once fashionabl­e Adriatic town of Opatija in the former Yugoslavia. Choosing a Communist country during the Cold War seemed rather daring but everything was remarkably relaxed. I wasn’t used to strong sunshine and got so burnt that when I swam in the sea my skin floated around me like big bubbles. A lesson learned. My honeymoon:

Our plans were cut short when, just before the wedding, I landed my first network TV presenting job. We married on the Saturday and I recorded a new children’s programme Search (which led to Newsround) a few days later. It was my big break and Marilyn was very understand­ing. We spent a couple of nights in Cornwall and later that year had a proper honeymoon in Tunisia. Best holiday ever:

Three weeks in the southern United States, starting in New Orleans, soaking up the fantastic atmosphere of the French Quarter and all that jazz, loving the creole food, and searching for alligators in the Louisiana swamps. Then we went to Kentucky, with its swathes of blue grass everywhere, before boarding a Mississipp­i paddle-steamer to Memphis. We visited Sun Studios, where Elvis cut his first records, and Graceland, his surprising­ly modest home. My favourite place:

China. I’ve been going there, for both work and pleasure, for more than 30 years and seen incredible changes. The sheer size and beauty of the place still blows my mind. On my first journey, I came across the western end of the Great Wall – after 13,000 miles it suddenly stops in the middle of nowhere. Quite bizarre. There is so much to enjoy off the main tourist routes but don’t miss the giant pandas of Chengdu. Dream destinatio­n:

Antarctica. The frozen continent is so compelling and different. My perfect holiday companion:

My wife. We’ve had some wonderful trips together and, unlike me, she’s a brilliant organiser.

 ?? JOHN CRAVEN ?? BUNDLES OF JOY: John with some panda cubs in Chengdu. Below left: On a trip along the Mississipp­i
JOHN CRAVEN BUNDLES OF JOY: John with some panda cubs in Chengdu. Below left: On a trip along the Mississipp­i
 ??  ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Ireland