Name: Alannah Eames
Age: 36
Occupation: Writer

My best holiday ever …

We couldn’t do anything without a translator, driver and bodyguard in Russia

A two-week trip to southern Africa. We flew there on the new A380, did the South African wine lands, caught up with old friends in Johannesburg, and spent five days in the amazing Okavango Delta in Botswana sleeping in a tent in a remote bush camp with hyenas and leopards close by. Even though I’ve spent much time in Africa, this was a trip with many ‘firsts’.

I would never return to …

Moscow – unless I was going back as a tourist and I knew a local person. I was sent there on a three-month work assignment but we ‘escaped’ after just five days as it was a nightmare. Not only is it one of the world’s most expensive cities but it’s impossible to communicate and there’s a catch to everything.

We couldn’t do anything without a translator, driver and bodyguard. And all the expats we met just moaned about being there so we got a bad vibe.

If you know a local or speak some Russian, you’ll probably have a different experience. And if you are going as a tourist to see Red Square, the Kremlin and so on, it’s probably worth it. But for me, never again for work!

The most dangerous place I’ve visited …

I spent a year in Nairobi, Kenya, and Johannesburg, South Africa, for work and many would say these are two of the most dangerous places in the world but I never had a bad experience.

Personally, Costa Rica was probably the most dangerous place for me… but not because of the crime.

It’s a beautiful country but I’m scared of spiders and creepy crawlies and every blue frog, snake, lizard and spider we saw was super-poisonous.

My favourite city …

That’s a tough one as every city has its pluses and minuses. But two cities I love going back to and feel a connection with are Istanbul and Berlin. They are two very different cities but both are lively, dynamic and offer a bit of everything.

Istanbul is a heady mix of East meets West and reminds me of the Agatha Christie novels I used to read as a child. It’s got great sights, culture, food and shopping, and, if you don’t go during the winter, nice weather.

I’ve been going to Berlin for 10 years now and love its unique history and the fact it’s always changing.

It’s definitely one of Europe’s trendiest cities but is also great value for money.

My most memorable experience on an aircraft …

A two-hour flight in a single-engine Cessna across the Arctic Ocean from Reykjavik, Iceland, to Kulusuk, on the remoteeast coast of Greenland, flying over floating icebergs and trying to catch glimpses of polarbears. When we landed, we learned that a polar bear had been shot on the same runway the week before.

My most treasured holiday souvenir …

A kiss from a harmless but ugly one-metre long Napoleon wrasse fish in the Maldives. I was snorkelling for the first time ever and heard one of our group shouting that there was a Napoleon wrasse. Also eager to see it, I asked “where” and was told “behind you”.

A few minutes later I felt some suction on my foot and to my horror realised that the wrasse was trying to suck my foot. These fish are harmless but I can still to this day remember how awful the feeling was.

Still it was amazing to get so close to this unusual fish and I guess my white Irish feet were equally exotic for him.

My biggest gaffe abroad …

Forgetting an umbrella and raincoat when visiting Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe/Zambia. (It always pours rain at the falls and is a bit like standing in a massive rain cloud.)

To make matters worse, I wore a short white skirt which was see-through when wet. On the way to the falls, we were challenged by a massive baboon and had to give him the plastic bag I was using for my personal belongings. As a result, I have a picture of myself at one of the world’s top attractions in a see-through skirt with my passport, keys, cash and guidebook stuffed into it!

The friendliest people …

I’ve met loads of nice people on my travels but, as a general rule, I have to say I find islanders very friendly. If I look back on my experiences in Ireland, Malta, Maldives, Mauritius, the Isle of Man, Koh Phangan in Thailand… the locals have all been super-friendly. Maybe it’s because they live in smaller, more remote, places and are open and happy to meet ‘outsiders’.

On the way to Victoria Falls, we were challenged by a massive baboon and I had to give him the plastic bag I was using for my personal belongings

I never travel without …

A sweater, scarf and socks for the flight as I’m always freezing on the plane.

The taxi ride I will never forget …

In Armenia, we had arranged an interview with a CEO from one of the country’s largest companies.

He sent his driver to pick us up from our hotel in Yerevan – in a big black Volga with tinted windows and two ‘bodyguard’ types in the back. We drove for ages up the mountains, before driving through high-security iron gates into an isolated building. I honestly thought we were beingkidnapped.

An unforgettable hotel …

The cockpit suite in the Jumbo Hostel at Stockholm’s Arlanda Airport. It’s a converted Boeing 747 aircraft where you can sleep in the cockpit surrounded by all the flying instruments and with a view over part of the runway. Next door is a small lounge complete with old airplane chairs and ‘in-flight’ entertainment.

Breakfast is just like the breakfast tray you get on a long-haul flight served with fresh bread rolls and coffee, served by ‘crew’ in flight attendant uniforms.

I return most often to …

Ireland – to visit family, rediscover my roots, stock up on Tayto cheese and onion crisps, enjoy a real Irish breakfast and a fresh pint of Guinness.

My ideal travel companion …

I usually love travelling with my husband but, if not, I have to say our little Chihuahua is the next best thing. He’s got an EU pet passport and loves airports and flying, probably because he is the only dog around. If I’m alone, he’s a good ice-breaker as everyone thinks he’s super-cute and I often get better service then too.

Country with the best cuisine …

It’s got to be South Africa for its variety and flavour. You get great seafood, juicy steaks, succulent vegetables, mouth-watering fresh fruits and great local wines. All served (usually) with a smile and some friendly banter. And if you get tired of the local fare, you can also get just about every kind of international food from sushi to Mexican and Italian.

My next holiday plans …

We want to go back to Africa in January – this time to Namibia to see the ferocious black-maned Kalahari lions and the eerie shipwrecks on the Skeleton Coast.

My dream trip …

A long holiday to travel around Latin America – to sail down the Amazon River, to attend a Nando Reis concert in Rio de Janeiro, to see a tango show in Buenos Aires and to visit the ruins of Machu Picchu in Peru.

I partied hardest in …

Probably in Oslo, Norway, because there’s really not much else to do, especially in winter when it is dark, cold and depressing, and if you don’t like skiing or winter sports.

As the locals have discovered, getting drunk is a temporary ‘escape’ from the world around you. But as alcohol is veryexpensive, ‘partying’ usually involves knocking back some drinks at home before going out; otherwise known in Scandinavia as a ‘pre-party’.

My travel tip …

It’s cheesy and touristy but on your first day in a new city, go on the hop-on hop-off bus sightseeing tour.

It’s the best way to get an overview of a new place, to decide what you want to see and do… and if you’re jetlagged, you can sit back and relax without wasting a day of your holiday.

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