‘Do follow the trail of the locals’

Name: Ivan Filletti
Age: 42
Occupation: Singer/songwriter/field marketing manager

My best holiday ever…

New Zealand is wilderness, ghost towns, magical scenery and driving for hours without traffic”

Lara and I honeymooned in New Zealand and Australia. New Zealand’s South Island is full of diverse and magnificent landscapes. It’s a photographer’s dream, and a country where the travel brochure truly comes alive.

We landed in Christchurch a couple of months after the first big earthquake there in 2010.

The minute we landed, the taxi driver realised we were Maltese and recommended a restaurant called Palazzo del Marinaio run by George Spiteri, a Maltese entrepreneur based in Christchurch. We Maltese are everywhere!

Sure enough we had dinner there on our first night and the affable George was the perfect host,ensuring we had a great start to our honeymoon.

We drove around South Island visiting Oamaru, the Moeraki Boulders, Dunedin, and taking the full length of the Catlins coast.

We cruised the full length of Milford Sound, past St Anne’s Point and out into the Tasman Sea and back.

I will never forget the rugged splendour that is Milford Sound with its towering cliffs, cascading waterfalls and lush rainforest.

We got close to the local wildlife including fur seals and dolphins, and went paragliding in Queenstown, which is an adrenaline junkies’ paradise. Hanging in tandem with a paraglide instructor as hundreds of towering fir trees whip by in a blur is not my usual cup of tea but I wanted a taste of Jonathan LivingstonSeagull in Queenstown.

We drove the dramatic twists and turns of the Haast pass, spent time at Jackson Bay, one of the most remote villages in New Zealand, and went heli-hiking on the Franz JosefGlacier.

New Zealand to me is wilderness, remote locations, ghost towns, magical scenery and driving for hours without seeing any traffic.

We actually got lost in the forest driving to the Mohua Park eco-cottage. We lost all mobile and GPS connections so we were practically stranded somewhere in Mohua Park. My wife panicked so I made sure I appeared calm.

I somehow managed to get to a sleeper town, found the only restaurant open at 9 p.m. and the owner of the eco-cottages drove out to rescue us in the rain.

The next morning was a sight to behold – mountain ranges, grazing sheep and not a living soul for miles on end.

I would never return to…

Costa Brava in Spain. It is full of lager louts in Union Jack T-shirts, cheap foam parties and lousy food.

Our intention was to start our holiday on the Costa Brava prior to travelling to Barcelona for a U2 concert at the Nou Camp.

I refused to stay more than one night there so within 24 hours we headed to Barcelona, I got my mojo back at the Nou Camp with Bono and co. and spent the rest of the trip in bliss. Holiday saved.

The most dangerous place I’ve visited…

Tijuana, Mexico. My family and I travelled to Tijuana for my brother Vittorio’s ordination – he is a priest with the Missionaries of Charity Fathers, an offshoot of Mother Theresa’s order. We stayed in the missionary compound and slept in a caravan guarded by security guards, listening to gunshot sounds piercing the Tijuana night.

We stayed in the missionary compound and slept in a caravan guarded by security guards, listening to gunshot sounds piercing the Tijuana night

Tourists enter Tijuana through the border crossing at San Ysidro, which is reportedly the busiest border crossing in the world. With a then Maltese green passport and the guards having no clue where Malta was, crossing the border from San Diego through San Ysidro was no walk in the park.

And entering Mexico elicits surprise as well from the American inspectors who regularly stop southbound cars, looking for gun traffickers and money launderers.

“You sure you want to go down there?” a Tijuana border policeman asked me.

I also accompanied my brother to the jail where drug pushers had their own little flats depending on the drug cartel they were connected too.

A small plaza catered for children’s visits and you just did not want to get lost since chances were you would never get out.

I experienced firsthand overcrowding in prisons and inmates waiting for years to stand trial, practically forgotten within the bowels of the Mexican justice system.

My favourite city…

Rome. The food, culture, bookshops and the Roman lifestyle in general. I had watched Claudio Baglioni at the Teatro dell’ Opera; little did I know we would be performing in Malta together years later.

My most memorable experience on an aircraft...

I never grew out of ‘want to be a pilot’ phase so every flight for me is a child-like experience.

But hiring a plane and cruising over the White Barrier Reef and landing at the White Haven Beach for a day on pure white silicon sand will surely remain etched in my memory forever.

My most treasured holiday souvenir…

During a family reunion we got to meet Mother Theresa in Rome and I will treasure the photo forever.

My biggest gaffe abroad…

On the Greek island of Naxos. I decided to hire a car, signed the documents, started the car and oops… crashed!

The friendliest people…

The Irish. They have great pubs, music is part of their DNA and they make you feel at home.

I never travel without...

Books, music and a restaurant itinerary. There is nothing better than a good read, discovering new sounds and enjoying a good meal.

The taxi ride I will never forget…

I make it a point to sit in the front and get talking to the driver. I travelled to the MTV Awards in Rome and climbed into a taxi with friends.

The driver was arguing with his wife on his mobile and I just couldn’t get his attention. So I placed our lady friend’s newly-bought underwear on his rear view mirror and in true Italian fashion he put the phone down, told us all about his marital problems and the conversation never stopped.

I return most often to...

Manchester in the UK. I have family living in Burtonwood so I try to immerse myself in the UK lifestyle.

My ideal travel companion...

Someone who enjoys eating, immersing themselves in the local culture and appreciates momentsof silence without unnecessaryconversation.

Country with the best cuisine...

Italy. My bachelor’s party was organised around food and music in Sicily. A meal with 25 types of antipasti, three different types of pasta and a selection of grilled mixed fish is symphony to my soul.

My next holiday plans...

I’m a dad now so I will have to plan accordingly. I guess this would depend on finding a babysitter.

My dream trip…

New York. I want to experience the city that doesn’t sleep, hang out in the blues clubs and ride in yellow cabs.

I partied hardest in…

Mykonos, Greece. I had missed a holiday with my friends when still a bachelor so I travelled with my girlfriend, who is now my wife, and another couple and made up for lost time.

We partied around the islands and when she slept I snuck out to acouple of clubs.

I’ve also been on friend’s bachelor parties in Munich and Madrid but ‘what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas…’ as they say.

My travel tip….

Get to know the locals and follow their trail. If necessary, get lost.