Name: Alison Galea
Age: 34
Occupation: Musician
My best holiday ever…
Paris is my second home and the most beautiful city I have ever seen
In 2004, I travelled with my band, Beangrowers, for our first concerts in the US. We performed in Austin, Texas and in New York.
We took some time off in between gigs to see a little bit of NYC and I was eternally impressed with the grandeur of this city, the height of the skyscrapers and how small it made you feel.
I was immediately taken in by the sounds, the different kinds of people and infinite choices this city could give me.
The views from the top of the Empire State Building are breathtaking. Seeing Ground Zero with my own eyes made me realise how big a tragedy the September 11 attacks were for so many innocent people.
I would never return to…
Angermuende in Germany. I went there to play a concert and it was such a sad little town with nothing happening. You could feel the boredom oozing out of the walls of the little houses and buildings. Even the graffiti on the walls spoke of how hated that little place is.
The most dangerous place I’ve visited…
I do not remember ever being in a particularly dangerous place. I always take extra care to plan my trips well and to avoid putting myself in dangerous situations.
Living in a big city for a long time has made me quite streetwise and I am aware of my surroundings, wherever I am.
When I think back to my weekends spent in Paceville as a teenager and walking home after a night out through the dark streets of Swieqi, it makes me realise that those were the most dangerous places I have ever set foot in.
My favourite city…
The number one spot in my list of favourite cities goes to Berlin. I have been there numerous times since my first visit in 1997 (again to play concerts with my band).
Perhaps it is because I feel I ‘grew up’ there that makes me love the German capital so much. The people are relaxed and sincere about what they do – especially artists and musicians – and I have always felt welcome.
In Berlin, everyone can be who they want to be and nobody judges you. Gay people can be gay, punks can be punks, and business people can go about their business freely.
My most memorable experience on an aircraft…
There are two equally memorable experiences. The first one was when I flew over Greenland and could not take my eyes off the vast sea of ice and water – it looked so peaceful and beautiful.
The second was a more horrible experience when trying to land in 170- km winds in Vienna. All of us inside that aircraft could feel that we were in danger and I was terrified.
It was like a rollercoaster ride and I knew that if the pilot got it wrong, we were not going to escape without a scratch.
Luckily, all went well. After we had landed, we found out that Vienna airport stopped all other planes from landing in such strong winds that day.
My most treasured holiday souvenir…
My vintage early 1980s white boots that I still wear as my lucky charm. I found them in Berlin and I wear them for special parties or concerts because they make me want to dance.
My biggest gaffe abroad…
I am usually very careful when abroad but the funniest gaffe I made was in Oxford many years ago. I was deep in conversation with a friend I was visiting, not paying attention to the pavement, when I walked straight into a bollard.
My friend kept walking and suddenly turned around to find me turning bright red in embarrassment and pain. My friend took a photo of me with this bollard to immortalise that moment, but it cannot be shared and remains in my very private photo collection.
The friendliest people…
Never have I felt as welcome as in Scotland. In Edinburgh, within a couple of days, I felt as if I had lived there for a while and everyone gave me a lovely, effortless smile.
I never travel without...
My camera and my ear plugs. The camera helps me save valuable memories and the ear plugs help to keep out the noise and pressure on planes and trains.
The taxi ride I will never forget…
Hailing my first yellow taxi in New York and feeling like I was in one of the hundreds of films that I have seen of people hailing cabs in the city.
My all-time favourite holiday photo...
There are simply too many good ones to choose from. Every trip has been important to me.
Gay people can be gay, punks can be punks, and business people can go about their business freely in Berlin
An unforgettable hotel...
The best hotel I have ever stayed in is the Gastwerk Design Hotel in Hamburg.
It was an old gas plant which brought light to the streets of the city and was impressively restored to become Hamburg’s first design hotel. The loft-style rooms and service was amazing and I felt like I had to dress up to feel I was a worthy guest.
I return most often to...
Paris, my second home and the most beautiful city I have ever seen.
My ideal travel companion...
I have travelled with my band members and with lots of friends but my ideal travel companions are my girlfriends. We book an annual ‘ladies only’ holiday together, and somehow, the combination of people and characters seems to work perfectly.
We laugh a lot, share the same interests, and when we travel, we leave any issues or stressful thoughts behind. Our common aim is to have a whale of a time together.
Country with the best cuisine...
I am impressed at how the French take pleasure in cooking the finest of dishes and their standard is very high.
Having lived in Paris for a number of years, you get accustomed to these standards and find it difficult to adjust elsewhere, especially when eating out.
However, being a vegetarian, Italy is my favourite. It has the best, fuss-free dishes with only the most natural ingredients and dishes that are almost always fatti in casa.
My next holiday plans…
Tuscany for a short break this autumn.
My dream trip…
Brazil. It is the country I would most like to visit and experience. I love their music, the people I have met and their infectious joie de vivre.
I partied hardest in…
East Berlin, in the late 1990s, when it was still full of squatted buildings turned into clubs, in which people would organise impromptu dance parties and gigs. There, I would dance the night away with all kinds of people who just wanted to be out and have fun.
My travel tip…
Always read up about the places you visit beforehand and be respectful of people’s traditions and culture.
Try and learn a few phrases in the language of the country you are visiting. The locals will appreciate that, just as we appreciate it when someone foreign tries to speak Maltese.