Name: Nick Morales
Age: 30
Occupation: NoSnow/NoAlps guitarist and vocalist
My best holiday ever…
I have two, and they both took place this year. The first one was a trip to Thailand and Cambodia in March with my dad to visit my brother and my friend Mikey.
My friend told this kid in England that we don’t smoke, so the kid started punching him in the face
My brother had been travelling around the world and I had wanted to go to Asia for a long time. Mikey had been living there a while and he had started to pick up the language, so it was very funny listening to him communicating in Thai. I had a great time with a great group of people.
The second one has to be an acoustic tour I did in September around Europe to promote our debut album Romantikpolitik together with Sarah Falzon from the band and my Danish friend and promoter Jesper Ejrup. We played 13 shows in 22 days around Copenhagen, Paris, London and Milan.
Being in a different country every few days was a great feeling. We were always on the go and we didn’t know what was going to be around the next corner.
We met a lot of interesting people on that trip and being with Sarah and Jesper was great fun, of course.
I would never return to…
That’s a very hard question I probably can’t answer because I have always had a great experience everywhere I’ve been. Although I would probably never return to certain London hotels.
The most dangerous place I’ve visited…
I would have to say England – because of the kids! In London there are too many kids with guns and knives. I also had a bad experience at Leeds Festival.
We were walking down the road to a supermarket and a group of young kids – certainly younger than us – stopped us and asked us for a cigarette. My friend told him that we don’t smoke and the guy started punching my friend in the face for no reason.
We were shocked and started to run away, not knowing if these crazy kids had knives since we had read about a lot of stabbings in the area.
All I can remember is setting off as fast as we could towards the house we were staying at and screaming at my friends behind us “Runnnn!”
My favourite city…
It probably has to be Copenhagen for the simple reason that I have really good friends there, especially Jesper, who helps us to book gigs and promote our band around the city.
I have been to the city seven times, including visits with other local acts (Cable35, Carrie Haber, Red Electrick and For Strings Inn). While there I have made loads of friends and met many promoters.
Copenhagen also has my favourite ‘town’ in the world, Christiania. It is a self-proclaimed, autonomous neighbourhood of about 850 residents in the borough of Christianshavn. The authorities in Copenhagen regard Christiania as a large commune, but the area has a unique status in that it is regulated by a special law. I also love Barcelona because it’s full of life
My most memorable experience on an aircraft…
I was coming back home from a festival in Spain called FIB in Benicàssim and lowered my seat to try take a nap.
The guy behind me went crazy and wanted me to put my seat back up, but I stoically resisted and told him I had the right to keep my seat down and if he had a problem he could call someone and change his seat.
Unfortunately, there was no other seat available, so this guy expressed his stoic resistance by kicking my seat and grumbling all through the flight.
My most treasured holiday souvenir…
Probably my Cambodian violin.
My biggest gaffe abroad…
In Cambodia I was visiting the Angkor Wat temples and my friend Steffe and I bought a painting we liked from a guy. He convinced us he had painted it himself and I believed him, to such an extent that I even had my photo taken with this unsung artist. Alas, the illusion was shattered after walking a bit further, when we saw another five guys selling the same painting.
The friendliest people…
I have had so many good experiences with people that I find it tricky to choose people from one particular place.
When I went to Cambodia thepeople were really nice, happy and super-helpful.
On my last tour with NoSnow/NoAlps we stayed withpeople who made us feel really welcome, especially Jasmina in Paris and the amazing twins Matteo and Marco Camisasca in Italy. They really took great care of us.
I never travel without...
I just need my passport, shoes and some clothes – everything else is extra.
My all-time favourite holiday photo...
I love all photos of me and my bandmates and friends at music festivals because they show how much fun we were having. I do have a special photo of myself in a clean toilet at Rock am Ring festival in Germany which my friend Leigh took. My face is full of joy because I generally hate festival toilets – they are the worst in the world. Perhaps it isn’t suitable for The Sunday Times though!
I also love the photo of Sarahand me on the grass a day after our show in Austria at this venue in Linz together with Ira Losco and RedElectrick.
An unforgettable hotel...
It has to be the hotel we stayed at in Russell Square, London during our tour.
After only a few hours of sleep a fire alarm started ringing at 7 a.m. and continued ringing for two hours straight.
I have to be honest and say that I can’t remember half of the holiday, but I heard we had a blast
When we went to ask what was wrong they told us not to worry because it was a false alarm.
We were outraged, especially since we had two shows to prepare forthat night. But when I look back on it now, it was a pretty funny experience.
I return most often to…
Copenhagen, for the reasons Imentioned earlier.
My ideal travel companion...
Different people are ideal for different travels. I like to travel with good friends, my bandmates or with other bands.
Country with the best cuisine…
It has to be Cambodia because when I was there I had the best western food, the best Asian food and the best Lebanese food I have ever tasted.
My next holiday plans…
A trip with my band… to Copenhagen, of course.
My dream trip…
To tour around the world playing music.
I partied hardest in…
Germany at the Rock am Ring festival. I was with a group of Maltese and Danish people and we were full of energy. Somehow we all met up and stayed together.
The Danish can be as loud as the Maltese, if not louder. I have to be honest and say that I can’t remember half of the holiday, but I heard we had a blast!
My travel tip…
Travel light and take only the memories with you.