Name
Audrey Harrison
Age
30
Occupation
Actress and student
My best holiday ever…
Was when I spent six weeks travelling from Malaysia to Thailand in 2003. I usually refer to that holiday as ‘the honeymoon with my friends Oriana, Amanda and Charmain’ since we visited such beautiful and romantic places I couldn’t describe it in any other way.
I loved every bit of it and treasure every single memory, from mountain trekking to the pristine empty beaches and tiny islands in the middle of nowhere.
I managed to take videos and pictures of every single place we visited and when I look at them I always say I have to go there at least one more time, with my family.
However, I would definitely skip Bangkok; it is too polluted and sometimes I still get a whiff of that nasty odour which reminds me of it – it is revolting.
I would never return to…
Sofia in Bulgaria – unless I get a free ticket of course, in which case I would spend the time shopping around for cheap stuff and dining out.
My two-week Christmas holidays in 2005 turned out to be quite a disappointment, with the weather too cold and the atmosphere of Sofia too bleak.
The food, on the other hand, was so cheap that we endedup spending much of the time eating.
The fact that you don’t find beef there was also disappointing, but at least they make delicious pancakes for dessert.
My favourite city…
I am not sure which one I prefer between Florence and Paris, since I love them both. They’re both romantic, have beautiful architecture, great museums to visit, and the food is great too. I put them both on the podium atnumber one.
My most memorable experience on an aircraft…
Actually, I have two: a 14-hour flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur on a luxurious Boeing 777.
I was dreading it, but I slept for 10 hours and woke up just to dine – by now you must have realised I’m a food lover.
Another time was on a small 50-passenger aircraft which took us from Bangkok to Phuket.
It jolted all the way, making very strange sounds and the one-hour flight felt like it would never end.
We prayed for our livesand thanked God at the end for arriving safely.
My most treasured holiday souvenir…
A hand-sewn, multi-coloured, striped throw-over I purchased from a market in Tunisia in 2005.
I remember the seller asked us the ridiculous price of 150 dinars, and as we were walking away, he shouted at us, “That is American price; for you, Malta ħanina ħobża w sardina, I give Maltese price,” and we managed to bargain him down to a mere 20 dinars.
I still love it and get comments about how pretty my throw-over is. Nice and cheap.
My biggest gaffe abroad…
Ending up in a scuffle with a Thai woman because I didn’t buy one of her products.
When I put it back in its place, she and two other women started shouting and running after me.
I didn’t understand a word and kept on walking.
When she reached us, my friend Amanda came to my rescue and I hurried away, while she tried to explain to the women that I was not interested in buying the product.
I can’t even recall what it was, maybe a sort of toy.
If it wasn’t for my friend, they would have definitely beatenme up.
The friendliest people…
My husband and I have visited Corfu and Crete a couple of times and we always agree on how nice, helpful and friendly the people are there.
That is one of the reasons we keep on visiting the islands every year. So yes, 12 points go to Greece!
I never travel without...
A Lonely Planet travel guide. They’re so practical and you can find anything related to travelling, from sightseeing and restaurants, to itineraries suited to every kind of holiday, and much more.
I do suggest that even experienced travellers should carry one in their backpack each time they travel.
My all-time favourite holiday photo...
The first picture I took with my son Craig on his first holiday last April in London at Archbishop’s Park, opposite Westminster Abbey.
An unforgettable hotel...
The one we stayed at in Cefalù, Sicily. We had booked a normal room and as we checked in, the receptionist informed us she couldn’t give us the room we had booked. Instead she upgraded us to the honeymoon suite, which was amazingly luxurious with stunning views, at no additional cost.
That was a lucky holiday, I must say.
I return most often to...
Rome. I love the city and it’s quite close. I tend to find good excuses to visit.
My ideal travel companion...
My husband, Neil. He’s fun to be with, we love the same kind of stuff such as places to visit and, best of all, he’s not finicky about anything.
I leave all the planning in his hands, and he does a perfect job every time. I just go and relax.
Another plus is whenever we travel overland he doesn’t mind driving, which is great because I absolutely hate driving.
So we’re fine. A perfect fit.
Country with the best cuisine...
It’s a tie between Italy and Greece. I love Italian pizza and pasta, but I’ve added some Greek delicacies to my top dishes list over the years.
These include dolmades (rice wrapped in vine leaves) and tzatziki (yoghurt with cucumbers), which are nothing out of the ordinary, but I just love eating them.
Lately I’ve started appreciating Italian sweet pastries as well.
My next holiday plans…
I have invited myself to two weddings of fellow students which will take place in the very near future; one in China and the other in India.
In the meantime, short breaks in places close to Malta which I haven’t visited – such as Spain, Cyprus and Turkey – wouldn’t do any harm.
My dream trip…
Travelling through South America, all the way from Panama, through Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Brazil, Chile and finally Argentina, down to the very tip of Cape Horn. That would be quite a feat.
I partied hardest in…
Trafalgar Square in London, way back in 1999. I’m not a party animal, but being in the middle of thousands of people celebrating the New Year prevented my feet from sticking to the ground for longer than a second.
That was an amazing night I spent with a dear old school friend whom I don’t get to see much lately. I hope Sarah reads this and remembers the good times.
My travel tip…
Well, I love to search for quaint and quiet places rather than busy and noisy ones. We also look out for traditional rather than tourist areas, especially when it comes to dining; we appreciate the genuine and traditional local food.
I would advise all parents who have never travelled with their children to just do it – it’s great fun travelling with your little ones!