The sheer scale of the Grand Canyon has to be seen to be believed, says Grand Designs NZ host Tom Webster. Photo / 123RF
A LIFE IN TRAVEL...
TOM WEBSTER
The Grand Designs New Zealand host recalls his favourite holidays and dream destinations
What are your strongest memories from the first overseas trip you ever took?
My first was to Ile-aux-Moines, an island in the Gulf of Morbihan in Northern France. I remember a pet tortoise named Rosalie and visiting ancient neolithic dolmens, all very exotic for a 6-year-old.
What was a standard family holiday like when growing up?
A week or two at an old mill house in Devon. The mill was in its own little valley with no TV reception but shelves full of old National Geographic magazines and a collection of outbuildings that we would play in all day. There was also a short walk through the woods to an empty sandy beach, a rare thing in England.
Who has most inspired your travels?
Friends. Travelling to see far-flung friends is my favourite way to see the world; you get a much more immersive, local experience being hosted rather than being on the tourist trail.
What is the greatest trip you’ve ever been on?
A round-the-world trip, starting in the Galapagos; then South America and Patagonia; Rapa Nui; Tahiti; a year working and exploring New Zealand; followed by Australia; China; Canada and the US. The excuse was being on honeymoon but really it was a fulfillment of a long-held desire to see what was beyond our own small patch of the world.
And the worst?
Traveling across eastern US in a thunderstorm attempting to get to New York for a connecting flight home. We arrived in New York just in time to see our international flight take off and leave us to a sleepless night on the floor of JFK airport.
What destination did you dream of most while borders were closed due to the pandemic?
England and getting back to see parents, siblings, cousins, and friends.
What’s your approach to packing for a big trip?
Last minute! But pack a good book and make sure it’s appropriate too. I took a book about the Belgium Antarctic Expedition on my last summer holiday; it’s hard to fully imagine polar conditions when it’s 30 degrees outside.
What is the destination that most surprised you – good or bad?
With the world so heavily photographed and internet images of pretty much everything, it’s hard to be surprised, but experiencing the sheer scale of the Grand Canyon in person is mind-blowing.
Where was your most memorable sunrise/sunset?
Sunrise on Isla Del Sol, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia with Argentine hippies and wild pigs.
What do you miss most about home when you travel?
My own bed and pillow.
Where is the one destination you must see in your lifetime?
I've got two, both cold and hard to reach! The Antarctic and the Greenland fjords. They appeal to the Victorian Explorer somewhere in my psyche.
What’s your favourite thing about travel?
More often than not it’s the people you come across. I think we are wired to make connections and so I just love the accidental acquaintances you make when you leave your own stomping grounds. I especially enjoy the fleeting glimpses you get of completely different lives, cultures and experiences.
- The Telegraph
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