My holiday: Winston Peters

Winston Peters. Photo / Getty Images

What was your greatest holiday?

Late in my 20s, going home to the beach after many years of spending holidays elsewhere. Everything that one would want in nature - such as a pristine beach, easily accessible seafood and lots of space to relive childhood traditions - was, and is, special.

And the worst?

Going to the islands for a sunny holiday, only to experience constant rain nearly every day.

If we bump into you on holiday, what are you most likely to be doing?

Trying to avoid bumping into people, pottering around doing up the boat, painting, taking five times as long to do a carpentry job as a professional but getting joy out of it anyway, fishing, diving, horse riding and polishing up barbecue skills.

What's your dream destination?

There are too many wonderful places, in New Zealand and around the world, for me to pick just one, having had the fortune of travelling extensively and experiencing many aspects of different cultures, cuisine, drink, and music.

What's the dumbest thing you've done when travelling?

Eating some risky food in, of all places, a State Department function in the US and being utterly sick for 48 hours. It's not easy to travel from the east coast of the US to Mexico City in an aeroplane bathroom - but if you want to lose weight, this way works real fast!

Complete this sentence: "I can't travel without ..."

A heavy plastic bag and a decent amount of Napisan powder mixed with water for washing clothes. Done properly, the clothes will come out perfectly without the atrocious laundry costs hotels charge.

What's the best travel tip you've been given?

Eat light. Drink less. Stick as much as one can to home routine hours.

What was the most memorable meal you've had while travelling?

At a lovely, former railway station turned restaurant in Santiago, Chile. Great seafood, similar to the quality found in New Zealand, and mariachi singers for entertainment.

What's the best thing you've brought back from a trip?

Asking a host in West China to point me to a place selling Mongolian bridles (Genghis Khan and all that). The next day he produced a Mongolian bridle, halter, whip and saddle. Someone had travelled 400 miles (673km) the previous evening to get it. It'll always be seriously special.

Favourite airport to land at?

Rarotonga - the scenery, weather and the informality is hard to beat. Being part Maori, one feels a connection. They speak excellent Maori, pronounce English beautifully, they've got old-fashioned manners and don't seem to have all these ethnic hang-ups.

What's the next trip you've got planned?

Levin on Friday. We've come to Earth again.