My holidays: Chris O'Connor

Musician Chris O'Connor had a ball - or two - in Argentina. Photo / Delia Shanly

What was your greatest holiday?
Well, I was living in Europe, and came back to New Zealand for a few weeks. I built the trip around a performance at the Wellington International Arts Festival. It was on this holiday that I cemented a budding relationship with a girl in New Zealand and now we have two kids.

And the worst?
A Christmas trip to Waiheke Island with the family - took way too much stuff over with the car. The path into the crib was up a steep and overgrown flight of narrow winding "steps" cut into the clay bank. We were running late to catch the return ferry and in the frantic pack-up out I stubbed my big toe and broke it, with quite a bit of the packing to go.

If we bump into you on holiday, what are you most likely to be doing?
Drawing a medieval labyrinth design in the sand on the beach.

If we could teleport you to one place in New Zealand for a week-long holiday, where would it be?
It would be the Tree House Eco-Lodge up in Kohukohu, Hokianga. A wonderful place!

How about for a dream holiday internationally?
Living on a house barge in a canal in Amsterdam for a summer.

What's the dumbest thing you've ever done when travelling?
Trusting in my sense of direction. I grew up in Hutt Valley, and left that place with an overly confident sense of direction. Outside of Hutt Valley, I am screwed.

Complete this sentence - I can't travel without...
A compass, a straight edge, and coloured pencils.

What's the best travel tip you've ever been given?
Come and stay at my house.

Favourite airport at which to land?
Singapore - there's a swimming pool there!

What is the most memorable meal you've had while travelling?
On a beef farm in Jesus Maria (Cordoba, Argentina). We hand-castrated a herd of young bulls (like, with a sickle!), and all the testes ended up on the barbie for lunch that day.

What's the best thing you've brought back from a trip?
A pair of Korean drums from a tour of Seoul, South Korea.

What's the next trip you've got planned?
Touring with the Phoenix Foundation - around New Zealand, some gigs in Australia, and hopefully a mission to Europe later in the year.

Chris O'Connor is the drummer for the Phoenix Foundation. They play the Powerstation on October 2.