My holidays: Jonathan Phang

Jonathan Phang's new show sees him onboard some of the world's most elegant trains to visit tantalising culinary destinations. Photo / Supplied

What was your greatest holiday?

Any with my family. We had a particularly memorable time in the Caribbean in 1974. My cousin was getting married in Trinidad and we had what seemed like an endless magical summer, spending time with all of my cousins, uncles and aunts and meeting my parents' friends. It was a time of great happiness for our family. My siblings and I had learned how to behave in public and our nearest and dearest were still with us.

And the worst?

Just after my father died in 1990, my mother took my siblings and me to Madeira. She had stopped there on the boat which brought her to London in the early 1950s and wanted to retrace the steps of her love affair with my father, and her life's journey.

The holiday was fraught with emotion as we struggled to re-establish our roles within our broken family. Madeira was very pretty but we were unlucky with the weather, so we didn't tour the island as much as we would have liked to.

The average age of a holidaymaker at the time was at least 75, so it wasn't big on nightlife either!

I've revisited subsequently and had a great time. Perhaps it's because I'm considerably older now.

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

Eating, drinking, chatting to locals and having a good laugh I hope.

If we could teleport you to one place in New Zealand for a week-long holiday, where would it be?

Waiheke Island.

How about for a dream holiday internationally?

Bora Bora, Tahiti.

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

Drank too much and passed out in a nightclub in Key West, Florida.

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

Dress down and don't carry too much cash, credit cards or your passport around with you.

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

Fabrics from India.

Favourite airport at which to land?

The old Kai Tak Airport in Hong Kong was scary and exhilarating

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

The Blue Train in South Africa.

Watch 'Jonathan Phang's Gourmet Trains' on the Travel Channel (Sky 25) on Sundays at 8.30pm.