My Holidays: Moss Patterson

Choreographer Moss Patterson. Photo / Supplied

Choreographer Moss Patterson's show, Pango, is touring now.

What was your greatest holiday? I was 10 years old and I can still remember vividly the building excitement as we travelled up country to my grandmother's surprise 70th birthday in Tokaanu in the Central North Island. We sailed across heavy seas on the Cook Strait ferry, followed by blizzard conditions on the Desert Road, to be met by hundreds of my close-knit family gathered to surprise Nana at the old Tokaanu Hotel. The look on her face was absolutely priceless and I will never forget the big hug she gave me followed by the week-long celebration in our home village. It's a fantastic memory — plus I got a week off school, which was sweet.

And the worst? It wasn't the worst location but the restaurant was a shocker and is what we talk about still when we go there. My wife, Annabel, and I ordered fish of the day in the Bay of Islands (can't remember the name of the place, luckily!) and we received a tasteless, hardened rubber mass surrounded by an array of off-colour, stale vegetables.

There was a lot of shouting, some tense pauses in heated conversation and we got out of there fast and never looked back.

If we bump into you on holiday, what are you most likely to be doing? Eating at the right restaurant for a start or picking fresh produce for the whānau from a local market garden, definitely laughing a lot, and exploring in rural locations — preferably on the back of a scooter with my two beautiful daughters and wife. We recently spent four weeks exploring southern Taiwan on scooters, it was extraordinary meeting the very friendly people of Taiwan in their home villages and learning their beautiful traditions. We also spent time visiting the temples in Kyoto, Japan — the rock gardens, shrines and tea gardens were just sublime.

If we could teleport you to one place in New Zealand for a week-long holiday, where would it be? Spirits Bay, up north. The new campground is really well looked after by the local iwi, with great facilities for freedom campers. The sand on the beach is so soft, the shells that line the beach are a flaky pink hue. The water is a deep blue and there is a quiet beauty that emanates from the hills.

How about for a dream holiday internationally?
I'm a bit of a romantic and spirit quest type of guy and I'd love to explore the Aztec Ruins, the Stone Circles in the Highlands of Scotland, the temples of Egypt and the Buddhist monasteries of Tibet.

Aisle seat or window seat? Aisle. I can't even sleep with my sleeping bag zipped up or sheets tucked in.

Complete this sentence: I can't travel without ... my whānau. A well-known director's final advice to me many years ago was to take your whānau with you as much as you possibly can and try not to sweat the extra costs. The memories will last forever and keeping your whānau close is key to a healthy family unit. He said (if I remember correctly) "I completely buggered it up" — so, I never really forgot that.

What's the best travel tip you've ever been given? Drink plenty of fluids on the plane and try not to eat too much of the starchy plane food because it bogs you down on arrival after long-haul flights.

What was the most memorable meal you've had while travelling? If you have the chance to travel Business Class at least once, give it a go — it is awesome and the meals are way better! Lightly tossed salad, a beautifully cooked lean steak with a craft beer followed by a raspberry sorbet ... that was all right.

What's the best thing you've brought back from a trip? I came back from Hawaii with about 30 dresses for my wife and daughters — yeah, I got a bit carried away at this amazing wholesale store we found, just down from Waikiki.

Favourite airport at which to land? Auckland. Nothing beats the poetic and soothing sounds of our kuia's karanga as you pass the waharoa coming into Customs. It's like hearing the voice of an angel.

What's the next trip you've got planned? Taipei for a week. Looking forward to spending time again in this funky, fast-paced, creative city.

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