My Holidays: Yi Wen Hsia of World Press Photo Exhibition

Yi Wen Hsia, on holiday in New Zealand. Photo / Supplied

What was your greatest holiday? In 2012 I was staying with a friend in Australia and before we returned to the Netherlands we visited New Zealand. We rented a car and visited both islands in less than three weeks. It was a dream come true to experience what the islands have to offer: glaciers, volcanoes, beaches and forests. And the bonus was that I am a big fan of The Lord of the Rings so I got to run around like a happy little hobbit.

And the worst? Once I stayed in a hostel where a roommate snored incredibly loudly. I'm not a light sleeper but it was impossible for me to sleep through it. Over the next day three days I, and others, checked out of the room.

If we bump into you on holiday, what are you most likely to be doing? An odd thing perhaps but one of the things I have to do is visit the local supermarket. For some reason it gives me a better impression of how people are and live, and the food people eat shows me what they value.

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

Kaiteriteri. The nature is stunning, and it also has these beautiful, hilly, sandy beaches.

It's really serene and peaceful, a great place to come home to yourself.

How about for a dream holiday internationally?

I've always wanted to go to Tibet. The people, the culture and food are said to be amazing and I would also like to experience the grandness of the Himalayas.

Aisle seat or window seat? Aisle for short flights, window for long (overnight) flights. I like to have the extra headrest space for sleeping, especially when travelling alone and not accidentally snuggling up to the person sitting next to me.

Complete this sentence: I can't travel without ... My notebook. Panes and trains are great spaces for reflection and contemplation — there's not much else really when confined to a small space for hours — so I need my notebook nearby in order to jot down anything that is coming up.

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

Tomato juice on aeroplanes. One of my colleagues told me it was her go-to drink. I tried it out and ever since it's my drink of choice whenever I'm on the plane. I find it really refreshing.

What was the most memorable meal you've had while travelling? Earlier this year, I was in Hrodna, Belarus, for work and visited a little bar with a bit of a grunge feel to it called Nesterka. They made hands-down the best vegan burgers I've ever had! They were made of seitan, which can be quite dry, but these were really juicy and tasty. I would go back just for the burger.

What's the best thing you've brought back from a trip? Together with my colleagues, I always try to bring back local snacks for the rest of the office. Chocolate from Switzerland and maple syrup cookies from Canada are definitely favourites.

Favourite airport at which to land? I'd say Schiphol airport, because it brings the excitement of departing for a foreign country and arriving back home again.

What's the next trip you've got planned? End of July, I'll travel to Santiago, Chile, to open our World Press Photo Exhibition, after which I will go to Peru and spend some time exploring the Amazon rainforest.

Yi Wen Hsia is curator of World Press Photo Exhibition, June 30-July 29, Level 6 Gallery Space, Smith and Caughey's.