Travel hits and misses: Sophie Hambleton

Sophie Hambleton as Carol in Westside.

HIT

In 2008 I was lucky enough to go to Paris with my parents for 3 days. I had been travelling in America and my aunty lives in London so I went over there on my way home — I know the UK isn't really on the way home from the US but, whatever.

Mum, Dad and I flew to Paris from London and stayed in our friends absolutely delightful apartment in what felt like the heart of the city. Oh my goodness, it was THE BEST TIME. It was summer so it was hot and delicious.

We walked everywhere, we followed this guide book on a walk around Monmartre and went and had a glass of wine at the same bar that Picassso drank at back in the day, we stopped off to eat our lunch on a park bench that Monet supposedly sat it. It was just the most amazing time, everything was SO BEAUTIFUL.

The history of the place was spellbinding. We saw the Eiffel Tower and The Moulin Rouge and some of the most beautiful buildings I'd ever seen. It was so cool to be there with Mum and Dad too, I hope I can take them back there someday.

MISS

On my way to Paris I flew from Denver to New York and then on to London — this makes me sound like a jetsetter!

I was a bit hysterical as I was going to be on my on in New York for 3 days and at 24 years old I had never been anywhere totally by myself, let alone a city like New York. I have to say I was staying with family friends so I was very well looked after and not completely alone the whole time. I'm just a bit of a wuss when it comes to being on my own!

Anyway, it was so early in the morning it was almost still night time and I had been crying about leaving my friends and going off on my own so I was all red eyed and messy hair and snotty nosed. I went to get a coffee and as I was opening the packet of sugar it spilt all down the front of my black t-shirt. A white powdery substance ... so basically I looked like a drug addict.

To top it all off, I had had to cut out the lining of my handbag too as a lip gloss had spilt inside and so I looked like a total mess! I got stopped at customs and my bags were all searched and they weren't going to let me on the plane and no one on the airport staff would talk to me and explain with was going on!

It was very scary and lonely and I thought I'd end up rotting away in some jail in Denver for the rest of eternity.

Sophie Hambleton plays Carol in 'Westside', Mondays at 8.30pm on Three and is also starring in 'A Doll's House' at Circa Theatre August 5 - September 2.