Official Alesha Dixon

Alesha was recently interviewed on her holiday experiences around the world. She talks about holiday hangovers, jelly coconut, pubic hair in dirty hotels, obsessively packing before departure and trying local delicacies. Read on for the full interview …

Which was your best holiday?

A family holiday to Jamaica in 2004. My uncle was getting married out there and it was the first holiday I’d had in Jamaica, which is where my father is from. My friends and I stayed in a really plush hotel, The Ritz-Carlton, so we had a great experience. I got to spend some time with my dad, my brothers and my uncles, and had the time of my life.

And the best hotel you’ve stayed in?

I’ve stayed in some nice hotels but I like the Beverley Wilshire in LA best. It’s just up my street. The design of the hotel is beautiful and the swimming pool area and the gym are just wonderful. The bed was humungous: extra-extra-king-size, you could easily have fitted six people in there. And the quilt and the pillows were just right too. As I was away on my own, recording, it was nice to stay in a really sumptuous hotel to make it comforting.

What do you need for a perfect holiday?

The company that you keep is the most important thing. And the food. If I go somewhere and the food is not good that would ruin the whole holiday. Going out to eat is one of the most enjoyable things about going away, and I do like to try the local delicacies. I’m very open-minded with food, and I think when you go abroad that’s the time to experiment and try something new.

What do you always take with you?

Music. I always take an iPod and iPod speakers so that when you’re in the hotel room you can have it on, or when you’re at the beach you can put it on quietly. Music can really set the tone for your holiday.

What’s your best piece of travel advice?

Always take a back-up plan because you never know what the weather’s going to do. If you’re going somewhere tropical you might have storms, so you’ve got to take some board games or cards or something. I just pack my laptop and a few DVDs.

Where do you want to go next?

I visited Tanzania when I climbed Kilimanjaro for Comic Relief recently, which was incredible, and I’ve spent some time in South Africa – but I’d really like to go back to the heart of Africa and explore it in more detail.

Which was your worst holiday?

I’m one of these people that always finds the positive in the negative, but the worst holiday was when my cousin and I went to Mauritius last September and had just one day of sun. It rained the whole week, but I managed to turn it into a positive. My work schedule had been crazy before I went, so when I got there I slept for the whole week. Even though I got no sun and I’d travelled all that way, I actually returned really rejuvenated because I got the sleep that I really needed.

And your worst ever experience on holiday?

In Jamaica one night I went out to a bar and got seriously drunk on Jamaican white rum. I’m sure the barman was giving me more than he should have, and the next day when we went to visit Mayfield Falls I had a hangover from hell the whole way. The only food I could stomach was jelly coconuts – which are basically a baby version of a coconut where you get the juice but you scoop out the jelly – and I was eating them the whole way up. But on the way back down from the waterfall I felt so rough that I was throwing up the jelly coconut out of the window of the van. It was not a pretty sight.

And the biggest packing mistake you’ve made?

I’m the most organised person in the world. Apparently I’m just like Monica from Friends because I am hyper, hyper organised. It’s probably bordering on OCD. If I was going to the Maldives seven days from now I probably would have already packed completely by today. That way it’s all done and I don’t have to worry about it. And touch wood, my cases have never been lost. I’ve been all over the world and not once have my bags gone missing.

Which is the worst hotel you’ve stayed in?

When I was touring the States with Mis-Teeq we stayed in this horrific, dingy, dirty hotel near Boston. We all agreed it was the biggest dive any of us had ever stayed in and my band-mate Su-Elise’s room was so dirty it still had pubic hairs in the bath. The whole place looked unclean, so we slept fully clothed and couldn’t wait to leave.

What do you avoid on holidays?

Getting drunk. I hate the feeling of having a hangover on holiday. I know some people might think it’s the best time to have a hangover because you don’t have to go to work the next day, but I’d rather be in England and have a hangover when the weather is terrible. When the weather is really lovely and I want to make the most of my day and go on an adventure, I don’t want to be spending my whole morning in bed feeling terrible. I’m one of these people who when they go on holiday love to get up early and go out for breakfast in the sun. When I’ve got a hangover that doesn’t happen.

What do you hate about holidays?

Coming home.

Source: Telegraph

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