First holiday memory?
Going with the family to a cottage in Southport, near Port Shepstone. It was a magical place to me in those days, a five-minute walk on a dirt road to the beach and also the only time of year when my mom would buy us “sweetie cigarettes” which I loved. We would also stop at Estcourt, which was the halfway point on the drive and buy biltong and pork pies at the butchery there, which were also amazing to me at the time because we didn’t get them much for the rest of the year.
Favourite place in South Africa?
That’s a tough one… I love a lot of places in South Africa. The Drakensberg is amazing if you want to be away from everything and be surrounded by amazing scenery; Cape Town is probably my favourite city away from home (which is Joburg) because it’s beautiful and has so much culture and history, you know statues and things… no, wait, just things. If I’m looking to go to the beach then there’s a place at Kei River mouth, which I like because it’s quiet and reasonably untouched compared to, say, Durban.
Best holiday?
I would have to say it was my trip to the UK about three years ago. I’m a huge Liverpool fan so as a bucket-list thing I went up to see them play at Anfield (their home ground) and did the tour of the stadium and the museum, which for me was absolute bliss. We also got to see the city and take in the culture which was brilliant, then up to Edinburgh to see my wife’s grandmother and experience the city without the festival happening (which is how I had normally seen it) followed by a trip to Wembley to watch Liverpool win against Everton in a Merseyside derby FA cup semi-final, which tops any footballing experience I’ve ever had.
What have you learned from your travels?
That people are basically the same wherever you go, locally and internationally; there are cultural differences obviously, but for the most part people are the same. Also that we as South Africans underrate ourselves.
Ideal travelling companion?
I’d have to say my wife, because if I didn’t she’d kill me… seriously though, she’s a seasoned traveller and always researches the hell out of a place before we go and plans meticulously, whereas if I was by myself I would not get to do or see half as much.
Beach bum, culture vulture or adrenalin junkie?
Culture vulture, adrenaline junkie then beach bum – in that order. I love history and museums, and also seeing how people live in other parts of the world, what they eat, etc. As a ginger, I’m not really one for the beach though, I find that even with sunscreen I end up doing an impression of a lobster.
Greatest travel luxury?
My credit card… it’s really convenient and allows me to make impulse buys without “converting”.
Holiday reading?
What I’m reading at that point in time. I’m not a huge fan of fiction, I’d rather read biographies or non-fiction.
Where has seduced you?
I definitely want to go up to Liverpool again. Besides the football club, it’s an amazing city with amazing people. There’s something about Knysna that makes me want to return there as well. Edinburgh during the festival is also amazing, and I think it’s something every performer should experience at least once.
Worst travel experience?
I went to the south coast a couple of years ago over the New Year’s holiday… it was basically as if the entire East Rand had come down with us… you couldn’t go anywhere without sitting in a traffic jam; there was only one day when it didn’t rain, and we were staying at a friend’s parents’ house, so it didn’t feel like a holiday, it felt like we were house sitting, especially when the plumbing got blocked.
Best hotel?
Either the President in Bantry Bay for sentimental reasons, or The Hippo Boutique hotel in Tamboerskloof – it has all these themed rooms, including my favourite, a retro room with an old LP player and that kind of thing.
Favourite walk, swim, ride or drive?
My favourite walk would be up the stairs onto a plane going somewhere different, favourite swim would be across the Zambezi to sit on the edge of the Victoria Falls and my favourite ride has to be the Cape Town Cycle Tour. I’d have to say my favourite drive would be the Garden Route from PE to Cape Town.
Best meal abroad?
The most interesting was in Zimbabwe. I was doing a show in Harare and the promoter took me and Mark Banks to a “fancy” restaurant there. I ordered the pork belly, which was served on a tile. It still had grouting on it, came with sweet corn from a tin and popcorn as a starch. That said the pork belly wasn’t half bad. The food at the Royal Livingstone in Zambia was good and Jamie Oliver’s restaurant, Jamie’s Eat-talian was quite nice.
Favourite city?
Joburg: there’s no place like home. I’ve always been happy to come back. I’m Joburg born and bred and am happy to stay here.
Where next?
I’d like to see more of Africa. I’ve spent brief amounts of time in six different countries on the continent, but hardly enough to see it properly.
Saturday Star
l Popular comedian Chris Forrest will be performing his hit new one-man show, Who’s Your Daddy?, at the Auto and General Theatre on the Square in Sandton from May 19 to 31. Tickets at www.strictlytickets.com
Keep up with him through Twitter: @ChrisforrestSA or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChrisForrestStandUp