My Travel Life: Laura Bailey Shares Her Dream Destinations
In My Travel Life, we tell stories of life-changing trips, oft-frequented places and wanderlust wish lists. This time, the writer, photographer and model LAURA BAILEY shares the magical coastline she returns to again and again, a beloved road trip she took close to home, and her quick-fire recommendations for culture, adventure and relaxation. By KATIE BERRINGTON
“Travel is at the heart of who I am – as a creative, as an explorer, as a mother,” says Laura Bailey. “As a young model, I couldn’t believe I got to travel for work. I remember an early trip – to Mauritius – and just thinking I was dreaming. Likewise, becoming a New Yorker in my twenties felt like something I’d only ever imagined from the movies. Vacations as a kid were mostly camping in Devon or the South of France, or summers in Edinburgh via the night bus.
“On the road, I am both a thrill-seeker and in search of retreat and rejuvenation, plus creative inspiration. I fly long-haul far less than I used to (in an ideal world, I’d travel mostly by train or bicycle), and over the past few years I have loved exploring more of Scotland and Ireland and will never lose the frisson of excitement for Paris – even if it’s just 24 hours for work.”
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My most-loved place in the world…
“Truthfully, it’s London – for my community, the culture, friends and family. But the other place I feel most at home is the South of France, especially out of season. I think it’s the combination of familiarity and cherished memories combined with adventure and exploration, a gentler pace and the opportunity to commune with nature – plus that extraordinary light…”
My hand-luggage essentials…
“Sunglasses, sunblock, a novel, my camera, a cap or headscarf, a swimsuit, plus fragrance, moisturizer, and a hoodie or cashmere knit to layer. I always have a stash of arty postcards in my travel wallet – useful for thank yous or bookmarks – and my tennis racket.”
Things guaranteed to pique my interest in a place…
“Hot tips from well-traveled friends, especially for food and art; a tennis court; a challenge – a hike, a climb; wildlife/unspoilt nature; a film festival (Venice is my favorite) or photography fair – I would love to make it to Arles this year; a faraway friend.”
A place I go back to again and again…
“The Amalfi Coast: a magical part of Italy I have been lucky enough to return to, summer after summer, with friends and family. My favorite thing is to get up early and hike the Path of the Gods from the Positano hills to Praiano, pausing for an espresso as the village wakes up, before hitching a ride by local speedboat to be back for breakfast. I also love to rent a Vespa and head to Ravello, or to play tennis at Il San Pietro, one of my favorite courts in the world.”
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A trip I took at a pivotal time in my life…
“Three, for different reasons: trekking the Himalayas, from Shimla to Dharamsala, in the ’90s – a spiritual pilgrimage as well as an epic adventure – plus trains, taxis and on horseback. Rwanda, when I was pregnant with my son, 20 years ago. I was dispatched by [British newspaper] The Independent to go see the mountain gorillas of the Virunga volcanic region (one of the most biologically diverse areas on the planet). Up close and personal with the endangered silverbacks was unforgettable. And finally, New York City for a shoot in 1995, when I decided to just stay!”
My most spontaneous vacation…
“Jamaica, in the ’90s, with my NYC girlfriends, Leona and Vanina. We rented a tiny cottage near Jakes Place, Treasure Beach, and lived on mangoes, rice and rum, chasing waterfalls. We all fell in love with Jamaica, and this trip became a tradition for a while. I plan to return next year with my kids.”
A trip I cannot wait for…
“Trekking in Bhutan, in November.”
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A wish-list hotel…
“Shooting in Marrakech a few years ago, I traveled a day early to explore and check out L’Hôtel Marrakech, Jasper Conran’s jewel of a boutique riad hotel, and now his Villa Mabrouka in Tangier is high on my wish list.”
A beloved road trip…
“A three-day romantic pilgrimage (with my beloved old dog Frankie) to Sussex to visit Charleston [the modernist home and studio of the painters Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant, now a gallery] in a blaze of spring glory, and then on to Farleys, the former countryside retreat of Lee Miller and Roland Penrose, now a museum and sculpture garden.”
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The most beautiful place I’ve ever been…
“I am torn between the night before the summit on Mount Kilimanjaro, camping on the glacier – eerily beautiful and desolate all at once – and Botswana by quad bike, sleeping under the stars and criss-crossing an epic, dream-like landscape, awestruck.”
My ultimate bucket-list destination…
“I love Mexico, but I have never been to Mexico City, and I would especially like to visit Casa Azul, the home of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, now a museum, as well as the Luis Barragán House and Studio and so much more. I have pages of notes from friends…”
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Somewhere I love going solo…
“I travel alone a lot for work, and horse-riding in Tanzania was one of the most special memories; likewise, learning to scuba dive in Pemba Island on the Zanzibar Archipelago. Closer to home, I loved a stolen week solo in Mallorca while my son did a tennis camp.”
Where I go for a…
City break: “Lisbon or Rome.”
Active adventure: “Costa Rica with my teenagers, though when they were little, I took them on safari (Singita is the best for families), and also to India, where I still can’t believe my fearless little [daughter] Tiger zip-wired over the blue valleys of Jodhpur, aged eight. On my wish list is to cycle the Wild Atlantic Way on the west coast of Ireland, and also to hike the GR20 across Corsica.”
Nature immersion: “Comporta, Portugal. Out of season, the protected coastline is magnificent. I’ve been going since my kids were little, often with my best friends Josh and Jonathan. I love to go riding, or simply to stroll and watch the surfers.”
Stolen few days: “My favorite tradition in June is to watch the French Open and play tennis all over Paris. I stay in a tiny bolthole hotel in Saint-Germain and entertain in the courtyard.”
Complete relaxation: “It could also fulfill a desire for action and nature, but for me, Lily of the Valley hotel in Gassin, near Saint-Tropez, is a place for rejuvenation (this part of the fabled Riviera coastline is protected and lesser-traveled). Relaxing is not my forte, but the combination of world-class spa and expert training (from mountain-biking to boxing) makes for an ideal escape or detox. Grand Hotel a Villa Feltrinelli on Lake Garda with my friend Leona was also a great retreat, with swimming in the lake, long, lazy lunches and explorations by boat.”
Close-to-home getaway: “I long to return to Heckfield Place, where I have been lucky enough to go for work, and which now boasts The Bothy spa (plus I can take my dogs). And for a one-night escape, I head to The Royal Oak in Ramsden, in the Chilterns, owned by beloved friends. It’s my alternative country retreat – though London has my heart.”
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