Liz Goodall

When I’m, not at work or travelling I’m…

Picking blackberries.

My favourite band (or) film (or) team is…

The Smiths, REM, The Libertines (I’m an indie kid at heart) The Vaccines, Noah and the Whale….I could go on and on…

If I wasn’t working for Travel Nation I would be…

Feeling the sand between my toes.

On my RTW trip I spent longer than expected in

Polynesia, I just couldn’t leave.

Which place exceeded your expectations on your travels and why?

New Zealand, everyone said it was like Wales –I’m very sorry, no offence Wales but NZ is in a different league.

When staying in a hotel room for more than one night do you a) Unpack your bags or b) Live from your rucksack?

Unpack – just to pretend it’s really home for a while.

If you could live anywhere else in the world, where would it would be and why?

South of France, it stole my heart as a 17 year old and I never recovered.

What was your first great travel experience?

My first trip to New York when I was in my twenties, I felt like I was on a movie set and spent the whole time gazing skywards. It was my first trip outside Europe and my head was irrevocably turned.

What are your top 3 places in the world?

Bali, French Polynesia, New York (the order changes depending on mood).

What is your favourite hotel, why and where is it?

The Hudson, New York, it reminds me of a life gone-by. And the Hotel Klumpu, Bali for its all-out gorgeousness. An absolute gem of a place.

Which is your favourite beach, where is it and why?

A corner of Moorea, French Polynesia, under a palm tree, over-looking the motu. It’s just paradise, that’s why.

Which passport stamp are you proudest of?

Easter Island.

Where/what would you really like to visit?

As many Caribbean islands as possible .

What’s the best/worst thing you’ve eaten on your travels?

Best – deep-fried ice-cream, honestly, it’s not as dirty as it sounds. Worst – I have no idea what it was but it was soft and squashy and radioactive in colour and it was served as a dessert on a flight from Hong Kong to Singapore.

Have you ever worked abroad? If so explain.

I was an au pair in France as a teenager and I totally loved that feeling of being a foreigner in a country. Maybe that’s where it all started….

Where is the most depressing place you’ve found yourself?

Departure lounge Kuala Lumpur – it was time to fly home to reality and I had no money left for the amazing shopping L

If you had just 24 hours in a big city which one would it be?

Tokyo (I loved Lost in Translation), or New York.

What’s the best party you have been to whilst travelling?

NYE Sydney.

What do you miss most from home whilst you are away?

Cadburys chocolate.