Bob Willis: My Life In Travel

First holiday memory?

First holiday memory?

Elmer Sands Holiday Camp in Bogner Regis, around 1956. It was almost totally unmemorable.

Best holiday?

I went to Adelaide for a friend's 50th birthday party two years ago. I've been to Australia about 15 times, but rarely for holidays, so it was good to catch up with friends.

Favourite place in the British Isles?

Devon. If the weather is nice, there is hardly a better place to be. I'm a very keen walker, so my wife and I go walking there quite regularly.

What have you learnt from your travels?

To book your own hotels; don't leave anybody else in charge of it.

Ideal travelling companion?

My wife. On the last South African tour she came out to see me twice, which helped to break up my time away from home.

Beach bum, culture vulture or adrenalin junkie?

I hate beaches - sand is a design fault. I can't imagine why people would want to sit or walk on it. I like scenery, peace and good food and wine.

Greatest travel luxury?

It used to be my cassette player, then my CD player. Now it's my iPod so that I can listen to Bob Dylan anywhere in the world.

Holiday reading?

I mostly read fiction; I'm not into biographies or cricket books. I like books that are quite challenging.

Where has seduced you?

Venice. The lack of traffic is wonderful and I like the art galleries. You can spend a lot of time on the water and the outlying islands are great if the crowds are getting you down. We recently went back for our silver wedding anniversary, so it has special memories too.

Is it better to travel or to arrive?

If you're over six foot six and an insomniac, travelling is not a relaxing experience. I enjoy rail travel and some aspects of cruising, however.

Worst travel experience?

A 26-hour rail journey from Karachi to Lahore, on a tour in my early cricketing days. We had a meal in the dining car and noticed that the food was stored next to the second-class lavatory. Whether the food was bad or not, we all got very ill.

Worst holiday?

A scout camp to Braemar. It involved two overnight stops on the way up in a Dormobile, one of them in Walsall. When we got there it rained non-stop so we had to abandon ship after two days because our tents kept on flooding.

Worst hotel?

There was some basic accommodation when I was playing on my first visit to Pakistan and India in the early 1970s. We often found cockroaches, rats and scorpions in the bedrooms. It's all part of the fun when you're young, but not much fun if you have to pay for it.

Best hotel?

I love the Hotel du Vin group, particularly the new one at Henley-on-Thames. They all have massive, comfortable beds, spectacular wine lists and good simple food. They also have convivial bar areas, which is always important after a long day's commentating.

Favourite walk?

The South West Coast Path in Devon and Cornwall is always spectacular, no matter what the weather. No one can get at you there.

Best meal abroad?

The Melbourne Wine Room in St Kilda. Wine is the main feature, but the food comes a close second.

First thing you do when arriving somewhere new?

Find an off-beat restaurant to soak up the atmosphere.

Dream trip?

A rail journey with every possible luxury through spectacular scenery. The current problem with long rail journeys is the fact that you have to pee in a bucket and you can't shower properly.

Favourite city?

London. We live in Wimbledon, and make good use of the city's art galleries, cinema, theatre and restaurants. It's got everything you could want.

Where next?

This winter I'm going to Pakistan and India for two months with the cricket.

Bob Willis is a cricket commentator for Sky Sports, which will be broadcasting the NatWest Series and NatWest Challenge live from 16 June