What are your strongest memories from the first overseas trip you ever took?
The first overseas trip I took after immigrating to NZ from China was back to China! My dad had moved to an apartment in Shen Zhen, where I flew to by myself when I was 12. That was one of the most fun times I’ve had in my life. He was really into rock climbing at the time and got me into it. One of my favourite memories from the time was going to this rock climbing bar most nights and doing bouldering and hanging out with my dad and his friends. It was always so fun and spontaneous.
What was a standard family holiday like when growing up?
My parents divorced when I was pretty young and during school holidays I would normally fly over and spend time with my dad. Sometimes I would go to the office with him and just play on a spare computer while he worked. Or I would go over for lunch. And after work we’d normally do something fun together.
Who has most inspired your travels?
My intuition. When I really started to travel solo for real, it was mostly based on intuition. I would feel called to a place to do something and take it from there.
What is the greatest trip you’ve ever been on?
I really enjoyed my recent trip to the UK where I attended a Sanskrit choir over the course of a few months. I didn’t have much money at the time so I needed a way to stay. I ended up housesitting several houses and looking after cats. It was so much fun! Jumping from place to place exploring different aspects of the country. And the choir itself was so transformational. I felt so connected to spirit through the chanting.
And the worst?
It would be the times where I felt like I needed to do something to check some touristy thing off my list when I wasn’t really feeling it. Acting out of FOMO rather than genuine curiosity. There have been times during travelling when I really just wanted to chill and rest at the hotel but I’d judge it as wasting time and not making the most of it and force myself to move. It’s usually during those times when I feel the worst.
What is the destination that most surprised you – good or bad?
Istanbul. It was a lot rowdier than I expected and I had some very polarised encounters with the people there. Either really good or really bad. There was a constant feeling of not really being welcome and if people are being nice to you unexpectedly, they’re either trying to sell you something, products or faith. It was rarely genuine, I found. It did help me be more assertive though and that was quite fun.
What do you miss most about home when you travel?
The emptiness and nature that NZ has. You don’t find many places where you can rock up to a big park or beach and it’s just you. I find being able to be in a big space in nature by yourself to be so rejuvenating.
Where is the one destination you must see in your lifetime?
Interstellar space but, on Earth, Iceland. There’s just something so magical and deeply Earthy about its energy I find. And I love the juxtaposition between hot and cold with its ice and volcanoes. I really love ice and snow and I really love volcanoes! I also love its language. I tried learning a bit of Icelandic and it feels so good! I would love to study it more properly in the future. Oh and also, apparently, they have one of the clearest bodies of water there between two glaciers called Silfra. I would love to just dive naked into it, disseminate into it and become one with the eternal flow.
What’s your favourite thing about travel?
Being able to reset yourself at every new place you go to. It’s like you’re not just travelling areas of the Earth but you’re travelling areas of yourself. Every new location is a way to assimilate an aspect of yourself. The more I travel, the more I understand, not only the world but also myself. The world is a macrocosm of the microcosm of the self. Though this only really happens if you travel solo and are able to let go. You get to experience what it is like to be a human walking on this planet called Earth. It REALLY puts perspective into this whole human experience.
Tian Tan performs in Basmati Bitch, a collaboration between SquareSums&Co, Oriental Maidens and Auckland Theatre Company, at Auckland’s Q Theatre, from July 11–29.