Brokenwood Mysteries star Fern Sutherland's life in travel

Brokenwood Mysteries actor Fern Sutherland at Hawaii's Diamond Head - just one of her many favourite travel memories. Photo / Supplied

Fern Sutherland stars in Kiwi detective series The Brokenwood Mysteries. Watch seasons one to five on Sky's pop-up channel, from Wednesday, April 22 to Saturday, April 26.

Where was the first overseas trip you took and what are your strongest memories from it?

Samoa - abiding memory is (not) sleeping in a fale on the beach in peak storm season.

What was a standard family holiday like when growing up?

We would quite often head to the whitebait hut we have on the Awakino River. No running water or electricity, just a long drop and a wood stove. The adults would sit around drinking coffee and look after the nets. Us kids would disappear into the bush and try to catch wild goats.

What is the greatest trip you've ever been on?

Croatia - it's a beautiful place with such unusual and prickly people.

And the worst?

I actually LOVE New York but it's also hell.

What's your approach to packing for an overseas trip?

Throw things in a bag for my boyfriend to repack into packing cubes, neatly and orderly.

What is the destination that most surprised you – good or bad?

Montreal - we were expecting to be shunned for not speaking French, but everyone was very friendly. It was Christmas, and despite not being religious, we went to midnight mass at Notre Dame. Something about the old European wintry vibe of the place made us want to go and sit in a church and listen to hymns in French. It was beautiful.

Where was your most memorable sunrise/sunset?

This is probably cliché, but my boyfriend and I climbed Diamond Head in Hawaii and it was stunning. We left our accommodation on foot at 4.30am to get to the top as the sun came up. It is an old US fort so it's an interesting trek and the view is incredible.

What's the first thing you do when you get home from a long trip?

Look through the photos.

What do you miss most about home when you travel?

NZ coffee and being able to say kia ora to people.

Where is the one destination you must see before you die?

I haven't been to Thailand but I'd love to go and train at a traditional Muay Thai gym. I've always wanted to be trained by the Thais, who are known for their incredible skill and high pain threshold.

What's your favourite thing about travel?

Not being answerable to anyone and feeling alive.