My holidays: Mark Richardson

Mark Richardson is big on ski resort holidays. Photo / Brett Phibbs

The cricket commentator shares his most memorable holiday moments.

What was your greatest holiday?

About four years back we had Christmas Day in New Zealand and left a sunny barbecue at my house and then me and my wife got a plane and flew to Deer Valley in Utah. We arrived Christmas night there and had fairy lights, with our own chalet, at a nice ski resort. We had Christmas night sitting in the hot tub in the freezing cold, halfway up the mountain, followed by a week of skiing. But just as good, we took the kids to Disneyland, and it was such a thrill. That was a holiday I lived through the eyes of my children.

And the worst?

When I was playing cricket I got dropped from the one-day team and had a bit of a break where there was only ODI cricket and I managed to get released from cricket for a few weeks and I went surfing on the North Shore of Hawaii. I just wasn't ready for it. The waves were either too big, or there were none, and I spent two weeks getting bored by myself.

If we bump into you on holiday, what are you most likely to be doing?

These days, chilling out. Sitting on the deck and having a barbecue for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I work a few jobs now so I don't have many holidays. When I do go on them I love to do absolutely nothing.

If we could teleport you to one place in New Zealand for a week-long holiday, where would it be?

Queenstown, I love it. There's so much to do there. You can send me there in the winter and I'll ski, send me there in the summer and I'll golf and just cruise around Central Otago, checking out the vineyards. And while I say I like to chill out on holidays, I'm also an active relaxer. If you gave me a week I'd choose Queenstown with a rented car.

How about for a dream holiday internationally?

I'll always take a ski resort somewhere. I would love to go to one of the big resorts in Canada, that would be my dream destination.

What's the dumbest thing you've ever done when travelling?

Forgot my passport. I'd just got selected for the New Zealand one-day team, but I had to play a game for Auckland in Alexandra and I was going from Alexandra to Christchurch to get a flight to Melbourne. I didn't think about a passport because I was going Auckland, Dunedin and then to Christchurch before Melbourne. While driving to the airport, I realised I didn't have my passport so the manager had to find someone to get it couriered to me in Christchurch. I was a day late to the tour and got fined for it.

What was the most memorable meal you've had while travelling?

I'll take good Indian food any day. I'd put on a good 5kg on the tours to India with the Black Caps. I just love Indian food. Because you're hotel-bound in India, I would make my way through the hotel menu from top to bottom and give everything a go.

Mark Richardson will be providing cricket commentary for Sky during the Cricket World Cup, starting February 14, with all matches live on SkySport.