Shakespeare in the Park director James Bell's life in travel

One New Year's Eve, Kiwi director James Bell saw the Northern Lights while on the border of Norway and Finland. Photo / Supplied

Theatre director James Bell shares memories from a life in travel. Currently directing Shoreside Theatre's production of Hamlet, part of the Shakespeare in the Park season at The PumpHouse on Lake Pupuke in Takapuna. The season runs until February 20. pumphouse.co.nz

What do you miss most about travel right now?

I love the thrill of arriving in a new city and having to figure things out. There's a certain adrenaline rush to figuring our Shanghai's subway to get to your hotel.

What are your strongest memories from the first overseas trip you ever took?

I'd been to the UK twice before I was 5, but I only remember sitting on my father's shoulders watching a Guy Fawkes bonfire.

I remember going on a family holiday to Sydney when I was very young. I wrote a story about it for school and won an award from the principal.

What was a standard family holiday like when growing up?

My dad would travel quite a lot for work and the family (my brother and my mum) would sometimes tag along. Mostly around the North Island.

Who has most inspired your travels?

TV shows like MacGyver really inspired me to learn about different cultures. The TV series Intrepid Journeys absolutely convinced me that travel was something I could do too.

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

For Christmas 2018 I toured the Christmas markets of Europe then headed to the northern tip of Norway to look for the Northern Lights. On New Year's Eve I was sitting around a campfire on the Norway/Finland border as the clouds cleared and the lights began to dance.

James Bell is the director of Shoreside Theatre's production of Hamlet, part of the Shakespeare in the Park season at The PumpHouse on Lake Pupuke in Takapuna. Photo / Supplied

And the worst?

I spent three days in New York with a terrible head cold. I went to three Broadway shows and fell asleep at all of them.

What's your approach to packing for a big trip?

One carry-on bag only. I tend to pack and repack until my bag is as light as possible.

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

Shanghai was young and vibrant and could easily have been New York or London. The brand new but empty apartment buildings and shopping malls fascinated me – it's a city waiting for the people to arrive.

Where was your most memorable sunrise/sunset?

Riding a bike on top of the ancient city walls of Xi'an with a new friend. The atmosphere, the view and the company were perfect.

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

Hug my cat and make a proper cup of tea. The world's inability to get an English Breakfast Tea right never ceases to amaze me.

What do you miss most about home when you travel?

My family and friends. And my cat, of course.

Where is the one destination you must see in your lifetime?

Iceland is high on my bucket list, along with some notable sci-fi landmarks in the USA like Roswell and Area 51.

What's your favourite thing about travel?

Figuring out how the streets in New York work, random strangers on a bus helping you find your destination in Beijing, nearly being arrested in Hong Kong. When you usually work at a desk you start to feel very much like Indiana Jones.