HIT
This year we headed off to the UK to see the family. My dad had died last year and my kids never got to meet him and my mum, so we thought it was time. I've been in NZ for 11 years and after spending my early life in Birmingham and London I'd never thought of going back for a holiday. My mum and brothers and family had all moved to Wales so we hired a van to check out this part of the country I'd never been to before. Being in Wales, on the road with my family was just magic. Something in the Celtic air made me realise, sometimes the simpler life is, the better it is.
MISS
A couple of years ago we took the kids to California. Had a great time at Disneyland and thought it would be a really good idea to go on a road trip across the desert. In the spirit of adventure, without doing much research we headed straight to Vegas. After six hours of blistering heat we got to the bright lights. Unfortunately, we didn't realise it was the weekend of the Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao fight. The city was heaving. The only place we could find to stay was a dodgy old hotel in the rougher part of downtown called The Golden Nugget. As we walked to get some dinner with my 9- and 6-year olds, stepping over vomit and fighting gamblers, my son asked "Daddy, why is that lady with the boobies dancing on that table?" We spent a lot of time in our room.
Andrew Grainger stars in the return season of Te Po, at Q Theatre, October 25-November 4.
