30 April 24, 2022The Sunday TimesTravel
The singer-songwriter hates flying,
once played a gig in the Acropolis
and is a late convert to the slopes
MY HOLS
GABRIELLE
When I go on
holiday my
motto is: go
big or go home.
Why would I ever want to
camp? I’ve had friends who
have talked about going
glamping and I tell them “Hell
no!”; I always like a nice hotel
with running water, toilets and
security. I like to be able to
lock the door. The Burj Al
Arab in Dubai — that’s my kind
of hotel. You’d never catch me
on I’m a Celebrity... in a
million years.
When I was growing up
near London, my holidays
would always be to France to
visit family. We’d drive over
and stay in the suburbs of
Paris. We never went into the
city to do things, we’d just
stay local and I only really
experienced the city properly
when my music video for
Give Me a Little More Time
was filmed in Paris. I’ve never
been up the Eiffel Tower,
though — I’m scared of heights.
Having only visited France
as a child made travelling to
Dominica (aged 19, the first
time I’d been on a plane) all
the more exciting. The smallI suddenly got why people do
it. It’s so thrilling and yet so
peaceful at the same time.
I’m late for everything, but if
I know I have to be ready
for an 8am start on
the slopes,
that’s the only
time I’ll ever
be prompt.Gabrielle, 52, has released
seven studio albums and is
best known for the hit singles
Dreams, Rise and Out of
Reach, which was on the
soundtrack to the 2001 film
Bridget Jones’s Diary. She is
at the Cheltenham Jazz
Festival on Monday, May 2
(cheltenhamfestivals.com/
jazz)Interview by Katie Gatensisland in the Caribbean is
where my family are originally
from, and for me it’s probably
one of the most special places
in the world. I remember
coming in to land and thinking
I’d never seen anywhere like it
in my life. The heat!
Unlike a lot of islands in
the Caribbean it is green and
mountainous, full of rivers
and volcanoes, and still feels
untouched. It’s not a place
to go if you want white-sand
beaches, and that suits me
just fine — I’ve never been
one to lie on a beach
anyway. You can rent
a quad bike, which is a
great way to see the island,
or go snorkelling, or
visit the hot springs at
Boiling Lake.
As I mentioned, I like
to keep active on holiday.
I’ve been dune bashing
in the UAE and ridden
camels at a desert camp,
where I tried out
traditional Arabian
dancing around the fire
at night. I’ve visited the
pyramids of Giza too
and learnt all about the
pharaohs and their tombs.I do hate flying, though. On
that first trip to Dominica we
had to fly to Antigua and
change to a tiny propeller
plane. To this day I hate small
planes, even private jets.
A small plane is my worst
nightmare. I’m not a good
traveller. If I’m on tour with
my band and there’s the
smallest bit of turbulence, I
will scream the plane down.
Since the pandemic I’ve
flown only once — to go to
Dublin to play a show — but
I think it’ll be a while before
I take another flight. At this
point in time I just don’t feel
safe going on a plane for eight
hours, with no one wearing a
mask. Maybe in a year or two
I’ll get more confident. My
manager is probably a bit
horrified that I won’t fly.is
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horrGabrielle went dune-bashing and rode camels on a trip to the UAEis the hotel’s cookery school.
All draw heavily on the vibrant
kitchen garden. For details
visit exclusive.co.uk/lainston-
house.
The prize includes one
Woodfired Experience menu
for two at the Wellhouse,
excluding drinks, and must be
taken before March 31, 2023,
subject to availability and
excluding public holidays
as well as July, August,
December 20-January 3
and Valentine’s Day.The winner and guest will stay
for two nights, B&B, in a smart
room at Lainston House, a
five-star hotel set in 63 acres
of woods and parkland just
outside Winchester. Based
around an elegant 17th-
century mansion, Lainston
House is member of the
Exclusive Collection of hotels,and offers guests a mix
of good food, luxurious
accommodation and leafy,
open spaces. There’s a choice
of two restaurants: the more
formal Avenue takes its name
from the avenue of lime trees
outside, while the Wellhouse
offers wood-fired dishes
such as skate wing, spiced
butternut and venison.
Meanwhile, next door, SeasonOnly one entry per person,
at thesundaytimes.co.uk/
wherewasi by Wednesday.
Normal Times Newspapers
rules apply. No correspondence
will be entered into.The answers are Arnolfini
and St Werburgh. Richard
Douglas of Kent wins a
Michelin-starred Cotswolds
break for two at Whatley
Manor Hotel & Spa.which manufacturer was
once based in the town
ahead. So we follow another
of the river’s bends north and
cross a second bridge.
Never mind the
(repurposed) factory remains.
What interests me first is a
former monastic guesthouse.
Briefly I wish it was 1455,
when it was built. But then we
discover one of the country’s
oldest schools nearby. I’m
not lying: our favourite
game-show captain went
there. Even better, so did all
five members of a rock band.
Neither of us has quite
recovered from the impact
of one of their albums.
We summon their music
on the stereo — and are
instantly transported. But
not to the 1960s or the 1450s:
our destination is 1995.
Sean NewsomCOMPETITION
WHERE WAS I?
THE QUESTIONS
THE PRIZE
HOW TO ENTER
LAST WEEK’S PRIZE
WIN A
FIVE-STAR
COUNTRY
BREAK FOR
TWO AT
LAINSTON
HOUSE,
HAMPSHIRE
LOOP/GETTY IMAGES; DANIEL DEME/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK“I wish it was the Sixties,”
Friend sighs as he revs his
roadster’s engine. But on this
sunny morning I’m perfectly
happy with 2022. We’re
shadowing the bends of a
long river — and with the top
down and a revamped stereo
for company it’s a gorgeous
drive, heading upstream and
westwards. Shortly, on our
right, we’ll pass what could
be the future, courtesy of a
science centre.
“Want a quick peek?” I ask.
“Even if we can’t go in.”
“Sorry. Low on energy,”
Friend explains, pointing to
his stomach. So instead we
divert across the river to a
thatched pub, a mile east-
southeast of the centre. It was
much loved by an author who
wrote of a dog, the river and
its boats.
“Where do we go from
here?” I ask as we recross
the bridge after lunch.
“Isn’t it obvious?” Friend
replies, revving the engine
again. It isn’t, until he tells me1 What is the name of the
science centre?
2 What is the name of the
rock band?I have played some
incredible shows around
the world, but the best was
probably at the Acropolis in
Athens. I’d only ever seen it
on TV and suddenly I was
playing there. The line-up
was great: Marti Pellow and
Lionel Richie were also
playing, and there was a
fantastic atmosphere.
My absolute favourite thing
to do when I go away on
holiday is skiing. I came to it
quite late in life, as an adult.
I’ve been a few times now
with my manager and my
kids, although I’ve always
had an instructor with me.
I never got it before — the
idea of going somewhere cold
was the last thing in the world
I wanted to do. But as soon as I
went to Zermatt in Switzerland*