Globetrotter: Emma Whitehair
Interview: Haris Stavridis // Portrait: Nikola Borissov for Fashion We Like
The beauty of travelling is that depending on the trip you can choose to go haute, hiker or hippie.
When it comes to luggage, I love Globetrotter for its classic old-world glamour. The cases are not only robust enough to check in, but you can also use them as a stylish storage solution in your home. When I’m not travelling, I have three piled up in my lounge, hiding away clutter, and they look just as chic as the vintage style trunks that are so popular in designer interior stores.
I try to pack well in advance so that I can enjoy the process of thinking about what I’ll be doing and what I might like to be wearing. I lay out whole outfits together, including lingerie/swimwear and accessories, then I plan to wear the bulkiest items I pack at least a few times.
Make sure you pack light. Just remember you rarely wear everything you take with you, plus you need to leave space in your case to allow for the bits you may pick up while away. Oh, and always ensure you carry-on anything essential for your first few days in case there’s a delay in being reunited with your luggage.
My ideal co-passenger...is this where I am supposed to say the Dalai Lama?! Truth is, I tend to go into a kind of trance when travelling, and the last thing I want to do is have a deep and meaningful conversation. So, I’ll go for either someone I know so well we can be in comfortable silence (and I can fall asleep on them!), or no one. I like to take some ‘me time’ to read, watch movies and snooze. I also often find myself getting philosophical while day-dreaming looking out over the clouds and down at the world.
My solution to jet lag includes coffee and exercise to stay awake, and sleepy tea and lavender baths to sleep. Convince yourself you are on local time the moment you land. Stretch out and get some fresh air with swimming, yoga, a run or long walk. Resist the urge to go to bed too early or sleep in too late. You’ll soon forget what time it is back home.
I try to avoid going anywhere that is too touristy and has a ‘Brits abroad’ party-party mentality. Like San Antonio in Ibiza.
The most overrated destination in the world would be Las Vegas and the most underrated are British seaside towns like Margate and Weston Super Mare.
India is the one place where I always shop till I drop; all the colourful clothes look so beautiful when you are there. The problem is that India is the only place you actually want to wear them!
Soho Beach House in Miami is probably one of my favourite hotels, and in one of my favourite cities. There are actually a few really great hotels I love in Miami, including The Standard which has a great spa, and even if you’re not a guest, as long as you book a treatment, you can use the pool.
When it’s not a city break, I often prefer relaxed beach huts and villas to traditional hotels. There are some amazing places along the Bahian coast in Brazil, such as the luxurious Fazenda São Francisco, and also some really inexpensive but lovely huts on Agonda beach in India including White Sands.
As a hotel guest, I’m quite low-maintenance really. As long as I have access to Wi-Fi and there’s good coffee in the morning, I’m happy.
My own hotel would definitely be a stylish, eco, wellness retreat centre on a beautiful beach somewhere, like Ibiza, India or Bali.
I always look forward to returning to India, it’s so laid back and has sense of spirituality. Also Miami, the city really has everything.
The most breath-taking scenery that I have seen is in Salina. It's one of the Aeolian Islands peppered off the southern coast of Sicily. It has dreamy views across the Tyrrhenian Sea to its neighbouring islands, including of Stromboli, with wisps of smoke emanating from its peak like The Land That Time Forgot. And the ‘Natural Amphitheatre’ is a must, with scenery to make your soul swell.
The world's best kept travel secret is to be a tourist in your own town.
