This week My Holidaytalks to broadcaster Sean Moncrieff
Your earliest holiday memory?
When I was a child, living in London, holidays
consisted of one thing: going to the west of Ireland to see the
cousins. We'd be incredibly excited for weeks beforehand, though
the long car journey to Holyhead was always torture (mostly for
everyone else, because I was always the one to keep saying "are we
there yet?"). I can still vividly recall the smells and sounds of
the ferry, and my memories of Mayo are of a quiet, sunny, idyllic
place, where everyone was slightly exotic. I just didn't meet
people like this in London.
Your worst holiday?
When I was about 15 and was forced to go on holiday
with my parents to a caravan in Portmarnock. It lashed for the
week. I still feel the teenage resentment.
Your best holiday?
The next one.
If budget or work was no restriction, what would be your
dream holiday?
I'd love to take a year off to travel, flying first
class wherever possible, and go from pole to pole. I am fascinated
with visiting places where humans still haven't made much
impact.
If you had your pick, who would you bring on holiday with
you?
Can't think of a particular person. It would have to
be someone who doesn't talk on planes too much (I prefer to read)
and who takes joy in organising all the connections and hotel
rooms. Organising a holiday can sometimes make you feel you need a
holiday.
Favourite place in Ireland?
West Cork. The food, the scenery, even the weather.
We were on Inchydoney during Easter and enjoyed four days of
beautiful spring weather.
What book would you recommend for a holiday?
That's easy: The History of Things, by me, which is
coming out in paperback for the summer-holiday market. But once
you've read that, Jonathan Powell's Great Hatred, Little Room is a
fascinating account of the peace process from the British point of
view.
Where will you spend your next holiday?
The US. We are going to fly to Seattle from Dublin
and once there hire a camper van. We're not going to sleep in it,
but with four kids we want a bit of room. Then we will spend the
next nine days driving from Seattle to San Diego. We are already
having arguments about where we will be stopping off, but of course
we will visit San Francisco and LA, and I'm also keen to see
Monterey and Salinas - John Steinbeck country. I devoured his books
as a teenager. Once we arrive in San Diego we'll dump the van. We
have a house booked there for another week, with a pool. I'm
currently distracting my kids from the news reports of a great
white shark attacking a man off the coast there. We're all gaga
with excitement, me especially.
• Moncrieff is on Newstalk 106-108FM, Monday-Friday, 2pm