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Frequent Flyer: Dick Smith

What do you always travel with?
My Iridium satellite phone as I am often in remote places. In places like Moscow where the cell phone roaming rate is $13.50 per minute, I am able to make cheap calls at $1.50 per minute.

Favourite destination?
Lord Howe Island. It has mountains, lagoons, surfing beaches, lagoon beaches, coral, rainforest, not too many people and great walks. I went there for my honeymoon 38 years ago and have been going back virtually every year since.

Best travel tip?
It’s a secret and if others knew, it would no longer have the advantage. My second best travel tip is that if you are travelling in the US, book the flight together with a round trip ticket from Australia or you will be singled out for special attention at every security check.

Trip you’d most like to take?
I would love to travel through the Suez Canal. I don’t want a long trip – I would just like to get on at the start of the Canal and get off at the other end, just to enjoy the experience.

Favourite hotel?
It has to be Michael Kadoorie’s Peninsula Hotel in Hong Kong – there is nothing like it in the world. It is an extraordinary experience. I think everyone should save up and have at least one night there.

Next trip?
I am heading back to Mongolia with my wife to pick up the 4WD campervan truck which broke down there three months ago. We will then complete our drive around the world by going through Russia to Vladivostok, and then across the Gunbarrel Highway to Sydney.

In-flight distractions?
I don't really have any. Sometimes, but rarely, I'm distracted by people typing away on noisy keyboards.

Favourite family holiday destination?
It has to be Lord Howe Island again. We took our kids there when they were very young. It is the most wonderful place for kids to roam around free as there are hardly any cars and the speed limit is only 25km per hour.

What do you look for in the perfect holiday?
A place with just my wife and no other people – ideally lying in our swags beside Cullyamurra Waterhole on Cooper Creek in northeastern South Australia.

Best trip ever?
My best trip ever was in January 2007 when I travelled with my friend Greg Mortimer’s Aurora Expeditions to South Georgia and Elephant Island in the Antarctic. We even climbed over the last part of Shackleton’s route and landed on the beach at Elephant Island where his men were stranded for months. 

Most embarrassing travel moment?
I booked into the Southern Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island for Christmas and then found it wasn’t even open yet.

PHOTOGRAPHY FRANCES MOCNIK

This interview is an extended version of an article that appeared in the April 2008 issue of Australian Gourmet Traveller.