Whichever destination he’s travelling to, Anthony Burke makes a point of seeking out the best local architecture. As the host of Grand Designs Australia and an architecture professor at University of Technology Sydney, it’s a holiday ritual he says is “pretty obvious”.
“I can’t think of a place where I didn’t visit at least one building of note, to ground my thinking in the culture and design of that place,” he says. “It’s the way I tune into where I am.”
And Burke has logged a lot of overseas trips. His travel resume ranges from treks in Nepal to backpacking in South America. Here, he shares the highlights and lowlights of his time on the road, and the story of the unexpected meal he’ll never forget.
What makes an excellent travel companion?
Curiosity and a comfort level with serendipity. One thing I always say to myself with travel is: you can’t get stressed about things not working out – flight changes, missed connections, etc – it’s all part of the journey. Once you leave home, you have to be alright with giving yourself over to the travel gods.
My wife and I more and more find ourselves saying, if you are there, and you can take up an unexpected opportunity, you have to do it. It’s all about banking those experiences, even if they weren’t part of the plan. Especially if they weren’t part of the plan.
What’s your earliest childhood holiday memory?
A very hot un-air conditioned Datsun 120B (mustard colour) in the vinyl backseat with my brother at about age six, driving from Sydney to Broadbeach in Queensland with Mum and Dad to visit my grandma every summer. Sweaty, hot and such a long, long drive.
Describe your most memorable travel meal – good, bad or just surprising.
My best meal ever was a small restaurant I visited with my wife (girlfriend at the time) when we were travelling in Europe. I was about 28, and I went to London to check out graduate schools for my master’s and we tagged on a drive for a week from Paris through the Loire Valley and Bordeaux to Barcelona in the dead of winter in a rental.
We pulled into a farmhouse late one afternoon, just outside Saint-Émilion. We took a stroll through town at about 6pm to see what was open for dinner. No reservation, no internet, no idea!
We came across the only place that seemed to be serving dinner. It was empty, the staff weren’t rude but [they weren’t] overly friendly either and we thought we were in for something pretty ordinary. But it was the best meal we’ve possibly ever had. Unpretentious, straight-up provincial French cooking at its very best, a great (cheap) wine and a cheese cart with about 40 options in the middle of one of what is now one of our favourite wine regions in the world. Discovering this unexpected local restaurant blew our minds.
What’s the most relaxing place you’ve ever visited?
I went to a yoga retreat in Sri Lanka for a week called Ulpotha. No electricity, no internet, earth floors, no hot water, only vegan food grown on site by the locals who live there – you get the idea. Not even any walls, just mosquito nets in our hut.
We did yoga twice a day, listened to the monkeys and elephants outside our hut at night and swam in the reservoir, built by the Portuguese back in the day, which served the whole village. A total disconnect from the world in an otherworldly beautiful location.
And the most stressful?
After backpacking through South America, which was amazing and hard work, we pulled up to a hostel in Santa Monica, California that felt like the dodgiest place on the planet. It felt as if I was going to die there. Everyone was looking to get you or your stuff and there was no place to get secure.
What’s one item you always put in your suitcase?
I’ve always got a sketchbook and a couple of pens and pencils with me. I used to use it to sketch a lot, but more recently I use it to keep a journal of where I’m travelling. If I’m on my own, this is perfect for after dinner instead of scrolling. Or on a plane, I make up plans of houses I’d like to build one day. I did an illustrated diary last year when I went to Nepal to trek the Manaslu circuit.
What’s your strategy for enduring long-haul flights?
Set your watch to the time of where you’re heading as soon as you get on the flight. It resets your whole attitude. Don’t drink (OK, maybe one before dinner) and use the eye masks – it makes all the difference.
Grand Designs Australia, hosted by Anthony Burke, is on ABC iView
