Celebrity Travel: Go Away With Yolanda Ross

If Yolanda Ross had her way, all her trips would be on trains. "I really enjoy luxury train travel to eat good food, be in your own space and enjoy the scenery that you might not get to see otherwise," says the actress, who stars on the Showtime series, "The Chi." "My dream trip would be to travel with friends on a week-long luxury train trip like the Belmond or Orient Express. (We'd go) through Italy, France, Spain, Scotland, Ireland or Germany. I would like to go to places where we can get off and see the sights and just enjoy the great views, relax and meet new people. I enjoy the journey." Ross, who splits her time between New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, stays in touch with fans via Twitter (https://twitter.com/YolondaRoss) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/yolondarossactress).

Q. Jada, your character on "The Chi," is no-nonsense. Do you think that she would make a good travel companion?

A. Yes! She would remember to bring all the essentials, and then some, that we would need for any trip. She's a mother, so they are always taking care of others and looking out for others. I also think she would be open to learning about different things and discovering new places, cultures, lives in different cities and countries.

Q. Did you have that itch to move away from home when you were younger?

A. I come from a small- to medium-sized city -- Omaha, Nebraska. That sentiment was certainly there when growing up, as you seek new adventures. I did leave as soon as I got out of school and headed to New York City.

Q. What was the first trip you took as a child?

A. The first trip I remember was going to California. We went to Disneyland and (also) to San Francisco. I remember drinking Fresca and waiting on a lot of lines. I liked the monorail.

Q. If you could only pick one place to eat, would you choose a casual meal at a street cart or fine dining at a nice restaurant?

A. I would choose fine dining. I like to try what is considered the best of a place and see what the customs are or how service is treated in different places.

Q. Where are your favorite weekend getaways?

A. Palm Springs when I'm on the West Coast. I like going up to the Berkshires on the East Coast.

Q. Where is the most romantic destination?

A. Jamaica.

Q. Do you speak any foreign languages?

A. I speak some French and Italian. I used to be much better at them both. I've noticed my mind has to be set up for a different language. I've traveled to Italy a lot and spoke almost fluently most times. The last time I went, though, my mind was in a different place -- not ready for a different language and it was so interesting how I could barely understand anything. I knew how to ask for things that I wanted or needed, but I just didn't have the language tools to socialize. So, the trip was very different. I do pick up languages somewhat easily, but my mind has to want to.

Q. What are your favorite cities?

A. Palm Springs, Paris, Lisbon, New Orleans, Chicago, Amsterdam.

Q. Where have you traveled to that most reminded you of home?

A. Vancouver.

Q. Where would you like to go that you have never been to before?

A. Copenhagen, Iceland, Hawaii.

Q. When you go away, what are some of your must-have items?

A. Allergy medicine, skin care products, phone charger, voltage converter.

Q. What is your guilty pleasure when you're on the road?

A. Lying in bed all day and ordering room service.

Q. What kind of research do you do before you go away on a trip?

A. I do a lot of research before traveling. I like to find out about the culture -- what's expected of people there, how women are treated there, for safety reasons. I want to know how people of color are treated and where to shop, find art, if it's busy or quiet, best restaurants, what's the vibe of different neighborhoods to see where I want to stay.

Q. What is your best and/or worst vacation memory?

A. The best and worst were all in the same trip. My bestie, Jacqueline, and I went to London together in February. It was freezing and snowing, just bone-chilling cold. I hate the cold. Jacqueline had never been to London before, so she was super excited and wanted to immediately go everywhere just after we landed. I was worn out and cranky, but went along. Needless to say, we both hit a wall and got very snappy and irritable. That night, we started planning our departure. We were going to call the airline in the morning and see if we could change our tickets and cut our trip short. The next day, we woke up in the late afternoon, completely different people. We totally laughed about the whole thing because we were so jet-lagged and needed rest. It turned out to be the best trip ever!

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(Jae-Ha Kim is a New York Times bestselling author and travel writer. You can respond to this column by visiting her website at www.jaehakim.com. You may also follow "Go Away With..." on Twitter at @GoAwayWithJae where Jae-Ha Kim welcomes your questions and comments.)