Celebrity Travel: Go away with Lisa Roth

By Jae-Ha Kim, Tribune Content Agency on Oct 27, 2020

A: Bali.

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

A: Wipes for the plane, headphones, cushy socks, sweatpants, lots of snacks, an extra set of toiletries to keep with me in case my luggage gets lost, my favorite pillow case, great reading material, magazines and my phone so I can take pictures and listen to music.

Q: What would be your dream trip?

A: Right now, it would involve a lush, isolated, tropical island with white sand and turquoise water. Lots of palm trees that rustle in the breeze and the scent of local flowers hanging in the air. There would be time for lots of sleeping, reading, running on the beach, swimming and eating simple clean meals. I’m craving the peace and beauty.

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

A: My best is also my worst. Many years ago, my boyfriend at the time (and I) spent three weeks in Kenya. It was truly amazing. For our last adventure before coming home, we hopped on a tiny, beat-up ’50s propeller plane and flew for a couple of hours to the middle of nowhere. The door between the cockpit and the cabin was partially unhinged and kept swinging open, then slamming shut with every bump from the constant turbulence. We landed on a remote dirt clearing that we had to buzz a couple of times to clear the zebras away. Waiting for us was a man driving a Jeep and a Maasai guide. The Jeep dropped us off deeper into nowhere, with the understanding that in two days we would be picked up at the same spot. After two days of hiking, forging rivers, and close encounters with amazing wildlife, I came down with what was later diagnosed as a type of parasite that causes tummy problems, similar to dysentery. I was dehydrated and delirious. My boyfriend had been bitten by some sort of insect that caused his testicles to swell. In the wee hours of the night, we sat in our tent, far away from anything familiar, nocturnal animals roaming around us and (we) fluctuated between laughing and crying. My boyfriend filmed the whole pitiful mess. In my delirium, I kept repeating how much I wanted a bowl of the red cabbage salad from a restaurant we frequented near our house in California. It’s interesting what you crave when you’re scared and in need of comfort. I guess for me it’s red cabbage salad!

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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.)