Celebrity Travel: Go away with Jim Babjak of The Smithereens
A: I have done that often. There is so much to see and experience in this world. I love Europe and the Caribbean. I’ve been to 49 of our United States. I am only missing Alaska and will make plans to visit in the near future. I would like to go back to Iceland to see the Northern Lights. I’d also like to go back to Australia. The people are very friendly and I just like the vibe.
Q: What untapped destination should people know about?
A: I used to joke that I won’t tell anyone about my favorite island, which is Anguilla, because I didn’t want it to get too crowded! It’s a place where I can truly relax and get away from it all. If I had the money, I would buy a house on the beach and live there most of the year.
Q: What was the first trip you took as a child?
A: Hungary with a five-hour layover in Amsterdam during the summer of 1965 to visit my relatives. I loved it! I wanted to be a pilot when I was seven years old. It’s the first time I saw clouds from above. The flight attendant on KLM gave me my first set of metal wings and let me wear the captain’s hat. I started a collection after that every time I flew. When I toured with the band, I would always ask the flight attendants for wings.
Q: What's the most important thing you've learned from your travels?
A: Traveling gives you a better sense of the world and how other people live. It makes you appreciate everything in your life. There is a lot to see and learn from all your experiences. If you never leave your home, you’ll never see the beauty and sometimes the poverty of the world through your own eyes. It’s one thing to see a photo of the Grand Canyon, Mount Rushmore or the Eiffel Tower, for instance, but to see it in person is awesome.
Q: Where have you traveled to see a group you really wanted to hear live?
A: I went to Las Vegas once to see Sam Butera and Keely Smith at the Flamingo Hotel. I wanted to experience the old Vegas nightclub scene. They were part of the Louis Prima band, but I never got to see him. This was the next best thing.
Q: Where would you like to go that you have never been to before?
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