Celebrity Travel: Go away with Elly Griffiths

Elly Griffiths’ latest novel, “Bleeding Heart Yard” (Mariner Books, $27.99), is a page-turning whodunnit that revolves around a group of friends who committed murder two decades ago. Fast-forward to their class reunion, where a prominent politician may have died of an overdose … or was killed. The British author said that living on the south coast of England is the perfect place for a crime writer such as herself. “Brighton has the reputation for being a little bit wicked. The writer Keith Waterhouse said it has the air of a town that is helping the police with their inquiries.”

Q: What else do you love about living in Brighton?

A: I may be biased, but I think it is a wonderfully historic town that also contains great independent shops. It’s surrounded by beautiful countryside. On top of all that, you’ve got the sea.

Q: How did you deal with not being able to travel, especially during the early part of this pandemic?

A: I’m very lucky to live near the sea. During lockdown, I walked to the beach every day. I think it’s very good for your mental health to be able to look as far as the horizon. I also swim in the sea from May to December. It’s very cold at first, but feels wonderful afterwards. My daughter and I always swim on Christmas morning.

Q: If you had to cancel travel plans due to the pandemic, where were they to?

A: We had made plans to visit our house in Italy, but had to postpone them. I’m half Italian and have lots of friends and family there. It was wonderful to see them when we were finally able to travel.

Q: Where have you visited for work that you went back to later for a vacation?

A: Denmark. My books seem to have struck a chord with Danish readers, which is wonderful. I had such a great time meeting my publishers in Copenhagen and attending a crime-writing festival in Horsens that I went back with my husband. Andy is an archaeologist, so he got very excited about the bog bodies in Jutland. I loved the Tivoli Gardens and the restaurants.

Q: What is your favorite vacation destination?

A: Rome is my favorite city for a weekend break. From Rome, it’s an easy trip to Ostia. You can get there on the subway and there are two stations. Lido di Ostia is a charming seaside resort and Ostia Antica is a wonderfully preserved Roman town – even more atmospheric than Pompeii.

Q: What untapped destination should people know about?

A: If you like the idea of Italy, but want somewhere without tourists, go to Sperlonga in Latina. It’s beautiful (with) glorious sandy beaches, picturesque harbor and a historic town center that includes a Roman villa. Terracina, to the west, is also lovely.

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

A: I remember going to Paris with my parents when I was nine. It was the first time I’d been abroad. When my dad and I went up the Eiffel Tower, my mother got involved in a student protest on the street below. When we got back to the ground, she was shouting,

“Liberté, égalité, fraternité!” at the police.

Q: What's the most important thing you've learned from your travels?

A: That the English are terrible at languages.

Q: If you could only pick one place to eat, would you prefer a food truck or fine dining?

A: I’d pick the Italian equivalent of a food truck. You can eat wonderful food at any roadside café in Italy, even in service stations – especially Cantagallo near Bologna.

Q: Where are your favorite weekend getaways?

A: I love going to Norfolk, where my “Ruth Galloway” books are set. Norwich is a fascinating city and there are also beautiful places along the coast, like Wells or Holt.

Q: If you've ever gone away for the holidays, which was the best trip?

A: Our children are now grown up, but they always insist on Christmas at home. We did go to Saint Lucia last January, though, which was magical.

Q: Do you speak any foreign languages?

A: I speak Italian, though not fluently. I’m not a natural linguist, but I do try.

Q: What are your five favorite cities?

A: Brighton, Rome, London, Paris and New York.

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

A: Lots of surprising places have a Brighton vibe, including Ann Arbor, Mystic (Connecticut) and Uppsala in Sweden.

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

A: Several books, a notebook, and a big scarf.

Q: What would be your dream trip?

A: India or China. I’d love to go on a railway trip across India.

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

A: I try not to feel guilty about pleasure, but I do enjoy a large gin and tonic on arrival.

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

A: I used to buy guidebooks and pore over them. Now I’m slightly less organized and have more surprises. I do try to learn a few phrases in the language of the place I’m visiting.

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

A: My best recent memory is arriving in Saint Lucia at night – our first trip outside Europe since lockdown. My worst was a rented cottage in rural France where the village seemed to be deserted, apart from stray dogs that roamed the streets like wolves.

========

(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.)