Detoxing in Palm Springs, dancing in Mykonos and driving to Uluru – the model and Qantas trend consultant is ticking off the world’s hotspots.

Where did you go on your last trip?

California. My sister [model Ashley Hart] and I did a seven-night detox program at We Care Spa near Palm Springs. We left feeling incredible. On top of that, we had bonding time.

When you walk into a hotel room, what’s the first thing you look for?

I look for cleanliness and cosiness. I like cosy, not modern – ideally, something that feels super-old and is heavy in decoration but is extremely clean. I love Le Bristol Paris and the Blakes Hotel in London is great.

SEE ALSO: Travelling with Hamish Blake and Andy Lee

Where is your home away from home?

It would be my mum’s home in Melbourne; it’s the only place where I really feel at home, outside of my apartment in New York. I’m sure there are many hotels that are more comfortable but it’s home.

Is there a place you could have given a miss?

Madagascar. I don’t think I’ll be rushing back there. A swimwear job came up at the last minute and, honestly, I thought it would make for great Instagram pics. It took me three days to get there then I missed a connecting flight within Madagascar. So I had to spend the night in the main city, Antananarivo, and it was more Third World than I was expecting. I got to the photo shoot location, which was beautiful, but I was only there for a day and a half and then I had to come all the way back. It was 10 days, with hardly any time on the ground. 

What was your typical childhood holiday 

We didn’t really take holidays. My mother worked two jobs so if we got away for a weekend – or if Mum had a friend who could take us – we’d go somewhere like Sorrento, in Victoria, to be by the beach. Once we drove from Melbourne to Adelaide then from Adelaide to Uluru – that was cool, quite an adventure.

Do you wander the streets or check maps?

I like to think that I wander the streets but I do love Google Maps. It’s just amazing. I was in Corsica this northern summer and went for a hike; you can zoom in on Google Maps and find fully mapped-out footpaths. You may feel like you’re trekking into the bush with no directions but when you feel lost, you just “Google Map” it. It’s my little safety haven – as long as I have reception and battery charge.

SEE ALSO: No Place Like Home – Samantha Harris

Is there any other technology you rely on for travel?

I love Yelp. In New York, where I’ve lived for the past 12 years, I’ll open the app to look for recommended places near where I’m standing: a salad bar, juice bar or brunch place. So many options come up and you can choose by rating or proximity. It’s great.

Which destination was a surprise to you?

Morocco, specifically Marrakech. The first time I went there, I wasn’t excited. But, my gosh, now it’s one of my favourite cities in the world – it’s so mysterious. I love the climate, the food, the big, beautiful resorts... I’ve been there six or seven times for friends’ birthdays, weddings and a bunch of work.

What’s the greatest road trip you’ve done?

I did the drive from Los Angeles to San Francisco, which was incredible. About three hours out of San Francisco, in Big Sur, there’s an amazing hotel called the Post Ranch Inn. You can stay in these little tree houses or cliffside rooms. If you check in when it’s dark, you wake up in the morning and look out of your floor-to-ceiling windows and see just the ocean and clouds. Then there’s a place called Esalen that has hot springs where you can soak as the sun sets.

Have you ever been fleeced?

Someone stole my purse when I was in Mykonos. I was dancing in a bar and I’d left my handbag on the floor. When I turned around to get it, I realised my purse had been stolen. I was beside myself. The people at the bar went through the footage and said they found the guy who stole it; they recognised him. They pointed him out and soon police were following him and took him back to the police station. Then, rewatching the video, we saw it wasn’t the same guy. So I never found my wallet.

I had to borrow money from friends. It was interesting for me – I’m always in control.

Have you ever gone completely off the grid?

Yes, when I shot with Seafolly we went to Haggerstone Island, on the Great Barrier Reef. We were there for a week with no reception – I didn’t know we were going to be off the grid!

SEE ALSO: Travelling with Marta Dusseldorp

Resort or rustic?

Resort. Or luxury-rustic – that’s what I like to call it – like glamping. 

What has been one of your favourite dining experiences?

My absolute favourite restaurant in the world is Sushi Park in LA. It’s at the top of a strip mall – completely unexpected. It looks like any regular sushi place but everyone who likes sushi knows about it. It’s seriously the best. Not even in New York – and I’ve tried every sushi place here – can I find anything that compares to Sushi Park. I don’t actually want to tell anyone about it.

Too late now! When you travel, what are you most likely to bring home?

Over the past year and a half, I’ve started collecting magnets. Everywhere I go, I try to bring back a magnet. And I’ve always collected matches; I have shoeboxes full of them.

If you could be anywhere else in the world right now, where would you be?

Nowhere but here. I’m so happy to be back in my apartment in New York.

Is that just because you’re coming off the back of a detox?

No. I travel so much. I’ve just been to the fashion weeks then a friend’s wedding in Europe. Then I went to LA for a week then back to New York for a few days then the detox near Palm Springs. I’ve been travelling for two months so I’m really happy to be home. 

SEE ALSO: Travelling with Elle Macpherson

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