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My Life In Travel: Gabby Logan, sports commentator and presenter

'The Scottish Highlands are beautiful'

Sophie Lam
Saturday 17 July 2010 00:00 BST
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First holiday memory?

When I was about four or five I went with my mum, siblings and granny to Pontins in Torremolinos – it was called the Hotel Pontinental. I won a talent competition and I was also voted Princess of the Week. You don't forget things like that when you're five. I don't remember much else though, but I did love being on holiday with my granny.

Best holiday?

As I get older I really appreciate relaxing and unwinding on holiday. We used to have a lot of those kinds of holidays before we had kids. For our first holiday together, my husband Kenny [Logan] asked if I wanted to go to Bali, which of course I jumped at.

We flew business class with Singapore Airlines and stayed at the Amankila and Amandari resorts. It was just bliss – very romantic and really lovely. We slept for about 14 hours a day.

Favourite place in the British Isles?

The Scottish Highlands , where we recently had a driving holiday, stopping off at lovely hotels. Kenny knows it very well. It's truly beautiful.

What have you learnt from your travels?

That nothing is quite as good as seeing something for real. You learn more seeing a place than reading about it. I went to Montserrat as a kid after learning about volcanoes at school and it really opened my mind and made the subject real for me.

I also took my children to the Hoover Dam in America and it really had an impact on them; it was a conversation we'd never have had at home. Travel and seeing things really opens your mind.

Ideal travelling companion?

Different companions are good for different types of trip. When I was between working at ITV and Sky, I went off to Peru with a good friend from university, who is a great traveller and quite intrepid. For example when I fell down a pothole near Lake Titicaca he was very cool with it all.

On the other hand, Kenny is a really good holiday companion; we both like to eat well, do a bit of exercise and sleep lots.

Beach bum, culture vulture or adrenalin junkie?

I don't look for adrenalin on holiday. I like the idea of a beach holiday but with something going on nearby. I really like doing things with the kids now that they're getting a bit older.

Greatest travel luxury?

Turning left on a plane. Since we've had children it's harder to justify and sometimes it feels like a waste of money with them sitting on big seats wanting to be entertained by us. Arriving somewhere not feeling stressed is a luxury though.

Holiday reading?

Before I had kids I used to read the latest Ian Rankin books when I was on the beach. I like something at odds with where I am – there's something comforting about reading stories set in British cities when I'm abroad. I try and catch up with biographies that I get sent at work. However, last time I went away I had two or three books and didn't read a single page.

Where has seduced you?

Mexico. We went to Cuixmala, the estate of Sir James Goldsmith on the central Pacific coast, which was amazing. We were the only people there and it was just beautiful. After that we went north to Baja California which had amazing weather, fantastic food and beautiful sea. I was surprised how lovely it was.

Better to travel or arrive?

I like arriving, but if I'm on my own I do now enjoy a long plane journey so that I can read or watch a film.

Worst travel experience?

I had a surreal trip to New Zealand to film an advert. I left on a Sunday, landed on a Tuesday and flew home on a Thursday. I felt weird for a week and my skin reacted badly to the experience.

Worst holiday?

Kenny had undergone an operation and was about to play in a big tournament so we only had a week for a holiday during which time he needed to train and do some physio. We were told about Badrutt's Palace in St Moritz that was supposed to be a beautiful summer resort and had a great gym. When we got there none of the restaurants were open, there was barely an exercise bike in the gym and the town was dead. We decided we couldn't stay after a day there so we got some cheap flights to Monte Carlo, but we ended up having a really bad few days there in a hotel full

of families when we didn't have our kids with us. It was a very expensive and disappointing six days. I could've stayed at home and spent the same amount having a really nice time shopping on Bond Street and going out for lunch.

Best hotel?

I love Amanresorts and I've been lucky enough to stay in a few. I'd also heard so much about Sandy Lane in Barbados and I was worried I'd be disappointed but I wasn't. After two hours of being there I felt like I'd been on holiday for a week. We went to Eden Roc in St Barts for our honeymoon and that was a real joy.

Favourite walk/swim/ride/drive

I love cycling around the Vermont countryside, it's really stunning. We got married at Gleneagles in Perthshire – walking around the estate there is lovely.

Best meal abroad?

The food is unbelievable at the Twin Farms resort in Vermont. Everything is seasonal; it's indescribably perfect food. We went out snowshoeing and came back to the best lunch ever.

First thing you do when you arrive somewhere new?

When Kenny had a bad back, we used to check the mattress out but now it has been sorted out we don't have to. I'm quite fussy about rooms, so I check everything out.

Dream trip?

We want to take our kids on a six-month trip to places that we've loved, like Argentina, the Pacific islands and the Far East. It'd be to broaden their minds and to show them places and people around the world.

Favourite city?

Rome, although I would like to get to know New York a bit better.

Where next?

We may go to Mallorca, which we've enjoyed before.

Gabby Logan is on BBC Radio 5 Live, weekdays noon-2pm

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