Simon Westcott, CEO and owner of the Luxe pocket city guides, was born with the travel bug. Even as a teenager, he had an irrepressible taste for adventure, travelling to war-torn Lebanon and trekking through the Peruvian jungle in between his exams.
(Related: How I Travel: Mark Edleson Of Alila Hotels & Resorts)
Upon graduation, he combined work and passion by joining the Lonely Planet group, where he became global publisher and director before co-founding Mr & Mrs Smith Asia Pacific. Westcott has lived in London, the US, Melbourne, and now Hong Kong, and the air of a truly seasoned traveller is apparent as he shares his expert tips and vintage travel photographs with us.
Last trip?
Simon Westcott (SW) London.
Next trip?
SW Melbourne.
On the bucket list?
SW Bhutan and Sikkim… I’m really interested in the Himalayas and Mongolia, and I also love South America. There are parts of Brazil and Chile that I haven’t been to that I would love to visit. I’d like to see the Atacama Desert, and the interior areas of Brazil.
What do you love most about travelling?
SW The obvious things—the exposure to different people, different cultures, the intensity of experiences when you’re on the road.
I remember reading an article once, about how when you’re in an environment that’s alien to you, there’s some sort of chemical that your brain releases to enable you to process more information. You have to be so present when you travel, so alert—it’s almost like an intense, medicated state.
One place you'd visit over and over again?
SW The Kimberley, in Western Australia—monumental, huge landscapes, extraordinarily beautiful. A harsh environment, but beautiful. Or where I stayed last year in Darjeeling, a stunning place called the Glenburn Tea Estate.