'Wherever Ndlovu Youth Choir goes, people are super-positive about SA'

I am Ralf, the co-founder and artistic director of the Ndlovu Youth Choir. My role is to ensure that every performance runs smoothly and that the audience experiences the choir at its very best. I also play the keys and have produced all the musical arrangements.

I’m definitely a traveller. The choir is constantly on the road, and it’s one of the perks of the job. I’ve been lucky enough to perform in amazing venues around the world and have performed on every continent except Antarctica. I am seeking out performance opportunities on the South Pole.

Three words that describe my travel personality: adventurous, non-stop, curious.

My first trip abroad was to Europe. I was 13 and a chorister of the Drakensberg Boys’ Choir. We sang in magnificent cathedrals and even met the British royal family. In hindsight, I didn’t take in as much as I should have. I decided to stay on the bus and finish watching Dumb and Dumber instead of seeing Notre Dame. Fortunately, I’ve returned to Paris many times and even proposed to my wife on the Champs-Élysées.

The most difficult, remote or adventurous destination I’ve ever been to was rural Argentina. Nobody spoke English, and my broken Spanish was absolutely awful. However, the steaks were excellent.

In the smaller towns of Argentina, many intersections have no stop signs or traffic lights. The drivers somehow know when to slow down, and when not to. Our taxi driver was a devout Catholic and had a nativity scene on the dashboard. He would touch the nativity scene at each intersection, cross his heart and drive. After numerous close calls, I was finished.

A bizarre thing that’s happened on my holidays: We got locked up in a safe in Dubai waiting for counterfeit watches. We had no intention of buying them, but the eager salesman insisted on showing us his collection, and we foolishly followed him into a safe room in some back alley.

I’m a proud Johannesburg boy, and if I were to show a tourist around, I’d take them to Maboneng, Maropeng, and Soweto. Joburg has a vibrancy and energy that I haven’t found in any other city I’ve visited. It’s a bit of a frustration for me that most tourists bypass Johannesburg, heading straight to Cape Town and the game reserves. Jozi is an incredible city with a rich and fascinating history that deserves to be on the tourist map.

When travelling, I am a sucker for music and art. I love getting lost in art galleries, but I equally enjoy street art. There is some incredible street artwork that I’ve seen in Brooklyn, Philadelphia and Atlanta. This is more than art — it’s a representation of the community.

My best travel experience was being upgraded on the Eurostar. The train was overloaded, and the conductor needed to make room for a school group. My fiancée (I had just proposed) and I agreed to assist, and with a cheeky grin, the conductor said, “Follow me to your cabin.” When we arrived, he said, “Excuse the smell of smoke — Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell were in here this morning”. To celebrate our engagement, he brought us a bottle of Dom Perignon.

My worst was being pickpocketed in London.

I’m a very adventurous eater when I travel. In Phuket, I hired a jet ski and went way further than I was supposed to. I stumbled upon a little fishing boat cooking something they had caught. It certainly wasn’t fish. The fisherman offered me a piece, and I thought, why not? It was slimy but good.

The best place in the world for a night out is New York. Beautiful sundowners overlooking Manhattan, followed by a show at one of the many fine jazz clubs. It truly is the city that never sleeps.

The one thing I always make sure I do on holiday is go for a run. There’s no better way to see a city than on foot. I’m an avid runner and take every opportunity to soak up the sights and sounds of a new city. The Barcelona and the Atlanta beltline are my favourites.

Most welcoming/friendly locals? I enjoyed the Aussies. A good friend of mine took me to dinner and introduced me to some Sydney locals. After a long night, before we knew it, we had avoided all security, climbed up to the very top of the harbour bridge and looked down on the Opera House, sipping some local lagers.

Beijing was a bit tricky. Everything is just so different from South Africa. However, they went to every effort to accommodate us. I’ve been lucky, and I have never really had a bad experience with locals. If you try to communicate with them in their language and show respect for their culture, they will always assist you if they can.

My favourite souvenir is from Beijing. At a police roadblock, the translator implored me to stay on the bus, but my curiosity got the better of me, and I went to see what the fuss was about. I complimented the policeman on his Chinese flag lapel pin. The translator almost had heart failure. As we left, the policeman took his lapel pin off and gave it to me. I was very touched by this gesture. I put a magnet on the flag, and it has a proud place on our fridge.

One tourist attraction that surprised me was Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt. I will never forget buying some goggles in the hotel dive shop, plunging into the ocean and being met with an astonishing sight that I could not believe.

Favourite museum? The Museum of African-American History in Washington, DC. I wish we had something like that here. We need a museum dedicated to black excellence. Imagine how inspiring it could be for Siya Kolisi’s World Cup-winning jersey to be next to Nelson Mandela’s suit across the walkway from Hugh Masekela’s trumpet or Miriam Makeba’s microphone. We have a rich history of black excellence in South Africa, which went unrecognised for years. It's important that we create spaces to celebrate and showcase the remarkable achievements of black South Africans.

My favourite holidays are in the Kruger Park with the family. Despite everyone’s protests, I yank them out of bed just after 5am and spend the day driving up and down the park in each other’s company sharing in the beauty of one of the most beautiful places on earth.

In my experience, people on my travels are overwhelmingly positive about South Africa. Our country has a complex history, but it also boasts a rich and diverse cultural heritage that is widely celebrated. Throughout my travels, I can honestly say I’ve rarely encountered negative comments, only genuine curiosity.

One place that everyone should see before they die? Buenos Aires. It’s the perfect blend of energy and culture.

• The Ndlovu Youth Choir performs at the Montecasino’s Teatro in Johannesburg from September 5-8. They will be in Cape Town at the Artscape Theatre Centre from January 30 — February 2 2025. Tickets are from R200 — R500. For bookings, see Showtime Management or Ticketmaster.