I could have danced all night ... in Singapore: actor Mark Richardson

Johannesburg has been my hometown for more than 40 years. The hustle and bustle of Jozi is the reason everyone either stays or leaves. I’m a city guy, so it’s always suited me, but for tourists I imagine it might be a little difficult to be sold on it. If I were showing a tourist around, I’d think of spots like Vilakazi Street in Soweto, the Apartheid Museum in Ormonde and the usual upmarket malls ... but let’s face it, it’s the springboard for all the other fabulous destinations in our beautiful country.

My favourite international city is Tokyo. It makes Johannesburg look like a village, and the sheer energy of the place serves as a dynamo to your experience there. The Japanese people are the most gracious and humble hosts I’ve ever met. This is a slam dunk as the Japanese are by far the most charming people I’ve ever encountered. Their culture seems to be based on total respect, whether you are local or foreign.

A perfect day in Tokyo would involve everything on foot as much as possible. The only way to experience foreign cities is to walk, in my opinion. I literally walked every route I could think of in Tokyo — often getting lost but that’s the fun of it. The bullet trains will get you to any of the traditional sights outside Tokyo, such as Mount Fuji and Hiroshima.

A fond memory was travelling throughout Europe as a family in a motorhome — not once but twice. The freedom of having your own wheels and accommodation combined makes for a very carefree holiday. Being cheaper, it also frees up a bit of capital to enjoy extra sights.

My worst experience was a working trip to the Philippines, staying on the seedier side of Manila due to easier work access. I can honestly say I never want to return, which is a little unfair, but I can only go on personal experience.

A memorable meal I had overseas was in Venice on one of the motorhome trips. We treated ourselves to an extremely traditional pizza restaurant. Doesn’t sound exciting but the ambience and simple pizza recipe made for a memorable afternoon. It made you realise how far off track the pizza we know has gone. No fancy rich toppings; just basic delicious dough, tomato spread and a relatively light sprinkling of mozzarella.

For a great night out? I’m definitely not a party animal but the top of the Marina Bay Hotel in Singapore next to its rooftop swimming pool is probably the most exotic vibe that I’ve experienced. You’ve just got to be lucky enough to get an invite.

The one thing I always make sure I do on holiday is get a sense of how people behave and think in their own countries. We are very different people when we travel, and so in our own environments, I think we have different qualities. To have an insight into the culture of different nations not only drops our blinkers but can also sometimes even make us grateful for what we consider the norm.

I have an extremely sweet tooth so, when travelling, I’m a sucker for chocolates and sweets around the world. Some are superb, others are downright awful but you don’t know until you try. I also, much to my wife’s dismay, love museums. Those are the afternoons for “me time”.

Souvenirs are great because they immediately take you back to that experience. Seems silly, but I bought a Harrods teddy bear at a charity shop in Wellington, New Zealand. Every time I look at him, I’m right there back in that store.

I am a classic-car fanatic so my ultimate destination is the annual Hershey Swap Meet in Pennsylvania, US. It’s so large you need at least two days to view it and if I could combine that with a trip to the Pebble Beach Concours [an annual car show held in California] I’d be in heaven.

My best holiday ever was my honeymoon in 1987 to Europe and the UK. We did the bus tour vibe around Europe with a bunch of other foreigners, with all the excursions sorted. I’d probably hate it now but I was young then.

The Great Wall of China surprised me because I thought it would be bigger up close. It is a marvel, though, and when you think that you’re visiting a tiny piece of it, you realise what a vast task it must have been to build.

One tourist attraction everyone should see before they die? Victoria Falls will always be a sight to take your breath away. I’ve been lucky enough to visit the falls a couple of times and the power and breathtaking beauty never fades.

When I see South African travellers overseas, I hope they are of the same thought as me in that travelling always makes me appreciate what a beautiful country we are privileged to be a part of. There really isn’t a better feeling than coming home to South Africa.

Catch Mark Richardson as Alfie P Doolittle in My Fair Lady at the following venues: 

• Artscape in Cape Town, on now until January 12 2025.
• Teatro at Montecasino in Johannesburg from January 23 until March 2 2025. 
• The Playhouse Company's Opera Theatre in Durban from March 8 - 16 2025.