FOX Sports presenter Edward Russell on his travel souvenir junkie ways
“I’ve heard it can get incredibly hot and sticky over there at this time of year, so fingers crossed my Lycra’s breathable!” the British-Singaporean host quipped.
Of course, the best thing about the job is being in the thick of action and getting up close to his sporting idols.
“I’ve always been a massive sports fan, so there’s certainly a measure of awe,” the 26-year-old confessed. “But when you actually sit down and have a chat with them, many of them are just so genuine that it becomes like any other conversation you would have with a normal person. A normal person with absolutely ridiculous sporting ability, that is.”
Tell us about one of your favourite destinations.
One of my favourite places in the world would have to be Barcelona. I was there again a few weeks ago and it really is a city that has it all — from the architecture to the beaches to the food, and the relaxed pace of life there always makes me feel like I’m on holiday even during work trips. Slightly further down the Spanish coast there’s a small seaside town called Alcossebre that I always try to add to my itinerary when I’m need of some R&R. It’s one of those places where an entire day’s exertions consist of the walk from the shore to the beachside bar, and where the toughest decision of the day comprises which tapas to order for dinner. Absolute bliss.
What’s your advice for enjoying life on the road as a frequent traveller?
Open your eyes. All too often I find we can become too consumed in following a map to that “must visit location” and consequently miss out on seeing everything in between. In fact, ditch the map altogether and just get lost; some of my most treasured travel memories have come about from having absolutely no idea where I am and then discovering an absolute gem of a place in the process. Unless you find yourself in a car that’s running desperately short of petrol, as happened to me in the middle of the Bahraini desert!
What do you love most about travelling for work as a FOX Sports presenter?
One of the great aspects of my job is that it also brings me to cities I would never have thought of travelling to of my own volition. I was in Bahrain recently to cover the Grand Prix. It was my first visit to that part of the world, and it was definitely an experience.
What are your must-haves for a trip?
As I’m often on the road for long spells at a time, I try to travel as light as I can these days. Thus as long as I’ve got a good book, a library of podcasts and my headphones, I’m pretty much set. I’ve also recently got back into writing and so my journal will never usually stray too far from my side either.
What sort of souvenirs do you buy back for friends or yourself when you travel?
When I was just at Roland Garros for the French Open, I walked into the gift shop and suddenly became the proverbial kid in a candy store, buying everything in sight. Towels, bags, golf balls, you name it — it was in my shopping basket. On the way back, I had to pay hundreds of Euros in excess baggage, so I don’t think I’ll be doing that again in a hurry. Maybe next time... just a keychain? — TODAY
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