Award-winning and widely travelled actress Thoko Ntshinga has worked for more than 35 years in TV and on stage.
She has a Master’s degree in theatre for development and spent three years lecturing at the University of Cape Town, where she ploughed back skills learnt through all her years in theatre.
Plays she has starred in include The Good Woman of Sharkeville, Born in the RSA, Curl Up and Dye and Nongogo. Films include A Reasonable Man, A Dry White Season, Taxi to Soweto and The Bird Can’t Fly. Her television credits are Velaphi, Egoli and Iingcinga. She developed and directed the Grade 12 drama setwork Amaza.
Ntshinga shares some of her travel experiences.
How widely have you travelled?
I have been to London, Winchester, Edinburgh, Nottingham, New York, Amherst, Washington DC, Boston, Maldive Islands, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Ghana, Maputo and Swaziland.
Where was your favourite holiday or time spent abroad?
Definitely Winchester. You can feel the age and calmness in the stone – everything is in reach. It is ancient and you can feel it.
Your worst experience on a holiday?
Without a doubt Botswana in the early days. I was kept waiting at the border for five hours because the border control security would not let me into the country. Apparently they called the telephone number of the friend I was going to stay with and there was no answer. Remember this was in the days before cellphones. It was agony waiting there for my friend – who was on her way to meet me at the border.
Your funniest experience?
Being a South African in London. I politely asked a cashier at one of the shops I was in how she was. I could not believe her reply but it was funny at the time. She said, “Why do you care? It’s none of your business.” And she meant it.
What do you avoid during a holiday?
Definitely drinking local water. I buy bottled water, I suppose out of habit. I never had any negative experiences from drinking the local water wherever I was travelling but in the old days that’s just what we did – we bought bottled water!
Your favourite place to have sundowners?
I don’t do sundowners. The idea never appealed to me. I do drink but I prefer to meet with my “coffee” friends, as we call it.
What have you learnt from your travels?
Go well prepared. Take all the things that make you comfortable at home.
Ideal travelling companion?
My grandson, Luthando. He is 17 years old and is the best to travel with. He is a great navigator and he looks out for detail, which is always good when travelling.
Culture vulture or adrenalin junkie?
A bit of both, undoubtedly.
Greatest travel luxury?
A big cruise liner for a year – imagine that.
Holiday reading?
Whatever tickles my fancy at the time. I love reading real stories so biographies about actors or actresses are usually wonderful reading companions.
Dream trip?
The Egyptian Pyramids appeal to me the most – the beauty, the history, the culture.
Where next?
Okay, this one is tricky but I am working on it – it is that cruise around the world. - Weekend Argus