My Hols: Miranda Richardson
Sunday Times - 22 November 2009
by Vincent Crump
Dogsledding in Alaska, elephant
riding in Sri Lanka — the actress likes to go wild
I grew up by the sea in Southport, where the tide always
seemed to be out. We never really went abroad for
holidays, but as a teenager I’d get up at 5am and
roam alone in the marshes, communing with the birds. It
was very romantic in a Dickensian kind of way, though
it’s just as well it wasn’t Victorian times.
They’d probably have locked me up as a loon.
When I was 11, a kestrel flew into the wires of the
tennis court where I was playing. She was injured, and I
sat with her all afternoon: she eventually hopped on my
shoulder, and finally away onto the church tower to be
reunited with her mate. It was a defining experience for
me. I became obsessed with wildlife, I suppose, and it
often sparks my travels.
I’ve been involved with the Galapagos Conservation
Trust since 2003, and this month I’m going there
with Sanctuary Retreats, on a fundraising cruise to mark
the Darwin anniversary. I’m interested to see the
impact of tourism first-hand. Andrew Marr famously said
he’d visited once but would never return, and maybe
I’ll feel the same.
But I’m also undeniably excited about the encounters
I’ll have — especially observing the
interaction of animal communities there. Did you know the
blue-footed boobies have their own ritual dance? That
fascinates me — but then so does the behaviour on
the boat. Oh yes, I’ll also be keeping an eye on my
fellow passengers!
A cruise is a great character study for actors. I went on
one to Alaska and it was astonishing: all this thrilling
scenery, yet half the people never left the casino.
They’d glance out of a porthole occasionally —
I guess it was like Alaska TV.
It was in Alaska that I tried dog-sledding, and got
hooked — so hooked, in fact, that last winter I
signed up for a dog-sledding challenge in Arctic Norway.
Not one of these celebrity things, just me and 12 others,
raising money for Battersea dogs’ home. It was like
being in the army for a week: physically and emotionally
utterly absorbing.
Ironically, our departure was delayed by the snowstorms
in London — someone joked we should stay and do the
whole thing in Richmond Park. But it meant we arrived at
the dog camp at night, and had to set off immediately to
make up time. Exploding through the darkness, snow coming
at you, clinging on for dear life — it felt like
flying into the Star Wars credits. Then, suddenly, the
northern lights flashed up, which was surreal. You know
that it’s a natural phenomenon, but it feels
virtual. Like a gift.
It got down to -30C, we stayed in basic cabins and
personal hygiene wasn’t uppermost, let’s put it
that way. Also, tired as you are, it’s hard to make
yourself eat — your body wants to shut down,
somehow. But it’s hard to describe the intensity of
running with the pack like that; you just have to learn
very, very quickly. The joy of the huskies really moved
me — they live to run.
Hollywood tends to pigeonhole actors, and usually they
want me to be a bit deranged, a knife-brandisher. But
it’s true that I like edgy parts, different from
anything I’ve done before, and that’s true of
my travels, too. I’m drawn to extremes; I like to be
thrown back on my resources a little.
In Sri Lanka, I did some filming to raise awareness of a
project working with stray dogs. Then I went on to my
favourite place for bird-watching, the Kandalama, a
pioneering eco-hotel near Dambulla. It’s lovely,
sort of soaked in the forest: the restaurant has this
vast window, so you can watch the monkeys eating while
they watch you. I’m still a novice birder, getting
my eye in, but you can trek out with a guide, and they
bombard you with all the species you’re seeing.
You can also ride elephants there, which I was a little
uncomfortable about. Hotel elephants have a better
existence than some, but you’re aware that
they’re domesticated, very much in service. I made
sure I took mine plenty of treats — lots of bananas.
And afterwards, I asked if I could bathe her.
Miranda Richardson talked to Vincent Crump
Return to Articles index
Return to Main Page
Created by Clive
Sarney
e-mail to webmaster
This page created November
22, 2009; last modified November 23, 2009
|