Howie Day On Alaska, Not Living In A Bubble, And How To Make Easy Iced Coffee On The Road

© Handout Howie Day in Cahersiveen, County Kerry, Ireland.

It’s been 23 years since singer-songwriter Howie Day released his debut album, “Australia.” Since then, the Bangor, Maine, native has toured the world and topped the charts with hits including “Collide” and “She Says.” On March 9, Day said he will do something he hasn’t done before in concert: play the entire “Australia” album in one show (at the City Winery). “We’re going to test it out in Boston and see if this gaze backward is going to work elsewhere,” he said in a recent phone call from Seattle, where he lives with his 15-year-old Brussels Griffon, Henry. “I mean, I play some of these songs live regularly, but not all of them. It’s like a trip back in time. … Suddenly I’m this 42-year-old guy looking back at these songs. It’s kind of a trippy experience.” Day said he will “probably throw in some other songs as well.” Since he has been writing music and touring since he was a teenager, Day didn’t attend college. But during COVID, he decided to attend the Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, from which he received a degree in interior architecture. “I chose that because it was something I was interested in and I think travel was a part of it,” he said. “I am always in public spaces – hotels, airports. … They were designed by someone and I like to analyze them [and] see what works and what doesn’t work. I looked at it like, I’ve been using my ears for 20 years; let’s see how the eyes do.” Day said he is looking forward to performing in Boston, his old stamping grounds, where he busked and played “just about every college and university in and around Boston.” We caught up with Day to talk about all things travel.

If you could travel anywhere right now, and money was no object, where would you go? Antarctica. It’s the only continent I haven’t been to, it’s rare that anyone gets to visit, there’s a tiny window left [to visit], and it’s really expensive.

Where was the first place you traveled to after COVID restrictions were lifted? To get out of the house and keep some degree of sanity during lockdowns, I started hiking in the Cascades around Seattle. Pretty soon, that would evolve into multi-day backpacking trips, so I started planning a trek along the K’esugi Ridge in Denali State Park. As soon as it felt safe, I traveled up to Alaska and did it. It was the only state I’d never visited, and it was satisfying to check off No. 50. The hike was magnificent, too. It still remains the only state [in which I’ve] never played a gig. I might have to do an open mic night there.

Do you prefer booking trips through a travel agent or on your own? I rarely use a travel agent, although it can be useful for larger groups of people. I prefer the freedom and flexibility of booking everything on my own. That said, I enjoy the challenge and find that I learn a little about where I’m going in the process.

Thoughts on an “unplugged” vacation? I live with the illusion that I’m less addicted to my phone than everyone else. Deep down, I know it’s not true. I do manage to dabble a little bit in meditation – another pandemic discovery – so I’ve recently become interested in a “silent retreat”-style getaway.

Do you use all of your vacation time or leave some on the table? I’ll take this opportunity to stress that touring is not a big extravagant vacation, it’s more like an all-out sprinting road race. Perhaps in response to that chaos, when I’m on an actual vacation, I really savor the place – almost pretending I live there for a little while.

What has been your worst vacation experience? On a 16-hour flight to Sydney, I got stuck in a middle seat that didn’t recline. The cherry on top was the four-hour delay on the tarmac.

Do you vacation to relax, to learn, or for the adventure of it all? For me, all three of those things go together. They complement one another perfectly.

What book do you plan on bringing with you to read on your next vacation? I’ll bring whatever I’m currently reading for the plane, but I usually don’t read much once I’m on vacation. I’m more the up-and-out type. I prefer to read at home, and for that I highly recommend “The Art of Travel” by Alain de Botton.

If you could travel with one famous person/celebrity, who would it be? I watched the “Long Way Round” [TV] series with Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman and that looked like a lot of fun. It’d be great to do a bike trip with them. The problem is, I don’t ride motorcycles.

What is the best gift to give a traveler? Tiny Nalgene no-leak resealable bottles for toiletries are a godsend – and budget-friendly.

What is your go-to snack for a flight or a road trip? I don’t have a go-to, so I try to find what’s unique to the place I’m in. Local culture begins and ends with the snack.

What is the coolest souvenir you’ve picked up on a vacation? I was on a songwriting retreat near Apollo Bay in Australia, smack in the middle of a rain forest. I spent most of the time playing my buddy’s guitar — it just sounded great. At the end of the trip, he gifted it to me completely unexpectedly. The case even has a koala luggage tag. I flew home with it and it’s still my favorite guitar. It never leaves the living room.

What is your favorite app/website for travel? The Kindle App on my phone contains all the guidebooks I’ll need for my trip. My favorites are Rick Steves and Fodor’s. Carrying it all in your pocket doesn’t limit you to one book, and you can search and highlight, too.

What has travel taught you? You have to leave room for the unexpected. You can map things out and plan all you like, but it’s the spontaneous stuff that you’ll remember. And don’t live in a bubble: Absorb the place you’re in so you can integrate the best ideas into your own life. Let the place become part of you, part of your repertoire.

What is your best travel tip? I’m a New Englander, so my first order of business every day is iced coffee. If this sounds like you, throw a bunch of single-serving instant coffee packets in your carry-on. In the morning, shake one up in a bottle of water and pour it into a cup you saved from the day before. Add ice from the machine on your way out of the hotel. You’re welcome.

في ديار ملكة سبأ: رحلة أثرية إلى العاصمة السبئية مأرب | ورشة أكاديمية قدمها أ. د. محمد مرقطن