By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Tribune
March 5, 2019
“I was in Los Angeles last year, but I just put all my stuff in storage and am currently living between tour buses and short-term rentals,” says James Hunt, who is one third of the electronic dance music group RÜFÜS DU SOL. “Our schedule is full-on for the next six months, so it didn’t make sense to rent a house I won’t be in. (So I’m) homeless for now, other than the tour bus and hotel rooms.” For updated tour dates, check out their website. The band also stays active on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Q. Do you incorporate your travels into your work in any way?
A. Every album we write is influenced by the location we’re in. It’s kind of inherent in the process of creating music to draw upon the immediate vibe, personality and feeling of a place. On the first record, “Atlas,” it was very much indebted to the coastline of New South Wales. The second record, “Bloom,” was heavily influenced by the vibe and musical landscape of Berlin. Our most recent record, “Solace,” drew upon the vast, alien landscapes of Joshua Tree and the surrounding desert, as well as our own emotional response to our experience in Los Angeles.
Q. What is your favorite vacation destination?
A. Tulum, Mexico. I was there with my partner in 2017 and it was one of the most relaxing and beautiful times of my life. We’re lucky enough to be going back to this part of the world to play at Odesza’s Sundara festival (in the Riviera Maya) in March.
Q. To someone who was going to Tulum for the first time, what would you recommend that they do during their visit?
A. Swim in the cenotes — the many underground freshwater caves that are all connected through an underground river system — dive into the ocean, visit the Mayan ruins, drink spicy margaritas, do yoga and catch rays on the beach.
Q. What untapped destination should people know about?
A. Lightning in a Bottle music and arts festival in (Buena Vista Lake) Calif., for a very different music festival experience.
Q. What was the first trip you took as a child?
A. The first trip my family ever took was to Daydream Island (in Australia). It was a hot spot for holidaying families in the ’90s. It’s an amazing location in the Whitsundays, a group of islands off the coast of Queensland, Australia. I vaguely remember snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef and going on a helicopter ride up the coastline.
Q. What’s the most important thing you’ve learned from your travels?
A. To be open to new experiences and to step outside your comfort zone often, and to pack a neck pillow for long-haul flights.
Q. Where are your favorite weekend getaways?
A. Every time I come home to Australia, me and a bunch of schoolmates find an Airbnb near a river or waterfall and head away for a weekend of swimming, adventuring, hiking and catching up with old friends. It’s always a good time.
Q. Where is the most romantic destination?
A. Amsterdam. The winding cobblestone streets and canals, amazing food culture and myriad bars make for the perfect place to run around with someone, getting lost in the streets and finding hidden gems.
Q. If you’ve ever gone away for the holidays, which was the best trip?
A. Me and my family went to New York for New Year’s Eve when I was 16. It was the first time I’d ever had a white Christmas, so there was some magic in that.
Q. What are your five favorite cities?
A. Amsterdam, Sydney, Tulum, Barcelona, Berlin.
Q. Where have you traveled to that most reminded you of home?
A. San Francisco. (It’s) a very similar vibe and culture to Sydney, as well as the obvious parallel in the harborside feel of both cities.
Q. Where would you like to go that you have never been to before?
A. Reykjavik in Iceland. My friend lived there for a year and absolutely loved it.
Q. When you go away, what are some of your must-have items?
A. Bluetooth noise-canceling headphones for long train, airplane and bus rides, also a neck pillow and multiple power adapters.
Q. What would be your dream trip?
A. I’ve always wanted to go on a safari in Africa and see the amazing wildlife up close. It’s probably number one on the travel bucket list.
Q. What is your guilty pleasure when you’re on the road?
A. I love to smash through Netflix series and podcasts in between destinations. I love to get super-immersed in a show or a story while in transit.
Q. What kind of research do you do before you go away on a trip?
A. I love to research all the possible activities, restaurants, bars and tours around me so that I get the most out of wherever I’m at.
Q. What is your best and/or worst vacation memory?
A. Best memory was swimming in crystal-clear water off the rocks in Mykonos, Greece, last year on my birthday. It’s such an amazing island. Worst memory was when our connecting flight out of Mykonos was delayed heavily, causing us to miss our international flight to the U.S.A. Total nightmare.
© 2019 JAE-HA KIM
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