Shania Twain on Packing Spinach, Recording in Hotels, and Her Travel Rituals
Shania Twain doesn't just bring the usual carry-on items when she travels. For years, her bag has included a mobile recording setup. "In my carry-on for many, many years is my Pro Tools set-up for recording," she says. "I do a lot of writing and recording in my hotel rooms, so I bring an Apollo, my microphone, the laptop, all of that."
The best-selling country-pop artist of all time spoke with Condé Nast Traveler about her first business-class flight, her 12-night stint with Harry Styles at Wembley Stadium this past summer, and a planned trip to India this winter.
When touring, Twain prefers a bus. "I just love moving into it and then not having to unpack every day," she says. "I like to settle in; that's my thing. I like sleeping in small spaces."
Her first business-class flight was from Toronto to Nashville after signing her record deal. She remembers the food being better, but also the smoke. "People were still smoking on planes then," she says. "I was so perplexed that people could smoke in business class, but that was the way it was."
Twain describes herself as a thoughtful packer. She organizes by category: shoes, then jewelry, then pajamas, then underwear and socks.
In London between shows this summer, she enjoyed walking the city's quaint areas and seeing the play "Paddington." "It was just adorable," she says. "The cast is really exceptional."
For a day off on tour, she recommends Quebec City. "It's very Paris-like, this little time capsule," she says. "It's so quaint and beautiful, and on the water. Very walkable as well."
She also encourages tourists to see northeastern Ontario, where she's from. "We've got areas where you can go moose watching," she says. "You're not in a zoo. You see all these wild animals and it's really beautiful."
Food motivates her travel choices. As a largely vegetarian eater, she finds Egypt ideal. "The Lebanese food [in Egypt] is extraordinary for vegetarians," she says. "I love ancient history particularly, and the cities and villages that are museums in themselves."
She chose a home in Switzerland to maintain her French, which she grew up speaking in a bilingual town in Ontario. "The benefit of being in Switzerland is you have the valley and the lakes below, but then you can just drive up for 20 minutes and be on a glacier," she says.
In hotel rooms, Twain misses cooking. She asks for a good blender and keeps raw spinach, avocados, tomatoes, and bread on hand. "Things that I can put olive oil and salt and pepper on and make my own snack without calling room service," she says.
She has never been to India but plans to visit Hyderabad this January, where she has friends. "And don't forget, India has the best vegetarian food!" she says.