I grew up under Communism so we could only learn Russian and then when Communism fell in 1989 we could learn a few more things and have the freedom to travel and the freedom of speech - and the freedom of dreaming really.

To be honest I've always had far too much freedom. I had a job when I was 10. I started living on my own when I was 17 or 18. I've earned my own money I've traveled the world. What would I rebel against?

Your true traveller finds boredom rather agreeable than painful. It is the symbol of his liberty - his excessive freedom. He accepts his boredom when it comes not merely philosophically but almost with pleasure.

Japan is the most intoxicating place for me. In Kyoto there's an inn called the Tawaraya which is quite extraordinary. The Japanese culture fascinates me: the food the dress the manners and the traditions. It's the travel experience that has moved me the most.

People will travel anywhere for good food - it's crazy.

When I travel I normally eat club sandwiches or I bring my own food. When you go into a new town it's very had to find a good place to eat.

Our budget works to reduce and eliminate the risk of attacks at our ports rails in the skies our food supply and roads by allowing for increases in many of the programs and agencies to help protect these important areas of commerce and travel.

We don't really go in for big family dinners but Scottish people are famously confrontational. It's a cultural thing so maybe we don't need to have them to clear the air. Also traditional family food isn't as nice here so there's no payoff for traveling hundreds of miles.

This June I'll travel once again to the Food and Wine Magazine Classic in Aspen Colorado. For many years my dear friend Julia Child and I have teamed up to teach classes together at the event for the past seven years my daughter Claudine has been my cooking partner on stage.

But it's really hard to eat good when you're traveling because you see fast food and you want to go to this restaurant and that restaurant.