NEW YORK
Manhattan will be forever and always my dream. It's big, loud, unashamed and can pull the rug out from under you in a New York-minute. Our combined similarities are probably why I love it so much. It's where I first performed overseas, and where I have seen some of the greatest theatrical experiences of my life. Seeing idols like Bernadette Peters, Patti LuPone and Harvey Fierstein performing on Broadway will never be beaten. My favourite gay bar is Flaming Saddles, where bartenders regularly jump on the bar for an impromptu line dance.
PAROS, GREECE
I have spent a fair bit of time on this delectable island, staying with my Australian friends who bought a place there. Having met many locals through them, I love the generosity of the Greeks, the lifestyle (complete with afternoon siesta), and oddly, the ouzo. It still feels like a local village and it's not too packed with tourists. It's my happy place to lie back, swim in the Aegean and eat a tonne of tzatziki.
VIENNA
I was invited to Wien with my Liza show and I knew almost nothing about the place – except that The Sound of Music was filmed up the road in Salzburg. When I arrived I was blown away. It's the birthplace of so much legendary music, opera and art, and I spent hours immersing myself in the incredible museums that highlight the Viennese contributions from Mozart to the Strauss waltzes. Salzburg is a quick train ride away, where you can literally do the Sound of Music tour… after gorging yourself on sacher torte.
LONDON
I never visit London in the winter, preferring always to visit at the height of "summer", where I generally only need one jumper. London for me is about friendship and work. I've performed there several times and one of my greatest career memories is receiving a standing ovation in the West End. I got to share it with the plethora of friends who have moved there over the years to work, and therefore it will always hold a piece of my heart. Also, it was there, after an opening night and then supper with legendary theatre producer Cameron Mackintosh, that he offered me the role in Les Miserables.
HONG KONG
My first experience in Hong Kong was going to perform at a private party on the Peak. Drag outdoors in the humidity is uncomfortable to say the least, but meeting an international group of ex-pats was an exhilarating experience. I love that you can reinvent yourself in Hong Kong … it's possibly the most diverse group of people living in one place you can find. I find it inspirational.
Trevor Ashley will perform as Dame Shirley Bassey in Diamonds Are for Trevor at Sydney Opera House Concert Hall on Thursday, March 2 as part of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras 2017. See trevorashley.com.au
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