Living in a mud hut on a Papua New Guinean island changes you - at least, for a while. I lived on Kiriwina Island for three months when I was shooting a movie called In A Savage Land. It's an amazing place, where the currency was yams and the locals wore grass skirts. Initially I missed my home comforts, but by the end I was chewing on betel nuts. It was quite therapeutic to take such a dramatic break from conventional life but the sad truth is that, after a couple of weeks back in London, you're as shallow as you ever were.
Music can be a cultural anaesthetic. When I'm visiting a different culture I like to soak up its sights and sounds, not dilute the experience with my own soundtrack. And I never travel without a camera. I don't mean a video camera though. When you're shooting moving images, you tend to get wrapped up in the mechanics of filming, whereas shooting stills helps reinforce the memories.
I'm itching for a backpacking adventure. I admit I'm as partial as the next man to a bit of opulence and I've stayed in some fantastically luxurious hotels - including the Oberoi in Mauritius (+230 204 3600; oberoihotels.com) and the Jimbaran Bay in Bali (+62 361 701010; fourseasons.com/jimbaranbay) - but I'd love to explore South America or India.
My desire to return to Mexico is incredibly strong. I spent five months there in San Luis Potosi filming The Legend of Zorro. Every time I tried to leave the set to visit somewhere more interesting, I got called back. It was extremely frustrating.
I've had some wonderful conversations with strangers on planes and trains. But I always pack a book just in case. There is, after all, nothing worse than an eight-hour flight spent talking about business.
I'm definitely a 'play it by ear' traveller. I've always liked to just go to places and see what happens. It's my favourite way of travelling. You often meet extraordinary people if you go with the flow. Anything can happen.
Rufus Sewell stars in Amazing Grace and The Illusionist, both out now on DVD. Interview by Nick McGrath.
