I always have a large notepad in my hand baggage – I'm not very high-tech! This is an all-purpose thing in which I jot down notes to myself and ideas for lyrics. In fact, I wrote most of my new song, Reflections, on a short flight between Geneva and London. We recorded it later that day and it's on my new album.

WHAT DO YOU NEED FOR A PERFECT HOLIDAY?

I live in Switzerland, so I see a lot of mountains every day. They're very beautiful and inspiring, however, being English I need to see the sea from time to time. So a holiday for me needs to be on the Atlantic, the Pacific, or any other ocean for that matter. 

WHAT'S YOUR BEST PIECE OF TRAVEL ADVICE?

Don't over pack. I always seem to have too much "stuff" and I travel light – unlike a lot of other ladies I know. Then of course, there are always those bits and pieces we buy along the way, and it all adds up to being overweight at check-in time. 

AND YOUR WORST EXPERIENCE ON HOLIDAY?

Last summer I went back to one of my favourite Greek islands. Usually I would go away in May or September, but due to my recording schedule I could only get away in July. Needless to say the whole island was jammed with what you might call a party crowd. They were having a great time, but it wasn't what I needed after a few weeks in a loud studio. Very bad timing on my part.

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST PACKING MISTAKE YOU'VE MADE?

The classic bottle opening during the flight – this time, it was a rather fancy hair conditioner (oily, of course) and it went absolutely everywhere. Now I pack all those kind of things in plastic, wrapped in even more plastic. 

WHERE DO YOU WANT TO GO NEXT?

I find air travel a bit tedious, so maybe a train trip to somewhere (by the sea of course!) in Europe. I would love to go back to Cornwall in the UK. It has a fantastic coastline and yummy cream teas. I promised myself a holiday in Byron Bay one day, but for now my up-coming concert tour of Australia is as close as I'll get to it.

Petula Clark's current album Lost In You is out now.