Michael Palin on childhood holidays, stunning South American citadels, and West African delicacies

Who's the most interesting person you've met on your travels?

The Dalai Lama because of what he represents. We went to Dharamsala when he was receiving pilgrims. There must have been two or three hundred people lined up, and the way he dealt with each of them was interesting: they immediately prostrated themselves in front of him so he tried to get them up face to face with him. He had a different word for everybody. Then he gave us an interview, and I was really impressed by his attitude towards us. The first thing he did was shake hands with all the crew. I mean, no one normally does that. He was a delight to talk to and very open, and yet around him was this enormous panoply of colour on the throne and all that sort of thing. But none of it spoiled him – he was remarkable for being a major religious leader with so little pretension.

Which is the smartest hotel you’ve ever stayed in?

While filming Around The World in 80 Days, we went on a dhow from Dubai to Mumbai. It had no facilities at all and moved very slowly. As we got onboard I remember thinking, This is going to be the worst time. But it turned out to be a terrific experience. There were no cabins, we all slept on the cargo. The crew of 18 Gujarati fishermen couldn’t speak English but gradually we got to know them. They were extraordinarily friendly and helpful. We had brought things like Sainsbury's ham from England but they couldn't see us eating that, so they shared what little curry they had, and we joined in the life of the ship. No holiday company could give you that kind of experience. We then reached Mumbai and stayed at the Taj Hotel, which is an amazing hotel, but when I saw the way the staff were being treated by the guests (“Get this, boy”), I felt very unhappy. I realised how much being on the dhow meant to me because I would never again be in circumstances where we all have to look after each other.