Michelle Hardie is happiest engaging with people and excels at striking up conversation with strangers. She is thrilled by the surprising connections she has made and once found a distant relative on the Greek island of Samos who served her in a shop. She is not known for packing a light suitcase (on her 2017 list to improve) and always takes a sheet and a pillowslip just in case. A big pot of tea and a bag of liquorice (particularly the salty-sweet Dutch kind) are her comforts.