Niall Horan Used Hiatus To Backpack Around Thailand, Philippines, And Indonesia
One Direction went on hiatus last November and Niall Horan surely made the most out of his break by backpacking across Southeast Asia and spending less than 20 quid per night. The 23-year-old recently talked about his adventures on the Chris Evans Breakfast Show via The Independent.
“I went backpacking across Southeast Asia last year. It was incredible. We went around Thailand, Philippines, and Indonesia, for six weeks. We did it on a budget and it was brilliant. You’d be surprised what 20 quid a night gets you over in Asia.”
With the help of his two cousins, Niall managed to roam around the cities mostly unseen. After a well-deserved getaway, he went back to writing music and released his single, “This Town.”
The Irish crooner currently spends his time in Los Angeles where he is working on his solo album. Niall hopes to release the album in the summer and while “This Town” tells the story of a man yearning for a lost love, he teases that his new songs will be “good stuff hopefully.”
Niall will perform at the Tower of London where Radio 2 will announce the winner of its “500 Words Writing Competition.” Children aged 5 to 13 are welcome to send their entries until Feb. 23.
When asked for advice to young writers, Niall joked that he was “terrible” and “absolutely horrific” with deadlines. “I used to make up the worst excuses. I don’t think I have ever made a deadline before!” he remarked. Nonetheless, he told young writers to start with a concept and “let it flow out of your mouth.”
One Direction fans are still wondering when the band’s hiatus will end. At this point, their original plan to come back in June this year is unlikely to happen because the boys appear to be engrossed in their individual endeavors.
A Hollywood Life insider said that it could take years before the former X Factor contestants would hit the stage together.
“We all know they are all working on their own things right now. But Niall, Louis, Liam and Harry are definitely for it, but it will be years down the line.”
As per the source, the boys are aiming to first finish their personal aspirations before reuniting as a band. Louis Tomlinson echoed the insider’s statement when he recently appeared on the Today show to perform his new single, “Think a Little Less Today.”
“There’s time for that. Nobody knows when. I think we’re enjoying a bit of time to ourselves, exploring our own solo things.”
After Niall and Louis, Liam Payne is expected to debut his track next. The Wolverhampton-born singer will not only be busy with his craft, but also with daddy duties to his firstborn with Cheryl Cole.
Liam and Cheryl remain tight-lipped about the pregnancy, but last month, Niall confirmed his bandmate’s excitement for the baby. “He’s great and she’s lovely, it will be a lovely child,” he remarked. Some speculate that Cheryl’s noticeable absence from social media means she is ready to give birth anytime soon.
Meanwhile, Harry Styles has been receiving praises for his role in Dunkirk. He might soon venture into other acting projects. It is believed that he will also release new songs like his pals.
The last time the boys got together was when Louis performed “Just Hold On” on the X Factor finale shortly after his mother, Johannah “Jay” Deakin, passed away from leukemia. Harry, Liam and Niall made sure to support Louis as he dedicated his song to Jay who was also like a mother to the boys when they were still starting out.
[Featured Image by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for iHeart]
