Five Miles Up: Alysia Reiner of 'New Black' on her favorite travel bag

“Total bitch” is a term

Alysia Reiner has given to describe her character, Natalie “Fig” Figueroa, on the Netflix hit “Orange is the New Black.” With the series return this summer, there’ve been hints of big surprises, including learning what drives Fig, and not just as prison administrator/assistant to the warden. Which leads us to wonder … When Reiner takes a break from her character’s “prison life,” what drives her travel-wise? Voluntourism? Spa treatments? Dining on insects? Check, check and check.

What’s something you never fail to pack in your suitcase?
My journal and watercolors.

Carry-on or check-in?
Carry-on only, baby, even for a month-long honeymoon. Even a ski trip. My new obsession is my LeSportsac Light as a Feather roller bag carry-on. It packs so much in so little space, and it’s super cute, too.

Window or aisle?
Window. God, I love daydreaming out plane windows.

What’s your idea of the perfect vacation?
For a weekend: beach, book, booze and my boy. For a week: European adventure somewhere I’ve never explored. For a month: Bali, Thailand, Africa or India, spending half the time giving service to the community and half the time in the spa.

Tell us about a vacation you’ve taken that’s come close thus far.
Weekend: Parrot Cay. Week: Amalfi Coast. Month: Still dreaming…

What’s the worst mishap you’ve had while traveling?
Last Christmas, we had paid tickets to Utah to ski and got bumped from our flight because the airline was overbooked. We were at the gate and they simply ran out of seats. They wouldn’t even look us in the eye and tell us. It was so poorly handled. And on Christmas! My 4-year-old was crushed. Ice cream and a movie had to be involved.

 Where’s your favorite destination to perform?
Edinburgh for the Edinburgh Theatre Festival. My first professional job was there. I performed a one-woman show about Virginia Woolf. It was beyond amazing. The whole city turns into theatres. Every coffee house, library, church… It’s amazing and buzzing. Such a brilliant community of artists.

What's the silliest/most unusual/decadent souvenir you’ve ever brought back from a trip?
It was actually from someone else. I collect Buddha statues and (writer) Alan Ball brought me the dirtiest Buddha you can imagine.

 Ever try a food you wished you hadn't?
Nope, I love an adventure. And yes, this lady has ingested insects. You only live once.

Favorite hotel, resort, yurt, train, boat you've ever stayed in/on?
Parrot Cay.

Favorite restaurant you’ve discovered while traveling.
Ristorante da Vincenzo in Positano.

The one thing you're willing to splurge on when traveling above all else.
Spa treatments and crazy adventures like skydiving.

Three songs on your travel playlist?
India.Arie’s "I See God In You,” Katy Perry’s “Firework,” and anything of Coldplay’s, because it’s so cinematic.

Where would you take someone visiting your current hometown of New York for the first time?
The Circle Line, or the top of the Empire State Building.

You only get one more trip in your lifetime. Where will it be?
India.