This Battered Suitcase
  • Home
  • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Around the Web
    • Contact
  • Start Here
  • Destinations
    • Africa
      • Botswana
      • Egypt
      • Kenya
      • Morocco
      • Namibia
      • Rwanda
      • South Africa
      • Tanzania
      • Uganda
      • Zambia
    • Asia
      • Bhutan
      • Brunei
      • Cambodia
      • China
      • Hong Kong
      • India
      • Indonesia
      • Israel
      • Japan
      • Laos
      • Macau
      • Malaysia
      • Mongolia
      • Myanmar
      • Nepal
      • The Philippines
      • Singapore
      • Sri Lanka
      • South Korea
      • Thailand
      • UAE
      • Vietnam
    • Europe
      • Austria
      • Belgium
      • Bulgaria
      • Croatia
      • Cyprus
      • Czechia
      • Denmark
      • England
      • Estonia
      • Finland
      • France
      • Germany
      • Greece
      • Hungary
      • Iceland
      • Ireland
      • Italy
      • Latvia
      • Liechtenstein
      • Lithuania
      • Luxembourg
      • Malta
      • Monaco
      • Netherlands
      • Northern Ireland
      • Norway
      • Poland
      • Portugal
      • Romania
      • Russia
      • San Marino
      • Scotland
      • Slovakia
      • Slovenia
      • Spain
      • Sweden
      • Switzerland
      • Turkey
      • Vatican City
      • Wales
    • North America
      • Antigua and Barbuda
      • Barbados
      • Belize
      • Canada
      • Costa Rica
      • Cuba
      • Dominican Republic
      • Grenada
      • Guatemala
      • Honduras
      • Jamaica
      • Nicaragua
      • Mexico
      • Panama
      • St. Kitt’s and Nevis
      • St. Vincent and the Grenadines
      • USA
    • Oceania
      • Australia
      • New Zealand
    • South America
      • Argentina
      • Bolivia
      • Brazil
      • Chile
      • Colombia
      • Ecuador
      • Peru
      • Uruguay
  • Topics
    • Advice
    • Fashion
    • Lifestyle
    • Opinions
    • Romance
    • Stories
    • Travel
    • Writing and Blogging
  • Work With Me

This Battered Suitcase

  • Home
  • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Around the Web
    • Contact
  • Start Here
  • Destinations
    • Africa
      • Botswana
      • Egypt
      • Kenya
      • Morocco
      • Namibia
      • Rwanda
      • South Africa
      • Tanzania
      • Uganda
      • Zambia
    • Asia
      • Bhutan
      • Brunei
      • Cambodia
      • China
      • Hong Kong
      • India
      • Indonesia
      • Israel
      • Japan
      • Laos
      • Macau
      • Malaysia
      • Mongolia
      • Myanmar
      • Nepal
      • The Philippines
      • Singapore
      • Sri Lanka
      • South Korea
      • Thailand
      • UAE
      • Vietnam
    • Europe
      • Austria
      • Belgium
      • Bulgaria
      • Croatia
      • Cyprus
      • Czechia
      • Denmark
      • England
      • Estonia
      • Finland
      • France
      • Germany
      • Greece
      • Hungary
      • Iceland
      • Ireland
      • Italy
      • Latvia
      • Liechtenstein
      • Lithuania
      • Luxembourg
      • Malta
      • Monaco
      • Netherlands
      • Northern Ireland
      • Norway
      • Poland
      • Portugal
      • Romania
      • Russia
      • San Marino
      • Scotland
      • Slovakia
      • Slovenia
      • Spain
      • Sweden
      • Switzerland
      • Turkey
      • Vatican City
      • Wales
    • North America
      • Antigua and Barbuda
      • Barbados
      • Belize
      • Canada
      • Costa Rica
      • Cuba
      • Dominican Republic
      • Grenada
      • Guatemala
      • Honduras
      • Jamaica
      • Nicaragua
      • Mexico
      • Panama
      • St. Kitt’s and Nevis
      • St. Vincent and the Grenadines
      • USA
    • Oceania
      • Australia
      • New Zealand
    • South America
      • Argentina
      • Bolivia
      • Brazil
      • Chile
      • Colombia
      • Ecuador
      • Peru
      • Uruguay
  • Topics
    • Advice
    • Fashion
    • Lifestyle
    • Opinions
    • Romance
    • Stories
    • Travel
    • Writing and Blogging
  • Work With Me
Travel

Seoul Sisters

written by Brenna Holeman June 18, 2011
Brenna in Seoul
Kerri in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul 2
Seoul food
Seoul 5
Brenna in Seoul 2
Seoul, South Korea

One of the most important things to remember before embarking on a long solo journey is that, unless you choose to be, you will never be alone. I have been very blessed in the past nine months to have encountered some of the most wonderful travel partners, some of whom I planned to travel with and others who just fell into my life: my mum, Kelleigh, Trish, Lena & Lukas, Ella, Aidy, Henry, Aaron, and Ali all spring to mind. And, of course, there is always Kerri.

Kerri and I met in Halifax in 2005 (or perhaps even 2004; we had a few classes together in university). We quickly realized that we were both planning to travel extensively through Europe after graduating, so we used to sit in little coffeeshops and pore over guidebooks and maps, discussing the kinds of things that only inexperienced travellers do (how will I change money? will I make friends? what happens if there is a cute boy in my mixed dorm room?). After our separate Europe excursions, we hung out in Toronto for a few months before she moved off to Korea, and I soon travelled even more through Central America and Europe. When I lived in Edinburgh in 2008, we met in Romania and adventured through to Bulgaria and Turkey from there. I then moved to Japan, and she visited me…twice. Then, if you’ve been reading this blog for a few months, you’d know that we met again in Thailand in January and went through Burma and the islands of southern Thailand together (a whirlwind of fun).

And now, I am sitting once again in a little coffeeshop, sitting once again with this creative, charismatic, and, to be totally frank, sometimes completely crazy girl that I call my best friend. But this time we are in Insadong, a cute area of Seoul famous for cafes and boutiques; it is our last day together, my last day in South Korea. It has been a fantastic week here, a week filled with bike rides, palaces, views overlooking the city, delicious food, far too much shopping for my own good, partying, sticker photos, strolling for ages, and laughing, laughing, laughing. South Korea is our eighth country together, and I can’t wait to see what number nine is. People often ask me what essentials I take with me when I travel, and really, all you need is someone like Kerri, someone who makes you laugh until you cry, someone who wants to do similar things as you, someone who makes you look twice at the world in which you are travelling. That, and your passport, of course.

AsiaSouth Korea
4 comments
0
Facebook Twitter Google + Pinterest
Brenna Holeman

Brenna Holeman has travelled to over 100 countries in the past 15 years, many of them solo. She's a big fan of whisky and window seats.

previous post
All Good Things
next post
Withdrawals

You may also like

Where To Find the Sinking House of Paris

September 15, 2016

A Night in Brazil

June 21, 2013

Dreaming Of Cape Cod

November 21, 2011

A Little Place Called Guatape

April 10, 2013

Christmas in Europe

December 24, 2013

Of Buddhas And Bangkok

January 18, 2011

GIVEAWAY: Thinking About Gratitude With Trover

November 12, 2017

Mud Baths of Colombia

August 2, 2012

My Favourite Spas In Asia

April 10, 2012

Returning From Cuba

March 17, 2012

4 comments

turrm June 19, 2011 - 4:59 am

I love this post. It reminds me of my best friend and I. Even though we haven’t started travelling yet, during a random conversation we found out how much both of us want to travel Europe.. and the rest of the world. We’re planning on studying abroad together in France next year as a way to kick start our travels. So when we see each other (which is not very often) we always sit in our favorite cafe in SF and talk about our future lives, look at your blog, and talk about everything and anything. It’s so inspiring to read about your travels with Kerri and your other friends. I think you will love this quote as much as we do:

“Travel only with thy equals or thy betters; if there are none, travel alone.” – The Dhammapada

<3

Reply
This Battered Suitcase June 20, 2011 - 9:43 am

I DO love that quote, thank you so much for sharing! It’s so great to hear that you also have a travelling partner in crime. Hopefully I’ll get to run into you two on the road one day!

Reply
Christine loves to Travel June 20, 2011 - 4:04 pm

Glad you had an amazing time with your bff! You two look amazing 🙂

Reply
Sooshmita May 6, 2017 - 10:21 am

I like your dress were is it from?

Reply

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

About Me

About Me

Hi, I'm Brenna

My name is Brenna Holeman and I drink a lot of whisky. No, wait. That’s not how I want to start. After travelling to more than 100 countries over the past 15 years, many of them solo, I tend to write about travel a lot, but I write about other things, too: getting dumped, buying way too much jewellery, and yeah, OK, whisky (none of those things are related, I swear). You’ll find a mix of advice, opinion pieces, and stories on this blog, but either way, I hope to make you want to read more. And up next? I'm about to become a single mom to a beautiful baby boy, the biggest solo adventure I've ever been on. For more about me and what you'll find on This Battered Suitcase, click here .

Keep in touch

facebook
instagram
twitter
pinterest
youtube

Newsletter

Subscribe to get the latest updates from This Battered Suitcase!

Archives

INSPIRATION

Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. But no matter, the road is life." - Jack Kerouac

About Brenna

This Battered Suitcase is not only about the where and the how of travel, it's about the who and the why.

Originally from Canada, all I've ever wanted to do is travel. After eleven years of solo travel and over 90 countries, I'm currently living in London and fulfilling my other dream of becoming a writer. If I'm not travelling, I'm writing about it, either for my blog, my job, or my book. I firmly believe there is adventure everywhere, so long as you keep your eyes (and your mind, and your heart) open. Join me as I continue to look for these adventures. Hopefully you'll find your own, too.

For more, click here.

WHERE AM I?

Last stops: Manitoba, Canada

Currently: Manitoba, Canada

Up Next: Manitoba, Canada (are you sensing a theme?)

Archives

Want local knowledge about Manitoba?

AFFILIATE POLICY

Please note that some links on This Battered Suitcase are affiliates (at no extra cost to you); I only recommend products I use and love. This Battered Suitcase is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

INSPIRATION

"Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. But no matter, the road is life." - Jack Kerouac

Currently in

WINNIPEG, MANITOBA, CANADA

Last Stops: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Up Next:  Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

(AKA: STAY HOME)

Disclosures

This Battered Suitcase is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and links to Amazon.com. For the full disclosure/privacy policy, please click here.

Popular Posts

  • 1

    On Ghosting (and what to do if it happens to you)

    August 8, 2016
  • 2

    What to Wear in Canada in Winter

    February 28, 2018
  • 3

    What to Wear in India

    December 15, 2014
  • 4

    Giraffe Manor: Is It Worth The Cost?

    November 22, 2017
Promotion Image

The Last time I saw you

Promotion Image

What to wear

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Youtube

@2018 - All Rights Reserved


Back To Top
 

Loading Comments...