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

When You’re Strange

written by Brenna Holeman December 6, 2011
The Himalayas, Nepal

 

Chitwan National Park, Nepal

 

Bhaktapur, Nepal

 

The Himalayas, Nepal

 

The Himalayas, Nepal
“It is hard to be a stranger. A traveller has no power, no influence, no known identity. That is why a traveller needs optimism and heart, because without confidence travel is misery. Generally, the traveller is anonymous, ignorant, easy to deceive, at the mercy of the people he or she travels among. The traveller might be known as ‘the American’ or ‘the Foreigner’, and there is no power in that. 
 
A traveller is often conspicuous, and consequently is vulnerable. But in my travelling, I whistled in the dark and assumed all would be well. I depended on people being civil and observing a few basic rules. I did not expect preferential treatment.”
 
-Paul Theroux
The Tao of Travel
 
I started travelling on my own six years ago, when I was 21. In all those years, and in over 60 countries, I have had only a few negative experiences with the people I’ve met along the way. I like this quote by Theroux, because I feel the same: I assume all will be well, and I try to always travel with confidence, trust, and optimism. I believe that people are inherently good, and that most people will try to help you and make your visit to their country a happy one.
What do you think? Are you a trusting traveller or do you feel wary in a new place?

 

Solo Travel
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
The Colours Of Jaipur
next post
Holiday Giveaway

You may also like

The Long Way Round – Taking Yangon’s Circle...

January 6, 2014

The 10 Unavoidable Truths of Travel

October 21, 2013

The Best Summer Day Trips from Winnipeg

August 31, 2020

A Journey To Amritsar

October 25, 2011

Navigating Home: A Story From Japan

June 1, 2013

The Best Museums in Mississippi

May 24, 2018

A Love Letter to Cartagena

August 7, 2012

A Weekend in Gdansk

March 17, 2014

Rainy Days in Antigua

May 17, 2012

Portraits Of Lithuania

December 18, 2010

4 comments

Andi of My Beautiful Adventures December 6, 2011 - 1:51 pm

Wow what an incredible quote!!! I am WAY too trusting, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Your clothes btw are GORGEOUS!

Reply
Audrey of That Backpacker December 6, 2011 - 3:37 pm

I’m with Andi on this one! I’m way too trusting but I prefer to give people the benefit of the doubt 🙂 I’ve met so many wonderful people who are genuinely welcoming and willing to help – they vastly outnumber any bad that may be out there.

Reply
This Battered Suitcase December 6, 2011 - 6:24 pm

Andi – Sometimes I feel that I am way too trusting, too, but it has always worked out for me! And thanks for the compliment on the clothes, I love dressing like a total gypsy when I’m on the road…

Audrey – I agree, the good vastly outweigh the bad. It’s strange, sometimes I feel that I have more to worry about when I am at home than when I travel!

Reply
Binary March 12, 2016 - 7:25 pm

WOW

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