Real Travel Adventures of Deb and Debb - Part 6: People you meet when travelling…
I agree with Debb that FOOD is the very best when travelling and exploring different parts of this glorious world. Her blog post on some of her favourite food/drink items had me wanting to visit those places from her travels! And where travelling can be the best education about different foods and cultures, I have also found that it is the PEOPLE I have met that have provided some of my most memorable moments.
Despite different cultures or language barriers, I have learned that for the most part, people are people wherever you go.
When travelling, a smile and effort to communicate in the local language goes a really long way! I have encountered children with winning smiles in THAILAND who were curious about Christmas lights, and children in BELIZE running down the dock to greet new visitors, or restaurant owners eager to show their 100-year-old wine cellar in SORRENTO (Italy).
Photos: Left - Smiling children in Guatemala (2007); Right - Lovely people of Southern Thailand (1997)
Some very specific encounters on my travels have shown the kindness of people and are now deeply embedded in my mind, and include the following:
I met a couple of German students in Monaco when I was travelling solo throughout Europe one summer. One of the students was studying finance and lived in Vienna. He gave me his contact information as I said I would be hopefully getting to Vienna as part of my travels. Well, sure enough, when I arrived in VIENNA, I looked him up. It was fantastic as he acted as my very own travel guide and showed me where the locals hung out and provided a running commentary on the history of his city. He even took me to his mother’s home where she made me homemade APPLE STRUDEL!![1] It was delicious and very authentic! Boy did I feel honoured and special that she did this for a total stranger!
Another time when I was in ISTANBUL, I went to the Grand Bazaar Market in search of a Turkish toy police car🚓 for a friend’s 6-year-old nephew who was obsessed with this specific toy item from different countries. The Market was amazing on its own with many stalls carrying every item imaginable. There were numerous leather goods and carpets and true to form, I was asked by many vendors if I was interested in buying a leather coat! After explaining to one vendor that I had many leather coats at home and thus there was no need for another one despite the luxurious feel of his leather coats, he agreed (I gave him a litany of what coats I had and I admit I was a bit obsessed at that time with leather…not anymore)! We talked a bit and he explained that he was studying archaeology and worked at the Market as a part time job. Then after I explained what I came to the Market in search of, he closed his stall and looked with me for the toy police car. We went to many places within the Market as well as on some of the side streets on the hunt of what became an elusive item to find. Although we never found this toy, he showed much kindness (with no ulterior motive) to a complete stranger and took time to help me on my mission for my friend’s nephew.
When I was travelling in the north part of MALAYSIA, I was on a ferry and ended up talking with a very distinguished gentleman who turned out to be a Member of Parliament in the Malaysian government. We discussed the changing times within Malaysia and he educated me on the not-so-subtle classes and treatment of people in his country. Although he was hopeful that changes would improve for Malaysians, during the time I visited (1997), there was still work needed for the country to be more equitable for all. I got a glimpse from him of some of the inner workings of that country and gained some insight so I was grateful for our conversation. He also helped me figure out what route was the best one I should take to go to an island in the Penang region.
During 911, I was on a cycling trip in TURKEY. Specifically, I was on a midnight train 🚂when reports came in about what happened in New York City. There were limited English speaking television stations, so headlines screamed the number “30,000” with major fire blazing images. It was confusing and very upsetting for everyone. Despite what some may think, there was an outpouring of compassion, sympathy and sadness over what happened by the local people that I met when this occurred. It was a lesson to be learned that people may look different and speak a different language but overall, people react to tragic events with kindness and empathy.
Have you met anyone while travelling that had a big impact on you? Feel free to share in the comments below.
[1] Debb says mmmm – Apple Strudel! 😜
