Most travel involves depending on the kindness of strangers
“Most travel, and certainly the rewarding kind, involves depending on the kindness of strangers, putting yourself into the hands of people you don’t know and trusting them with your life.”
–Paul Theroux, Ghost Train to the Eastern Star
November 3rd, 2011 at 8:32 am
This has certainly been my experience in the countryside. No matter how fearsome something has looked that I was offered to eat or do, it always seemed to prove safe.
In cities, I would be more wary.
November 4th, 2011 at 1:11 pm
Most definitely well said. It’s hard to convey this imagery, and philosophy to people who do not travel or have a desire to open their minds like this. Any suggestions?
November 12th, 2011 at 4:07 pm
Truly, strangers play the main role in our traveling. However, we mostly travel with our families. However, the country we are traveling to is as strange to us as its people are. Often we do not even understand their language, which is important for communication. Having similar language has great importance. Whenever we meet people speaking our native language, we feel some kind of bond. Therefore, it is true that when we travel somewhere, we are depending upon and trusting strangers to guide us, and even to train us when we visit certain attractions that involve communicating with sea creatures, hiking, skiing etc.