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Describe a memorable and unique fellow traveler you have net,
On the Lake Nasser boat, from Luxor Egypt to Sudan, there was this Canadian fellow. He made a ton of money doing construction work in Alberta and suddenly realized that enough money has crept up on him that he could do whatever in the world he wanted to do. So he quit his job and bought a plane ticket to Cairo and started to see the world. With a dozen or so backpackers, there was our fellow with a matching pair of Samsonite two-suiters. We had 36 hours on the boat to explain to him that that is not how to see the world. He saw the light, and we all went through his luggage. We sorted out the few things that he would actually need, and somebody found a temporary bag he could carry them in. With solemn formality, his two suitcases were cast over the side, and disappeared downstream in the Upper Nile. In Khartoum, we all dispersed to the hostel, and our Canadian friend took a taxi to a hotel. Next morning, he came to the hostel and invited us all to his hotel, where we enjoyed Cokes from room service, and proceeded to Lesson Two: Reformatting the daily travel budget.
Now, 42 years later, I find him on Linkedin, sounding very contented, and spending most of his time in Vietnam.
We were in Snooki Cambodia and took a boat out to one of the islands off the coast for snorkeling, the only other passengers being a mid-30s couple and their two young daughters. Since we were out there all day we got to know 'em okay, apparently they were the owners of a green RV looking thing we saw a couple times and town and were driving from Europe across Asia.
Fast forward a few months and we were walking out of a market in Cochin, India... there they were. Small world.
Took a redeye from Seattle to Korea and sitting next to me was a Chinese husband and wife in their 70s. Within an hour of take off, they broke out the dried fish......grrrr. So it's midnight and I'll try to get some sleep. I'm in the aisle seat because I'm 6'4 and like to stretch my legs out into the aisle a bit. I'm nodding off as is the entire plane. They then proceeded tap me on the shoulder so they could go to the bathroom seemingly every 45 minutes.
Finally I called the airline attendant over to see if they'd let me have the window seat and they said NO! LOL. The plane was fully booked so I couldn't take another seat. Nonetheless, I didn't sleep at all and the entire flight was hell.
Took a redeye from Seattle to Korea and sitting next to me was a Chinese husband and wife in their 70s. Within an hour of take off, they broke out the dried fish......grrrr. So it's midnight and I'll try to get some sleep. I'm in the aisle seat because I'm 6'4 and like to stretch my legs out into the aisle a bit. I'm nodding off as is the entire plane. They then proceeded tap me on the shoulder so they could go to the bathroom seemingly every 45 minutes.
Finally I called the airline attendant over to see if they'd let me have the window seat and they said NO! LOL. The plane was fully booked so I couldn't take another seat. Nonetheless, I didn't sleep at all and the entire flight was hell.
I was once in a neighborhood bar in West Berlin a long time ago, somehow it was owned by or associated with the local Socialist Party which for us meant mainly that the bier was cheap.
The place was very lively & this gaunt fellow in a shabby cloth overcoat & a violin case walked in. He stood in the middle of the tavern & took out his fiddle. His thinning gray hair was all wild long tufts & he was obviously very cross-eyed. He solemnly took out his violin without a word & put it on his ragged shoulder & paused, waiting for his muse.
Suddenly he started sawing with his bow and making the most horrible screeching imaginable as his eyes spun wildly around, his brow creased with intensity and his arm flailed back & forth. His head & shoulders were jerking like a marionette. It sounded like an animal slaughtered, he had our attention.
Then he suddenly stopped and holding his violin in his left hand he said: "STRAVINSKY!" & bowed & passed his cap around.
I was in southern Utah with family touring a few different national parks. A few times on the trip we ran into this elderly couple from Belgium. They were in such awe of the parks it was fun to watch. They were almost childlike. The wife didn't talk to us much as she didn't speak much English but the husband did a little bit. The husband was also quite adamant abut not being mistaken for being German. He was proud to be Belgian.
On a flight to Salt Lake I sat next to a 16 year old French speaking Belgian. He was going to Jackson, Wyoming and not only was he excited to see Yellowstone and Grand Teton but he wanted to try American fast food. He was also hoping to get good Mexican food and had heard about this great restaurant called Taco Bell. I recommended a good Mexican restaurant to try his first taco instead.
Flight from Tokyo to LA. Japanese guy living in Tokyo and working for a mainland Chinese manufacturing firm that had a branch office in Tokyo. Every few months the Chinese boss and his cronies went to Vegas. None of them spoke English. They picked up my seatmate in Tokyo and took him to Vegas as an English interpreter and general gopher.
Said the whole group of them rented a limo at LAX which drove them straight to Vegas. He didn't like to go as he was expected to stay up most of the night while the boss gambled. The boss and his buddies liked to drive out of Clark Co to the legal bordellos and party but he was not allowed to participate as he was technically working and on company time.
We were in Snooki Cambodia and took a boat out to one of the islands off the coast for snorkeling, the only other passengers being a mid-30s couple and their two young daughters. Since we were out there all day we got to know 'em okay, apparently they were the owners of a green RV looking thing we saw a couple times and town and were driving from Europe across Asia.
Fast forward a few months and we were walking out of a market in Cochin, India... there they were. Small world.
I had a quick job in Delhi India about 20 years ago & I built in extra time afterwards for travel there. I finished the job in two very long & stressful days. Afterwards I spent a couple of days trying to unwind by sightseeing but was continually hassled on the streets wherever I wandered plus, unknown to me, I was starting to get sick.
I felt irritated & impatient & uncomfortable so on the third day after work I impulsively bought a cheap ticket to Chiang Mai I saw advertised in the window of a nearby travel agency. Off I flew to no-hassle CM more than 1500 miles from Delhi. That night perusing the offerings at the Night Market I ran into one of the event participants wandering around also! Neither of us are Thai or lived there... small world indeed.
I was on a tour bus and an elderly brittish gentleman asked if he and his grand daughter could exchange seats with me and I said of course . I was looking at some guides and he was telling me forget all that stuff and just go walking . You will be happier that way . I was in London and yes I was very much happier that way and found a reasonable hotel too by his recommendation .His granddaughter called him dad henry . I told him thank you very much . He was very nice of course this has been quite a few years ago and im sure is most likely deceased by now but I think of how much he changed my trip .
The good: I sat next to a child prodigy on a flight to New Orleans. We had a great conversation; the kid's father tried to get the kid to shut up, but I told him that it was no worries. I had a more enlightening conversation with that kid than I've had with the overwhelming majority of adults I've come across.
The bad: I sat next an extremely obese man on a cross country flight. He was so obese that I had to sit sideways. I asked the flight attendant to change seats, but the flight was fully booked.
Mostly, however, I keep to myself as I don't know what I'll get otherwise
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