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For most travelers, it’s not easy to be friends with strangers during the trip. Because people walk from a different culture or background. While making beautiful connections when I traveled, it was not an easy job earlier my traveling days due to shyness. But now it has become easier for me to mingle with unknown people on the road. In back those days, it used to be only my type of mentality until I get married. Later, I adapted & converted the situation of being only me to others while traveling now.
Out of many stories, I have picked the best 7 travelogues from my traveling experience. Little conversations with them will give my readers a fresh angle of travel writing imagination. I made most of my memorable travel influences in restaurants, hotels, trains, buses, vessels, planes, touristy locations, museums, and malls.
BE FRIENDS WITH STRANGERS IN CHINA (2013)
It’s not easy at all to communicate with the English language in China unless any person has learned Chinese. In mainland China, it really doesn’t matter whether you know English or not. They give damn about English. But in the current global context, Chinese people are learning English for operating their International business. In the picture above, Sally Guo used to be my good friend whom I knew through business connection since 2010. She also visited Bangladesh to strengthen our business relationship in 2011. I recall my second trip to China, I gave her a memento from Bangladesh which was well appreciated. Since then there is no business on that division, we don’t have any connections to each other. But friendship always roams around on top of mind. It’s a bizarre world.
BE FRIENDS WITH STRANGERS IN BANGLADESH (2014)
We had been to an exceptional forest safari of Sundarbans that lies in the southern part of Bangladesh in 2014. I won’t forget that trip because we were 38 tourists in the vessel from Asia, America, Australia, and Europe altogether. The feeling of being togetherness develops empathy for each other. As a sweet reciprocation from the tourists, I took a selfie where everyone gave me an unconditional pose. This friendship was a hidden treasure that’s kept somewhere when you push the boundary. It’s a surreal feeling.
BE FRIENDS WITH STRANGERS IN THAILAND (2014)
After completion of my official assignment, I opted to travel the most visited national park in Thailand. This habit of going places I have adapted well. Tourists from North America, Europe, Middle East, and Asia had combined 6 people who visited together Khao Yai National Park. In the picture above, tourists were having a Thai lunch menu in a remote village of Mueang Nakhon Nayok District. We don’t know each other but it seemed we know each other for a long time in our life. It’s an unmatched equation of life.
USA (2015)
After having a walk through Walk of Fame in Hollywood, I went to another famous alley called Hollywood Boulevard. I found a guy who was taking care of his friend’s nursery. The garden owner went outside Hollywood for an important job to attend. I introduced myself as a solo traveler to the gardener. I don’t remember his name though, but he reciprocated well with a smile. Our momentary friendship was bonded on our faces that will never be seen in our lifetime ever again for sure. It’s a strange world.
INDIA (2017)
A spiritual American gentleman in the middle, I met him on the top of Shanti Stupa at Leh, Ladakh. He visited many countries including Bangladesh as part of his divine traveling. He praised high about Bangladeshi people due to their food culture and hospitable mindset that he encountered. I felt proud and in return, I praised their country’s hospitality when I had my maiden trip to the US. He’s a firm believer of humanity. I quote his language “All religions are the same, all paths lead to God”. He believes, most backpackers seem to pledge the understanding of walking to God whether enjoying nature, adventure or great escape.
SRI LANKA (2018)
It’s the rarest moment in my travel experience while I visited Colombo for a short trip to attend a Conference. One of the segments of this conference was to listen to the motivational speech of Kumara Sangakkara. He is the ex-captain of the Sri Lankan national cricket team. He spellbound all of the 300 guests with his 1-hour speech. I’ll cherish and treasure his inspiring words for a long time. An opportunity came to me to have a selfie picture with the living legend. He was such an approachable guy that without being known to each other, he gave me a smiley pose.
VIETNAM (2019)
I always look around and spot the odd one out within my eyes. Out of hundreds of tourists on the top of Ti Top Island, Halong Bay, I found this Aussie Socceroo guy. He is 6 feet 9 inches tall, oh boy!! I proactively exchanged hi hello with him and wanted to take pictures to show my readers the height difference. He gladly accepted my request and captured the moment. Chance is high that we may not meet again in our life. But I’ll remember this nomadic attachment due to the unusual attractiveness of the human body that Allah has given us.
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