#TTOT Shout Outs! Topic: Meeting Strangers
Although our mothers always warned us about talking to strangers, there’s nothing quite like making friends while on the road. So, whether you’ve made an airplane acquaintance, found a companion while camping or met your best bud on a slow boat to China, why not crack open a cold one and join in with your pals over at #TTOT. Didn’t take us too long to find out that truth can be a whole lot stranger than fiction…
The questions this week were:
Q1. What are some of the most unusual circumstances in which you have made new friends while travelling?
Q2. What was your most memorable meeting of random strangers on the road?
Q3. Where is it easiest to make friends with strangers (transport, accommodation, eateries, activities, etc.)?
Q4. What’s the kindest thing a stranger has done for you on your travels?
Q5. What is your “stranger pick-up line”?
The ‘Local Hiro’ Shout Out for refusing to fake it.
@LaurenKRayner: Lost in the ‘plastic food market’, Tokyo. Kindly Japanese man helped me find my way. 5 years later we’re still in touch.
The ‘I’M TALKIN’ HEEERE!’ Shout Out for setting you on the right Rhode.
@Rickshaw_Travel: [A stranger] grabbed my map in central NYC and shouted directions to the subway at me. That’s how New Yorkers do friendly!
The ‘Universally Challenged’ Shout Out for being totally stumped.
@kitwhelan: On a boat? On a train? At a bar? OMG I don’t have an interesting anecdote for a #TTOT question!!
The ‘Urine For A Real Treat’ Shout Out for finding someone wee-ly understanding.
@Roopunzel: Accidentally once peed on leg of only trousers whilst camping – guy I just met gave me his spares AND rinsed off mine for me.
The ‘Zucker For The Classics’ Shout Out for finally responding to our friend request.
@The_WideAngle: ‘‘If you had a like button I’d click it’’
The ‘Little Bit Flaky’ Shout Out, although we don’t quite see the a-peel.
@worldswaiting: I once peeled a guy’s sunburned peeling off his back. Secured our friendship for years!
The ‘Prime Outback Ribs’ Shout Out for worrying wording.
@adzflowers: Wouldn’t work for me though. I’m English so I’d need to find & cut up an Australian so that the line worked!
The ‘Twit-Picard’ Shout Out for Enterprising ways to make acquaintances.
@JennySerwylo: Normally I’m just like “Hey, can you take a pic of me with this Star Trek action figure?”
The ‘Don’t Cheep-en This’ Shout Out for calling our companionship into question.
@indohoy: Twitter is a kinda weird place to make friends, don’t you think?
The ‘Barb-B-Who?’ Shout Out for relieving burning sensations.
@Sandytootosh: A stranger once relieved the pain of a jelly fish sting to my face.
The ‘No Need To Be Shy’ Shout Out for Havana great time on your travels.
@analopezct: Got lost in Cuba walking through tobacco fields and the farmer invited me to drink coconut water and showed me how they make cigars.
The ‘Smashed/ Half Cut/3 Sheets To The Wind’ Shout Out for putting him in the Long Bar until he was sober.
@reeseeverywhere: Played Rock/Paper/Scissors and hung out with the bartenders in a Singapore joint after they helped us get rid of a pesky drunk sailor.
The ‘He’s Got A Point…Break’ Shout Out for swell strangers.
@Mark_Eveleigh: I was DESPERATE for a surfboard. He just shrugged and said, “Boards are meant to be ridden dude.”
Have you ever made a travel chum? Be sure to tweet us @MyDestination, join in with Travel Talk On Twitter and have a good old chat. You never know, you might make some brand new BFFs!
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Category: #TTOT
About the Author (Author Profile)
Once upon a time in New Zealand, a very large, very loud, hissing cockroach landed on Hannah’s head. In Florida, she mistook a jellyfish for a plastic bag and was promptly stung. In Newquay, a penguin with murderous intent tried to eat her shoe. Despite all this, Hannah can’t be kept away from touching things that she probably shouldn’t in foreign countries. This is probably a misguided attempt at experiential learning. She has lived in Cornwall most of her life and is still trying to adjust to the time difference in London, despite having moved there many months ago. When she grows up she wants to be a Mexican Luchador.Subscribe
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