To the Ends of the Earth Quotes

“The mist, the rain, and cold, low clouds gave the train a feeling of early morning, a chill and predawn dimness that lasted until noon.”
― Paul Theroux, To the Ends of the Earth: The Selected Travels

“The sunset’s fire was tangled in leaden clouds, and the pillars of rain supporting the toppling thunderheads were very close;”
― Paul Theroux, To the Ends of the Earth: The Selected Travels

“No one ever came here; people just went away from it and never returned.”
― Paul Theroux, To the Ends of the Earth: The Selected Travels

“the conceit of the long-distance traveler is the belief that he is going so far, he will be alone—inconceivable that another person has the same good idea.”
― Paul Theroux, To the Ends of the Earth: The Selected Travels

“He was eager to talk, glad to have a listener, and he didn’t need prompting questions.”
― Paul Theroux, To the Ends of the Earth: The Selected Travels

“The people on the platform stood watching from under large black umbrellas that shone with wetness”
― Paul Theroux, To the Ends of the Earth: The Selected Travels

“every trip is unique.”
― Paul Theroux, To the Ends of the Earth: The Selected Travels

“It is often the case that only when someone asks you very specific questions do you begin to think clearly about your intentions.”
― Paul Theroux, To the Ends of the Earth: The Selected Travels

“Travel had to do with movement and truth, with trying everything, offering yourself to experience and then reporting it.”
― Paul Theroux, To the Ends of the Earth: The Selected Travels

“When something human is recorded, good travel writing happens.”
― Paul Theroux, To the Ends of the Earth: The Selected Travels

“I had done enough traveling to know that half of travel was delay or nuisance”
― Paul Theroux, To the Ends of the Earth: The Selected Travels

“A little farther on, he said, “What do you think of India?” “It’s a hard question,” I said. I wanted to tell him about the children I had seen that morning pathetically raiding the leftovers of my breakfast, and ask him if he thought there was any truth in Mark Twain’s comment on Indians: “It is a curious people. With them, all life seems to be sacred except human life.” But I added instead, “I haven’t been here very long.”
― Paul Theroux, To the Ends of the Earth: The Selected Travels