Travel blogger Brenna Holeman has earned her stripes when it comes to traveling. Having visited over 100 countries over 13 years, many of them solo, she slowly become a full-time blogger and freelancer. Originally from Winnipeg, a city in the Canadian prairies, she has lived in Halifax, Toronto, Copenhagen, Yaroslavl, Edinburgh, Osaka, and London.
But like most of us, 2020 hit Holeman hard. “It’s all so complicated, isn’t it?” she recently wrote in a candid Instagram post. “To travel, or not to travel. One thing’s for sure: the way we travel may not be the same for a very long time.” And so, she found herself back where it all began—Canada.
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For a very long time, I was too embarrassed to admit that anything was wrong. How could there be anything wrong? I was living in London, one of the most exciting cities on the planet. I was a travel writer, on an airplane every ten days. I had a roof over my head, food in the fridge, and a loving family a phone call away. I was the very epitome of privilege. And yet… I was so, so, so sad. I was so lonely. Most mornings, I struggled to get out of bed. I had friends in London, yes, but nobody that was so close I could confide in them with how I was really feeling. I am overwhelmed with how lucky I am to have lived in London for five years, and to have built the career that I did. I remember being thrilled to see Big Ben every single time. I remember lively nights at the local pub, long walks along the Thames, going to art galleries to see paintings by Matisse on a random Tuesday just because I could. I remember incredible restaurants, festivals, architecture, fashion. But I also remember so much loneliness. Wanting desperately to share the city with someone I truly loved, be that a best friend or a boyfriend or a family member. Today, I understand that there was something wrong. That anxiety plagued me, making me irritable, lethargic, and sad. I was living in the greatest city on the planet, but I didn’t want it anymore. I wanted to feel like I belonged. Living in Manitoba isn’t perfect. Since moving back to my hometown, I’ve still had bad days, especially with everything that’s been happening (see: pandemic, civil rights, general what-the-hell-is-going-on at any given moment). And even though I still have anxiety sometimes, I’m learning how to deal with it, growing and adapting and reframing as much as possible. ✨ I may not see Big Ben anymore. I may need to see Matisse by looking at the print I have of his in my bedroom. I may not travel the world like I used to. But I’m happy. I’m with people I love, people I share my life with, people who make every day infinitely better. I belong. And for that? Why… I wouldn’t give that up for all the world. 📷 by my mama, when we spent a day picking flowers at @missmilliesflowerfarm 🌸
A post shared by Brenna Holeman (@thisbatteredsuitcase) on Aug 23, 2020 at 10:41am PDT
“At the moment I have absolutely zero desire to travel outside of Canada, or even to another province,” says Holeman, adding that the thought of traveling to a higher-risk location or being in close quarters with tourists who haven’t quarantined makes her itch.
Her solution? Travel closer to home. “I was in talks with Travel Manitoba over a year ago that I would spend this summer traveling around this beautiful province, and that is indeed happening. While I’ve already been to Bird River as well as Winnipeg Beach, Pinawa Dam, and Birds Hill Provincial Parks in the past month, I’m soon headed to Brandon, Swan Valley, and Riding Mountain National Park for a Manitoba series with Travel Manitoba.”
According to Holeman, she will be road-tripping and spending time doing what Manitobans do best: hiking, canoeing, fishing, camping, and supporting local businesses.
You can follow her explorations—both locally and internationally—on Instagram:
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Where would you go if you could go anywhere? 🌎🌍🌏 I’ve always loved that question, loved the idea of wanderlust taking over, allowing your imagination to run wild. I’d go to Antarctica, or maybe sail around the South Pacific. I’d travel to Madagascar, Uzbekistan, Ghana. I’d spend a few weeks in Suriname and Guyana. I’d head to Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan with my boyfriend, our first big adventure together. Where would you go if you could go anywhere? The question has a different meaning to me now. Travel itself has a different meaning to me now. What used to excite and inspire now makes me feel nervous, cautious. While the world slowly opens back up, with some people venturing to other countries, provinces, or states, I’m still not comfortable travelling outside of my home province of Manitoba. There are many reasons for this, of course: COVID-19 and cost being the two big ones. I spent over a decade working toward this career, and as a travel writer, it’s bittersweet that the thing I love to do most and the way I make my living is now out of reach to me. Even if I did want to use my savings on a big adventure instead of paying my mortgage and bills, I’d worry too much about the health risks and bringing COVID-19 back to my community (for reference, Manitoba had one (!) active case in mid-July, but cases have since skyrocketed due to travel outside the province). It’s all so complicated, isn’t it? To travel, or not to travel. One thing’s for sure: the way we travel may not be the same for a very long time. I’d still love to go to Antarctica, of course, and Madagascar, too. My list isn’t going anywhere, and I know that one day, I’ll be able to see these places. But for now, my list is much smaller. I dream of wild camping in Nopiming Provincial Park. I dream of being able to see my mum in Toronto, my brother in Vancouver. COVID-19 has devastated the travel industry, but from that, I’ve learned to appreciate what’s closer to home, what’s just around the proverbial corner. ✨ Where would you go if you could go anywhere? Are you travelling abroad or inter-province/state yet?
A post shared by Brenna Holeman (@thisbatteredsuitcase) on Sep 3, 2020 at 11:38am PDT
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Sometimes I know a lot about a destination before I get there, sometimes I don’t know anything at all, and sometimes I think I know a bit, only to quickly realise I knew nothing at all. I’m a big believer in learning while travelling; it’s always nice to have a holiday, of course, but when it came to visiting #Mississippi, I was mostly looking forward to learning, to trying to understand even the tip of the iceberg of this state’s history. I knew of the Delta blues, of the passion and soul that came out of this stretch of Mississippi; I had grown up listening to and then studied at university the music of Muddy Waters, Son House, Robert Johnson, BB King, Howlin’ Wolf, John Lee Hooker, Willie Dixon, Bo Diddley, and so many others, and also fell in love with the gospel music of Sam Cooke when I was 19. I even got to see some of these great musicians play while they were alive – Bo Diddley gave me his guitar pick after a show when I was 22 – but to say I “know” the blues, as a white Canadian woman, is wildly inaccurate. It's also impossible to sum up Mississippi by its music alone, as there is so much more to this state’s history and culture than that. Spending time in such noteworthy museums as The Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, The BB King Museum, the brand-new Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Museum, and The GRAMMY Museum (just to name a few) is essential when visiting Mississippi, as they showcase the incredible people that have called Mississippi home, incredible people who, through their strength, intelligence, talent, and perseverance have forever changed – and are still changing – the landscape of both the state and the country. In visiting former sharecroppers' homes, and one of the possible graves of Robert Johnson, and driving out across the great expanse of the Delta and beyond, I hope I learned just a tiny bit more about Mississippi, and about who has shaped its history. They say there’s something in the water in Mississippi – something that has created such outstanding talent. I’d say there’s something in it that makes you want to go back, too, that makes you want to learn even more. #visitms #visitmississippi #presstrip
A post shared by Brenna Holeman (@thisbatteredsuitcase) on May 10, 2018 at 10:48am PDT
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🎶 I'm leavvvving, on a jet plane… 🎶 Today I fly "home" to LONDON! 🇬🇧 As you may have noticed, I've been spending a lot more time in Canada lately, but that doesn't mean London won't be a huge part of my life going forward; I still plan on being there for a few months of every year. After spending more than five years of my life there, it really does feel like my second home, and I can't wait to spend the next month hanging out in E2 again (my favourite neighbourhood in the city). •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Honestly, this is the life I have always dreamed of for myself: half the year in Canada, part of the year in Europe, and the rest travelling. It's taken me 15 years to accomplish, but I've never been more excited about being able to grow a business online AND travel ANDDD hang out with my family. If this sounds like bragging, it totally is, my apologies… but I'm feeling all mushy thinking about returning to London (and a few other spots in Europe, too!). •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• What's your dream living situation? Do you like being settled in one place? Would you like to be nomadic, or, like me, something in between? •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• By the way, I have no idea if this photo was taken at sunset or sunrise. It was taken when I travelled to Japan in November and flew across what seemed like a million time zones, hah. I don't even know where in the world I was at this point, which I kind of love. All I knew for sure was that the sky was pink, the mountains seemed endless, and I was doing just fine. •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• #ichosetowander #liveauthentic #ourplanetdaily #fromtheair #fromabove #landscapelovers #neverstopexploring #mytinyatlas #passionpassport
A post shared by Brenna Holeman (@thisbatteredsuitcase) on Feb 22, 2018 at 11:19am PST
