Imagine you are in a new city, you step out of the airport, and you do not have a local SIM card. Adding on, say you planned your stay at a stranger's place - you just have the name and a few texts with no idea who the person actually is. Also, you got the address but have no idea how to navigate to that place.
Asked a police offer for help - He asks you to come along to the big wall and the city's metro map and helps you understand the map so you can change trains and reach the nearest station. Call that an act of kindness? - Hell yeah!!
Upon reaching the station, you realize you are stupid, you reach the place but how will you reach the exact place - it's not your home city that you know the city layout and you hardly understand the local language, and now you no longer have the WiFi to help you navigate, so what do you do? - You start looking around, but there is no one around except a secluded gas station. Hoping to find someone at the station, you run with your 40kg+ luggage, now what - Communicate with the gas station person? With a broken understanding of the local language, you ask them for help, they offer to call, and finally, the stranger comes to receive you. Forgot to mention - the guy flirted with the stranger immensely (found that later xD) - call that an act of kindness with a pinch of flirting.
Reaching the stranger's place, 1st reaction - how can someone have such a cute place? Solo travel opens you up and gives you experiences you can just imagine.
Fast forward, traveled to a small town the next day - another day at a stranger's place. Now, this directional dyslexic again gets lost at the bus station. Time was running, and not finding the bus - a stranger observed that this traveler was struggling and offered help and the actual stop was like 600m away - both ran like anything. He made sure the bus isn't missed and was he thanked? - Yes but this stranger gave me his number and asked me to come to his city whenever around, and he'll be happy to host :) - Sweet mornings with sweet people.
Reached the new city and the best part - this time the strangers hosted me on their 1-year-old daughter's birthday - what a day and a blessing with homemade cookies. I probably had such a good sleep with those cookies that I missed my train the next morning - shattered with no idea what to do - this traveler felt why not enjoy the f**kups and calm the hell down. Booked a cheaper bus ticket and finally managed to reach the destination.
All the while on the bus, there were glimpses and flashbacks of strangers helping, and that small acts go a long way.
To the strangers we meet, thank you, and thank you for making the world a more trustable and better place.
Did I mention - the 1st city stranger's friend challenged me to a beer competition, did I win it - How does it matter? But hell yes - Desh ki ijaat ke liye bass else I don't, sorry maa - I had to :)
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