Kindness of Strangers

The best part of traveling is meeting new people. I’m making so many friends on the road. We have a bunch of fun and it’s tough to leave them.

But then on the next bus ride or airport waiting room and breakfast café, I meet another host of amazing people. Here’re just a few of the fabulous friends (no longer strangers!) I’ve met along the way:

Opening their Backpacks:

• Paula and Brid – Irish lasses I met in Ethiopia who jointly put together a care package of tampons (always appreciated in Africa), facial wash (LOVE that Neutrogena grapefruit scrub), true Irish tea, and the “shared” museum pass that helped me along in Lalibela.
• Susanne – My German friend who I met while on the Golden Lotus “cruise” in HaLong Bay, Vietnam. The map of Sapa came in handy, as were the hiking socks!
• Carin and her husband David and their daughter Marnie and Cammie – A cool Aussie family I met at the Elephant Sanctuary in Lao. I was still suffering from my bout of food poisoning and they shared their precious probiotics with me.

My friend Rose

Opening their Homes:

• Cohn Brothers – You met Elad and Glad already in my article about my first Couch Surf. And the local phone they let me borrow was a lifesaver!
• Rose –Not only did Rose allow me to crash at her famly home in the Northern suburbs, but she did a royal job of showing me another, more personal, side of Sydney.
• Inji – OK, so I already knew Inji through the work I did previously in Cairo (so she’s not quite a stranger), but for a week she hosted me in her garden apartment and introduced me to art-y, urban-cool Cairo.

Paula & I and our Ethiopian scouts

Opening up their Address Books:

• Rick – Mr. Passo is based in Las Vegas, but he still has a wide network from his days as a Peace Corps volunteer. He put me in touch with friends in the Philippines, Cambodia and Indonesia.
• Rizwan and Angelina – Kindred spirits, these two are fresh off their own 2-years journey. The Cape Town contacts are already invaluable!
• Aric – While traveling the world for his job, Aric knows people everywhere. His introductions to his family and friends in Israel made my visit one to remember!

I’m indebted to your generosity my new-found friends! Thanks!

Tags: friends, kindness, road buddies

This entry was posted on Monday, September 5th, 2011 and is filed under On the Road.