W'ild Bill

Went to Key West over 4th of July week-end this year with my wife. We were at Fat Tuesday's on Duval Street at about 5 p.m. Wife went to the bathroom with purse and $500.00. Came back w/out purse. We didn't notice until 6 p.m. when bartender asked wife if she had lost her purse. We were able to track down the women who found the purse and she refused to take any money as a reward. Unbelievable to think that in such a touristy place someone would have turned in the purse. (Don't worry, we bought the woman who found it and her party several rounds of drinks. Well worth it)

Terri

Hello,

This is a little different story as I wasn't saved from a bad situation but it sure did add to the enjoyment of my trip. I just returned from a trip to Penang Malaysia. My husband was working there so I had the days to myself for a short time. My husband had a taxi driver to take him to work everyday so I used this same driver to show me around. The second day of sightseeing we stopped for lunch. He ordered a dish that he knew I liked a lot and even paid for it. The next day he offered to take me to his house to have his wife show me how to make Tom Yam soup. She was very nice and spoke very little English. While we were cooking he went to pick up my husband and his co workers and brought them home for soup. He also sent with me the ingredients for the soup to take home in case I couldn't find them in the US.

Over all, the people in Penang and Phuket Thailand (where we also traveled) were the friendliest people I've ever met.

Terri

Russell Ratay

After a late night dinner, my wife and I were caught in a downpour of rain in a nearly desolate area of Paris. We were trying to read a map under a street light, desperately looking for a taxi or a Metro entrance. An elderly French man walked by us about 3/4 of a block, then he stopped, turned around and came back to us in the rain. He spoke no english, we no french, but he got us to the metro. As I type this, I think it may look like no big deal to the reader, but it meant everything to us at the time.

Maria

Last week when I was on Kauai, I was advised that there were no available horseback rides at the CMJ Stables. we went to the stables to see the horses anyway. The owner(a woman) who was very busy grooming the horses took time to allow mu 5 year old daughter to feed a horse and to take a ride on a horse. This meant so much to my little girl. She also was able to squeeze my son and I on the ride the next day. I was impressed with her caring attitude. She sure made our vacation even better!!

hooty

Years ago a friend and I backpacked around Europe. We got to Bucharest, Romania, ok, but then had to buy tickets from there to Istanbul. We went to the address listed in our books for the place to buy tickets and the lady there (who didn't speak English and couldn't have cared less) griped at us and waved us off. Fortunately a very nice Romanian guy (who spoke English) overheard and offered to take us to the correct place. It took about 30 minutes and 2 buses and we never would've found this place on our own (imagine being stuck in Communist Romania in 1986). Inside were several long lines, again we never would've figured out which one to stand in. And to top it off, our Romanian friend had to argue with the ticket seller because she was trying to gype us! We finally got the tickets and spent the rest of the day with our new friend who showed us around and took us to his apartment, even though it was illegal for him to talk to foreigners. He saved us a lot of trouble and hanging with him was one of the more memorable parts of the trip.

Barbara

I visited Miami, Florida recently and I couldn't find an address. I asked a lady where it was and she told me she'd take me there, to follow her in her car. Soon after that I was inland just sightseeing and realized that I had left my purse at the hotel. A man at a restaurant I stopped at, called me a private car, gave me $100 and said, you can either go back to your hotel, get your purse and keep the money or just keep the money and enjoy. When I left Miami, on the plane, there was no room for the bags in the upper compartment. The stewardess asked a lady who was already sitting, would she be willing to put her bags under the front of her seat, and she immediately got up and said, "why, I'd be happy to." All with a smile. She was a native Miamian.
I think this thread wonderfully shows that when the chips are down, there ARE many people out there who are willing to lend a hand. Let's all try to do something nice for each other at least once a day. Pay someone's toll on the highway, let them pass on the road, be kind to strangers. The feeling is as fulfilling as when you are having something nice done to you and more.

Sandra

Annie - Great thread -
A few years ago, (before everyone had cell phones) I was with a small group of friends bike touring from north of Boston to Ptown. Towards the end of the first day one bike had major problems, but a someone in a yellow pickup truck offered to take bike & rider to the next town to a bike shop. When we arrived at next town there was no bike shop! It had moved. We started searching for dimes, placing calls to all bike shops in the area trying to find where the stranger had taken our friend. After many calls and finding out that no shop had seen them we were thinking he had been abducted by aliens. Finally one shop said they had fixed the bike but they had aready left. Biking to our motel, the nice stranger in the yellow pick up truck found us and reported that our friend was all fixed up and he had dropped him off at the motel we were heading for. Our friend had found a beer and was waiting for us with bike all fixed up. We often talk about the nice guy in the yellow pick up truck who saved the day.

julie

Many years ago, our station wagon broke down, on a hot day, with a car full of cranky kids, and us pretty frantic. Just after we got out of the car, a car pulled up behind us and offered to tow us into the city. He said he noticed our New Mexico plates, and that at one time some people from NM stopped to help him when he was stuck in the mountains there, with no help in sight. He said he had waited for an opportunity to return the favor. I am grateful to him to this very day. Doubt people would do the same now days.

Kat

When I went to visit a friend in Milano this past April, I found myself alone waiting for him to meet me at the airport. After quite a long wait, I called him from a public phone. It turns out his company sent him to work in Rome that weekend and he couldn't find anyone to meet me and had missed me leaving at home. So I was stranded at the airport. He told me to meet him the next day in Mestre-just outside Venice. But in order to get to Mestre I had to take the shuttle bus from the airport to central station in Milano. Then take a train to Mestre and check into a hotel. Having worked all day the day before, flown overseas all night and now being left to my own defenses, I was not a happy camper. I usually dress when I travel, as well, so I was wearing a dress and heels. It was raining and my luggage was heavy. I was happy to have found my way to the shuttle bus and pay for a ticket. Later was just as grateful that I got a correct train ticket and got on the right train. You see, my Italian is far from fluent. But it was either fend for myself or get on a return flight for the US. I opted to stay. But there was no porterage for the shuttle nor the train and here I am in high heels and it's raining. By the time I got to Mestre, it was dinner time. The train station had flights of steps in every direct. After dragging my luggage for the third time that day, I was exhausted. Then I realized to get out of the station I had to climb a staircase of at least 60 steps. As I stood there, wet and basically looking pathetic, a very kind gentleman looked at my luggage, picked it up and struggled to get it to the top of the staircase. I tried to thank him and he just waved me off, tipping his hat and fled as quickly as he appeared. I hobbled up the staircase and went off to find s hotel for the night. I was never so grateful for the kindness of stranger as I was that day.....Mille grazie!

kellie

when my husband and i were on our honeymoon, he met a couple of guys while playing golf. I met my husband at the clubhouse for lunch. When we went to pay for the bill, the waiter said it was already taken care of and he pointed to the guys in the corner of the restuarant.
So now my husband and i plan on buying a couple lunch/dinner if they are on their honeymoon to carry on the tradition!

jeff

the diner on Interstate 80 west in New Jersey (not renowned for friendliness..) picked up the tab for my wife and I on our honeymoon---he had apparently seen the "Just Married" on the trunk of our car when we pulled into the lot.

and yes, we WERE headed for the Poconos!

Cara

Me and my husband were on our way home from our honeymoon, are connecting flight was out of Puerto Rico. There was this woman screaming on the phone in the waiting area. She had claimed she got robbed in Puerto Rico, but she really was insane. She was wearing just a sheet, wrapped around her. She was dragging this huge bag with her whole life in it, and carrying this huge plant.You had to see it to believe it. We started to board and me and my husband didn't have seats next to each other and the flight was compleatly sold out. We heard her screaming that she had to have the vegetarian meal and that she had to have this huge plant sit on her lap. We then heard that her seat was next to one of us, she was on the aisle and one of us by the window. We were terrified. I didn't want to take the plane. Some wonderful man said he would sit with her and me and my husband got to sit together. The whole ride was like a sitcom people were watching her instead of the movie. She had this crazy plant on her lap that she told the airlines it was this expensive rare plant. When it was just something she pulled out of the ground at the airport. She was hitting the person in front of her and of course the nice man who sat with her. She then asked for beer she drank it kept burping out loud and then went to the bathroom to fill up the bottle with water, she started putting pieces of the plant in the bottle. Then she walks up and down the aisles selling stamps, to pay for the headphones for the movie. They gave her the headphones for free, just to shut her up. THIS WAS A 5 HOUR FLIGHT AND SHE WOULDN'T EVEN LET THE POOR GUY SLEEP.She kept leaning over practically on top of him trying to look out the window. Next she's hysterical crying out of no where, screaming having a fit yelling "I've been robbed". Now she empties her huge bag full of potions wrapped in alluminum foil and God knows what all over the airplane floor, like it was her own house right in the aisle. I thought she was going to open the emergency exit on the plane, she was making me nervous! And the potions wreaked! She also had boxes of liquor that she was trying to put in the over head bin and dropped it on my husband. It was a real freakshow and she went on and on for the whole flight. American Airlines gave that nice man a bottle of champagne, but I can't think of anything to repay him for sitting next to that crazy woman.

lindi

I was about 14, with my parents and sister in Austria. (early 90-s) An old lady saw us looking at the buildings and taking pictures, and invited us to her place for sandwiches! She showed us around her apartment, made us sandwiches and gave us the most delicious almond cakes I've ever eaten. She showed us her family photographs (she had eight sons!) and the 12 handwritten books containing her diary. She said she will have them published, and we will be in it too. Then we made pictures of each other, exchanged addresses, and she waved us goodbye from her window. It was kind of a surrealistic experience, I'll never forget it.

Irene

Here's one I know we can all relate to. Two trips: one I was travelling alone (in NYC) and wanted to have pics of myself with the nice scenery behind me, one or two people came up to me to offer to take the photo. Being from S. florida, I was very paranoid fearing they'd take my camera and run, so I passed.

On another trip with a friend, also in NYC, three people in different places offered to take pix of us together. We gave 'em the camera and have a life-long memory in those photos.

Monica

While traveling in Chile, I sat next to a local on a plane from Puerto Montt to Punta Arenas. We had a nice chat about our plans to visit their beautiful National Park, then return to Punta Arenas. She gave me her number & invited me to call her when we got back to the city. We did, and she dropped everything to give us a lovely tour of the city & take us for a real local meal.

Tom

I lost my wallet in a bar in Honolulu at the beginning of my vacation. A patron of the bar found it, saw a receipt in it from my hotel and returned it to me with all money etc still in it. He would not take a tip. He told me that if I wanted to show my appreciation, I should not break the chain of kindless and try to help someone else in need when I can, and share the same request to that person. This happened 15 years ago and I have not let that thread drop.

Florence

Nice thread and nice stories everybody.

I'll never forget the Pole gentleman who drove 50 miles out of his way to make sure two tired, drenched and frozen Swiss teenagers (my brother and I) were safely back home at 2 am after a concert. Nor the Pakistani gentleman who jumped ahead of a queue at Karachi airport and asked that I be taken care first because I was looking hot and tired. Nor the Japanese lady who invited me to her home for a cup of tea because I was looking lonely in a park. Nor the Japanese family who invited me to their table and picked my tab in a restaurant because they thought I was certainly feeling bad alone so far from home. Nor ….

Sharing my travel experiences on this forum and helping any tourist who's looking lost, or lacks change for the bus or a drink, is a way of repaying all those wonderful people.

Trish

I'll try to make this as short as possible because it is a lengthy story. I missed my cruise ship in Miami and had to meet it in Cozumel. I was traveling alone, which I didn't like to do, and had never been out of the country. I was prepared to visit Mexico with a tour group from the cruise, NOT on my own! I met an American on the plane who helped me through customs and immigration. His friend, a native of Cozumel, met him at the airport. After explaining my story, this wonderful man drove me around town on his scooter until I found a hotel that I felt comfortable at. The three of us then spent the afternoon on the beach and went to dinner afterward. They are both terrific people. Caught the cruise the next morning. This experience turned out to be the highlight of my trip and I am very grateful that I met these people. It probably wasn't the safest choice to make but I felt it was my best choice at the time and it turned out to be the right one.

Jeanette

It's a tie. One day about 5 years ago my then 15 year old son and I were at a ballgame in Kansas City, and sat next to a wonderful very young family with three toddlers who my Tommy caught a ball for- and they asked us home to dinner, as they lived within walking distance from Kauffman Stadium. We beat them too! KC has some of the friendliest people anywhere in the US.
Other was in Italy. I was all alone in a small town, Formia, just North of
the Amalfi Coast area. It was a Sunday and I was walking in their town's water front park area, where I purchased some licorice from a vendor. Started to unwind the licorice wheels and their two year old was fascinated. They asked me to go with them to Sunday dinner at a nearby small trattoria. It was a meal that I will never forget. They did not speak English and I only a tad of Italian. But they were so nice to me. The spoon that the 2 year old girl ate out of was as large as my grandmother's serving laddle.

Anna

My first story doesn't sound like much, but the help a kind man gave me made the difference between my catching the boat train or being stranded in Paris overnight on my own.

I was a student, living in Nantes at the time and on my way home to England for Christmas, with my suitcase stuffed full of presents for family and friends, including 5 bottles of wine. I could barely lift it!

The journey was a catalogue of disasters - first the TGV to Paris was late (a real rarity), then the first Metro line I tried to get had engineering works and wasn't operating, so I had to walk miles through the tunnels to another Metro line (there were 2 that went the way I needed to go - trust me to get the wrong one). I got on a train and just as I was nearly at the station, with minutes to spare, the Metro train developed a fault. It eventually arrived about 5 minutes before the overnight boat train left for Dieppe, and I still had to get me and my suitcase from the Metro to the train. I was exhausted and the last flight of steps was just too much - I couldn't get my suitcase up there, no matter what. A very kind man offered to carry my suitcase up the steps. I think he nearly changed his mind when he felt how heavy it was, but he got it all the way to the top for me. He probably never realised just what a big deal his small favour was to me, but I've never forgotten it.

My second story happened on my way home from work - just last week. I was nearly home in my car when I stopped in traffic, and the guy behind me didn't. He went into the back of me, shoving me into the back of the car in front. Then he drove off, without even stopping to see if we were OK. All the people around were fantastic. One guy tried to chase him, but lost him at some lights. A lovely lady got me a cup of hot sweet coffee for my shock. People came forward and volunteered to be witnesses if the police needed one and two people came forward with the guy's registration number (which I'd actually managed to get myself, somehow). Lots of other people came over to make sure I was OK. All of these people really helped me after what was a pretty traumatic experience (I'm shaking even now as I remember it).

People like this really restore your faith in human nature (mine took something of a bashing when that guy drove off), and reading everyone's stories has been a really uplifting experience. The trouble is that so often nowadays we treat people's friendly advances with distrust, as we have been taught to do, especially as women. What a shame that the trust has gone.