Faith reaffirmed
Trip Start
Jun 01, 2007
1
10
Trip End
Jun 09, 2007
Bangkok, Thailand
Saturday, June 9, 2007
After landing, we stayed onboard to talk to the pilot while the couple and other passengers got off the plane. He confirmed that there were separate international and domestic air terminals, separated by roughy 2 kilometers of taxi-serviced road. We were looking at either a long hike with bags, or the likelihood of getting fleeced by the taxis waiting to prey on tourists faced with the 'surcharge' to get between terminals. Pondering our options while we got off the plane, we found the husband waiting for us at the bottom of the stairs. He had heard our conversation with the pilot and offered to drive us to the international terminal. Stunned and grateful, Nuch and I happily accepted the offer with profuse "thank you's", and followed the couple to their waiting car and driver.
While packing the car, we chit-chatted about our vacation in Tanzania, and they mentioned how much they'd enjoyed themselves on previous trips to Thailand. However, when they found out how long our layover was, they insisted that we take their car and driver to see the city and have lunch. In the end, their persistance prevailed despite our repeated protests that we had imposed upon them enough already. They said they just would not allow us to waste that much time in the terminal, when there were so many other things that could be done.
The driver took the husband to work and dropped her off at home. She'd given him instructions in Swahili to take us out to the Sea Cliff resort on the point for lunch, pass some art galleries and shopping malls in town, and ensure we made it back to the international terminal with plenty of time for a proper check-in. The Sea Cliff proved to be a wonderful spot on the coast, with a glassed-in open deck overlooking dolphins in the waters off-shore. Nuch and I had a final vacation lunch of crab soup, calamari, and Thai-spiced beef fajitas.
Safely back at the airport, we discussed how aware and willing this couple was to help complete strangers in need without thought of anything in return. Beyond that was the overwhelming extent and depth of their hospitality. Neither of us had ever encountered anything quite so genuine and open in any of our travels. Their example forced us to reconsider the potential goodness of people, and our own behavior towards others as well. It subsequently forced me to become less cynical and jaded. From a vacation that included the long-awaited opportunity to experience the Serengeti migration, and the joy of sailing a dhow on the open ocean, this reaffirmation of humanity was the experience I valued most.
Comments
Powerful Relationship
Your story reminds me of a saying that seems to keep coming back to me more often as I mellow.
'Some relationships are for a season, some are for a reason and some are for a lifetime.'
Relationships, to me, seem a major part of purpose. An oft thought synergy for me is that good relationships make the travel experience more than worth the effort. I too have great memories made in Thailand.