(One of the greatest things that travel has done to me is re-kindle my faith in humanity. Over the last four years, I have experienced extreme acts of kindness from complete strangers. I have read and heard similar and even better accounts from other travelers. This gives me a deep sense of comfort especially knowing that not everyone (in fact, not most) out there intends to harm you. As a child, I was always warned by my parents to not accept any snacks from strangers while traveling, lest they poison and rob me or worse, kidnap me. So yes, it feels good to know that those words from my parents were to mainly meant to ensure that I stay alert and cautious at all times. However, this by no means means that you let your guard completely down. I would just say, trust your intuitions always. So yes, dedicating this series of posts to the lovely people out there who have come forward to help in the most unexpected of times. Forever grateful! )
I sat in the back seat of a yellow TATA Sumo that plies as a taxi between Shillong and Dawki; making myself as comfortable as possible in the over-packed vehicle. Despite being the only female traveler in a taxi full of men, I was absolutely at ease. Guess that is the thing about Meghalaya. It is one of those places where I have felt the safest as a female traveler going solo. So back to the story, after an hour long journey, I landed up in Dawki, at the Indo-Bangladesh border. But I hadn’t reached my destination yet. From Dawki, I was to head to Shnongpdeng, a tiny village about 20-30 minutes from there. My research said that there were shared taxis available from Dawki to the village but I couldn’t seem to find any. Communication proved to be a barrier. As I stood there lost and confused, this boy, the hero of my story came along out of nowhere and offered to help. Through a mix of sign language and English, I managed to let him know what I was looking for. Lo and behold, he got what I was conveying. He then ran in the direction of a few taxis parked alongside the main road, enquired around and came back to inform me that the next taxi would come around in 30 minutes. He also explained that it was going to be a silver-colored nano.
The story, though, could have ended here. But what happened next was, for the 30 minutes I was waiting there, I sat inside this boy’s aunt’s shop, drank tea and snacked on biscuits, having a real conversation with him. Looking back, I don’t even know how we managed to talk so much despite the language problem that we had but we did.
As my taxi finally rolled in, in front of the shop, I got up to pay him. He blatantly refused and asked me for something else, ‘Didi (Sister), can you take a selfie with me so you will never forget me?’
I haven’t forgotten him. Don’t think I will in a very long time to come.
And that, that is us together exactly 3 years ago.
Sending lots of love to him.
Have you had similar experience/s, on or off the road, that is still fresh in your mind?
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