100th Issue Special: For the Love of Kind Strangers
From migrant workers giving up their train seat to a solo woman traveller, to a mother-son duo offering a car ride and heartwarming stories to strangers in Texas—a little compassion on the road goes a long way.
Thousands of migrant workers in India return home to their villages annually. Photo by: Yasonya/ Shutterstock
70. Berth of a Memory
Six months into my first job at a publishing house almost 13 years ago, I knew the cubicle life wasn’t for me. A spontaneous resignation and a decisive plunge later, I found myself aboard a train headed to New Jalpaiguri in West Bengal from Mumbai. My last-minute ticket was unconfirmed, and the Ticket Collector couldn’t care less about my dream tryst with Northeast India, and I couldn’t get a confirmed seat. It was two factory workers headed home to Bihar who gave up their berth and ensured my comfort throughout, and also quelled any apprehensions I had about travelling with migrants. I’ve been treated to plush dinners by kind strangers, but nothing matches the generosity of those with the least to offer.
—Shikha Tripathi
This entry is a part of our 100th issue special: 100 reasons to love travel spread out across 14 varied categories. Read all 100 entries on our digital forum or new National Geographic Traveller India app here.