Random Acts of Kindness Received

I arrived back at home from Dubai last week. I want to tell you about the best day in Dubai. It was the last week of my stay there. A friend and I rented a car and drove to the beach in one of the other Emirates - Fujairah. I drove as the car was automatic and they drive on the CORRECT side of the road there. Fujairah was about two hours away and a pleasant drive. We hung out on the beach at the Hilton (for a small fee) and spend the day contemplating the waves, enjoying each other's company and just generally hanging out. After we had supper at the Hilton. It was such a perfect day!

Ok, I have to comment on the driving. Driving in Dubai was like coming home to heaven - Houston by name. The roads were filled with construction, the drivers were crazy, and the exit signs change by the day. Oh, how I have missed that place!!! I have not driven at all in my country - 7 months of smiling politely and saying thank you to friends, a myriad assortment of taxi and rickshaw drivers, and sometimes nice strangers who offer a ride - yes, I have taken a few of those. Ok, I am going to chase a rabbit here. It was December 24th and a friend and I were attempting to shop - me for Christmas presents (oh, oh, how the organized have fallen!) and her for - well, I don't remember. Anyway, we didn't know the way to a certain store - Jan's Arcade by name. The rickshaw driver was getting frustrated and we were beginning to feeling like stupid white women (no comments on that one, please!). So my friend goes in a store to ask the way to Jan's Arcade. Out she comes with a very -sweet Pakistani lady who was talking a mile a minute and playing 20 Questions x 100. Fortunely, all this was in English or I might still be playing 20 Questions. The upshot of all this was the lady felt sorry for us and offered to let her driver take us to our store of choice after he dropped her off at home. Without further ado I climbed out of the rickshaw and into the car with this woman whom I have never seen before or since. It was a very pleasant ride and we got where we needed to go. Perhaps she was an angel in disguise - I suppose I shall never know. In any case, I am grateful for that act of kindness. If I had my own car here and the measure of independence that I enjoyed in the States, I would never have experienced the kindness and generosity of this person.

Recently, while on vacation in Hunza, my friend Leah and I were hiking the two hours down the mountain to get something to eat in the village. A van with several people pulls up beside us and motions for us to get in. Again, without further prompting, we hop in. Something I would never do in America - I was always Miss Cautious and certainly Ms. In Control there! But here it is different - come visit me and we will go to the roof of the world and catch rides down the mountain with kind strangers! One of these days, I might even try hitchhiking! Humm, I wonder what it would be like to hitchhike in a burka???? Just kidding!!!

P.S. I will be posting some Smileboxes with pictures of the Dubai vacation shortly - stay tuned for sand and surf!