In Goa
I visited a deserted, isolated beach in the north of Goa with my then boyfriend. The only thing on this beach and for about 10 miles in any direction was a very small shack in the middle of the sand which was a tiny cafe, run by an Indian family (Mum, Dad, three small children, two Grandparents). We went there in the evening for a cup of tea, having the intention of sleeping on the beach because we had no way of getting back to our hotel that day. The lady running the place asked us where we were staying and when we told her she insisted on us sleeping in the cafe. We gratefully accepted and assumed that they would go back to their house. Until it came to bedtime and it became apparent that all 7 of them lived in this tiny one-room shack. They very kindly made room for us, gave us blankets and kept us entertained all evening. They were one of the nicest and happiest families I have ever seen. In the morning they insisted on making us a cooked breakfast and hot drinks before seeing us on our way and refused to accept a penny from us. Lord knows what they were living off out there in the middle of nowhere but they seemed very happy to share. We hid some money under the things on the table before we left anyway.

I've never forgotten that.
(Mary Mandolin still had it on, Thu 2 Oct 2008, 22:40, 1 reply)

I love India!
I met many such kind-hearted people on my trip through India, people who have almost nothing yet will feed you or give you gifts. I have too many tales of wonderful kindnesses shown to me that I simply don't have time to tell them all. Actually, I'll write them later when I have more time as there are so many special people who deserve a mention.
(antigen is running away from something, Fri 3 Oct 2008, 4:05, closed)