Desirees

Traveling from RDU-LHR-CCU back when BA flew direct to CCU from LHR, I was traveling with my 1 yr old and 3 yrs old. We land in LHR, 2am EST, and park at a remote gate. The 3 yr old is woken up and he starts crying because he wants to go to sleep - why is Mama waking him up and asking him to walk. Meanwhile, I have the diaper bag; the 1yr strapped to me and trying to make the 3 yr old stand up - who is crying, and then proceeds to throw up over himself.

The flight attendant - I will never forget her - picks him up, and carries him down the stairs, into the waiting bus - it is cold outside, she is without her coat - and an absolute angel. I wish I had gotten her name and had gotten her some recognition, but at that point - I was pretty close to tears myself - wondering why I had decided to travel, half way across the world - by myself with two little ones.

In the bus, she had deposited us next to a middle aged woman. Who then holds on to my 3 yr old, and then, when we get to the terminal, carries him through, gets to the main waiting area - finds a quiet place to settle him down, and then continues on her way.

I will never forget both women. It was a traumatic trip - but I dont know what I would have done if these two ladies had not gone out of their way to help me....remember when we landed in CCU - people around me where clapping - excited because their journey was over. I was sitting there with big fat tears rolling down my face - sheer relief that the nightmare was over and done with.

Not exactly an act of kindness - we were at the Great Wall a couple of years ago, hubby had gone ahead to explore and I found a deserted section where I sat down trying to imagine the old days and marvel at the fact that I was experiencing the Wall. A bunch of school girls come by and one of them sits next to me. We smile at each other. Then as she is leaving she gives me a handful of fruit candy. I was so touched by that gesture. Looked through my backpack and give her ...Mints. Had nothing else that I felt she would like. She looks so happy and skipped away, Made my day.

Also in China, at the airport, we were waiting to fly to Xian. We ask someone a question (forget what it was). He gestures he doesnt know English, so we nod and say thanks and sit back down. We see him get up walking around asking something to many people sitting around the area. Finally he and a guy comes up to us. Apparently he was going to each group asking who can speak English, and when he got someone, he brought him over to us. WOW!!! We were floored.