Travel Tales
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Every month we feature funny, cautionary, or inspiring anecdotes from travelers. If you have a true (short) travel tale to share, send it to stories@ricksteves.com. If you have a photo that illustrates it, please attach it. And don't forget to tell us your first name and the city where you live. We'd love to hear from you!
Treated to the Danny Tour
Rick, on your radio program I've heard your conversations with Don George about travelers experiencing the kindness of strangers. Here is one of my favorite personal examples, from Galway, Ireland:
I was on a group tour (not one of yours, so the hotel was situated in a strip-mall area a good two miles from the sights). With a free evening, I decided to take a city bus into town and see the real Galway. The hotel's receptionist could not provide me with any great depth of tourist information, but was able to point me toward the bus stop. I walked to the stop, where a waiting man of 75 or so immediately asked, "Where are you from?" He introduced himself as Danny, and spent the next five minutes regaling me of all the things to see during my evening in his town. After ushering me onto the bus, he continued to instruct me. The 10-minute ride turned into a personal guided tour as my new friend pointed out all of the landmarks, replete with instructions on how to reach them, how to use the bus system, and what beer to order in which pub. I was even told the names of some of the bartenders I might meet and that I should drop my friend's name so as to get even better service (not a necessity in Ireland as hospitality seems to be written into its constitution). Danny made sure that I would not miss a single highlight of Galway. He did this by taking the bus three stops beyond where he needed to go. As we got off the bus together, Danny gave me a pat on the shoulder, crossed the street to catch a return bus, yelled goodbye, and waved until he was beyond my sight.
I love everything about Ireland. I love even the climate in a twisted way, but of course, it's love just the same. Of all the great images I have of Ireland, my favorite is of that little old man waving goodbye.
— William in Harrison, NY
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