Saved By Strangers

Summary

A solo traveler recounts a harrowing night at a train station where the kindness of strangers, particularly railway maintenance workers, ensured their safety from a potentially dangerous individual.

Abstract

The author shares a personal account of the perils encountered while solo traveling. After missing their airport stop, they chose to wait at a train station, where they were approached by a suspicious man. As the night wore on and the station emptied, the author's initial confidence in their safety waned, leading to a state of panic. Despite initial hesitation, they sought help from train maintenance workers who, through language barriers, ultimately provided refuge in a nearby room, allowing the traveler to rest safely until morning. This experience reshaped the author's perspective on solo travel, emphasizing the importance of safety and the profound impact of human kindness.

Opinions

The author initially underestimated the risks of solo travel, influenced by the romanticized notion of adventure.
There is a recognition of the foolishness in not immediately seeking police assistance when feeling threatened.
The author expresses deep gratitude towards the maintenance workers who went out of their way to ensure their safety.
The incident highlighted the potential dangers that can arise during solo travel, especially at night and in unfamiliar places.
The experience led to a significant shift in the author's approach to traveling alone, now with heightened caution and awareness.
The author acknowledges a newfound appreciation for the compassion and strength within people, including themselves, in the face of adversity.

Saved By Strangers

The Danger Of Solo Travelling

Traveling alone, I ended up having to spend a night at a train station.

I was trying to get to the airport from another city, but I accidentally missed the airport stop. It was already late, and I was in a small town with probably no open hotels.

Since I only had to wait for 5 hours until the early morning bus, I decided to just stay at the station.

I didn’t think anything wrong could happen. I wasn’t scared, and that’s why I didn’t see any problem in sleeping in a train station.

I had friends who had done it, so why couldn’t I? Isn’t this the beauty of solo traveling? The adventure.

Now, I see how foolish I was.

A man came up to me asking if I saw a woman dressed a certain way. I said no and tried to look busy.

He didn’t leave. He didn’t look for that woman either.

I didn’t feel scared because there were people around, and I could ask for their help if anything.

But as time passed, people left.

Trains stopped running.

That man, though, was still there.

I tried to leave the bench where I was sitting, and he followed me. I asked him to leave me alone; he told me he could take me where I needed to be.

I went to the other platform of the train; he didn’t follow me there, but I could see him staring at me from the other platform.

It was 1 am, and there were no people around.

I panicked, started crying, and imagined the worst.

I didn’t think to call the police, feeling vulnerable and out of place as a foreigner.

That was another foolish thing for me to do.

By 1 am, with no one around and the man still there watching me, I was in tears, fearing the worst.

I saw two train maintenance workers and communicated with them through Google Translate.

Being alone with just a small piece of luggage and having decided to sleep at a train station, I realized some might find my situation odd and hard to trust.

They told me they couldn’t do anything; I should go to the police because it was near. I was afraid to do so because I was sure he would follow me.

I didn’t let them go until they found a solution to help me.

They called another man and told me to stay in front of a door because there were people inside that door and nothing could happen to me.

That did not feel safe for me. As I asked them to not leave me alone because I was scared, another man came and told me I could go inside.

They kindly offered me a chair, and I settled into a corner, where I eventually fell asleep.

I never felt safer in my life the way I did in that room.

I do not know what could’ve happened that night, but I feel like the fact that those men stayed with me until I felt safe saved me.

I woke up three hours later and headed for the airport, eventually reaching home safely.

I remain forever grateful for the kindness of those men who ensured my safety.

Since that event, my approach to solo traveling at night has changed; I’ve become more cautious, recognizing the potential dangers.

This experience was a powerful lesson in prioritizing my safety and opened my eyes to the kindness and strength within people, and myself.

It made me realize that we might unknowingly expose ourselves to risks, especially if we’re not familiar with the more perilous aspects of the world.

Previously, I had only perceived its brighter side.

That night will forever stay in my memory as the time when the compassion of strangers made all the difference.

Thank you for reading!

Sending Love,

Dreea