Memorable Travel Stories
I Traveled for Free over 365 km from London to Cornwall
This travel story still blows my mind over 7 years later
I eagerly looked forward to my weekend trip to visit my friends in Newquay. It had been over two years since I waved goodbye to them when they left the Caribbean.
Now I was in England. I had booked a coach from Manchester to London where I would disembark and board another coach to Newquay, my final destination.
Unfortunately, an accident on the motorway delayed my arrival at London Victoria Coach station. I reached out to customer service while en route to London to make them aware of my situation. The agent I spoke to was great and she kept in touch with me during the night.
On arrival at the coach station, I was informed that the coach to Newquay had departed and the next coach would be the following afternoon (Saturday). My return coach was scheduled for Monday morning. With 8 hours of travel between London and Newquay, I wasn’t sure it was worth it to travel that distance to spend one full day with my friends.
I spent the next little while exploring alternatives. I updated my friends in Cornwall who also researched and suggested other options that I could consider. My family back home in the Caribbean chimed in with their opinions as I contemplated my next steps.
Imagine my shock when an hour later, the supervisor informed me that they had arranged for me to take a coach from London to Bristol. From there, a taxi would take me from Bristol to Newquay.
I arrived in Bristol around 3 am where the coach driver parked the coach and waited with me until the taxi arrived. The taxi driver was friendly, however, after an already long day of traveling, I was happy to nap on the 4–5 hour drive down south.
The smell of the sea air and the sun’s rays hitting me through the window were my first signs that I was almost to my destination. Being from the Caribbean, the smell of the sea air was very familiar and I immediately felt comfortable.
My friend had once described Cornwall to me as the part of England that should be in the Caribbean. As I took in the Cornish scenery around me, I instantly understood what she meant. Although it was very different from the Caribbean landscape I knew, it was simultaneously so familiar, reminding me of home.
When I arrived, as I thanked my driver, I couldn’t resist glancing at the meter and calculated that for the round trip journey, it would cost the coach company around £700. To this day, I still struggle to find words to express how much this free journey impacted me. I remain thankful to those involved who made this my reality.
I spent a wonderful weekend catching up with my friends, exploring Newquay, enjoying coastal walks and sampling Cornish foods. A highlight of the trip was a visit to the Eden project.
Eden is an educational charity and social enterprise with a global mission to create a movement that builds relationships between people and the natural world.
The location of Eden was formerly a clay pit. This spot was transformed into a garden paradise filled with a large diversity of plants, becoming a symbol of regeneration.
The unexpected gift of this free trip was an unforgettable blessing. Yet, it is one of many unique encounters I’ve been fortunate to have as I’ve traveled around the world. The kindness of strangers that I’ve experienced has enriched my life and my travels in extraordinary ways.
That’s why my goal is to pay it forward to those I meet, especially other travelers. Traveling comes with its own unique challenges and if I can make that experience better for a fellow traveler, then I’m happy to do my part.
“Sometimes it takes only one act of kindness and caring to change a person’s life.” — Jackie Chan
