A Day Full of Faces, Stories, and Kindness

Daily miles: 32.96 | Total miles: 10,710.9

I got up at 6am, packed my things, and stepped out of the room ready for another day on the road. Breakfast was complimentary, so I asked for a meal to go—but first there was no electricity for the elevator. “Five minutes,” they said… then another five. I didn’t mind. Eventually the buggy made it downstairs, I collected my breakfast, and the hotel staff gathered curiously around me. Before heading off, I asked for a photo with them—why not share the moment?

Only a few steps into the run, Kumar stopped to hand me a bottle of water. Then Suhas, a twenty-year-old, stopped to tell me about his sister and mother. Then Anan stopped, full of excitement, and wanted to make a video. After that I started losing track of the names—people were so inquisitive, so curious, and honestly, I love it. It’s beautiful when people simply talk to each other, even for a moment.

A young woman on a motorbike couldn’t believe I was running alone from Kanchipuram to Goa. A family stopped next, telling me how inspiring they found the run and offering bananas from their own farm along with homemade sweets. Of course I couldn’t resist. At a small stand I talked with two men while buying water. Then another car stopped—Denin was deeply impressed by the journey.

But my favorite moment came shortly after. I had stopped to drink when a motorbike pulled over slightly ahead. A father and his young son. The boy climbed down, and the father handed him a 2-liter bottle of water and two packets of cookies. The boy walked toward me, and his eyes—his eyes were full of wonder, fascination, and love. We spoke for a couple of minutes. He loves playing Kho Kho, a traditional tag game here in India. That short moment, those eyes—I’ll keep that with me.

Later, a man who had served in the police and the army stopped. Some locals coaxed me briefly into their backyard to say hello—they were smoking some animal that looked like a rat. Then I met a young truck driver and his little dog; he wanted to buy me something but I didn’t need anything. I had just had a coffee and a chat with a few others.

Then came a coconut vendor who insisted I stop. “One coconut,” he said. It was hot, so I thought, why not? He prepared it with care. I drank the juice in seconds. He opened it again so I could eat the meat. When I reached for money, he and all his friends shook their heads: “No money, ma’am. No money.” Pure generosity.

As I approached Channarayapatna, a doctor stopped—Dr. Magri. He invited me to visit the Ayurvedic hospital for a free pain treatment with oil and massage. I thanked him, but I’m pretty sure if I had sat down for that treatment, I wouldn’t have stood back up again!

And then I reached the bicycle shop from yesterday. Jubair saw me arriving and immediately understood there was another challenge ahead. With calm focus and a few different ideas, he made the repair work perfectly. No stress, just dedication. Afterward, he, the shop owner, and I took a photo together. Truly great service and such an expression of kindness.

As darkness settled in, I continued the last 3 kilometers to the hotel. The streets were dim, sometimes lit, sometimes not. People were still working in their small shops and stands. When I reached the hotel, I negotiated a bit but I needed the room—I was tired. A simple dinner of daal and roti, a cold shower, and now I’m finally ready to sleep.

Thank you all for being here. See you tomorrow. Andrea