In Reply to: More wheelchair friendly comments jbr posted by Holladaze on Wednesday, 7. December 2005 at 20:52 Bali Time:
It has been great to read all the positive stories of people's kindness, not just in Bali but in transit at airports and on flights.
On this last trip, my sister-in-law had everyone's worst nightmare happen to her. Two days before she was due to come home, we had to phone her in Bali with the terrible news that her son had just been killed. I cannot imagine what she must have gone through as a mother having to prepare herself for such a homecoming. One of our biggest concerns was how she would handle the arrival back in Perth with the rest of her children and family, having to endure the whole rigmarole of customs etc. But the airport people did a magnificent job when she got back, ushering her and her sisters straight off the plane and into the VIP lounge where we had been taken to wait for them. The customs people came in, got their passports and other arrival documents and took them away for processing, allowing the family to grieve together in private. It was a small thing to arrange, but so much appreciated by the family.
All of us are inclined to sound off on airport officialdom from time to time and it is easy to forget that they are also human, and the common humanity really shows through when it is important.