How I met Iris

Jinghong, China

How likely do you think is it to walk into somebody in the street and just become friends? Not a fellow backpacker, not anyone you pay for a service but just a random person.
I was walking outside Manting Park in Jinghong thinking about whether it would be worth paying for the ticket to go in.
Out comes a girl struggling with two small dogs on a leash. I smile at the way they pull her forward barking wildly. It seems more like they are walking her than the other way around. She notices my smile, smiles back and says: "Hello." I say "hello" back and then: "Do you need help?" She actually stops and we chat about her dogs. In the end, we walk a bit together and I take the leash for her. I realise the dogs are really strong and want to go everywhere - at the same time. We talk and walk around town. She shows me the church she goes to - she's a Christian. She teaches at a school nearby but she's free because of summer holidays. I end up having dinner with her and two of her friends. And just before that we make plans for visiting a Dai Minority Park together tomorrow.
This trip keeps surprising me.