I am super fortunate to have some wonderful & dear friends…we go back a long away. When I’m home, I love spending time walking, talking, eating out & meeting them for drinks. We still have things in common…more than just the past…& I treasure the time spent with them.
So it’s interesting to have my happy heart skip some beats, to feel a belonging in my soul & notice a big smile on my face when talking with new friends I’ve met on my travels & reading about all their experiences across the world, listening to podcasts about women on the road, reading books & poetry about women’s travels & adventures…this is my tribe.
Here’s what we have in common:
We’re always planning another trip…even before the current one ends;
We love meeting people along the way…stranger danger is not in our vocabulary;
We don’t care about make up or hairstyles;
We’ve learned the value of water & don’t waste it;
We shower way less than most people;
We can happily live in small spaces;
We love to talk to other travelers…love is an understatement;
We aren’t impressed by job titles;
We don’t pay attention to television or movie stars;
We want to spend our money & time traveling;
We dress for comfort—a ‘good outfit’ is one we can wear for several days, wash in a sink & have it dry overnight;
We like to look at the night sky;
We are often sporting bruises or cuts & our skin is way more than sun kissed;
We eat a little weirdly;
We don’t mind smelling smoky because we love sitting around a campfire;
We have learned to pack super efficiently;
We love spontaneity & change plans (what plan?) easily;
We have learned we don’t need as much as we own;
We’re never that excited to be "going back home” (some of my friends don’t have traditional homes. They’re on the road always & their homes are what they drive & they love the lifestyle!);
We embrace the wonderful fact that there are so many people that make up this world with different beliefs & unique traditions & we’re eager to learn, see, communicate & understand their ways.
I’m grateful for all my friends…old & new. I love that our lives & hearts are big enough to embrace others with such different lifestyles. There was a time in the past it felt hard to make new friends as I got older, but my passion for travel has opened a door ---as big as the sky-- to meet others who are lovingly addicted to seeing the world.