That's what friends are for

Having a chat with my dear Mum the other day, and she dropped into the conversation "Living the life you lead, I just worry that you will be lonely, all of your friends back home may have forgotten you!" She had a point, I have been gone nearly 18 months, I have missed birthdays and births, good times and bad with my beautiful kulla back home. But it made me stop and think, have I really been lonely at any point in the last 18 months? Maybe on the overnight bus leaving one place and going to another, the long haul flights, or perhaps the times I have arrived somewhere and not known a single soul. Nope. Nada. Not once could I recollect being on the road, and being lonely. Sure I miss people back home, I long to cuddle my new nephew and sit and have a wine and a chat with the girls, but I can't say I have been really and truly lonely. I have my days where I think WTF am I doing on a side of a mountain in India (as my dear friend Nikki put it) and there have been times where I have sat on my bed and cried from the sheer uncertainty of everything, but lonely, I have not felt.

Dinner out

Everywhere I have traveled, I have always met amazing, incredible, inspiring and truly beautiful people. To the point I now expect it where ever I go. Usually within days or even hours of arriving somewhere, I connect with cool people who are also on a similar path, taking time out, traveling, seeing the world, living. From all walks of life, all age brackets, all races, religions and genders - I am always surrounded by like minded people. How lucky am I. In fact, I think I felt more alone in the city of Sydney at times than I have with my back pack on my back with no fixed address. Interesting really. Even here in Mcleod, I have an amazing circle of friends - my birthday was one of those times where I really felt so incredibly lucky to have met such great people. Dinner, cake, presents....all from the clan here that are a mix of locals and expats. Friends, people who I share my life with, mates that are part of the good and the not so good. We do normal stuff, hang out, drink coffee, go to dinner and Sunday we even did brunch (how very Sydney of us). We go to yoga, philosophy class, chat about life and the stuff that makes you feel connected to people.

My birthday cake made by my friends at Cafe BuDan

And then I have the friends that come and go but are always connected where ever we are in the world. My gorgeous friends in Sydney and Melbourne who take the time to drop me an email, skype or a quick note of facebook. Ahhhh, technology, what would we do without. But the true test was recently I had a beautiful friend from Aus come to visit, it was like I had only seen her yesterday. No distance or time will test true friends. So Mum, I know you are worried, but I am each day grateful and thankful to the amazing people that come into my life each day, who keep me sane (Catherine) and who share the ride, and who remind that no matter where you are, true friends are like gold. So thank you to all of the beautiful people in my life, you keep me from ever being lonely :)