As I travelled the world I collected new friends along the way, they now sit firmly on my Facebook as a beautiful reminder.
These friendships I formed all developed in a variety of different ways. Some I spent long times with, others were fleeting moments.... a night out on the town, a friendly meal or a car share ride across a country.
Although now we do not speak regularly I know if I was ever to visit these lovely humans, there would be a friendly face and a meal to share once again.
Through each of these wonderful people...I learnt a different aspect of friendship.
I learnt that even in the shortest amount of time, you can form a deep connection through a familiarity that you can seldom find, I can only describe it as a soul connection. When you do meet someone like this. It is like you've known each other since the day you were born.
Time is no factor in friendship.
I learnt that friendships can be forged over mutual gain, what starts out as a simply bargaining of I need this, you need that. Let's trade.
Friendships always stem from a give and take interaction.
I learnt that friendship can start with one hand reaching down and picking someone up. A simple gesture of kindness. When our car broke down in France, a lovely french couple helped us get back on our feet. We ended up travelling with them for 4 days afterwards.
Friendships are always there to provide support.
I learnt that sometimes you can bond over the hardest of life circumstances. When you have been travelling with the same person for an extended period of time, that working through your differences results in life transforming change.
Friendships grow closer through adversity
Travelling is one of the most important things you can do in life, it opens your eyes to a new way of being and also how you perceive your life as a whole. The friends I've made along my travels have all taught me lessons.
But most importantly. Friendship doesn't judge, friendship is always there, friendship knows no time and friendship is everywhere you turn.