A few sappy ramblings about my bestie and Australia

So, in all honesty, I've never really had much of a desire to visit Australia and New Zealand...ever. I'm a Europe girl through and through and am totally ok with that. I'm far more of a city girl than a beach girl, and in my head AU and NZ were always just a giant beach. Well, fret not everyone (Ashley and husband. lol), I know better now, and am well aware of all the many splendid things that these 2 countries have to offer.

But, yet, I am still willing to admit that the biggest, most compelling and just about only reason that I want to visit AU and NZ, spend the big bucks on a plane ticket (goodbye lovely, growing savings account) and sit through a horrifically long flight is my best friend, Jamie. I miss her.

When she studied abroad a year and a half ago we weren't on the best terms. We were ready for a break from each other and we were each going down different paths in our lives. Plus, we both knew she'd only be gone for 6 months, so, really, it was no big deal. Well, she came home, we had a tearful, hug-filled greeting at the Denver airport and it was just like old times again. I've never met another person who just gets me like Jamie does. Seriously, folks, we are hetero-lifemates, through and through. Anyway, then Jamie got a job in Denver and I swear, it was like all of my dreams came true: my bestie was going to be in the same state as me again! This was especially exciting because my Baltimore bestie, Corey, lives across the country and I hated having both of my best friends so far away.

So, we lived it up as 2 single, 20 somethings for a fabulous year, but I knew from the minute Jamie set foot back on American soil that she wasn't here to stay. She wasn't finished with Australia yet, and I know my bestie: she's an adventurer who's set on making her dreams a reality. This is, by far, one of Jamie's qualities that I most respect, envy and admire. So, the day Jamie told me she'd applied for grad school back in AU I wasn't the least bit surprised. Sad, yes, but mostly happy for her.

James has been back in AU for a month now and she's loving it! I love hearing about all of her adventures and am so thankful for Facebook, email and Skype because they allow me to still be a part of my best friend's life (and she a part of mine) even though she is across the world from me. I love that she finally started a blog for all of her travel adventures (check it out here); and I love that reading about her time in AU is making me actually want to visit the country, not just the place where my best friend currently resides. Yes, visiting my bestie is still my main reason, as I said before, but at least now I have a growing appreciate for the country itself. I actually desire to experience the adventures the country has to offer.

(stolen from Jamie)

"The most beautiful discovery true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart."

~Elizabeth Foley