Seeing tourists from different nationalities waiting for the bus at the pickup point made us feel safer and more comfortable, not to mention gave us a sense of community that travelers often feel among themselves.
I called my mother. I expressed my feelings to her and told her that if she asked me to come back, I would have returned right away. She listened to me and then I could feel her presence as she told me, “On your life, don’t you dare even think about coming back, before the tour ends!”
Whether we realize it or not, growing up we get conditioned to look for friends in people that pass certain parameters. That is, when we look for friends at all. On adventures, you come across people from all walks of life, no matter age, gender, religion, country, etc., going through same experiences as you, and in them, you can find friendships that can last lives.
I greatly cherish all that my parents were able to do for me. It sparked an inner desire in me when I was a child to explore the world that continues to this day.