The Story of a Friendship

Gillian and Fe in Scotland

Fe and Gillian in Sydney

19 years ago, in San Francisco, there was an earthquake.  It was a BIG earthquake and it caused major damage to the city and it's surrounds.  The occupants of the city were concerned with the welfare of their loved ones, and with protecting their possessions.  There was no water, no electricity and no phone lines for a few days and panic was everywhere.

In a little hostel in SoMa were a bunch of travelling misfits.  Misfits because they were all travelling by themselves, in different directions, for different reasons.  They didn't "fit in" with the usual backpacking traveller of the '80's.  Most of them felt that they didn't "fit in" anywhere. 

An Australian girl was given a bed in a room which was already occupied by a Scottish girl.  

When the Aussie walked in (dramatically closing the door behind her and bemoaning the fact that she couldn't shake the gorgeous Swedish boy who'd given her a lift from Los Angeles to San Francisco) the Scot was quietly lying on a bottom bunk reading "The Shell Seekers" by Rosamunde Pilcher.  And both lives were changed forever.

The craziness of the city at that time meant that the misfit travellers were thrown together in an intimacy of forced drama and emotional turmoil.  Strong relationships developed.  9 years later, my first born child was offered up as fairy-godson to the Scot and to "big H" (whom he was also named after).  Both my sons have an "extra fairy-godmother" whom I met when she was also given a bed in the room shared by the Scot and me.

The "extra" godmother Joey, and Parisienne Fabienne (we were in Beijing together in January)

My divine Danish friend and her family (living in Lisbon)

Big H with little H and F

And in 3 weeks the boys and I will be in Scotland.  With our lovely Gillian.  And we'll visit "Big H" in England.  And then will be in Paris with Fabienne (who replaced me in my group of friends when I left San Francisco).  

And then we'll be in Lisbon with my Danish friend whom I have known for 24 years.  And then in Holland with my newest dear dear friend, Wikke.

And Gillian has gifted us the tickets for H and F.

Unbelievable.

and there was I complaining about broken chairs and cars.  sheesh.