It all started one crazy day, some 9 years ago in the Googlesphere. Amanda and Stephanie kinda, sorta met on the internet. They were both very active and popular users on Google+. That website no one used? They used it. They hung out in different online circles, but as fate would have it, they both showed up to a Google+ New Year’s Eve meetup in Washington DC. That weekend, meeting for the first time IRL(In Real Life), they both kinda avoided each other.
Let’s face it. Both ladies have pretty strong personalities. But what they didn’t know was just how much they actually had in common. Among the group of Internet strangers, they went about the weekend at opposite ends of the gathering. In their minds, how could they be more different?
Amanda was (and still is) a successful tech entrepreneur, and owns several successful online websites, allowing her to travel on a whim. She was an “influencer” before the term existed amassing millions of followers on the Internet. She frequently attended events, and parties around the globe. Always solo. Trapped in her mobile life, she envied some of Stephanie’s rooted lifestyle, kiddos and all.
Stephanie was a single mom to 2 kids, working in tech sales full time (she now has 3 kids and is remarried and staying home). A foodie and a compulsive traveler. She experimented often with new foods and recipes. She also loved traveling, it was just a different type of travel with kids in tow. Trapped in her house due to work and kids, she longed for Amanda’s jet setting lifestyle, glittering parties and all.
And then, just a few days after the Washington DC meetup, Stephanie’s cruise roommate had to cancel suddenly. The cruise was only a few days away and the cruise line was going to charge Stephanie a large fee for the roommate no show. When Stephanie messaged on the Google+ group chat from the weekend about her conundrum – Amanda on a whim and chance said: “I’ll go.”
“Ok.” said Stephanie.
“Are you sure?” “Yup.”
And history was born. They discovered that they both share an almost compulsive love of travel. They also share a love of fine dining, good comfort food, snazzy drinks and basically were ideal traveling companions. Tired at the same time, hungry at the same time, bold for new experiences and sharing a joy of exploring the world they discovered they were more alike than different. They have been friends for 9 years, meeting up as often as they can and have traveled to countless places together since.
The grass is always a little greener on the other side, but both ladies were (and still are) wandering in their own captive lives. Join them on their adventures – this site is full of their letters back and forth between their very different (yet similar) lives. These are the places they travel, the recipes they love, and the things they use that makes their juxtaposed and crazy lives easier.
