BAHAHAHAH! Did you check out that photo that I attached when I googled 'TRAVELLER'? BAHAAHAH. How far does she think she will get in cowboy boots lugging a hard suitcase??? Or maybe I have it wrong. If a short thin skirt, skinny strap tank top and free flowing blonde hair will help to get me far for free, I guess I can admit that she's got it perfectly right! It amazes me how far travellers are willing to go ... to go.

A few weeks ago, we hosted a Japanese couple from Couchsurfing, a website to help travellers find free places to stay even if it's on a couch. Sawa and Dai were on the last part of their 18 month round the world trip. Their sole mission was to see the northern lights in Yellowknife. I was completely shocked since (1) I have never heard of anyone wanting to go to Yellowknife recreationally and (2) why weren't they interested in the majestic Rocky Mountains. I guess I took for granted how beautiful the northern lights can be. Sawa and Dai were determined to hitchhike to NWT and cross it off their bucket list. When I heard their tight schedule, I cringed at their plan to hitchhike. First of all, it's illegal to hitchhike on major Canadian highways. Secondly, with all the bad press about robberies to those who did pick up a hitchhiker, I assumed there weren't going to be that many drivers willing to pick up someone, let alone a couple. I thought that trying to find a ride share or taking the Greyhound would have been the safer and easier choice, but they were on a tight budget. I suspected too that they truly wanted to connect with people in a country and not just move from location to location. They had certainly made an impact on us! Armed with a homemade YELLOWKNIFE cardboard sign, they hit the Alberta roads. Within 2 nights, they had journeyed over 1700km and reached their destination! Two open minded, kind truck drivers and two locals, who suddenly opened up their homes to these foreigners, stepped up. For free. Absolutedly inspiring!

While I have my own travel stories, I don't think I ever push the limits of a culture as Sawa and Dai did. Ok, yes, I have met some interesting characters in my own backpacking adventures, but I can't say that I took the same risk as they did and questioned humanity, goodness in people, safety, etc. Have I stayed with strangers before on their couches???? Hmmm. Technically no but I guess squeaky dirty beds in a private family's home that registered itself as a 'hostel' (HA!) would be similar. Have I hitchhiked before???? Hmmm. Yes. Probably a little too many times in a back of a pick up truck. Gracias! Have I blindly trusted and followed a complete stranger to take me to where I wanted to go? Um. Again, yes. Casablanca, Morocco, and Krakow, Poland, come to mind. One of them was even in their car! eee. EGAK, could I be just like Sawa and Dai???

I think the thing that differentiates me from them is that they connected with people in their travels ... lifetime, long lasting connections. Even with their limited, broken English, they involved others in their lives, sharing their own stories, their purpose for this trip, etc. When Sawa and Dai said their goodbyes to my students, one teary eyed boy was so sad that he sat dejected on the side of the playground afterschool. He kept asking why his new friends had to leave so soon. Sniff. Honestly, I can't tell you anything about the truckers who gave me a lift or even remember the hostel owners since I hid in my room for most of the night. You see, I was too scared to ask to visit local schools, to use my broken Spanish, to play with the neighborhood kids, etc. For me, it's hard to take a risk and build relationships. It was easier to pay the room charges or tip them a $1 than use Couchsurfing where it involves people welcoming me into their lives. I admire Sawa and Dai. They get it. They are true travellers.

A couple of days ago in the news, Canadian Mike Spencer Bown was declared the world's most travelled man. Over 170 countries from war torn Somalia to Australia. He's quoted as saying that he intentionally went as a traveller to richly experience these countries, not simply "a passenger" who touches from one capital city to another, jetting from one airport to another to mark a tally on the count. He took local transports in Taliban controlled Afghanistan, lived with a pygmy tribe in leaf huts and hunted antelope. I want to do that! Well, not everything he did.

Essentially though, I want to spend the next year and half getting to know PEOPLE! One of my greatest regrets in my UK exchange was that I don't have a record of my life there other than the photos I took. I can think of only one UK family that I would return to visit. Maybe I made a greater impact than that but right now, I am being challenged to reach out more ... to risk, to connect.

Being in rural Wangaratta Victoria, Australia, will push me. I hope that we will hit it off with another couple (or a few even) whom I can imagine wanting to visit again in a few years. Not as a passenger, stopping by, but an intended visit with dear friends. We'll see how far I am willing to go. We'll see. Hmmm.