It’s nice sometimes to talk with people who are on a similar schedule. I just got an email from Alissa: “I am in Eastern Chad at the moment and will be available on a local cell for the next three days, then I’m off to Uganda to do a story on mountain gorillas!”

And so it was totally natural to respond with, “Eastern Chad! Cool. I leave tomorrow for Palau, Yap, and Singapore. Be back in a month. I’ll try calling you now.”

I tried calling the number she left me, and it was out of service. I received an immediate e-mail back. “I’m actually out of range for the next three hours… can you try me again????? Won’t be back stateside for another month or so… running to catch a flight…”

(Update: I just spoke with Alissa, and she’s with “rebels” in Eastern Chad. Sounds… crazy. :)

So familiar! When we hang out, we can skip all the crap about being on the road all the time, and what it’s like, and how my life must be a vacation… because it’s just the way it is, and we both know understand that. There’s no “you’re weird” or “you’re crazy” or “i wish i had your life” or anything like that.