My best friend has emigrated to Ivory Coast. And yes, I sometimes have a hard time with it. A spontaneous glass of wine isn't happening as quickly anymore, and Facetime is also fun but still different. Last week she called me. “LOOK, I'm coming to the Netherlands.” A hundred horns and bells and hearts exploded in my head. “Who, what, when?!”, I shouted out. “I'm staying in the Netherlands for the rest of the summer.” Did I hear that right? She really said it. Intense happiness. Today she stood for the first time in my new little house. We made up for that wine, believe me. And she brought a lovely little gift for me. “Here, for you. As a travel enthusiast.” I unwrapped it and saw a map. Correction: not a cliché-look-at-what-everyone-has-hanging-on-the-wall map, but a cool one, made of metal. Perfect for that empty spot above the couch. Every time I look at it, I think of her. Her in sunny Ivory Coast on the other side of the world, me in little Europe. But first: 2.5 months TOGETHER. The bottom line of this somewhat airy-fairy-look-at-me-being-happy story? Friendship is everything. And if you're still looking for a gift for that travel-loving friend; I just found it.