My Birthday, My Friend and Gift!

FROM ISSUE # 159 (March 2009) | IN THIS ISSUE
	REFER TO FRIEND		PRINT THIS ARTICLE

Over the years, I've always been surprised by the kindness my friends have had when I receive gifts on my birthday. Although I have never given her more than a card, a friend of mine from the Far East always gives me the most wonderful birthday surprises. But she's not the only one. Last year, a friend of mine gave me a pair of Merrell shoes, which costs around the same price as one ox or a small piece of land in my village back home in Nepal. This time, the same friend asked me what I wanted for my birthday. I thought about it long and hard because this would be the last birthday I am spending on the road. I'm on the final leg of my ten and a half year journey- hard to believe considering it feels like I just started the trip yesterday.

I've never celebrated my birthday in Nepal. It's really not a big occasion, especially in village life. We might perform death rites, but we don't often do anything special when it comes to birthdays. A lot of people in Nepal don't even know their accurate birthday. Before my trip, I thought of my birthday as just another day, but being in new countries every year gave me the chance to celebrate my birthday in different ways, with different friends and in different places every year. 

Because after this year I will be back in Nepal for a good number of birthdays to come, I realised this might be the last time I have a true birthday celebration in the sense of lavish gift-giving, so I decided to take my friend's offer seriously. I do desire something expensive which I cannot afford myself; why not ask for one of those things as a birthday present from my friend? I decided to ask her, "Is my birthday present from you really my choice?" My friend nodded, "Of course it's your choice, so long as it is in my budget." So, I decided to ask her for an iPhone. 

She didn't reply right away, but a couple of days later she told me she wouldn't buy it for me. I was disappointed because she had told me that it was to be my choice. She gave me further explanation, "An iPhone is not necessary for your trip and besides that it costs at least 700 USD." She mentioned a few other reasons why it wasn't advantageous to have an iPhone. She also pointed out that I might re-sell the phone when I run out of money on my trip. This made me laugh because she was correct. It could happen.

Many of my friends have found things I lost along the journey, but I would never sell a friend's gift. I often lose things, but I don't sell precious gifts given by a friend.

Since it is my birthday, many of my friends keep asking the same question, "How old are you?"  I never answer the question straight away because to me, age is just a number.  I believe in the expression, "Count your life by your friends, not by your age." I am old enough to have gained thousands of friends in my life. 

This birthday I felt blessed to open my inbox and see it full of birthday greetings. With each passing year my age is increasing and the span of my life left to live is decreasing.  My friends are the most valuable gift in my journey.  I have gained a great number of friends across the globe.

Lone Traveller.

Journey started: Nov 29, 1998Aim: To cycle around the world to spread the message of peace and hope within 11 years.Countries travelled: 140
Total mileage- 210500 KM
Next leg: Middle East