Friends, friends of friends and friends of friends of friends..

Six degrees of separation. That used to be the rule of thumb.  You could reach anyone in the world through a chain of six contacts. I read an article recently that says, with the explosion of social media, that six degrees has now shrunk to three.  That is mind-blowing to me, completely mind blowing.  But perhaps quite useful...

You see I have two schools of thought jousting for top spot in my head when it comes to organising my year ahead.  One says 'be free!!' 'just go without a plan and see where the journey takes you'.   The other has an almost German sense of efficiency and planning, wishing to thoroughly research countries, opportunities, places of interest etc...it's bordering on spreadsheet territory.  And I think we all agree that is distinctly uncool and is in desperate need of being reined in.

One thing I know from previous travels is that friendly faces - the best being friends of friends - are the most important glue to keep loneliness at bay and help maintain a good sense grounding and purpose.  The added benefit of local insider knowledge and the promise of an occasional hot shower make a scribbled note with a name and address on it all the more precious.

So here it is. My plan. And it relies in it's entirety on you, my friends and family, to start the chain reaction.  Over the next couple of months I will be compiling research on countries in mainland Europe.  What I would like from you is a goldmine of little nuggets.  Nuggets like locations of cathedrals in unheard of cities that just have to be visited so as to stand there mesmerised by their beauty and solace.   Apothecaries whose shelves stock the same ingredients as one hundred years ago and whose methods remain unchanged.  Hidden gardens.  Enchanting forests. An unmarked wooden door whose paint is bleached and curled by the sun, that leads you to the finest food imaginable.

But most, from you all, I would like the most precious gift. Your friends. For those of you who feel comfortable, I would love you to introduce me to friends of yours in Europe, friends who you know would be completely relaxed and open armed when a wind blown, sun-bleached, callous handed girl, her curious dog and her big ol' truck bowl up the road and knock on their door.

My pie in the sky intention is to set up a private website (I am a complete technophobe! but trying! any advice there too would be amazing!) to which you can go and enter their details on a little interactive map and a little about them and I can go online too, and plot my travels to incorporate them.  The bit about the website is all in my head still so the reality is more likely that we do it all by email.  But wouldn't that be amazing?! To travel in the old fashioned sense, handed from friend to friend.  I wouldn't ask anything of these lovely gentlefolk, just company, kindness and juicy little secret local facts about nature and exploring, and perhaps the next place to stay.

So here is step one. Letting you all know!

I would appreciate your thoughts, ideas and help...