I Traveled Across The World To Meet a Stranger

We met on the internet just a few months ago. She lived three hours away by plane, and yet, we ended up meeting for the very first time on a different continent for a spontaneous one-week adventure across Morocco. And honestly? It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

The Connection

Two years ago, I was watching a video from one of my favorite YouTube channels, Yes Theory. It featured a group of people spending time and training with Shaolin Kung Fu monks, pushing themselves to physical and mental limits that few dare to reach.

Among them was a girl named Maria.

She stood out right away not just because she was the only woman in the group, but because she was the only one to complete every challenge. Watching her endure the kind of physical pain most of us would run from was inspiring.

Months later, her profile popped up on my Instagram feed. I recognized her immediately. I clicked. And I was even more impressed by what I found.

Maria wasn’t just a badass in one video. She’s an endurance athlete who has run a 50KM trail race, swum 10 miles nonstop in open water for 6 hours, completed a half ironman and more. I hit follow instantly.

I soon discovered she also writes a newsletter called Long Way Home Chronicles, built around the idea that “the best things in life happen when we take the long way home”. That line stuck with me. In fact, Maria’s writing was one of the reasons I started this newsletter of my own.

I highly recommend checking out her newsletter, you won’t regret it.

A Spontaneous Plan

In November 2024, Maria replied to one of my Instagram stories, checking in on my family during the conflict in Lebanon. It was the first time we ever messaged. A month later, in December 2024, we shared our common passion for traveling. That’s when the topic of Morocco came up.

She told me it was one of her dream destinations.

I said “It’s on top of my virtual list”, “We should travel together one day!”

Without much thought, she said she’s down. But in the back of my mind, I assumed it wouldn’t actually happen anytime soon. That’s how most plans go, right? They sound great in theory until money, timing, and life get in the way.

But in April, she texted again. She was going to Paris in June, and Morocco was suddenly within reach. “Would the first week of June work for you?” she asked.

Coincidentally, I was planning a Europe trip in late May. The timelines matched perfectly. “Let’s do it,” I said.

Less than two months later, we met for the first time at a riad (traditional Moroccan accommodation) in Marrakesh.

Meeting in Morocco

Maria arrived at the riad just before I did. As she waited, she chatted with the French owner and casually mentioned that she was meeting someone for the first time someone she had only spoken to online. He thought she was crazy.

To be fair, so did many of our friends and family. But what they didn’t understand was that this wasn’t random. We’d already built a connection through shared interests, a love for adventure, and a deep trust in our gut.

Over the next eight days, we road-tripped across Morocco:

Marrakesh → Sahara Desert → Fes → Chefchaouen → Tangier.

On the stairs somewhere in the Blue City of Chefchaouen

We experienced the extremes from extreme desert heat to green mountains to the coast. Some days we felt overwhelmed by generosity, other days we felt like walking tourist traps. It was emotional rollercoaster in the best way possible.

Even after long travel days, unbearable heat, and early mornings, we kept the energy up. We laughed, explored, got lost in old Medinas, and somehow always found our way back even without Google Maps that barely works inside those mazes.

Posing with the camels before our ride to the desert camp

A Stranger Is Just a Friend You Haven’t Met Yet

This trip taught me something I’ll never forget: friendship doesn’t always need time to grow, it needs openness, the right energy, and a willingness to say yes.

From our first video call, I had a gut feeling we’d become friends. Morocco didn’t just confirm it, it deepened it. And now, I believe even more in something we both live by:

A stranger is just a friend you haven’t met yet.

We said our goodbyes in Tangier, but we both knew this wasn’t the end. Because when you meet someone who sees the world like you do, it’s only a matter of time before your paths cross again.

So Maria, if you’re reading this: see you soon!

Your Sign to Take the Leap

I’m sharing this story because I hope it gives you the drive to follow your gut. To say yes to something that scares you. To reach out, book the flight, send the message, or make the call.

The best things in life are sitting just outside our comfort zone. We unlock endless possibilities when we take the leap.

So go meet the stranger.

Go chase your dreams.

Go take the long way home.

You never know what’s waiting on the other side.