I have been traveling with my little sister for a month. That's 30 days of togetherness for the first time ever. And it has gone SO well!
While eating dinner on our last night in Nepal, two men asked to join us. Oh umm no thanks! (We responded politely.) You'd think, after so much Mollie-Bridget time, we'd want some new faces in the mix. But we don't. We really just enjoy each other. Which got us thinking about how much togetherness it's been...
Me: Well there was one time I went to an internet cafe and left you at the guest house...
Sister2: Yeah, but I think that's all? We have literally been in the same room as each other this whole time!?
Because when I say we've just spent a month together, I don't mean one month of seeing each other every day. I mean one month of being literally next to one another 24/7.
We share hotel rooms and bus benches of course. All our meals are together (and since it's the off season, we're almost always the only two customers in the restaurant -- private restaurant, candle-lit dinner for two?). And for meals we usually get two things and go halfsies to maximize the things we can try. Our activities are together -- we just finished a private yoga class (again, no other tourists!). And we've also done a number of spa treatments (so cheap here!), which are always couple-style haha -- massages, mani-pedis, facials, and waxing, all done on tables next to one another (I guess we could request some separation in that situation, but neither of us actually care).
Sister2: Yeah, I was surprised that they put us in separate rooms just now for my haircut!
Me: True, but then you did come join me for the end of my leg wax. I guess it would have been normal for you to have waited in the waiting room instead...
We're both kind of surprised by this awesome turn of events. From our India experience two years ago, we know we travel well together, but we each expected to get annoyed with the other at some point over the course of a month. The nice thing about traveling with family is that we can get mad and then easily get over it...but it just hasn't happened!
Bridget: Soooo we're awesome and win at traveling together?
Me: Yup. High-five, go team!
Some people can tell we're sisters, but a shocking number don't see it! We tell people (usually it comes up when explaining that we're from the same place, Where from? being the first question everyone asks.), and the interaction goes something like this:
Sisters? Really? Same mother?
Yep! Same mother same father!
Ohhhh hmm I see now. Same same but different!
That's us!
"Same same but different" is a phrase used all over Asia to explain, well, everything. And it very accurately describes Sister2 and me. She's three years younger than me and graduate college just over a year ago. We're equally silly and serious, so we have deep conversations, but also will sing enthusiastically in public and laugh over random movie quotes for hours (i.e. Muppet Treasure Island). Siblings are great because you get the same obscure references!
After Nepal, Sister2 is heading back home to join the real world (she's been in Asia since last October!), and I will go on to Thailand to meet up with Andy. I'm excited for the rest of my trip, but so sad to see her go!
