Tonight was one of the most unexpected gifts of my entire trip. I had been looking forward to this evening for a long, long time—long before I ever set foot in Egypt—because tonight I met Gisselle Vallejos, a woman who is truly one of a kind on this planet.

Gisselle is an ex-pat living in Cairo for almost 5 years now and she is quite famous on YouTube as she posts daily video of her travels as a single American in Cairo Egypt. Her channel can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/@Gventures 

I didn’t know much about her background when we first connected online. I knew she had grown up in the United States, felt completely unsettled there as a young woman, and—because she possesses both a fiercely independent spirit and an extraordinary mind—she packed up, left, and started traveling the world solo. That alone is enough to earn anyone’s admiration. But in the middle of my own 11-day solo adventure, in a country I had never visited before, she showed up, bought me a beer and continued being exactly the inspiration I didn’t realize I had been craving.

Somehow, through a bit of digital serendipity and the magic of timing, we found each other. And unbelievably, she said yes when I asked if she’d meet me for a quick drink in Cairo. I had even brought something halfway around the world for her: a watercolor I painted of her on her bike. I created it in Denver with the hope that maybe—just maybe—I would get to put it in her hands as my way of saying thank you for inspiring me to come across the world by myself.

She met me on the street outside my Airbnb that night, just like an old friend dropping by, and together we walked to the Uber that would take us to a rooftop she knew well (she knows all the rooftops, of course). The minute we arrived, a handful of people recognized her from YouTube. It made me smile to see how beloved she is. And why wouldn’t she be? She’s lived everywhere—Vietnam, Bangladesh, Tibet, and who knows how many places in between. She now films her life in Egypt as a young, pink-haired powerhouse: biking across cities, figuring things out as she goes, living boldly, bravely, and entirely on her own terms—even while married to an Egyptian man who clearly loves her independence.

Our “quick drink” turned into three hours of laughing, storytelling, and mild debauchery that I will remember for the rest of my life. We talked about her travels, her courage, her ability to adapt to places most people would never dream of visiting. She talked openly about her life; I talked openly about mine. And somehow it felt like we weren’t meeting for the first time at all—it felt like rediscovering a sibling I’d lost track of along the way.

When the night finally had to end, I felt a genuine sadness. I knew I was saying goodbye to someone who made an impression on me that went far deeper than I ever anticipated. And I also knew—instantly—that this wasn’t a one-off meeting. This was the beginning of a friendship that feels like it was supposed to happen.

So, Gisselle, if you ever read this:
You made an impact on my heart and my soul in just three hours under the Cairo sky. I’m proud of you—of the life you’ve created, the courage you radiate, and the way you inspire people like me without even trying. I’m grateful beyond words that we crossed paths. And when I come back to Egypt—as we both know I will—you will be one of the first people I look up.

Here’s to lifelong friends found halfway around the world. Find her here: https://www.youtube.com/@Gventures