Global friends:

"...I celebrated my birthday on a night train through a Siberian island with my photographer and a couple of other random guys. Life is an adventure." (understatement of the day) On the same e-mail, further down: "...I'll be in Cyprus in November and December working over there so if you feel like a weekend break or longer feel free to come and enjoy the sun..."

To which I say, although it's nice to have such citizens of the world as friends, it's much better if they're in the same city. D. , miss you too.