I hadn't seen my friend Sophie in over 6 years. Actually the last time I saw her she was living in Madrid and I called her the day before asking for her help getting me across Madrid on the metro with all of my suitcases (I was living in Valencia and was taking more-suitcases-than-I-have-hands out to Chile where I was going to spend the summer, well, Southern Hemisphere winter, with Sienna's dad).

She did it. She showed up like a boss and owned the situation just like she always does; and we had fun! Since then Sophie moved to the Southern Hemisphere too and lived in Australia for a year.

I met Sophie at university in Marseilles 7 years ago where we were studying together, and she was being sponsored to play in a basketball team. We became really good friends very quickly with our other friend Mélanie (who I hooked up with in Marseilles last November, both with our little ones in tow) - and I think we grew a lot from each other. Seeing her again now, nothing has changed. I just think we got a bit softer and wiser in our years haha.

It was also so special to get Sienna and Sophie together (should she call you Tata or Auntie Soph Soph??). Sienna fell in love instantly and asked for Sophie nonstop the following day.

So, how does this link in with blogging? Well, we actually didn't see all that much of Sophie because she was so busy working for her new startup Kampaoh, which she has founded with four other (Spanish) partners.

In the meantime Sienna and I just did what we had come to the wild south of Spain for: getting lost in nature for a little while. We made the most of the Kampaoh experience. We slept in a tipi, with a bed and duvet and pillows, woke up to a choir of singing birds and a fresh pine scent, spent our days at the beach (swimming in the warm Atlantic!!). And I got bitten all over by mosquitos, and I don't know what-in-the-world else, but omg! It makes my skin crawl all over just thinking about it. My Mum said I am paradise for parasites and I think she's right!!

Sophie and I are now collaborating between Shine A Life and Kampaoh, and as the five young entrepreneurs plan to expand over Spain and Portugal from March 2018, I definitely think there is scope for organising some exciting things with Single Mom Travel and Vegans of LX next year too!

So there you have it: if you want to land a collaboration, you need to build relationships with creative, like-minded people who live outside the box just like you do. Who do you already know out of your set of friends that are doing things? Can you find ways to share happy life experiences with them whilst building business opportunities? 

I love ya Soph (that will probably make her blush or cry 😄)! Follow Kampaoh's amazing movement here and don't miss a chance to win a two night stay for two here!!