Consider a cherished cashmere sweater—warm, beautiful, and a true go-to that you reach for time and time again. Could there be a more spot-on sartorial metaphor for a great friendship? It’s certainly fitting for besties Beth Chernick and Teddyann “Tee” Allman. 

To wit, when the two were vacationing together in Scotland recently, other women on the tour assumed they’d been pals for ages. “On the second day, several people asked us how long we’ve known each other,” Beth recalls. “Everyone was stunned to learn that we had just met!”

NextTribe takes small groups of women ages 45+ on fun, transformational trips around the world. Beyond adventure, you’ll likely be making friends when traveling on our tours!

Remarkable, but it can happen—when you “just know” that someone is going to become invaluable to you. Although let’s be real: At midlife, finding new friends is often challenging. Typically, we meet our BFFs in school or when working full time, or perhaps through our kids when they’re youngsters. So it’s no wonder that all of us at NextTribe were totally taken by the bond between Beth and Tee (who happened to hook up on one of our adventures)—and felt compelled to share their inspiring story.

From Zoomies to Roomies

When about to turn 70, Beth, from North Caldwell, New Jersey, and Tee, from Colorado Springs, Colorado, each decided to celebrate the milestone with a vacation abroad. And though both have solid three-decades-plus marriages, each opted to go solo. A bit of research led to NextTribe’s 2024 Scotland trip, which ticked all the boxes in terms of activities, timing, accommodations, and price. “I really didn’t have any expectations,” Tee says. “I just wanted a new adventure.”

Certainly neither one went looking for a sister-like soulmate. Beth and Tee are both busy with family, friends, part-time jobs—plenty of stuff to do at home. Then again…

The women initially communicated via Zoom with a few fellow-travelers-to-be, but a certain something led them to exchange contact info. “We clicked immediately,” says Beth, and Tee echoes: “We were clearly so in sync.” 

“We discovered in our first phone conversation that the similarities between us—our interests, our life experiences—are uncanny,” Beth says.  So they took a leap of faith, electing to be roommates during their Scotland stay. 

Highlights of the Highlands: Making Friends When Traveling

Every day in Scotland proved to be a blast for all involved, from Loch Ness to the prehistoric monuments of Clava Cairn, from the iconic Harry Potter Glenfinnan Viaduct to ruined castles, verdant hills, and of course men in kilts. Yet for Beth and Tee, the downtime was as memorable as the excursions. 

“We’d be talking till the wee hours of the morning, laughing and sharing,” Beth says. “We both felt totally comfortable being vulnerable with each other.” 

Talk about making friends when traveling: ‘We’d be up till the wee hours of the morning, laughing and sharing.’

“We have the same likes and dislikes, the same political views, the same outlook on life,” says Tee. “And we definitely have the same fierceness and independence as smart, adventurous, fun-loving women.” (One of the perks of taking group tours can be finding a provider that attracts people with similar mindsets. That can ease the path to making friends while traveling.)

A Pact Between Pals

As the vacation drew to an end, Beth and Tee naturally discussed how to keep their bond going—despite living nearly 2,000 miles apart. “It was a given that our friendship would continue,” says Beth “And we haven’t missed a beat!” adds Tee. This dynamic duo texts frequently and talks at least once a week. Not surprisingly, one of the things they talk about is future travel plans. 

This dynamic duo texts and talks often. Not surprisingly, future travel plans together are in the works.

In fact, they wasted no time booking NextTribe’s September 2024 trip to Portugal, just a few months after Scotland. “We thoroughly enjoyed it—cooking dinner with a local chef, picking grapes at a vineyard,” Tee says. “And the Quinta Nova resort was the most incredible place I have ever stayed!”

Coming up for these adventure-seekers? Exploring Vietnam in November! “NextTribe gives women of a certain age the opportunity to explore the world in a unique way,” Beth says. “While the groups are diverse, everyone is accepting, and we all make an effort to get to know each other. Before NextTribe, I never would have been comfortable sharing a room with a stranger—now I have a new BFF at 70! Priceless!”

A Funny Thing Happened…

Women’s friendships tend to differ from the ones men form; just consider these studies published in Evolution and Human Behavior, which found that men prefer pals with wealth, status, and the ability to help them find a mate, wheras women favor friends who offer emotional support and help them work through conflicts. 

“Friends are so important for your mental and physical health,” says Tee, who needs no scientific research to tell her what’s in her heart. “The best part of the Scotland trip was meeting Beth. She is a once-in-a-lifetime find.” Making friends when traveling in this way has elevated the whole “take a tour” experience for both of them.

So touching! So sweet! Still, before we all start dabbing tears with a hankie, let’s keep in mind that these women are first and foremost fun. How much fun? “The Cashmere Escapade” tells it all: “We were in Scotland on the hunt for cashmere sweaters,” Tee relates. “We stopped at a very well-known store, but were only given 30 minutes! I was in a panic. Only 30 minutes!”

Rummaging through a cashmere shop in Scotland together with limited time, laughing hysterically, was one of their Highlands highlights.

“OMG, we rummaged through everything,” Beth continues. “Tee was in her glory and picked out five things while I was overwhelmed by all the options.” 

Tee picks up the thread: “We were throwing items all over the place, going, ‘How ‘bout this?’ ‘What about that?’” 

And Beth sews it up: “With  five minutes to go, we made our choices, ran to the register, ran to our minivan—the last ones there—laughing hysterically the whole time!’”

The ladies love this story, and never fail to crack up every time they tell it. So…those sweaters? Treasured, to be sure—but not nearly as much as their friendship.