Closing the gap on an LD friendship? (30/40’s)

I’ve been in what I guess you’d call a long-distance PLATONIC relationship with a friend for the last 9 years. We met online, had an instant connection, and basically just never stopped talking. It was weird but honestly we both started from early on joking about one day living near each other, just so we could hang out more often, it felt inevitable. After about 6 months of meeting online, they flew to the opposite side of the globe to see me, and after that it was so hard being apart we’ve managed to fly to meet each other at least once every year since.

I know it probably sounds crazy to a lot of people to uproot and move across the world for “just” a friend, but this person has been my best friend and “my person” for so long now, longer than any other relationship I’ve had besides my family. And there’s nothing really holding me back here as I’ve finished school and have a flexible career and no property or partner here etc. And I’ve always wanted to move to where my friend lives anyway. And there’s just honestly no one I’d rather live near.

Anyway, I’m starting to concretely plan at least a temporary or trial move, to somewhere in the same or next over city as my friend within the coming year. We’re both over the moon excited.

Just wanted to share here, as I suppose if anywhere I might find people here who could understand! And of course would love to hear other platonic LDR stories too.