People who went from zero friends to having friends after 30s, tell me your story

We all know how hard it can be to meet people and build friendships after 30s or close to that. People get married, old friends are not available anymore or you move to a different city where you don't know anyone.

I think a lot of people is in a situation like that, and it would be useful to read stories of how people got out of that. What activities you did? How did the friendship developed? How long until you consider these people friends? What you do? You hangout outside the activity or the activity is enough socializing for you?

Please, let's start 2025 with good stories to make the rest of us motivated to go for it!