If you’re single and able to mingle, discovering a bit of journey romance on the highway can improve any journey – or if not, no less than depart you with story or two. Few travellers (if any) count on and even hope to seek out their future partner whereas seeing the world.
But that’s precisely what occurred to Cindy and James nearly a decade in the past, whereas travelling with Intrepid. We caught up with the globetrotting couple to see what they’ve been as much as since their serendipitous journey.
Where are you from and the place did you meet?
Cindy: We met in Nepal in 2014 on an Intrepid Everest Base Camp Trek.
I’m Australian however was working as a diplomat for the Australian High Commission in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea on the time. James is a Kiwi however was working as a hospital scientist in London.
What impressed you to take the journey?
James: I used to be in search of the journey and solitude that strolling on this planet’s most well-known mountain vary gives.
Cindy: I loved the liberty of travelling solo, however trekking to Everest Base Camp was positively out of my consolation zone – so I made a decision to affix an organised tour. I picked Intrepid as they’ve a stable security fame and exemplary circumstances for guides and porters.
I hoped to seek out enjoyable journey buddies and have time, however by no means thought I’d meet my future husband!
First impressions?
James: Cindy bounced in late to the pre-departure briefing together with her journey roommate, and I believed to myself, “Oh god, a loud American,” as a result of she didn’t appear too nervous and was nonetheless laughing together with her roommate as she sat down.
Cindy: We have been laughing as a result of we have been embarrassed about getting misplaced! What stood out for me was that James was tall, good-looking and quiet – and carried an enormous DSLR digicam like mine. Then when he informed me he was a Kiwi there was that on the spot compatriotism that Aussies and Kiwis all the time have.
What do you suppose introduced you collectively?
James: At mealtimes within the teahouses discovered alongside the path, Cindy would order a number of completely different gadgets and share them with the group. I’d be certain that to take a seat subsequent to her at each meal break so I might have first dibs. My meals technique additionally meant we obtained to talk so much too and we turned out to have so much in widespread.
Cindy: From my perspective, I believe it was how good James was – and never simply at mealtimes. He would usually make jokes or say encouraging issues, which saved me going once I was daunted by “Nepali flats” (uphill strolling). I usually sought him out throughout relaxation breaks for his positivity and kindness.
At the tip of a day’s trekking, James and I’d all the time be those venturing out to discover a bit of extra round no matter village we have been in. On the fourth evening we have been wandering round Phortse and got here throughout a monastery the place we watched the sundown collectively.
Who made the primary transfer?
Cindy: Not positive, however no matter occurred, it may be blamed on Long Island iced teas from the notorious Irish pub at Namche Bazaar. Because it’s the first bar on the best way again down from Base Camp and many people had abstained from alcohol as per medical recommendation on the best way up, our entire group actually made the a lot of the alternative to rejoice on our descent… James and I spent hours speaking to one another on the bar whereas our journey buddies partied round us.
Travel could be an intense expertise for {couples} – did you face any challenges that made you realise this individual is perhaps the one for you?
Cindy: Actually the primary problem was being aside after the journey. It was fairly clear that we shared a whole lot of the identical values and needed the identical issues out of life, however we lived in numerous international locations.
We determined to wind up our respective jobs and, within the spirit of how we had met, leverage that depth that comes with travelling by spending most of 2015 experiencing Europe and Asia collectively. This included crossing by 11 time zones on the Tran-Siberian and climbing alongside the 300-kilometre Camino Primitivo in Spain.
How did your relationship develop after that?
Cindy: Once our huge journey got here to an finish, issues moved in a short time – we moved our “home base” to Sydney in 2015, purchased a home in 2016, obtained married in 2017 and had our first little one in 2018 – adopted quickly thereafter by our second in 2020.
We spent the pandemic years in Sydney the place James masked up day-after-day and went to his job on the hospital. And then in 2022, I used to be serendipitously provided a global alternative. We’re at the moment in Jakarta, Indonesia and relishing the chance to journey; we’ve been to Bali and the islands round Komodo, and we’ve simply booked a visit to go to my dream vacation spot, Raja Ampat.
Any extra plans to journey with Intrepid?
Cindy: We have Intrepid to thank for bringing us collectively on such an important journey – in addition to our wonderful guides (Kush, Breek, Sanjay, Niroj and Shiva) and porters (Ganesh, Tenzee, Lakpa, Surya, Sudip, Bikash and Nokul) and our superior group “Level 10” with whom we bonded so carefully.
We have a whole lot of photos of the Himalayas round the home, so our daughters are very concerned with visiting the place “where Mummy and Daddy met”. We’d like to take them on the Everest Base Camp trek when they’re a bit of older and it might be nice to journey with Intrepid once more on a household tour!