One year ago today I met this boy.
He was waiting for me outside Itaewon Station in Seoul, and even though we were just going out for lunch, he already looked like he was ready to set off on a trip – royal blue Patagonia jacket, and a small day-pack strapped on his back. What was he carrying in there, anyway?
Somehow or another through the travel blogosphere (or perhaps an e-mail requesting a link exchange…) we realized that we were both living just outside of Seoul. Sam being the resident expert on all things Korea offered to show me around town.
And so we went on our first unofficial date.
Well what can I say, the boy made quite an impression on me! What with all these stories of camping out in the Thar desert, gallivanting through Bangladesh (who even travels there?!), and cruising around Laos’ 4000 islands.
I think I just sat there trying not to smile too hard.
Lunch went so well that we ended up spending the rest of the day wandering around the city together. From the Indian restaurant over to Hongdae, then to a coffee shop, and over to a waffle house, and then it was time for him to go back home. But the story doesn’t end there because we made plans!
For the next few weeks we just found reasons to keep hanging out together,
‘Oh, Mark from Migrationology is in town. Wanna join us for a traditional Korean lunch?’
‘There’s a really cool rundown neighbourhood by the Han River. Want to go take pictures?’
‘You’re still on WordPress.com?! We need to fix that ASAP! How about this Sunday?’
Seeing as we were already spending every weekend together, we eventually stopped looking for pretexts and just started dating already. Geez!
Fast forward 365 days, and I am not where I thought I’d be. i.e. In a tropical country, working remotely, and backpacking around South East Asia with this fine boy by my side!
I moved to Korea with very little direction. I had just turned down grad school in England weeks before I was due to fly out (I even had a pricey student visa already stamped in my passport!), but the UK just didn’t feel right and I couldn’t shake the feeling away. Even though I had no other prospects, I turned down the masters program and found myself a job in Korea instead. Korea…a place I had never been to before and knew next to nothing about.
I figured I might last 6 months there and told my parents I would likely be back in Canada by the end of summer. As we all know, that didn’t happen.
As I write this, I’m in a little guesthouse in the Kingdom of Cambodia. (The freakin’ Kingdom of Cambodia, people!) I’ve been travelling with the boy around Malaysia for one whole month and it’s been mostly unicorns and rainbows, with a lot of sweat and mango shakes in between. And the best part is that we’ve got nothing but more of this ahead!
If you had asked me a year ago what I thought I’d be doing today, I never would have guessed this. So cheers to the boy who put all these crazy travel ideas in my head and helped me merge work and travel together. Now we’re off to celebrate on some beach in Sihanoukville with Angkor beers in hand, because 365 days is a pretty cool milestone.
Love this!! Have fun in the kingdom 🙂
You guys are both great bloggers, and, from your writings, I will guess awesome people, too. So glad you two found each other!
Here’s to more safe and exhilarating travels together 🙂
you’re so lucky to have found each other, as it can be hard to have love in your life as a nomad, so there’s nothing sweeter than two nomads travelling the world together!!!!!
Pretty cool stuff if you ask me!…
What a sweet story! So happy for you that saying no to England led you to awesome adventures (of love) on the other side of the world! 😀
My favorite blogging couple 🙂
Fun story to read! Samuel has been so incredibly busy writing and traveling. Glad to finally read the story of how you two met!
Lovely story. Congratulations, your two 🙂
Great story line so far…much better than going to a rehashed Hollywood movie…the best part is that the script is still unwritten and will be unfolding as time passes 🙂
Such a great story! There’s nothing better than traveling the world with the one you love. Happy anniversary and enjoy your celebration in Cambodia!
A perfect travel-love story! Love this story! And love your courage!
AHHHH – you guys are just too damn cute.
Wow how cool a true travel blogging love story 🙂 It is always great when we meet new people travelling, especially when they then become friends. Meeting up with them again is always extra special but travelling together is even more cool. Glad you met each other, happy and safe travels together.
congrats guys. to another wonderful year
Great story and really fun to read. I remember when you were getting ready to go to England, and I was surprised when I found out you were teaching in Korea…you obviously made the right choice, and that decision ended up being just the right one!! 🙂
Congrats you guys! You guys are two peas in a pod.
I want some pics from Cambodia, stat!
Love your story. It’s so much fun to travel when you have a companion. You and Sam make a great couple!
The cutest!
Now we need the story of the first kiss!
Jk…
But seriously.
Adorable and sweet story! Always nice to hear a tale of love, especially one resulting from travel blogging. 🙂
Look forward to seeing more about your travels together!
I only know you two through your blogs but you seem like a great couple. Given that solo nomad travel bloggers often talk about their lifestyle making long term relationships difficult, I’m glad you’ve found each other 🙂
You are living the life ! It’s very rare people just say screw it and follow their hearts. If grad school was not meant to be then so be it. I envy people who can travel the world. I’m too stuck in routine and following the rules set by society. I hope you two have a whale of a time in Cambodia and many other places.
By the way, I moved to London from Vancouver. I studied at UBC. Where in Canada are you from ?
bisous,
Natasha
http://www.bisousnatasha.com/
Very nice story! I am looknig forward to start traveling in a couple of months. Best wishes!!
You guys are adorable. Congrats on the anniversary and enjoy being in freaking Cambodia!
Congratulations you two! Happy trails!
I’m still waiting for this to happen to me! Lovely story, and happy anniversary!
Guys, awesome story, seriously. I was just reading your post out loud to Cez and we couldn’t stop laughing. “Are you still on WordPress.com?” that was so hilarious! 🙂 Sam seems to be a real travel freak and you guys are gonna end up getting married in the middle of African jungle. I’m telling you! Enjoy Cambodia!!!
Congrats! Wishing you many more miles and happy memories together.
I love this! I also skipped doing my Masters in the UK to travel…and said I’d be back in 6 months. Now it’s 16 months later and counting… travelling is awesome! (and I love the pics!)
Aww so cute!
Beautiful story. Here’s to plenty more stories of unicorns and rainbows over the next 365 days. 🙂
Super cute. I’m so happy for you, Audrey! Have fun in Cambodia xx
Cambodia is perfect for you two. Head to Kep, there’s a great guest house on a hillside overlooking the ocean. You gotta spend just one night there, it’s a fantastic spot for a couple in love.
Aaww Audrey what a cute story of you and the boy. I always love hearing about people’s “alternative” results when they turned down this job offer, that grad school, or even after leaving a relationship. Cheesy as it may sound, I’m always a firm believer that it all always works out in the end. In your case, it’s you and your boy having a fantastic time around SE Asia!
Love this. We need more love stories like this in the travel blogging community.
Congratulations! May you have many more travels together:)
Happy anniversary! Enjoy the Kingdom of Wonders – my adopted home and love affair. 🙂
So cool to hear you guys’ story! Love it =)
Love this post! The pictures of you two are too adorable. I’m jealous — I found my love while traveling in Austria, but unfortunately he isn’t quite as mobile as me. Now I’m stuck between living with him or backpacking without him :/
What a cute story! 🙂
awww! sweet! have a blast in Cambodia. stay in love! 🙂
Cool story! Wishing you more adventures together. Safe travels Audrey and Sam.
Cheers!! here is to many many more “365’s”.
This is so sweet. It’s amazing when you meet people on the other side of the world and realise your paths would never have crossed if you both hadn’t have had the courage to get up and go and do something. 🙂
I remember my Korean students counting the days by the 100’s. Do I remember correctly?
Now I know how you met. 🙂
I had been wondering!!
Wish you guys more love and days together!
your short blogs of traveling are great. I too was an esl teacher in s korea a few years back.
I am curious to know what kind of work are you 2 doing remotely?
thanks
Congratulations! Great story. Your blog is definitely an inspiration. My husband and I are planning a three month trip to SEA next year. We love the look of your blog… but I’m not tech savvy. Dare I ask, if it’s not WordPress… what is it? Lol – I told you, not tech savvy.
It’s WordPress.org not WordPress.com. It just means I’m self-hosted. 😉
Wow, you guys and Mark!!!!
nice story. an experience shared is an experience doubled
Wooww, thats double and cool experience. Hope get one kind too xD