We met in South Korea as a chance encounter while on a tour of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between North Korea and South Korea. Then, later that day reconnecting in Seoul walking in sunny yet windy freezing conditions and chatting over a late lunch.
The initial interaction came in the form of asking Nora if she had heard what the tour guide said. From that point forward meaning throughout the DMZ trip we were intermittently talking and helping each other take photographs of our individual selves.
As the border excursion ended, and the bus returned to Seoul, tour organizers announced various in town drop off spots. Since we were not seated next to each other, there was no way of knowing if there was going to be a final good bye between us before getting off the bus.
It turned out we both needed to disembark at the same stop. Wanting to know more about this woman from Singapore, David asked Nora to join him for a bite once they got off the bus. Our impromptu luncheon gave us a chance to introduce ourselves, and exchange travel experiences. Instant connection was felt as we talked so comfortably with each other like as if we had known each other for years!
Afterwards, we returned to roam the streets of Seoul and then the goodbye. Nora had a few days left as a tourist in Korea while David headed back to Busan where he works. In her remaining days in Seoul, we kept in touch but when it came time for her to leave Seoul on route back to her home country of Singapore, we spent hours on the phone as she waited for her delayed flight to finally depart.
The conversation sparked more curiosity and desire to connect again once Nora returned to Singapore. We continued to keep in touch talking to each other very frequently everyday, mostly for hours and hours! There certainly was chemistry! Thus, our journey together began …………………