Chloe McKellar, a travel consultant from House of Travel Wellington City, knows firsthand that the true magic of travel comes from chance encounters, like falling in love halfway across the world.
How many of us watched the hit Netflix rom-com Love at First Sight and swooned as chemistry exploded between lead characters Hadley and Oliver at an airport? When a broken seatbelt buckle landed them next to each other on the same flight, it set the stage for a whirlwind romance. But can chance encounters abroad truly lead to something magical?
For Darryl (Daz) Hunn and Chloe McKellar, their story also began in the most unlikely of ways. On a night when Daz, with his friends, dressed as women to take advantage of a “girls drink for free” promotion at a bar on Gili Islands in Indonesia. What seemed like a bit of fun and spontaneity would eventually see Daz move across the other side of the world.
Chloe, a self-proclaimed “travelling foodie,” had spent several months in Bali, fully immersed in the food and cultural experiences only travelling in Southeast Asia offers. After chatting with a group of female travellers, she decided to join them for a party on the Gili Islands. She wasn’t looking to meet anyone special but in a buzzing bar far away from home, her attention was drawn to a group of British lads dressed in boob tubes, skirts, and make-up.
“I remember thinking they were a bit cheeky, but I liked it,” Chloe says. “We started chatting, but Daz said they were planning to leave the island soon. You know how it goes when you’re travelling – you meet people, you have a great time, and then life takes you in different directions.”
Daz had no idea that his playful decision would lead him to the person he would eventually spend his life with. He and his friends had been travelling for a while, and like many backpackers, they were just going with the flow, when Chloe caught his attention.
Chloe and Daz said travel brought them together. Photo / Chloe McKellar
“When we showed up at the bar and saw ‘girls drink for free’ we went back and borrowed some friends boob tubes, make-up and skirts! The bar said, ‘fair play’ and we managed to drink for free,” Daz laughs at the memory.
“When I first met Chloe, I remember we hit it off straight away, being the last ones left on the dance floor dancing around a plastic drink bottle!”
They promised to catch up, though neither truly believed it would happen, until, by chance (or some might say fate), they unexpectedly bumped into each other on the side of the road back on the mainland.
“I couldn’t believe it when I saw him again,” Chloe says. “I thought, ‘What are the chances?’ It was like something straight out of a movie. We ended up spending the next few days together in Bali before he moved on to Australia.”
Over the next year, Chloe and Daz stayed in touch through phone calls – Chloe from Melbourne, where she had settled after her time in Bali, and Daz, who was backpacking around Australia. Chloe remembers many of their conversations revolved around travel experiences and plans, slowly getting to know each other in the old-fashioned way. When Daz decided to visit Melbourne to see Chloe, they realised that the connection they had shared on Gili Island was a spark they wanted to explore. Since then, they’ve been inseparable.
“We’ve been together for over 16 years now,” Chloe says. “I can’t imagine where my life would have gone if I hadn’t gone to Gili Islands and met Daz. This is why I love working in the travel industry because exploring the world brings people together who would otherwise never have crossed paths.”
Young and in love, Chloe and Daz travelled back to Daz’ hometown of Brighton after spending another six months exploring Southeast Asia. Daz says that each destination added a new chapter to their love story.
“We learned a lot about each other during that time,” Daz says. “Travel forces you to be flexible, patient and work together as a team. And when you’re in a relationship, it’s an incredible bonding experience.”
Chloe and Daz outside Daz’s Mum’s house in Brighton, UK in 2010. Photo / Chloe McKellar
The couple agree that their shared travel experiences built the foundation of a strong partnership.
“We were both far from home, away from the familiar. But travel brings people closer in ways you don’t expect,” Chloe says. “We learnt to navigate challenges, get lost together, and share moments of discovery from tasting new street food to watching sunsets on remote islands.”
In 2016, Chloe brought Daz home to New Zealand. The couple quickly settled into life in Wellington, where they now run a moving business, VanMan, and have a puppy named Rufus. Despite being together for some time now, they never forget the serendipity of how they first met.
“Travel is life-changing. You meet people who become part of your journey, and you never know where it will lead. In our case, it led to a very happy life together.”
