Angela and Kameron hiking at Wineglass Bay. Photo / Angela Watters
Angela and Kameron hiking at Wineglass Bay. Photo / Angela Watters
It turns out, love doesn’t always stick to schedule, and that a little unexpected delay can lead to something truly unforgettable.
- By Angela Watters, as told to Kellie Floyd
I was still carrying the weight of my grandmother’s funeral when I boarded my flight in Far North Queensland. The grief of losing her was compounded by a cruel remark from a family member — insinuating that I had let my parents down by not making them grandparents. Having just turned 40 and fresh from a breakup, the comment stung.
Instead of flying home to Melbourne, I was heading for the Tasmanian wilderness — a planned hiking trip with girlfriends who would meet me down south. Over the past few years, I’d come to love multi-day hikes, and I knew that being immersed in nature always helped me heal.
An unexpected flight delay led to something truly unforgettable. Photo / Getty Images
My journey to Tasmania needed multiple flights, and unfortunately, due to a mechanical issue on the first leg, a flight attendant approached me cautiously to let me know I had missed my connecting flight and it would be a five-hour wait at a connecting airport. Once landed, I queued to have a new booking pass issued when a man tapped me on the shoulder. He’d been on the same delayed flight and casually offered me his plus one in the Virgin Lounge. With a smile, he handed me his number, suggesting the lounge would be a much more comfortable place to wait and to call him if I wanted to come in.
At first, I hesitated, but as the minutes dragged on, I realised five hours was a long time to wander the terminal aimlessly. Eventually, I messaged him. His reply was immediate: “Of course, meet me at the front.”
He introduced himself as Kameron, a chef and single dad to two daughters. I expected him to go his own way once inside the lounge, but instead, he kindly invited me to join him. We settled into easy conversation, sharing bits and pieces of our lives over a glass of wine and lounge food.
A missed flight led to an unexpected meeting and a long-distance romance. Photo / 123RF
We spoke candidly about our lives and experiences — perhaps because, as strangers, we didn’t expect to see each other again. That was the beauty of it — no pressure, no expectations, just an honest connection in the moment.
As we talked, the conversation naturally drifted to music. I mentioned the record player I’d recently bought myself for my 40th birthday, and I pulled out a list of 90s albums I hoped to find. His eyes lit up when he spotted one of the titles — A Girl on a Robot.
To my surprise, we had both listened to this same obscure track so often that it ranked as our number-one song on Spotify. This was no longer just a passing airport conversation. We were connecting over the smallest, quirkiest details of our lives, and it felt like fate was playing DJ. Not wanting our conversation to end, we arranged to have our seats moved so we could sit together on the flight.
And then, too soon, we landed in Tasmania. But before we went our separate ways, Kameron hugged me and asked if we could catch up after my hike. Nature always reminds us that we can’t control everything, and unexpected heavy rain washed away all hope of my hike. But perhaps it was washing away the old and offering me a clean slate, a chance to rewrite what this trip to Tasmania was all about. So, I saw Kameron sooner than expected. We dined by the water, sharing oysters and stories on our way to becoming a couple.
Eventually, I packed up my life and moved to Tasmania. Photo / Getty Images
Balancing life between two states wasn’t easy. With my career firmly rooted in Melbourne and Kameron’s fly-in-fly-out job keeping him tied to both Tasmania and Queensland, a long-distance relationship was our only option. Despite the challenges, we found our rhythm. Kameron began booking flights with connections via Melbourne, and we’d make the most of his layovers, stealing a few precious hours together in the Virgin Lounge. When I visited Tasmania, he’d spoil me with incredible meals, always remembering foods I’d casually mentioned wanting to try.
Of course, long distance wasn’t always easy. Juggling flights, and the reality of living separate lives required constant effort. Yet, amid the logistical challenges, there was something undeniably exciting about the anticipation of each reunion. It was proof that love can be messy, spontaneous, and perfectly imperfect. And then, toward the end of last year, our son was born. Suddenly, the distance that was once an obstacle became irrelevant, and I packed up my life and moved to Tasmania.
Angela and Kameron hiking at Wineglass Bay. Photo / Angela Watters
Kameron and I often laugh about the day we met. What started as an inconvenient disruption turned into the beginning of something better. We’re the perfect example that sometimes life’s best connections come not from perfect timing but from missed ones, and we’re proof that love sometimes takes the scenic route.
