Chan and JBZ originally met while vacationing in Ayia Napa, Cyprus. Even though the two instantly connected, Chan thought the sparks would only last during their vacation.
“We both thought it would be a holiday romance but we continued to connect when we got back in London,” she said.
Four years and seven countries later, the couple has managed to share their passion for traveling together.
In an interview with Travel Noire, the couple discussed both the good and bad when traveling together, including a racist encounter in one European city that has the couple not wanting to go back.
Travel Noire: What’s your favorite country so far and why?
C+J: We can’t pick just one! Our two favorites are Italy and Greece.
The food was delicious in Rome and the people were lovely. The city surprisingly had a great nightlife vibe as we enjoy going out together.
We flew from London to Milan and took a train from Milan to Rome. We enjoyed the train journey as we got to see more of the city. Rome has so much history and culture.
Santorini was a dream! It was a dream waking up there every morning and it felt amazing.
Travel Noire: What’s the best part about traveling together?
C+J: Creating memories in different cities. We love the fact that we can laugh about something funny that happened during a trip. We learn more about each other, we learn more about the world, and we have more to share with our friends and colleagues
Travel Noire: Tell us about one of the most challenging times you’ve experienced during your travels and how you got through it?
C+J: When we were in Milan for one day we experienced some racism.
We booked a cheap Airbnb in a not so good area and when trying to get a cab into the main city, cab drivers refused us because of the color of our skin.
This isn’t something we had experienced before in London. We had never experienced direct forms of racism. I managed to calm Jabz down as we were in a different country and all we could do is be patient. This has put us off from traveling to Milan again but we enjoy Rome.
Travel Noire: What countries are next for you together?
C+J: We’re planning Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, and Dubai.
Travel Noire: Lastly, what advice would you give traveling couples?
C+J: Make sure you’re ready to travel together. Do as much as possible while you’re away, including eating snails, wine tasting, and sky diving.
Explore the country! Yes, we all love to relax on holiday but don’t make that the sole purpose of the trip.
Be organized and have a plan for your trip so you’re not justing winging it. We recommend if you’re a new couple going on your first trip, try not to go further than a 2 -to-4 hour trip.
