A New York woman discovered enduring love after an unlikely meeting with a man she initially found irritating during a European tour, leading him to relocate across the globe for their future together.
The Serendipitous Meeting in Latvia
In 2008, Lanie van der Horst, then a 27-year-old teacher from New York City, joined a 13-week Contiki adventure starting in Riga, Latvia, and extending through Russia and Scandinavia. A delayed flight caused her to arrive late for dinner, seating her at a table with Mark, a 26-year-old traveler from the opposite side of the world—roughly 10,000 miles away.
“I thought he was an absolute idiot,” Lanie recalls. “He was sitting with a roommate he didn’t know. They were both very excited, giggly, young. They were talking about shooting fireworks off, drinking—things I wasn’t interested in.”
Sparks Ignite Over Shared Travels
Despite the rocky start, the group traveled together for three weeks, allowing deeper conversations to unfold. “We started having different conversations,” Lanie shares. “He said to me that I talked about real things, like my family going camping, and everyone else was talking about what they did today.”
Midway through, Mark invited her to extend the journey. She agreed, despite her mother’s concerns, and they explored Latvia, Russia, Finland, Estonia, and Denmark. Their first full day alone was in Tallinn, now her son’s middle name. They later added Romania and Hungary, countries tied to Lanie’s heritage.
Long-Distance Romance Across Continents
Back home, the couple maintained contact through emails and messages, with little expectation of reunion. Yet by December, they planned an Asian trip, booking group tours as a safety net. Over nine weeks in China, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, and Malaysia, their bond strengthened.
“We clearly really liked each other, but I told him we were on vacation, and he didn’t know me in real life,” Lanie explains. “Partway through, I realized I didn’t want him to leave.” At the trip’s end, emotions peaked. “I cried and cried and cried and told him he had to come see me. He had to get a new job and come visit. He did.”
Building a Life Together
Mark visited the U.S. for Lanie’s sister’s wedding, staying three months and charming her family. They continued meeting worldwide—in Europe and Central America—before he proposed in Tasmania’s Fraser National Park. They married six weeks later.
The couple started in New York, then moved to Florida after their daughter’s birth. At the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, Mark suggested returning to Australia temporarily. “He said he wanted to go to Australia, but not forever, just until the vaccine was out,” Lanie notes. “I told him I wasn’t moving, then he reminded me I’m adventurous. And so we moved.”
Now settled in Australia with their family, Lanie adds, “With everything going on in the U.S., I’m not going back anytime soon. I think we’re there for good.”
