How our story began
We met in 2012 in London during the Summer Olympics at the Ethos Sports Centre at Sport Imperial London. It was about 2 days after I had arrived, that we met and instantly connected. From there, we spoke on and off for a couple of weeks' until we uncovered our love of sports (specifically football and running) and decided to go on our first date.
We decided on going for a run and playing football in Greenwich park, followed by watching Spain vs. Portugal in the Euros. Not your typical first date, most would say, but that was about perfect for us!
How we ended up in the United Kingdom
Our relationship continued over the summer, but the 3 months' quickly ended and I had to return to the US. We Skyped every day and we would both literally carry the computer around with us, fall asleep with it next to us and only end the call when I had to go to work in the morning and Victor was headed to bed. We continued to Skype daily until Victor decided that if we were actually going to make this work, we should really give it a go and long-distance wasn't going to cut it. So he sold all of his possessions, left his job and headed to the US for 3 months' so we could spend time together and start building our life together, in-person!
It was Victor's first visit to the US and where our initial adventuring began, with tours around the country visiting my family, going on hikes, seeing concerts and just living life! Another 3 months' flew by and before we knew it we needed to start going through the visa process for Victor as we worked to make a home in the US. However, when we went to apply, the visa he was after was suspended. We both knew he couldn't stay in the US any longer due to time restrictions, so our next option was to see how we could be together in the UK.
We spent the next several months' trying to figure out how we were going to do this, as Victor made his way back to the UK to get re-established with a job and a place to live. Several depressing months' passed and honestly, it made us just realise that we were meant to be together. With a lot of different obstacles thrown at us, we still wanted to make it work and we knew we wanted to be together for the long-haul. So in June of 2013, we got engaged and in December 2013... we got married!
I then applied for my spousal visa and joined Victor in February 2014. We took a celebratory trip to Barcelona, watching Messi play (and score!) at Camp Nou. We were finally together, starting our lives properly and we leaped at the opportunity with both feet! Ever since, our adventurous spirits have continued to take us on new journeys exploring the world as two toads, making the best of what life has to offer.
Why a travel blog & podcast?
We are both very passionate about traveling and have spent the last 10 years' together jet-setting any opportunity we could. We always spoke about sharing our experiences with the greater travel community, but just never got started. However, we feel that now is an even better time for us to share insights with fellow travellers as we have learned so much in the last decade and have refined our own travel styles and strategies to suit modern-day traveling!
We are also in a unique position to offer advice from American, British and Portuguese backgrounds, so we can assess different travel preferences and customs from multiple viewpoints. By sharing our adventures, tips, and recommendations, we hope to inspire and assist fellow travelers in planning their own remarkable journeys. We understand the excitement and challenges that come with exploring new destinations, navigating cultural nuances, and finding your own happy place. We look forward to having you along for the ride!
The Toad Travel Gallery
Some of our favourites!
Our inspiration
Neale Donald Walsch
"Life begins at the end of your comfort zone."
Jimmy Buffett
“I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.”
Anthony Bourdain
"Travel changes you. As you move through this life and this world you change things slightly, you leave marks behind, however small. And in return, life — and travel — leaves marks on you."