I met the love of my life in a hostel dorm. Seven years later, I married him.

It was March 2017. After eight months of hostel-hopping, I was back from a trip along Australia’s East Coast in a shockingly rainy Sydney. Bounce Hostel had been my first stop when I arrived in Sydney the first time around, so I returned for a short stay before moving on to Melbourne. I’d had a fantastic summer lazing on Sydney’s famous beaches, exploring coastal trails, brunching at the trendiest cafes and restaurants, and of course, meeting people from all over the world.

Now, I found myself craving a change; something with more creativity and soul. I’d set my sights on the culture capital of Australia: Melbourne. The night before I met my future husband, I sat at the hostel computer and booked a flight for a few weeks later. As luck would have it, the next day, the bunk below mine suddenly became vacant. “Typical,” I thought to myself. I’m one of those backpackers who hates the top bunk. I considered switching over, but I hesitated too long. Moments later, two new dorm-mates walked in, claiming it.

I continued my Melbourne research, not fussing over the new arrivals. However, I listened carefully to their accents to gauge where they might be from. Meeting people from different parts of the world had been my favourite thing about travelling by far. I could tell one of them was from the UK, like me, but I couldn’t quite make out the second accent. I closed my book and peered over the bunk bed's ledge like a meerkat.

“Hi, I’m Naina, nice to meet you.” After learning his name, Ryan, I asked where he was from. “Canada,” he replied, “I’m from Saskatchewan.” He set up camp on the vacant bunk bed underneath mine. I’d never heard of Saskatchewan, but I nodded. In that mundane moment, we had no idea of the whirlwind to come.

The nature of hostels means you cross paths with so many different types of characters. Dorm #203 was no exception. They included: The Seasoned Backpacker: armed with their worn-out backpack, mismatched clothes and tips on where to find the cheapest bars; The Party Animal: sleeps all day, and rages all night; The Digital Nomad: never seen without their phone scurrying around for the best wifi connection; and The Serial Storyteller: starting every conversation with,“When I was in Bali…” The one thing we all have in common? We’re trying to survive our experiences away from home.

One afternoon, while eating my $1 hot dog on the hostel’s rooftop, I was oddly impressed to learn of Ryan’s hostel role. I noticed he was surrounded by a group of people but I couldn’t quite see why. As I walked over, I saw he was giving people bowls of tuna pasta, salad and peri-chicken wraps. “Weird. Why is this guy handing out food?” I thought to myself. I learned that Ryan had been working in a deli—explaining the annoying 5 a.m. alarm that disturbed me every morning. Leftovers at his job were given to staff. Instead of just feeding himself, he was sharing with his friends at the hostel. You could say Ryan was the hostel’s Robin Hood.

As someone who grew up in a very dog-eat-dog world in London, this gesture caught my attention. I began to hang out with Ryan more after that. We often joke that it was never love at first sight, but a spark that just felt right. For me, it was a quiet recognition of his kindness and generosity.

A few nights before my move to Melbourne, Ryan took me on our first date. We shared a large hot chocolate (backpacker budget after all) and sat on a bench by the Sydney Opera House overlooking the Harbour Bridge. We’d connected quite deeply over the last two weeks, but deep down, I felt like I’d probably never see him again. That’s just the reality of hostel life: you meet so many wonderful people, some stay in your life forever, and others you never cross paths with again. We said goodbye and wished each other luck on our travels.

Over the next few months though, we continued to talk. In a bold gesture, I flew back to Sydney a few months later, surprising Ryan for his birthday. From that moment, our relationship became more than just friendship. In June, he followed me to Melbourne where we spent the next five months living together so we could “save rent” to travel.

During this time, I started to reflect on my future. Did I want to return to the UK post-Brexit? I felt a little at a crossroads. My family and career were both still waiting for me back in London, but I felt like I wasn’t ready to give up my travelling. Ryan suggested: “Have you ever thought about Canada?” In all honesty, I had not. I’d met a lot of wonderful Canadians on my travels and been adopted as an honorary Canadian on Canada Day celebrations in Melbourne. But I hadn’t really considered it seriously. I did a little bit of research into Canadian holiday working visas and discovered my chances of getting one were pretty low, but spontaneity kicked in and I thought, well why not? Things were going well with Ryan and it seemed like a fun adventure to try before heading back home to London permanently (or so I thought).

When my Australian working holiday visa was up in October, we parted ways, not knowing our future yet again. I went back to my job and London life, while Ryan continued to finish his Australian travels. But luck (or fate) was clearly on our side when I received my Canadian visa invitation in December—the best Christmas present yet.

I moved to Canada in March 2018, switching skyscrapers for the land of living skies in Saskatchewan. My plan was always to stay in Canada for one year and return with Ryan to London, but I fell in love with my new Canadian lifestyle–I never left. In August 2024, we got married in a five-day South Asian/British/Canadian extravaganza. Our wedding showcased all the wonderful landscapes Alberta has to offer: the Prairies, Fish Creek Provincial Park in Calgary, and the mountains in Canmore.

Looking back, it’s incredible how a chance meeting in a Sydney hostel shaped the course of my life. What started as a casual dorm-room introduction turned into a connection that defied time zones, distance, and the ever-changing nature of backpacker life. From hostel bunk beds to shared hot chocolates, surprise reunions, and cross-continent moves, every step of our journey led us to where we are today: married, settled in Calgary and forever grateful for the path that brought us together.

In 2019, the hostel where it all began was sadly demolished. On our wedding day, alongside our wedding rings, we also exchanged engraved rings with the hostel’s coordinates—the perfect tribute to dorm #203 and the adventure that started it all.