His wife died. Then he unexpectedly found a second chance at love on vacation

Francesca Street, CNN

(CNN) — John Nears looked guardant to nan travel to South America for years.

The picnic was planned by John’s woman Pam, successful anticipation of John’s upcoming retirement. Pam mapped retired nan route, researched nan trains and almost – but not rather – booked nan flights.

Then everything sewage derailed. Pam fell sick pinch cancer. In 2000, astatine nan property of 63, she died.

“I thought life was complete for me,” John, who lives successful nan New Forest, successful southwest England, tells CNN Travel today.

John had been joined to Pam for complete 40 years. When status rolled around, he felt nary of nan jubilation aliases excitement he’d erstwhile anticipated.

But arsenic days turned into months and months turned into years, John recovered his thoughts returning to nan long-awaited South America trip.

After reasoning it over, John decided pursuing Pam’s itinerary would beryllium what she’d person wanted – and going connected nan picnic successful her absence would beryllium a tribute to her. He persuaded his precocious divided friend Chris to subordinate him connected nan escapade and successful March 2004, 4 years aft Pam’s death, nan 2 men embarked connected nan trip.

The six week picnic included marveling astatine Peru’s Nazca Lines and nan brackish flats of Bolivia. But nan unexpected item was a 10-hour train travel crossed Peru – from Cusco to Puno.

“This was nary normal train,” John recalls. “It was Orient Express-style pinch front necktie waiters, cabaret and an study carriage astatine nan rear.”

John and Chris boarded nan carriage, searched for their seats, and realized they were booked connected a array for four. Already seated astatine nan array were 2 smartly dressed, smiling American women.

John and Chris greeted their seatmates, who introduced themselves arsenic Judy Curtis and Judy Malody. They were 2 friends from nan US who shared not only a first name, but a emotion of travel.

They were some friends and welcoming, but John was drawn to Judy Curtis correct away. He liked nan mode successful which she said – nonstop yet lukewarm – and her smile.

“I thought she was attractive,” John says today. “I besides thought we would beryllium ships that passed successful nan night, arsenic nan saying goes.”

As nan train meandered done nan Andes, Chris, John, Judy and Judy enjoyed each other’s company. They talked astir their lives and travels, and admired nan spectacular views.

It was Chris who, astatine nan extremity of nan journey, suggested they each switch email addresses. Then nan group said their goodbyes, assuming they’d ne'er spot each different again.

A fewer hours later, astatine nan Puno hotel, John was waiting for nan elevator erstwhile he spotted nan 2 Judys stepping done nan lobby. It turned retired nan women were staying astatine nan aforesaid edifice arsenic John and Chris.

John amazed himself by really happy he was to spot Judy Curtis again. He suggested they each dine together that evening, which they did, earlier erstwhile again going their abstracted ways.

Back location successful nan UK, John thought astir Judy fondly from clip to time. But he didn’t scope out. He was quickly absorbed backmost into his life successful nan UK, and nan time spent riding nan train successful Peru felt an progressively distant memory.

But small did he cognize that Judy, backmost location successful San Diego, California, was reasoning fondly of him too.

Reaching out

In 2004, Judy was – for illustration John – a retiree successful her 60s. Her hubby had passed distant respective years antecedently and since then, Judy had tried to make her ain luck. She didn’t judge successful waiting astir for things to happen, for group to call, for life to spell your way.

So erstwhile Judy recovered herself wondering astir nan English man from nan train, she decided to spell up and get successful touch pinch him.

“He was benignant of absorbing to me,” she tells CNN Travel. “So I contacted him.”

In June 2006, astir 3 months aft returning from South America, Judy dropped John a friends email.

“If you’re ever successful nan US, fto maine know,” she wrote.

When John spotted nan email successful his inbox, he was delighted. But past he realized it wasn’t clear from nan email reside aliases motion disconnected which Judy had contacted him – he had met two, aft all.

“Which Judy is this?” John wrote successful response.

Judy replied pinch an email pinch a photograph of herself, smiling. And truthful began a backmost and distant that lasted for nan adjacent fewer months. The emails were nosy and light, filled pinch stories of travels and family, comparing life successful nan UK to life successful nan US.

Judy and John enjoyed their correspondence, but “it was thing romantic,” says John.

“I thought he mightiness go my buddy,” says Judy.

Then, successful 1 of his emails, John mentioned he planned to sojourn New York that autumn to sojourn his cousin, who lived there. Judy suggested John should tack connected a sojourn to California.

“I’d ne'er been to nan West Coast of nan United States, only nan East Coast,” recalls John. But I thought it would beryllium a awesome escapade to spell to nan West Coast. And truthful location I went, disconnected to nan West Coast – near my relative successful New York for a week – and met up pinch Judy, successful San Diego.”

Judy told John she’d meet him disconnected nan level astatine San Diego International Airport. In 1 of her emails, she mentioned she was a spot concerned she wouldn’t admit him – aft all, she’d only met him once, respective months previously.

“So I said, ‘I’ll beryllium wearing a revolving front necktie and a apical hat,’” recalls John. “And I made a elephantine front necktie pinch nan Stars and Stripes connected 1 side, and nan Union Jack connected nan other, and put it connected arsenic I near nan plane.”

Judy was waiting for John astatine San Diego arrivals. She spotted John correct away, his apical chapeau towering supra nan crowd. Judy started laughing. They hugged.

While Judy jokes John’s get-up was “slightly embarrassing,” she felt an instant easiness pinch him. She’d arranged for John to enactment astatine a friend’s picnic rental down nan roadworthy from her location – she’d been wary astir inviting this man who was beautiful overmuch a alien to enactment astatine her house.

But aft only a fewer hours successful John’s company, Judy felt for illustration she’d known him for years.

As for John, he loved exploring San Diego, and loved getting to cognize Judy.

“We had a awesome time,” he says. “Judy took maine here, location and everyplace successful nan San Diego Area. It was really nice.”

When nan 2 said their goodbyes astatine nan extremity of nan week, John recovered himself reasoning that they “had a bully narration perchance developing.”

“We some thought we’d for illustration to meet again.”

Growing closer

John invited Judy to sojourn nan UK, and she did – a fewer months later, successful January 2005. The travel coincided pinch Judy’s birthday.

“I thought, ‘It’s nary bully being successful nan UK successful nan winter,’” recalls John. “So I booked a travel to Madeira. And we had a awesome holiday.”

John organized beverage astatine nan glamorous Madeira’s Reid Palace Hotel, overlooking Funchal bay. The edifice amazed John and Judy pinch a day vessel of champagne waiting successful their room.

“The travel to Madeira really cemented our relationship,” says John. “We knew we were very compatible successful each way, it felt complete for illustration that.”

Back successful their respective homes connected other sides of nan Atlantic, John and Judy started readying their adjacent escapade together. They besides confided successful their friends and loved ones astir their burgeoning feelings.

Judy’s friend – nan different Judy, who’d been location that time connected nan train successful Peru – was particularly delighted. She was happy that her beloved friend had recovered personification pinch whom to bask life.

“John is simply a nosy personification to beryllium with,” she tells CNN Travel. “It’s been awesome to beryllium moreover a mini portion of this full narration and to spot it blossom.”

In nan UK, John’s 2 big children were pleased their begetter had recovered unexpected happiness successful nan aftermath of their mother’s passing. John’s girl commented that Judy seemed similar, successful galore ways, to John’s precocious woman Pam. John besides has 2 grandchildren who became adjacent to Judy arsenic nan narration developed.

Judy doesn’t person children, but she’s adjacent pinch her organization of San Diego neighbors. Judy’s friends quickly fell successful emotion pinch John, who group up a British-themed pub quiz successful their neighborhood.

“Everyone successful my vicinity knows him. And he knows each location and everybody who lives here. And truthful he’s ever portion of nan group, from nan beginning,” says Judy.

In nan UK, John’s friends loved it erstwhile this glamorous American female visited town. His friend Chris, who he’s still adjacent with, was happy to person played a domiciled successful nan narration coming together – aft all, he was nan 1 to initiate nan email swap.

“We’ve had bully support systems successful some countries,” says John. “People successful nan States welcomed me, and group complete present welcomed Judy arsenic portion of nan family.”

In time, John and Judy established a shape – regular vacations together, and splitting clip betwixt nan US and nan UK, arsenic good arsenic enjoying their independence.

They ne'er really had a general speech astir nan arrangement, says Judy, it conscionable developed naturally.

“We would talk astir wherever we would for illustration to go, and we had each sorts of books and whatnot. But I deliberation what we decided to do was, erstwhile it was connected his continent he could take and erstwhile it was connected my continent, I could choose,” she says.

The 2 recreation good together – whether it’s driving done nan US nationalist parks aliases exploring Antarctica.

“We ne'er really disagree connected anything,” says John.

‘A 2nd life’

It’s now 20 years since John and Judy first met. John describes nan past 2 decades arsenic a “second life” – 1 filled pinch happiness and adventures he ne'er anticipated.

“Judy and I person been to thing for illustration 38 countries together, which is rather an astonishing situation,” he reflects. “From Iceland, successful nan north, to Antarctica successful nan south. Kenya, Tanzania, Turkey…”

Today, Judy is 83 and John is 87. They past saw 1 different astatine nan extremity of 2023, erstwhile John took nan Cunard Queen Mary 2 cruise vessel crossed nan Atlantic to sojourn Judy.

John’s now wondering if this mightiness person been his past travel to nan US. It’s a bittersweet thought.

“Sadly, I deliberation erstwhile you get towards nan 90s, arsenic I am, world recreation is not bully fun,” he says.

The mates are “realistic” astir nan future, says John. Health and property intends they whitethorn not beryllium capable to recreation together again. But they garbage to consciousness sad astir this fact. Instead, John and Judy are focusing connected nan joyousness they’ve knowledgeable together complete nan past 2 decades.

They’re successful touch regularly and video chat each different time aliases truthful via connection app WhatsApp.

On their calls, John shares funny stories astir his unpaid occupation astatine a section kindness shore. Meanwhile Judy chats astir movies and TV shows she’s been enjoying. The 2 often revisit what Judy calls nan “wonderful memories” of their 20 years of adventures.

CNN Travel joined 1 of these calls. There was a batch of laughter and fond reminiscing betwixt John and Judy.

“I consciousness privileged,” John told Judy connected nan call. “It’s been specified a awesome relationship.”

“Thank you, sweetheart,” said Judy to John, smiling into her compartment telephone from crossed nan Atlantic. “I work together pinch that.”

As John and Judy haven’t been capable to meet this year, they’ve some been spending clip reflecting connected past adventures.

“I’m spending much clip now looking astatine nan pictures complete and complete and over,” says Judy. “We took a batch of pictures. And it’s been fun.”

John’s been focused connected penning up his memories of his life and travels. He hopes to walk connected these chronicles to his children and grandchildren 1 day. Thinking backmost connected his life, John says he feels inordinately fortunate to person enjoyed 2 awesome emotion stories.

“I was fortunate to person met my wife,” he says. “But I was besides fortunate to meet different beautiful lady. And to person had different lifetime.”

“When you’ve mislaid a partner – and I was joined complete 40 years – life doesn’t extremity astatine that point,” he adds. “It’s terrible. But it doesn’t extremity and a caller life starts. I deliberation that’s important for older group who’ve mislaid their partners to deliberation that life tin proceed successful a different way, possibly – and possibly conscionable arsenic fulfilling arsenic it was successful nan first place.”

John likes to deliberation his serendipitous gathering pinch Judy connected nan Peruvian train was preordained successful immoderate way. He finds it moving, and comforting, that nan travel to Peru was his precocious woman Pam’s dream.

“It was almost for illustration Pam had planned it,” he says.