<strong>A twist of fate:</strong> Tracy Ferrell and Tim Zych had an unforgettable first date in Ecuador in 1996, but their plans to meet again went awry. Here's how a note stuck on a hotel door helped them reunite.
A twist of fate: Tracy Ferrell and Tim Zych had an unforgettable first date in Ecuador in 1996, but their plans to meet again went awry. Here's how a note stuck on a hotel door helped them reunite.
Photo Illustration by Alberto Mier/CNN. Photos courtesy Tracy Ferrell
<strong>Amazing first date</strong>: Tracy, from the US, and Tim, from New Zealand via London, met in the city of Quito. On their first date, they watched a lunar eclipse. "It felt special," Tim tells<a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fcnn.com%2Ftravel" target="_blank"> CNN Travel.</a> Here's the couple pictured later in 1996 in in the Peruvian village of Ollantaytambo.
Amazing first date: Tracy, from the US, and Tim, from New Zealand via London, met in the city of Quito. On their first date, they watched a lunar eclipse. "It felt special," Tim tells CNN Travel. Here's the couple pictured later in 1996 in in the Peruvian village of Ollantaytambo.
Tracy Ferrell
<strong>Trying to reunite:</strong> Tim and Tracy arranged to reunite three weeks later in Cuenca, Ecuador. They picked a hotel where they planned to meet, and then a back-up hotel just in case the first was closed. Here's the couple pictured later in 1996 at Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia.
Trying to reunite: Tim and Tracy arranged to reunite three weeks later in Cuenca, Ecuador. They picked a hotel where they planned to meet, and then a back-up hotel just in case the first was closed. Here's the couple pictured later in 1996 at Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia.
Tracy Ferrell
<strong>Against the odds:</strong> Both hotels turned out to be closed. Tracy wrote a note and jammed it into the door of the second hotel, which luckily Tim spotted. Tracy and Tim were able to reunite against the odds. Here they are later in 1996 at Machu Picchu, Peru.
Against the odds: Both hotels turned out to be closed. Tracy wrote a note and jammed it into the door of the second hotel, which luckily Tim spotted. Tracy and Tim were able to reunite against the odds. Here they are later in 1996 at Machu Picchu, Peru.
Tracy Ferrell
<strong>Favorite photo: </strong>From there, Tracy and Tim traveled around Peru, Bolivia and Chile together. Here they are hiking the Cordillera Blanca mountain range in Peru. It was a highlight for them both. Tracy says this shot taken on the Cordillera Blanca -- their first picture together -- is one of her favorite photos.
Favorite photo: From there, Tracy and Tim traveled around Peru, Bolivia and Chile together. Here they are hiking the Cordillera Blanca mountain range in Peru. It was a highlight for them both. Tracy says this shot taken on the Cordillera Blanca -- their first picture together -- is one of her favorite photos.
Tracy Ferrell
<strong>Falling in love</strong>: Tim and Tracy bonded over their South American travels. "We had dozens of adventures from 45-hour bus rides to mountain climbing to rafting through the Amazon," says Tracy. "We fell madly in love." Here's the couple on a beach in Chile in January 1997.
Falling in love: Tim and Tracy bonded over their South American travels. "We had dozens of adventures from 45-hour bus rides to mountain climbing to rafting through the Amazon," says Tracy. "We fell madly in love." Here's the couple on a beach in Chile in January 1997.
Tracy Ferrell
<strong>Separated again:</strong> But then Tim had to head back to London. Tim and Tracy wrote to each other all the time, and tried to speak on the phone when they could. Here's Tim at Colca Canyon in Peru in 1996.
Separated again: But then Tim had to head back to London. Tim and Tracy wrote to each other all the time, and tried to speak on the phone when they could. Here's Tim at Colca Canyon in Peru in 1996.
Tracy Ferrell
<strong>Long-awaited reunion: </strong>It was tough being apart, but when Tracy returned to the US later that year, Tim flew to Colorado to visit her. Tim says reuniting with Tracy was "like a dream." Here's Tracy pictured on the couple's last day in South America, in Chile in February 1997.
Long-awaited reunion: It was tough being apart, but when Tracy returned to the US later that year, Tim flew to Colorado to visit her. Tim says reuniting with Tracy was "like a dream." Here's Tracy pictured on the couple's last day in South America, in Chile in February 1997.
Tracy Ferrell
<strong>Looking to the future:</strong> Tim never left the US. The couple kept many of the letters they sent during their time apart.
Looking to the future: Tim never left the US. The couple kept many of the letters they sent during their time apart.
Tracy Ferrell
<strong>Wedding celebration: </strong>Tim and Tracy got married in August 1997. This photo is from their wedding celebration, which took place a year later in Colorado.
Wedding celebration: Tim and Tracy got married in August 1997. This photo is from their wedding celebration, which took place a year later in Colorado.
Tracy Ferrell
<strong>Exploring the world together:</strong> Tim and Tracy settled in Boulder, Colorado and continued to explore the world whenever they could. Here's the couple on a beach in Cuba in 2002.
Exploring the world together: Tim and Tracy settled in Boulder, Colorado and continued to explore the world whenever they could. Here's the couple on a beach in Cuba in 2002.
Tracy Ferrell
<strong>Decades later</strong>: Fast forward to today and Tim and Tracy have been happily married for 26 years. "It's like it was supposed to happen," says Tim of meeting Tracy. "The cosmic coincidence of it all." Here's the couple celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary in Isla Mujeres, Mexico in 2017.
Decades later: Fast forward to today and Tim and Tracy have been happily married for 26 years. "It's like it was supposed to happen," says Tim of meeting Tracy. "The cosmic coincidence of it all." Here's the couple celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary in Isla Mujeres, Mexico in 2017.
Tracy Ferrell
<strong>Family photo:</strong> Tim and Tracy live in Boulder, Colorado with their 17-year-old daughter. Here's the family pictured together last Christmas. "We joke with her, 'If it wasn't for that hotel note that Tim happened to see, you wouldn't be here,'" says Tracy.
Family photo: Tim and Tracy live in Boulder, Colorado with their 17-year-old daughter. Here's the family pictured together last Christmas. "We joke with her, 'If it wasn't for that hotel note that Tim happened to see, you wouldn't be here,'" says Tracy.
Tracy Ferrell