A Magical Reunion: Meeting Again in Wellington After 21 Years

“Hello, do you offer landscape design services?” I tried to sound mature and professional.

“Yes, we do,” replied a man with a New Zealand accent on the other end of the line.

“I’d like to speak with Barley,” I said.

“This is Barley speaking.”

I paused. That name instantly pulled me back to a memory from 21 years ago, when I met a backpacker named Barley during a trip to Vietnam. At that point, I was almost certain he was the same person. To confirm, I added, “Over 20 years ago, did you travel to Vietnam and Cambodia? Were you traveling with a young Chinese man back then?”

There was a brief pause. Then he said, “Yes!”

I laughed, “That guy was me!” He was stunned.

Rewind to 2004

After losing my job, I left Shanghai and set out on my first trip abroad. From Mong Cai to Hanoi, I met Barley—a backpacker from New Zealand—at a youth hostel. Along with a Japanese friend, we headed south together, traveling all the way to Ho Chi Minh City, then crossed into Cambodia. I vividly remember the emotional jolt I felt at the Killing Fields, and the night I had my first taste of “Happy Pizza.” After the trip, we parted ways in Sihanoukville. Barley continued on his journey, while I returned to China to start a business and step onto a very different life path.

The Search

I never forgot Barley. This year, when I moved to Wellington, I searched his name and found his company website: Inoutside Landscaping. The site mentioned he had worked in horticulture in Australia and lived in Wellington for nine years. I knew I had found him.

What’s even more amazing is that we now both live in Wellington—less than five kilometers apart. He told me he’s planning to move back to the South Island next week. If I had waited a few more days, we might’ve missed each other again.

Reflections on Freedom

This reunion made me reflect on the choices I made back then. In 2004, I fantasized about being a lifelong backpacker but feared becoming “useless.” So I promised myself: once I succeeded as an entrepreneur, I would travel freely again. Today, I live a minimalist lifestyle, sleeping in a car or a tent whenever I want. I have become the free wanderer I once dreamed of being.

In this small city on the other side of the world, we’re about to meet again. Sometimes, real life is more incredible than fiction.