When you go on a solo adventure, you learn to expect the【C1】_______. However, travelers【C2】______anticipate the unexpected could

When you go on a solo adventure, you learn to expect the unexpected. However, travelers rarely anticipate the unexpected could be a holiday or travel romance. It has happened to me several times, and while I’ve always found it rich and exciting, it has also taught me a few lessons about love on the road.
    It is easier than we think to find love while traveling; we are usually at the top of our game after all. More laid back, outside of our regular environment, far from the pressure of work and maybe the gaze of our friends and families, we break free from some of the restrictions we— consciously or not—put on ourselves at home. That’s usually how we make it possible for love to catch us off guard.
    Travel romances have always started for me at the most unexpected times. My first meaningful travel story started in Shanghai, China and ended in Okinawa, Japan—with many winding turns and beautiful memories in between. I didn’t know he had been eyeing me from the first day; I only realized later that spending more time with him would enhance my journey, so I made my travel plans coincide with his. That’s how my happiest trip to Okinawa happened. If it hadn’t been for him, I would probably never have discovered so soon that Naha Island has such beautiful sunsets on the beach.
    While a holiday romance can come in the form of a local, for me, it’s generally happened with other travelers for simple reasons: shared accommodation makes it easier to meet and the tourist sights help arrange a common schedule and more opportunity to get to know each other. Besides, I travel more often to countries where I can’t speak the language, which tends to limit my interactions with locals—maybe body language can suffice when it comes to some aspects of the romance, but personally, I still need a proper introduction!