Two graduates fresh out of university and wanting more than baked beans for dinner, we embarked on facing the real world chasing gold digging careers down under. A long way from home, the scene was set at Perth Airport, Australia. Forced introductions, arranged by our new employer to save on corporate taxi fares, meant Sean could not make his own way home quietly. Eleonora introduced herself at the baggage carousel and the Mary Poppins accent was heard for the first time.
Fast forward two years, we met again at a Mines Rescue Competition in Kalgoorlie where Sean famously asked "go on...give us a kiss".
So, what's it like in the real world all these years later? Well, the food and housing is better, but beyond that, we don't recommend it.
Eleonora was born in Paris to John Franco and Paola and is the pestering younger sister of Jennifer. She is the original ‘International Kid’ who is better travelled than Marco Polo, having grown up in France, Italy, United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland and back around again.
Eleonora is Italian in every way from her love of cooking, eating, family, eating some more and let's not leave out that passionate, fiery temper. She is also the best angry gesticulator in Sean’s direction when things are not going how she envisages.
Eleonora emigrated to the other side of the world in hope of finding a loving husband from Liverpool or for her Geology career; details on this have become muddled over time.
Apart from family and friends, her ambition is to see every inch of planet earth and drag Sean along for the ride. Sean is committed to this dream as long as he can sit down at regular intervals and review the hotels.
Sean was born in Birkenhead, the son of Eugene and Gillian, with little brother Declan thrown in for comedy value. He is the unoriginal 'Plastic Scouser' who grew up in the city of music, indoctrinated by football and The Beatles. To his surprise, an Encyclopaedic knowledge of both these subjects did not assist him in any way, shape or form with life skills when he entered the big wide world for the first time.
After Everton Football Club failed to call him for the number 9 shirt, Sean emigrated to Australia and now proudly criticises everything the Australian's do in the hope that they won’t mention the cricket in retaliation.
Sean likes to unwind by seeing how many "to do" list jobs he can get away with not doing and playing games such as "what buttons can I press before Eleonora explodes". His ambition is to reach a 5/10 husband score on the wife scale and decrease the speed of his future wife from supersonic to Ferrari.
A once in a lifetime, bucket list dream to visit Antarctica and conquer the most famous seventh continent was realised in February 2019.
Among the vast ice shelves and amazing wildlife, we dragged ourselves away from the comforts of the ship, bar and buffet table to pretend we were great polar explorers. On the tiny ice-covered Leith Island, surrounded by glaciers, we embarked on an overnight polar camping expedition; Ernest Shackleton would have been proud.
Passing the ultimate relationship test (setting up a camping tent together in subzero temperatures), the night was still young. With the breathtaking views, gargling seals and penguins in the vicinity for moral support, Sean knelt not only on one, but two knees in penguin poo and with his claw-shaped frozen hands, asked Eleonora "will you marry me?"