This was published 9 years ago
Jordan Axani and Elizabeth Gallagher return from round the world trip
By Natalie Paris
Elizabeth Gallagher already had a long-term boyfriend.Credit: @jordanaxani, Instagram
A man who took a woman called Elizabeth Gallagher on a round-the-world trip purely because she had the same name as his ex-girlfriend, has returned.
What could have been an awkward few weeks for Jordan Axani, 28, and Ms Gallagher - who had previously never met - was apparently a wild success.
On splitting up with his girlfriend Elizabeth Gallagher, Canadian Axani caused an internet storm when he announced that he was looking for another Elizabeth Gallagher, also from Canada, to take her place on the non-transferable ticket and travel with him.
His call was answered and another Elizabeth Gallagher agreed to go on the "once-in-a-lifetime" trip, meeting him for the first time in the departure lounge on December 21.
Now the pair are back, but anyone who was hoping for an ever sweeter ending to the tale will be disappointed – they have insisted that there was no romance.
Elizabeth 'Quinn' Gallagher, 23, had a long-term boyfriend before she left to explore cities such as New York, Paris and Hong Kong with Mr Axani, and apparently they are still together.
Jordan Axani and Elizabeth Gallagher in Hong Kong.Credit: @jordanaxani, Instagram
The trip around eight countries was a "wild, whirlwind" of a trip but strictly platonic according to Mr Axani.
"We probably got along better because we were strangers," Ms Gallagher, a part-time office administrator and student, told local media. "We didn't have a relationship to break."
The pair also went to Milan, Venice, Vienna, Prague, New Delhi and Khao Lak, in Thailand. They were also away over Christmas, but apparently spent most of Christmas Day apart, with Ms Gallagher keeping in touch with her boyfriend over the phone.
At a Hong Kong market.Credit: @jordanaxani, Instagram
They did find the time to start a charity together though, A Ticket Forward (aticketforward.org), which helps organise holidays for survivors of disease, war and abuse.
"Quinn liked to see the [landmarks] of different areas, and I liked to mingle where the locals hang out," Mr Axani told the BBC. "I hate heights and everywhere we went, she took me to the highest thing possible - whether it was the highest level of the Eiffel Tower, or the highest bar in Bangkok - and she'd poke fun at me for my fear of heights."
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>We have been recognized in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HongKong?src=hash">#HongKong</a> a few times today. Hilarious reactions!</p>— Quinn Gallagher (@quinnnnncy) <a href="https://twitter.com/quinnnnncy/status/553173824217174016">January 8, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Ms Gallagher meanwhile, had a tendency to get lost in new places.
"I would get these tweets and emails from the strangest places on a quasi-frequent level," said Mr Axani, "of her being trapped in a stairway at the hotel or being lost in an airport or missing a train."
Mr Axani has told reporters that he is in talks about a possible television or movie based on their journey. The pair plan to meet again whenever Mr Axani goes to the East Coast, where Ms Gallagher lives, to see friends.
The Telegraph, London
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