Scottish hospital worker travels 2,300 miles for a first date in Venice - after meeting on TikTok

The pair hail from Dundee and London - and after speaking online for a month, they decided to take the plunge and embark on a holiday in Venice

A couple have travelled a collective 2,300 miles for their first date in Venice after talking online for a month.

Nafis Delowar, 26, met his Scottish girlfriend D'arcy Flanagan, 24, a month ago on TikTok and the pair have been speaking daily ever since.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad
The couple travelled a collective 2,300 miles for their first date in Venice, Italy after talking online for a month. Picture: Nafis Delowar/SWNSThe couple travelled a collective 2,300 miles for their first date in Venice, Italy after talking online for a month. Picture: Nafis Delowar/SWNS
The couple travelled a collective 2,300 miles for their first date in Venice, Italy after talking online for a month. Picture: Nafis Delowar/SWNS | Nafis Delowar/SWNS

Mr Delowar lives in London, whereas his date is based in Dundee, roughly 480 miles apart.

Talks of a first date inevitably arose and Ms Flanagan suggested she travel via London on her way back from a solo trip to Venice she had already planned.

But Mr Delowar took it to the next level and suggested to meet her in the Italian city, leading the pair to enjoy a three-day-long first date wandering through the streets of Venice.

Mr Delowar, a bar manager from Stratford, London, said: "It was a bit strange meeting her in person for the first time because I felt like I knew her so well already.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad
This couple travelled a collective 2,300 miles for their first date in Venice, Italy after talking online for a month. Picture: Nafis Delowar/SWNSThis couple travelled a collective 2,300 miles for their first date in Venice, Italy after talking online for a month. Picture: Nafis Delowar/SWNS
This couple travelled a collective 2,300 miles for their first date in Venice, Italy after talking online for a month. Picture: Nafis Delowar/SWNS | Nafis Delowar/SWNS

"It felt natural pretty quickly and we really enjoyed the city. We spent most of our days walking through the streets, looking at the architecture and sitting down to eat whenever we felt like it.

"We probably went on 20 first dates on the three-day trip."

Before the holiday, the couple had spent weeks speaking on the phone and messaging daily.

Despite conflicting schedules with Mr Delowar working primarily evenings and Ms Flanagan spending her days working in a hospital, they always found time to talk. It was this connection that made them both feel safe in venturing out to a foreign country to meet a stranger.

Mr Delowar said: "I was definitely aware that it was a different experience for a first date and a lot of people might not do the same.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"I was especially concerned about how she felt regarding her safety and asked her a hundred times if she was sure she wanted to do it. I'm glad she was because once we were there we realised it's very difficult to have a bad first date in Venice."

This couple travelled a collective 2,300 miles for their first date in Venice, Italy after talking online for a month. Picture: Nafis Delowar/SWNSThis couple travelled a collective 2,300 miles for their first date in Venice, Italy after talking online for a month. Picture: Nafis Delowar/SWNS
This couple travelled a collective 2,300 miles for their first date in Venice, Italy after talking online for a month. Picture: Nafis Delowar/SWNS | Nafis Delowar/SWNS

The couple do have plans to see each other again soon in spite of the distance between them.

Mr Delowar said: "I run events and I'm doing one in London for Halloween, which she says she might try to get a couple days off for. Either way, we both have some time in November and are considering a trip to Budapest."

Comments

 0 comments

Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.