Steve Sherwood and Martha Meares met in 1986 in Kisangani, then-Zaire, while both were traveling. They became close friends over two years, but when Martha considered returning to England, Steve realized he had fallen for her himself. He quickly confessed his feelings, and they have been together ever since, marrying in 1990 and still living in the same house they bought together.
A Chance Meeting in Africa
In 1986, Steve Sherwood, then 26, was traveling through Africa and camping at a rundown hotel in Kisangani. On his first day, he learned the next River Congo ferry would leave the following day. Overland trucks often stopped in town for two to three days, and one such truck from Kenya to the UK arrived. Its passengers set up stools in a circle for dinner, and Steve asked to join them. Martha Meares from Sydney sat beside him on the last spare stool. They spent most of the night chatting and laughing, hitting it off immediately.
Steve was impressed by Martha's wit, looks, and love for beer and dancing. He also admired her assertiveness. When a local known as Mr Fixit pointed at Martha and demanded, 'Hey you, pass my drink,' she replied, 'Hey you, get it yourself.'
Bonding Over Two Days
They hung out for two days before Martha's truck departed. Steve eventually took the ferry, and 11 days later in Bangui, Central African Republic, they met again by chance at another campground. Her truck had been delayed. They spent a week together visiting markets by day and local bars and makeshift discos with dirt floors by night. Despite the chemistry, Martha was in a relationship with someone in Sydney and was not looking for romance.
They kept in touch, and Steve viewed Martha as a friend whose floor he could sleep on if needed. After migrating from England to Sydney in January 1988, they caught up occasionally. When Martha's relationship ended, she expressed interest in being more than friends, but Steve rejected her offer, thinking she was not the one.
A Change of Heart
Martha, who had worked as an accountant in London, considered returning there. Steve began drafting a letter to his friend Pete in London, listing reasons why Pete should contact Martha: she was funny, a great conversationalist, laughed a lot, and drank beer. But then he thought, 'Bugger Pete, I liked Martha, a lot.' He realized he had to tell her before she booked a flight to England.
They already had plans for that Thursday, but Steve asked to move it forward to Wednesday. He told her how he felt and asked if she could forgive him for not seeing the light sooner. According to Steve, all she cared about was that he had finally come to his senses.
A Rapid Romance
Things moved quickly after that. In September, Steve moved in with Martha—into her bed, not her floor. In December, they bought the house they still live in. Though Martha initially said she did not want marriage or children, she eventually agreed to both, on the condition that Steve would be the primary carer. They married in 1990.
Reflecting on their relationship, Steve said, 'We’re very fortunate to live the life we do. Martha is just as wonderful as when we first met. The only thing that’s changed is she now drinks champagne.'
