THE STORY OF US
THE TRAVEL GUIDES COUPLE ON LOVE AND A LIFETIME OF LAUGHS
Long before they became two of our favourite – not to mention funniest – jetsetters on Nine Network series, Travel Guides, Cathy and Mark Fren fell in love as young schoolteachers.
More than three decades on, the ingredients to a happy life remain the same for the irresistibly candid and ever-enthusiastic holiday-goers – being surrounded by close family, fabulous buffet food and lots of laughter.
“We met at St Patrick’s, at Cessnock, when I was the Year 6 teacher and Cathy had been appointed as the kindergarten teacher,” recalls Mark, 57.
“I can still remember that when we got engaged my Year 6 girls went off their heads because ‘Mr Fren was in love with the kindergarten teacher!’”
Adds Cathy, 55: “I remember meeting Mark on a very, very hot January day in Cessnock. He was such a polite person that he asked me if I’d like a drink. I said, ‘No, I’m right thanks’, but off he went to the shops and brought me back one anyway. I thought, ‘This guy is really nice!’
“We just liked each other instantly, and it wasn’t long before we got engaged and then married.”
Exchanging vows in a Newcastle church on March 18, 1989, the couple celebrated with 130 family and friends at a “magnificent reception in a silklined marquee” in the backyard of Cathy’s parents’ home.
“The wedding is something that we’ll always be grateful for, as it was a day we’ll never forget,” says Mark.
“Cathy’s mum and dad worked so hard to make everything amazing for us
– it was a real credit to them for putting on such a beautiful reception for us. And we had a buffet, of course!”
“When we go to my mum and dad’s now, we look out the back door and are just reminded of how beautiful our wedding was,” says Cathy.
These days, the Frens have swapped life in the classroom to run their popular Newcastle restaurant, Oma’s Kitchen, with the help of their children Jonathon, 27, and Victoria, 25.
“It’s a family-run business, as we’re all really close and very supportive of each other,” says Cathy. “The restaurant came about because of my love of cooking and my German heritage – they’re all my oma’s [grandmother’s] recipes.”
As for Travel Guides, Cathy and Mark, who have been happily notching up the frequent flyer points along with Jonathon and Victoria, are relishing every moment of their clan’s intrepid adventures.
“We’ve all had 24 amazing holidays with Travel Guides
– places we would have never gone to before,” says Mark.
“We really feel quite humbled that we’ve been given this opportunity and the new series is hilarious. It’s just a wonderful life experience for the four of us.”
“Most of all,” adds Cathy, “we’re just ourselves on the show. Whatever is going to happen, it happens to us and it always has done.”
And as Cathy and Mark prepare to celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary in March, they’re sure of one thing – the laughs will keep coming.
“I give Cath the same present every year – I tell her I’m going to stay another year and her reply is, ‘Don’t bother!’” chuckles Mark.
“But we’ll be sure to celebrate in style as best we can and, really, it doesn’t matter what we do as long as we’re together and we have Jonathon and Victoria with us.”