Hey, I’m Ana—currently based in Denver, though I’m always daydreaming about my next destination. I’ve spent a lot of time wandering through Europe and Southeast Asia with just a backpack and a vague idea of where I’d end up. Now, I’m figuring out what comes next.
By day, I’m a software engineer, but travel has always been my way of pressing pause and seeing the world through a different lens. From late-night buses to spontaneous flights, I’ve learned that the best stories often come from the moments you couldn’t plan for.
But my love for travel started way earlier.
I grew up in South Carolina, spending my early years exploring the US and dreaming of the day I could leave home and see more of the world. A few family trips to Hawaii, Spain, Italy, and Denmark gave me a taste of what was out there, but it wasn’t until my last semester of college that I decided to take the leap. With a backpack, a loose itinerary, and a lot of excitement, I solo-traveled across Europe.
Even before my trip was over, I longed to keep traveling. I had some money left and wanted to keep exploring before settling into a full-time job. That’s when I chased the warmth and beauty of Southeast Asia, hopping from Thailand to Vietnam, Cambodia, and beyond. I spent five unforgettable months soaking up the energy of Southeast Asia, the beaches of Australia, and finally the culture of Japan. It was a dream come true—and, if I’m honest, it’s something I still think about daily.
This blog is a place to share the ups, downs, and in-betweens of traveling—whether it’s a trip I’ve meticulously planned or a last-minute adventure I booked on a whim. My goal isn’t to give you the “perfect travel guide,” but to offer a real, sometimes messy, look at what exploring the world can be like.
If you’re into travel or just curious, I hope my stories make you laugh, inspire you to take your own adventures, or simply show that travel doesn’t always have to look one way.