Welcome!
The world is big and beautiful if you choose to see it that way. Variety is the spice of life – and I want to travel and taste as many spices as I can, while I can. I invite you to travel along with me via my blog.
Whenever I travel, I like to use all my senses – taking in the vistas, the smells, the sounds, and definitely tasting my way through each town. I search for the non-touristy genuine gems, and for the unique charm that each place offers. I love to walk a lot and explore the less beaten path just to see where it leads — which is usually to food…. I take a lot of photos and I enjoy meeting interesting people along the way. I explore our differences and similarities, and mostly I enjoy the wonders of wandering internationally.
Follow my blog and social media, and travel with me—virtually—anywhere!
What’s in a name?
You might wonder how the name of the blog came about. Here is an easy way to remember it:
Great Escape + Great Expectations = Great EscapeTations!
The name of the blog came from a combination of terms: Great Escape + Great Expectations; I have great expectations about my great escape from my desk job. I dare to dream that there is a better-spent life out there for me, doing more of what I love: travel, taste, photograph, and write.
Why this blog?
My husband and I are avid travelers and we never miss a chance to explore, usually internationally. Years into my professional life, I still found myself craving something more. Travel has always been a great way to hit the reset button before returning to the 9 to 5 routine. Sometime soon after I started this blog, I became acutely aware of our limited time on Earth and ached for freedom – to explore, to see more beauty, to experience, to write – and to make my own schedule. In 2018, I quit my day job (think major burnout) and went out on a limb: we bought an RV and set to explore the US and Canada for a year, together with our two dogs. The trip has been epic, as one could imagine. We were ten months into our trip when COVID-19 hit. Even if we had to change our plans, I am thankful every day that we took the chance and traveled while we could.
Today, my husband and I find joy in the 300+ sunny days that Colorado has to offer. To be honest, though, after having found the taste of freedom on the road, it’s a hard adjustment to be in one spot, so as soon as this “plague” is over, we’re probably hitting the road again….
Until then, I am happy to write about our previous travels, and discover the beautiful nature in our “back yard,” the Rockies.
Thank you for stopping by! I hope you follow and enjoy my blog – and I invite you to follow me on social media, too. I would love to hear from you about what you enjoyed the most, and about some of your favorite travel destinations, so please reach out.
Oana Harrison
It’s a big world out there. Escape to it!
About Me
I am Oana (pronounced “wanna,” like in “wanna dance?”) Harrison, a marketing professional, content creator/writer, traveler and foodie.
I grew up in Transylvania, Romania, in the beautiful mountain town of Brasov (about an hour’s drive from “uncle” Dracula’s castle). I came to the US to attend college in 1997 and I graduated from Berea College with a degree in Business Administration, and a minor in Spanish. Next, I moved to Knoxville, Tennessee to pursue an MBA degree in marketing from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. After graduation, I provided marketing services to B2B and B2C companies, both full time and as a consultant. I met my husband in Knoxville and we lived in the area for eighteen years before moving west, to Colorado.
Read more about my professional life at oanaharrison.com and on my LinkedIn profile.
All photos, unless otherwise noted, are copyrighted to me.
