Anna Cross has an incredible story to share of the year she spent travelling the world – the good, the bad, and the beautiful.

We’ve all considered it, let’s be honest – thinking about how perfect it would be to get away from normal life and escape to countries halfway around the world, for a well deserved break.

After seeing the incredible her friend was having abroad travelling, Anna Cross, 26, from Peterborough decided to plan her own year-long adventure.

Before setting off for her adventure in 2024, she spent over a year saving money and researching all of the advice into the countries that she would soon be acquainted with. 

She said: “I booked my flight and that was when it was real, thinking ‘Oh my god, I’m actually going.

“I did so much research about all the common scams too, so I was prepared. If I didn’t do as much research, I think things would’ve been generally more surprising.”

Despite enjoying her social life at home in Peterborough, she said: “I just wanted something different and I thought ‘If I don’t go now, I’m probably never going to go’.

“I knew it was something I needed to do. I had no mortgage, no boyfriend, no kids – so I could just go. You never know what’s going to happen later on in life.”

A surprising friendship

After Anna’s Dad posted on Facebook asking for recommendations for her East Coast trip, they were connected with a family in Australia, whom Anna would go and stay with during her Australian trip.

Eventually they recommended that she go stay with their godmother, Annie, 85, who lived on the Gold Coast, as it was a more lively area. Annie would go on to be the biggest influence in Anna’s journey.

“From April until September I was living on the Gold Coast of Australia and it was crazy. I didn’t know her but I met her and we got on so well. Now we’re like family, we talk all the time. She was the best part of the whole year.

“I ended up staying there for five and a half months, rent-free, which was insane. I got so lucky. I was so grateful because you do not get an opportunity like this randomly.”

With an unlikely bond formed, Annie helped Anna get locked into a restaurant job, helping her save money for her next travel steps.

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“It was so interesting to have someone from Australia there for me, because I learned so much more. I met her family, so I had a family there and I didn’t feel as alone. I was invited to birthday dinners and parties; I had a family unit there.

“We had the same opinions, she’s the most open and accepting person in the world, to accept a stranger into her life and take me under her wing.

“She’s the person that definitely created the most change within my year.”

Unglamourous parts of backpacking

Anna had several moments of crisis during her travels, from being ill to breaking bones, to being robbed in Thailand.

“I got so sick, my wisdom teeth were infected, I don’t even know how that happened. Then I got some sort of flu at the same time, and I was calling my parents the whole time saying I wanted to come home.

“Then I cracked my rib, so that wasn’t great. It was my own fault, I fell into a swimming pool a little bit drunk. You don’t know how hard it is being on your own with a cracked rib and a huge backpack trying to walk around and get on boats – it was a nightmare, I couldn’t breathe half the time so that was so intense.”

Despite Thailand being her favourite holiday destination, and having made so many friends while she was there, while attending the tourist Full Moon Party, disaster struck.

“There were thousands of people on this beach. I didn’t even drink that much because I knew it was a place where people get robbed all the time, so I knew to be careful. Of course, who got robbed? Me!

“I was dancing and next thing I knew I looked down and my whole bag was wide open, empty. My purse was gone which had all the money I had with me for that time. Thankfully, all my other money and cards were in my backpack in the hostel.

“I was crying my eyes out. Luckily, I had hidden 1000 Baht, which is like £20, in my clothes – so I could at least get back to the hostel and make my 7am boat I was catching.”

Five months later, whilst Anna was still travelling through Australia, her parents back home opened her mail, finding something that restored their faith in humanity.

“My Dad sent me a picture of a letter I’d received at home, from a girl who lives in Scotland, who had sent all my stuff back, including my old NHS donor card and credit cards, which she had found in a stack on the side of the road. She’d then carried them around with her while she was travelling Asia, then sent them to me.

“Whoever had stolen my purse had just ditched the cards because without the pin, it was pointless having it. I just think that’s crazy how kind someone can be. I found her on Facebook and messaged her to say thank you.”

An evolving relationship with herself

Despite the trials and tribulations she faced, backpacking remains one of the proudest moments of her life so far, with so many lessons learned, and her understanding of herself better than ever.

“I definitely think I learned that I can now just handle anything. I’ve become such a different person in a way. I’ve done things that have scared me, and now I know I can literally do anything and tackle any sort of problem.

“I don’t think I realised how much mentally it was going to be, but you definitely learn a lot more about who you are. Forget uni and any sort of career, that year travelling is my proudest thing.

“Ultimately, you are alone a lot of the time, and you’ve got to be pretty happy with yourself. While I was there, I was the only person I could rely on.”

However, since returning home, reconnecting with her past life has been difficult for Anna.

“I don’t really know where I am now, because I don’t feel like the person I was when I left, I feel so different.

“It’s a really weird time. Now I’m thinking, should I go travel again, or do I get a career job, but I don’t know what to do for a career yet, so do I go back to Australia and save money there?”

Despite the uncertainty in her life now, she remains confident in her ability to make the right decision for herself, and is accepting of whatever path life takes her down.

“There’s so many options out there that I’m even more lost than I was before, but I’m more confident in who I am as a person, based on my travelling. I’m more confident in who I am and happy with who I am as a person.

“I think I’m still very much lost, but I think everyone in their 20s is pretty lost.”

Advice to those dreaming of travel

Now of course there are so many factors affecting someone’s ability to travel, including money, but Anna recommends that others don’t let their fear stop them from adventuring around the world.

“The main thing I’ve learned is that you can literally do whatever you want. This world and life is so short, so you might as well just go and do whatever you want because life is short, but also you have so long to build a career, have a family, whatever it is.

“I just think why not broaden your mind and see the world? So many people just stay where they are, they might go to Europe and that’s great – but long-extended travel actually changes something in your brain because you’re not on holiday mode anymore.”

Finally, I asked Anna what she would tell her younger self, who was about to get on that first flight to Thailand.

“I would tell her you’re going to have the best time ever, but I would also say stay away from the Aussie men, but be open to every opportunity you have while travelling.”