Sleeping in My Car to Traveling the World

Who me?

When people see photos of me standing in front of Iguazu Falls, walking through the colorful streets of Buenos Aires, relaxing in Colombia, or exploring another corner of the world, they sometimes assume I’ve always lived this way.

The truth is much different.

There was a time when I was sleeping in a Kia Sorento, working long hours, trying to make ends meet, and wondering what my future would look like.

What I didn’t know then was that those difficult years would eventually lead me to a life of freedom, travel, and experiences that I never imagined possible.

This is the story of how I went from sleeping in my car to traveling the world.

Starting Over in San Diego

In 2013, I found myself at a crossroads.

Like many people, I had experienced successes and setbacks throughout my life. I had worked in marketing, held management positions, and built a career. But life doesn’t always move in a straight line.

At the time, I was living in San Diego and trying to rebuild.

I worked for a limousine company while also driving for Uber during the early days of the platform. Back then, almost nobody knew what Uber was. It wasn’t the household name it is today.

In many ways, it felt like being part of a startup before the rest of the world discovered it.

I enjoyed the work. I met people from every background imaginable. Every day was different.

The problem was that the money wasn’t very good.

To make things work financially, I made a decision that many people would consider extreme.

I began sleeping in my Kia Sorento.

Nine Months Living Out of a Vehicle

When people hear that I slept in my vehicle, they often imagine chaos or desperation.

The reality was more complicated.

Of course, there were challenges.

Finding safe places to park.

Maintaining personal hygiene.

Managing long workdays.

Trying to stay positive.

But there was also something else happening.

I was learning how little I actually needed.

The experience taught me resourcefulness.

It taught me discipline.

Most importantly, it taught me that temporary discomfort could create long-term opportunity.

Eventually, I saved enough money to get an apartment and create a little more stability.

But those months sleeping in my vehicle permanently changed the way I viewed money, possessions, and freedom.

I began to realize that the traditional path wasn’t necessarily the only path.

The Opportunity That Changed Everything

In 2016, an opportunity appeared that would completely alter the direction of my life.

I accepted a driving position supporting Google in Northern California.

That decision required moving from San Diego to the Bay Area.

Many people think the Bay Area is a place where opportunity is everywhere.

That’s true.

It’s also incredibly expensive.

I quickly realized that if I wanted to maximize the opportunity, I needed to think differently.

So I did something most people wouldn’t do.

I continued living in my vehicle.

Living in My Vehicle in the Bay Area

This wasn’t homelessness.

This was strategy.

Instead of spending thousands of dollars each month on rent, I chose to save aggressively.

I spent my weekdays working and my weekends exploring and staying in hotels. In the Bay Area, hotels are actually cheaper on the weekends and skyrocket during the week because of business.

Northern California became my classroom.

I visited places throughout the Bay Area.

I explored coastal towns.

I wandered through communities around Mountain View, Palo Alto, San Jose, Santa Cruz, Monterey, and beyond.

I was beginning to travel, even though I didn’t realize it at the time.

Those years taught me two important lessons.

First, experiences often provide more value than possessions.

Second, financial flexibility creates options.

The more money I saved, the more freedom I gained.

And freedom was becoming increasingly important to me.

Buying the Roadtrek

Eventually, all of that saving and planning led to another major decision.

I purchased a Roadtrek camper van.

To some people, it may have looked like a vehicle.

To me, it looked like freedom.

The Roadtrek wasn’t about camping.

It was about mobility.

It meant I could travel when I wanted.

Stay where I wanted.

Explore without constantly worrying about hotel costs.

The van became my home base and my passport to a completely different lifestyle.

What had started years earlier in a Kia Sorento was evolving into something intentional.

I wasn’t simply living in a vehicle anymore.

I was building a lifestyle around freedom and exploration.

Retirement and a New Chapter

Not long after purchasing the van, I retired.

For many people, retirement means slowing down.

For me, retirement meant finally speeding up.

I had spent years preparing for this moment.

Saving money.

Reducing expenses.

Learning how to live differently.

Now I had the opportunity to explore.

The United States became my playground.

I traveled throughout California.

Visited coastal communities.

Explored new cities.

Learned how to live on the road.

But eventually, another thought entered my mind.

What if I went beyond the United States?

My First International Adventures

The Latin international chapter of my life began in 2021.

My first major trip was to Costa Rica.

I remember the excitement.

The uncertainty.

The realization that international travel wasn’t nearly as intimidating as I had once believed.

Costa Rica opened a door.

And once that door opened, it became difficult to close.

Soon I found myself exploring Mexico.

Then Ecuador.

Then Colombia.

Each trip expanded my perspective.

Each destination taught me something new.

And each experience reinforced a lesson I had already learned years earlier.

The world is far more accessible than most people think.

Falling in Love with Mexico

Before Colombia became a major part of my life, Mexico captured my attention.

I visited places like Puerto Vallarta, Huatulco, Cabo San Lucas, La Paz, Guanajuato, San Miguel de Allende, Ajijic, Lake Chapala, Monterrey, Cancun, and Irapuato.

Every destination offered something different.

Beach towns.

Colonial cities.

Mountain communities.

Retirement destinations.

Cultural experiences.

Mexico became one of my favorite countries to explore because it combined affordability, culture, food, and accessibility.

For a traveler from the United States, it was an easy introduction to international living.

Ecuador and New Possibilities

My travels eventually brought me to Ecuador.

I spent time exploring Guayaquil and Cuenca.

The trip opened my eyes to another side of Latin America.

I began realizing that life outside the United States could be both affordable and fulfilling.

At this point, I wasn’t simply taking vacations.

I was evaluating lifestyles.

I was comparing cultures.

I was imagining different futures.

That mindset would ultimately lead me to Colombia.

Colombia Changed Everything

Of all the places I visited, Colombia had the biggest impact on my life.

What started as another international trip eventually turned into something much more meaningful.

I met the woman who would later become my wife.

I built relationships.

Created routines.

Learned more Spanish.

Traveled throughout the country.

What began as curiosity slowly transformed into a new chapter of life.

Today, Colombia serves as my primary base while I continue exploring other destinations throughout South America and beyond.

The World Keeps Getting Bigger

Since those early days, I’ve visited destinations throughout Latin America and South America.

I’ve walked through Buenos Aires.

Explored Iguazu Falls.

Visited Panama.

Traveled through Peru.

Taken day trips to Uruguay.

Explored cities, beaches, mountains, and cultures that once seemed incredibly far away.

What’s funny is that none of it was part of some grand master plan.

Each step simply led to the next step.

A driving job led to sleeping in a vehicle.

Sleeping in a vehicle led to saving money.

Saving money led to a camper van.

The camper van led to retirement.

Retirement led to travel.

Travel led to new opportunities, friendships, and eventually marriage.

What I Learned Along the Way

Looking back, the biggest lesson isn’t about travel.

It’s about possibility.

Many people assume their future will look exactly like their present.

I don’t believe that.

If someone had told me in 2013 that I would eventually retire, buy a camper van, travel internationally, live part-time in Colombia, and explore countries throughout Latin America, I probably wouldn’t have believed them.

Yet here I am.

Life changes.

Circumstances change.

People change.

The key is remaining open to opportunity when it appears.

You don’t need to have every answer.

You simply need to keep moving forward.

Final Thoughts

My journey from sleeping in a car to traveling the world wasn’t fast.

It wasn’t easy.

And it certainly wasn’t perfect.

There were setbacks.

Mistakes.

Unexpected turns.

But there was also growth.

Adventure.

Freedom.

And experiences that I wouldn’t trade for anything.

Today, when I stand in a new city, watch a sunset from a different country, or board another flight to somewhere I’ve never been, I occasionally think back to those nights sleeping in my Kia Sorento.

Not because I miss them.

But because they remind me how far the journey has taken me.

And if there’s one thing I’ve learned from all of this, it’s that your current situation doesn’t determine your final destination.

Sometimes it’s just the beginning of the story.