In 2012...
Both Anastasia and Ash attend a conference for lighting design at Wismar, a university in a sleepy little German town by the Baltic Sea.
A guided visit to the harbor is delayed due to rain.
The organizers pair people off to share umbrellas...and voila, Ash and Ana meet for the first time.
By the end of the conference, they are fast friends.
Fast Forward A Year...
Both Anastasia and Ash happen to be in Frankfurt, Germany, this time for a convention on lighting and architecture.
They catch up over coffee and walk through the city's Botanical Gardens.
6 Months Later...
Ash plans to be in Madrid for work, and Anastasia needs a holiday.
They decide to spend the time together.
They enjoy the Madrid's food, culture, the city itself.
Above all, they enjoy each other's company the most.
Following their holiday in Madrid, Ash and Ana take a trip to Norway to visit friends.
They go on their first fishing trip together!
(No, they don't catch anything. They ultimately settle for beers and sandwiches.)
2014...
A crazy year.
Shortly following the trip to Norway, Ana and Ash make their way back to Spain to attend a close friend's beautiful wedding in Catalonia.
The bride and groom are a great couple. It's a great wedding, and a great chance to Ana and Ash to seque into another adventure!
Having a chance to visit Rome for a lighting conference, they take the opportunity to explore the city during their evenings.
They see the many sights of the city, including making a stop at Vatican City.
A road trip through Iceland allows them to continue their adventures and learn more about both themselves and each other while discovering this beautiful country!
Lovers of the outdoors, Ash and Ana find themselves back in Norway visiting friends.
They go on a short weekend camping trip.
Ashwin tries to start a campfire but fails. Anastasia succeeds and gets bragging rights for life!
Ash's first visit to Tomsk to officially meet Anastasia's family in person.
Ash walks through the main streets of Tomsk accompanied by Ana, Ana's sister Julia, Julia's husband Loysha, and Julia and Loysha's son, Matvey.
So many cool foods and new experiences!
A trip to India...
Vibrant colors, sounds, people, and spices.
Anastasia's first trip to India is memorable for a number of reasons.
She visits monuments and botanical gardens, temples and local markets.
Most importantly, she meets Ash's family face-to-face.
A visit to the GUM, the main mall located next to Moscow's Red Square, with Anastasia's friends.
It's funny how the little things in life, such as a shared appreciation of beer, music, and art, help someone make fast friends with different people!
Ash proposes on the beach as the sun rises :)