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October 29, 2015

The Best Travel Stories

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This year has been an incredible year in travel. Traveling to Thailand, my first trip to Asia, was such a great experience, visiting Istanbul as part of my role as a White House Travel Blogger was surreal, visiting Guatemala – twice – left me beyond words, and of course, returning to France as a Wine Ambassador for the third year in a row felt like returning home.

These destinations have been great, a list that would make any traveler proud. But, between these trips, back in my little simple life as a mother and wife, even bigger things were happening.

We purchased a house, solidifying our home in New Jersey, a huge commitment for this Brooklyn girl and nomadic soul.

I found my birth mother on Facebook, something that I shared with my online family, whose encouragement and support gave me courage up to the moment where we actually met face-to-face and was celebrated by them all, including Facebook itself.

My oldest son started college.

Each one of these details of my personal life affected me deeply and further influenced the way I see the world, interact with it, and then later on, told its stories.

So much so that a trip to Istanbul or Thailand or France or Fiji become more than just exotic tales of travels. Instead, they are the story from a place that is emotional and conflicted and messy. I navigated through these foreign places, and took in these new experiences, while also dealing with intense and equally new experiences at home.

DSC068681-e1429718743725I didn’t use travel as an escape from my life, but as a compliment to all that was happening in it. Thailand, 2015

We are conditioned to shut off or separate our personal lives from our professional ones. The proper time and place of things is a message that we receive as children and it carries itself well into adulthood and into our work lives.

The image of success is often neat and clean and organized. The mess that is real life kept under wraps or photoshopped away so as to not ruin the fantasy or the image.

For many travel bloggers this practice is no different. We present a story that is exciting, inspiring, and effortless. Few ever feel the need or consider it savvy to expose their inner selves so deeply as to tarnish the fantasy that they are trying to sell. I’ve always been a bit too lazy to try to package my life to be anything more than what it really is.

Which is lucky, because had I tried, this year would have blown any falsity right out of the water. Yet, it’s been an incredible blessing. I have found that the best travel story, or at least the ones that I have had the most fun writing, are the ones where I allowed the very raw emotions from all the things happening in my personal life to affect me in such a way that my view of the world was impacted by it.

Guatemala travels_girl gone travel

I allowed myself to feel more intensely, not for the narrative, but because it felt good to do so and it influenced how more deeply I saw the world. Guatemala, 2015

 And in doing so I was more open to conversations even when language was a barrier, and experiences that brought me closer to friendships and more meaningful encounters with strangers. I felt more deeply and appreciated more wholly, and it influenced how I wanted others to read about it too.

What a wonderful journey this year has been.

My hope is that I can be an example in that no matter what life throws your way, whether good or bad, it can serve as an opportunity to embrace the world around you in a richer way. The vulnerability brought forth from the things unknown don’t have to shut you down, but help to open you up to feel life in a way that is fuller and more meaningful. And most of all, I want you to remember that there’s nothing wrong with allowing all of your human self to guide your journey or your story.

Istanbul travels_girlgonetravel

Take nothing for granted, even that which seems the most simplest of things. Istanbul, 2015

There will always be someone out there who will appreciate hearing it just as you lived it – wrinkles, flaws, tears, fears, vulnerabilities, and all.

Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it’s better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring. – Marilyn Monroe

All photos are property of Girl Gone Travel® and may not be used without direct consent from the publisher. 

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Carol Cain

Brooklyn native Carol is happiest when on an adventure, whether close to home or farther away. She is a small business owner and travel writer. In addition to creating Girl Gone Travel, she is the Founder and Principal of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. She's mom to three wonderful sons and wife to a handsome Irish/Scot. She lives, works, and plays in the beautiful Finger Lakes region of NY.

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About me

Hi! I'm Carol! I am an award-winning travel blogger, a keynote speaker, and the Principal and owner of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. I a wife to a handsome Irish/Scot and a mom to 3 sons. Welcome to my blog where I share stories of my travels and professional public relations insights and advice. Thank you for reading and for your support!

Carol Cain

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Is a day enough to really experience Massachusetts Is a day enough to really experience Massachusetts’ Berkshire County? Not even close. But if you needed a quick little fix of mountain air, a day trip will do. 

Here were my stops on this 24 hour jaunt to the Berkshires:

📍Coffee and a morning bite at @wanderberkshires in Pittsfield, MA
📍@themountlenox author Edith Wharton’s home, for forest strolling, sculpture and flower garden admiring, and summer cottage touring - and for a light lunch in Lenox, MA. 
📍Mount Greylock for a drive up to Massachusetts’ highest point (at 3,489 feet) and some epic views.
📍Dinner and drinks at @touristswelcome in North Adams. 
📍Sunset views from Pontoosuc Lake near Pittsfield, MA. 

#bershirecountrymasschusetts #theberkshires #daytrip #roadtrip #intheberkshires @visittheberkshires
On my previous visit to The Berkshires, I shared a On my previous visit to The Berkshires, I shared a phenomenal dining experience at Tourists Welcome in North Adam’s, MA. 

And I have two more wonderful spots to add to my growing list….alreasy popular with those in the know, so I am just chiming in to further affirm all the accolades. 

Starting with @havencafebakery in Lenox, MA. Super friendly staff, killer chai (and an awesome tea selection) and a small but delightfully seasonal menu. Felt super “homemade” in the yummy, cozy way that makes you feel nostalgic. 

My mind was blown at @statefoodndrink in North Adams, MA. Come on Mondays and experience a Southern classics menu, which …zomg…so good! I cried a little inside to be missing out on their Vietnamese night (Tuesday) but promised Chef Tu Le I would be back for that and their weekend brunch 🙌🏾. The vibe is also welcoming, even for such a massive, factory space, and it felt fun with several community-focused happenings taking place in the surrounding spaces. An immediate favorite and a must on your next trip to The Berkshires! 

#berkshiresma #foodietiktok #goodeatsberkshires @visittheberkshires
Come with me on a little hike in the Berkshires, M Come with me on a little hike in the Berkshires, MA with no trending audio as distraction. 

The Cascades Trail is an easy 2.1 mile hike in and out in the City of North Adams. We all needed a quiet little escape into the woods along a rushing brook, over a few wooden bridges and fallen foliage and towards a  small cascade. 

There are countless hikes for every type of adventure-seeker, but when the goal is just a stroll and a moment of connection with nature and your thoughts, there are plenty of those trails too. 

#berkshiresma #hikeinma #easytrails #getoutsidema @visittheberkshires
Peaceful morning. ❤️ We’re going on a little Peaceful morning. ❤️ We’re going on a little getaway to the Berkshires with our youngest and looking forward to a much needed mini-vacation. 

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Happy Monday, y’all. Woke up in time to enjoy the soft glow of sunlight that shines its way around our house in the morning, and sipped on a cafecito without being rushed for anything. So already today is a win. 

Yesterday we worked our longest day yet for our little coffee cart that could (7 hours!!!) at the Heritage Fiesta in Ithaca, NY. 

Though we were ready for a crowd, the reception was also unexpected because there was a popular coffee shop just steps away. 

But we had Cómodo Fam stop by, family (who also fed us 🙏🏾), and soooo many members of the Latinx and BIPOC community who were just excited to see a small business like ours representing. 

I want to share that we were ALL worried about potential harassment and assault by 🧊and fliers were handed out to prepare us. And you would think that it would’ve intimidated the community enough to not come out…BUT WE DID. In numbers. 

And for hours that little parking lot next to Press Bay Alley was packed with all sorts of Latinx and non-Latinx community members, eating, laughing, dancing, singing, and drinking all the cafecitos and refreshers we had to offer. Literally. We went home cleaned out!

All this to say that we are all aware of the threats but we also understand the power and importance of coming together as a community and a people. By no means are we all the same, and Lord knows a lot of Latinos have a lot of self-reflecting to do based on the choices they made, but yesterday was a testament to the best of us, and I thank @yenospina and @lcatompkins for putting together such a wonderful event, for inviting @cafecomodony to be a part of it, and to all the friends, old and new, who came out to support us and la cultura. 

#fingerlakes #newyork #cafecomodo #coffeelover
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📍Joseph’s Wayside Markey, Naples, NY

#fingerlakes #newyork #octobermood #fallday

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