• About
  • Blog
  • Working together
  • Testimonials
  • Contact

Girl Gone Travel

Girl Gone Travel

Privacy Policy

We value your privacy.

This privacy policy applies to the use of all our web properties including this site.

Log Files and Cookies

This website utilizes industry standard analytics packages which gather limited information on visitors to our website automatically and stores this anonymous information in server log files. This information may include IP addresses, browser type, basic IP information, referring pages, operating system used and date/time stamps. This information does not identify individual users; it is used only for site administration, as well as for analysis of website usage and trends.

Additionally, cookies may be used to provide easier and faster access to website features such as logins and/or repeat visits.  Cookies are very small text files that are stored on personal computers for reference purposes. We do not store in cookies to any personally identifiable information in cookies.   

Links to Third Party Websites

This website may contain links to other sites that are not controlled in any way by us. Please be aware when you click on any such links; we are not responsible for the privacy practices and/or policies of any website other than our own. Consequently, we strongly suggest that you review the privacy policy of every website you visit, whether or not they are linked to by our site.

Registration and Use of Personal Information

Registration is not required in order to use or access this website. However, we may make forums, blogs, message boards or similar features available to our visitors. You may be asked to register for using these features, particularly if you wish to leave comments or publish content.

Please note that if you post comments or articles to any forum, blog or message board on this site, any personally identifiable information you provide in those comments or articles may be read, collated and used by anyone viewing them. As such, we are not responsible for personally identifiable information you may choose to make available through these channels.

Security

We follow accepted industry standards to protect any personal information you have provided to us. However, please be aware that no method of electronic storage can ever be 100% secure. Therefore, as is the case with any organization – we are not in a position to guarantee the absolute security of your information.

You may submit any questions you may have about our security procedures by emailing us

Legal Disclaimer

We reserve the right to disclose your personally identifiable information as required by law and when we believe that disclosure is necessary to protect our rights and/or to comply with a judicial proceeding, court order or legal process served on our website. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this privacy policy, please free to contact us.

Pin this Page
Share this Page

About me

Hi! I'm Carol! I am a Communications professional, an award-winning travel blogger, a public speaker, a social media marketing and branding agency owner, a wife, and a mom of 3 boys and 2 puppies. Welcome to my blog where I share stories of my travels and professional public relations insights and advice. Thank you for reading!

Carol Cain

Categories

  • Asia5 Post(s)
  • Caribbean17 Post(s)
  • Central America4 Post(s)
  • Europe53 Post(s)
  • North America309 Post(s)
  • Oceana1 Post(s)

Contact

  • carol@girlgonetravel.com

Also seen in:

Follow @girlgonetravel

I have received such an overwhelming number of DMs I have received such an overwhelming number of DMs, emails, and texts from friends who have not heard from me in awhile. I’ve replied to as many as I could then decided this was easier. So much of my joy is shared so here’s some of the not so fun stuff...with a word of advice. I have been in the hospital since Sunday, so 4 days at time of this post. I ignored the pain that led me here for 3 days before. I had a small pimple on my thigh and tried to get rid of it. I then proceeded with my life - which included working out and sweating on said “no big deal” pimple. I felt the area bothering me. I ignored it. Saw it sort of swell up a bit. Ignored it. Went to beach with my girlfriends, got sand on it, it hurt, I ignored it. Woke up the next day with a golf size inflammation on my thigh and a massive headache. Went to urgent care, got antibiotics, and that’s it. When I started getting weak, and my husband said we should go to ER, I said no. When it got bigger and the pain made me cry, I still said no. When my fever reached over 101 he just took me. I’ve been here since. The diagnosis: a bacterial infection that has taken a hold of the tissue along the upper section of my thigh. It’s called cellulitis. I was told any longer and I would have ended up in ICU fighting for my life as it would’ve entered my blood stream. I have such issues with care for myself from others. With doctors. With all of it. I think I can fix it - except when it comes to my kids or husband. I rush them to the first specialist at the first sign of anything. I am not proud of this, and it almost cost me my life. So, while I heal, and yes, I am clearly much better now that I can post this, please know that not all care is SELF care. Sometimes it has to come from others, with the help of many, and the willingness to trust many more. And thank you for your messages of missing me. I won’t reply much more till this is all over but as I hope to always leave something to ponder and learn from, I hope that this can be one of those times. Listen to your body. Listen to those who love you. When you need help, let others help you. I feel loved, supported, and very, very much cared for. ♥️
I have amazing friends. Beautiful, gorgeous in fac I have amazing friends. Beautiful, gorgeous in fact, and smart - so much smarter than me in so many ways, and strong, and compassionate and brave. And even when one of us doesn’t feel any of those things, the others lift her up and walk her to the light again. Find yourself those people. Surround yourself with strong women who inspire you and educate you and help you grow. The ones who make you laugh so much your sides hurt, and for whom you would cuss a bully out. Find yourself friends who will always be honest, even when you don’t want to hear it but kind even when you don’t think you need it. I love my peeps. And they love me. No matter what. That makes me pretty lucky. Here are some images of our time in @asburyparkbeach. . . . #jerseyshore #newjersey #girlfriends #beachescape
There’s this narrative that has taken a hold in There’s this narrative that has taken a hold in travel, across the board: that our travels, our presence in places, and our stories are somehow God’s work, valuable beyond measure, worthy of all the attention and praise because it is so special. I am a first generation American in my family. First to graduate from college. First to own her own business. And certainly first to travel as I do. But my mother started this journey before me as a travel agent in the 60s with no English, no degree. Before her, my family fled a dictatorship. Before that, slavery. I have ancestors that accomplished greater things. My story is personal and empowering and beautiful and significant to me. Maybe to my siblings as I am the oldest of 10. Maybe to some in my family. Maybe to some readers and followers. Maybe something I said or did touched someone deeply, inspired them, motivated them. So much of my travels, like this trip to Thailand, is significant to me and my family’s storyline. But I am by no means doing God’s work here. I am not saving lives. Feeding the homeless or saving the tormented with my travels. So, while our travels are important and valuable to us and our journey - let’s relax with this BS narrative as if ours is the first, most important, most worthy of all the stories or that we are over here saving the world one passport stamp at a time. Embrace humility. Center yourself in gratitude for the privilege you hold, even as POC, to have made it this far. Remember the suffering and struggles of those before us, understandings we are not alone. Or first. Use your time to tell the stories that don’t center you. And praise those who truly make your story complete. I look back at these pics and all I can think of is about @tammileetips. How she cared for me after I had given up my hotel room hours before my flight to the U.S. and fell ill. I was in really bad shape and she let me stay in her bed, gave me meds, and really made the journey home a safe one for me. I will never forget the friendship and support, and the many people like her who have complimented all of my travels and made much of it possible. . . . #thailand #travel #travelstories
‪What are your favorite road trip destinations? ‪What are your favorite road trip destinations? Thinking about some of our favorite #roadtrips in the states and #Montana is up there on our list. Such a gorgeous destination year round (yes, winters too) and a highlight for nature lovers. @visitmontana
This is my family. Both personal and professional This is my family. Both personal and professional (missing is our newest team member @fromannettewithlove). I left the corporate world because it just never felt like it was for me. I would go in all ambitious and eager to work, full of fresh ideas and solutions, only to be stifled and limited. I learned so much from my many years working in these incredible organizations but most of all, I learned about the kind of leader I would be if I ever had the chance. I always thought that chance would come from climbing the corporate ladder but that ladder isn’t for single working moms of color - which is what I was during the most successful years in this environment. I got pretty high up there but it came at a cost of years not fully committed to my family. Then as a freelancer and blogger, I got a chance to learn going at it alone. And seeing areas that were still falling short and failures in the systems, and even more ladders not meant for me. And so @braveworldmedia was born to fill the gaps I saw, to make better the things I think I can and to build my own damn ladder. I asked myself a gazillion times if I was crazy, and told myself I was scared, and allowed myself all the emotions so that I could move past them and forward. And here we are, 3 years later with a roster of clients we truly love, making every work day such a gift, and with a team of creatives that inspire me every day to be the best leader I can be. I place joy and self care above all. I encourage individuality and team work, creativity and learning. I never assume to know it all and am learning to lean on them more so as to not take it all on. And I want everyone to feel like there is a ladder for them to climb or build too, with me or with my help. It is exciting and scary and not for everyone, this insane thing I’ve done with the support and help of so many. And I’m so happy I didn’t force myself into spaces where I didn’t fit but instead built a space that was meant to be mine. I want my legacy to be represented in the success that I helped others achieve, whether they be my children, my friends, my clients, or my team. Hopefully our little agency can help me do that. ♥️
There are a lot of things I miss about traveling. There are a lot of things I miss about traveling. I miss the discomfort that comes with the unfamiliar - language, foods, places. And the excitement of learning new things and meeting new people. I love the hard lessons and the emotional journeys. Not taking anything for granted and trying not to miss the value of anything offered. Travel media is a different journey. On one hand, there’s the opportunities to travel that it offers and the access it can give - without travel related work I would not have been able to afford all the travel I have done. Travel media, at least travel blogging, allows for unheard and underrepresented voices to carve a space for themselves, their stories, their voices, their truths. But travel media also encourages greed and the yearning for glory and fame. It creates competition and infighting, as if the world weren’t big enough and there weren’t enough people to share our stories with or stories to be told. And places become a thing to sell, under the guise of love, measured by how much you’re paid. I love travel and am eternally grateful to travel media. But to work in travel is not the same as to be lost in the journey of travel and grow from it or be humbled by it. I try to balance both, because both have given me so much. But the travel I miss most doesn’t come with a price attached to my narrative. Or promises me the insignificant prominence so many foolishly associate with self worth and relevance. To travel is a privilege and a gift. You are no more special or worthy because of it. Your voice doesn’t matter more because of the mileage you garner, and truth be told, sometimes it actually can make you a worse person than when you started. Trust me. I know those people. But yes, I miss traveling. I miss all the places I’ve traveled to and have kept to myself. I miss the opportunity to see all the places I’ve yet to visit. And I can’t wait to feel uncomfortable and excited and moved and enlightened again. . . . #travel #ohtheplacesyouwillgo #lifeonpause

Copyright © 2020 Girl Gone Travel | Privacy Policy | Copyright Notice