Lisa Niver's Blog: We Said Go Travel, page 28

Empowering Humanity with The Good Road Hosts Craig and Earl

Discovering the World’s Hidden Gems: A Behind-the-Scenes Interview with Craig and Earl from ‘The Good Road’ on PBS

Thank you to Earl Bridges and Craig Martin, longtime philanthropologists and best friends, who trek around the world to meet people who are making a difference, for taking the time to talk with me on my podcast. On their show, The Good Road, they share “a raw look at the messy and complicated business of global charity. Two philanthropy veterans and globe-trotters set off around the world to find good.“

Listen or watch our interview on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube or your favorite podcast platform

READ THE TRANSCRIPT BELOW

Lisa Niver:

Good morning. This is Lisa Niver from We Said Go Travel, and I’m here today with Craig and Earl from The Good Road. Hello!

Earl:

Hey. How’s it going?

Craig:

How are you, Lisa?

Lisa Niver:

I’m doing great. I can’t believe you just wrapped season four of filming for The Good Road. Congratulations.

Craig:

Thank you.

Earl:

It’s hard for us to believe, too. I think it’s when you start down this road you have no idea if you’re going to ever get through season one and now we’re at season four, looking at season five.

Lisa Niver:

It’s incredible. So, if there are people that don’t know, The Good Road is on PBS, and the two of you are long-time friends and philanthropists who are sharing incredible stories from all over our planet. Could you tell my listeners a little bit about how did this happen? You have both lived around the world. You care about our planet, and you have many interesting stories especially about water and the ocean. What made this happen? What made you wake up and say I want to be a filmmaker and we’re going to walk this road together?

Earl:

Craig, you want to kick it off?

Craig:

Earl and I went to school together in Bangkok, Thailand at the International School of Bangkok together. I was actually born and raised there, and Earl was raised there. His father started as an Air Force pilot during the Vietnam era. Then I was there because my parents were Baptist missionaries, so that’s why I was in Thailand. But we’ve known each other a long time. About five or six years ago, the company Earl and I were at evolved.

Earl asked me at the time, he had a company called Good Done Great. So, he asked me if I’d travel with another friend of ours from the International School of Bangkok, Patty DiMartini-Williams. So, they took me along to be kind of the shooter and storyteller on video for both of their companies. It was on that trip to Myanmar, Nepal, and Vietnam that Earl said he had an idea for a TV show which was like Bourdain meets philanthropy and I said- I kind of love that.

That kicked off our Good Road story. Incidentally, and somebody asked us this the other day when we were filming in New York, whether or not we had done a lot of stuff together through the years after our time in Bangkok. The reality is I had not seen either Patty or Earl since high school when we took that trip. We had stayed in touch on Facebook and things like that, but it was a cool reunion of our high school days. The three of us and then Earl and I of course continued on with our good friendship for many, many years in person embarking on this project together.

Earl:

I mean the idea is not very many people want to watch a movie about doing good. They don’t want to watch charity videos. Quite frankly, that’s the kiss of death. So when we first started, we called the show Good All Over, and people just wouldn’t watch our trailer. So, we wrapped it into this travel format, made it The Good Road, and the idea is that we’re going to take you to Thailand or Canda or Uganda or wherever and we’re going to show you some people that are going to introduce you to a world you may not have thought about. The formula basically is we’ll take you somewhere. We’ll try to highlight an issue. We’ve done anti-poaching, prison reform, maternal health, and all these other things. But the story that I like that I think illustrates the formula of the show best is when we went to Yangon, Myanmar.

We were trying to figure out, Burma has one of the oldest running civil wars in the world. It’s got the Rohingya crisis. It’s got this interesting kind of mixture of different foods and different ethnic minorities, and we were trying to figure out who is it that would make a good interview for us. We ran across what we thought was the perfect interview the second we heard about it. It was a punk rock band called Rebel Riot. You don’t expect to find punk in Myanmar because its oppressive military government, they’re super-conservative Buddhists, and yet this lead singer Joe-Joe is this tall guy with this big mohawk and the kindest face ever.

And it was those guys that were really tied into not only the larger punk community but the downtown community, the street kids. So, they’re feeding kids, they’re doing literacy classes in the middle of a median in downtown Yangon. I think that’s what we do. We flip whatever narrative that you thought you knew about a place, and we try to expose that place in a different way but it’s really character driven. It’s can we find somebody that can represent this area and show it to you in a way that’s very different than you’ve seen it before. That’s really the show. That’s The Good Road.

Lisa Niver:

I love that. I myself have traveled a couple of different times in Myanmar, and you’re right. It’s such a unique place. I loved being out on Inle Lake with the leg rowers. When people see the video there are surprised that they row with their legs? I think you’re right. Travel is such an amazing lens into what’s happening.

Craig:

I was just going to say part of the format comes from the fact that I referenced Bourdain earlier. Part of the format is, and we got a lot of affirmation from people in the TV business because of this but most people travel with a friend, a family member, just a really good traveling partner and his show, he was always kind of in one sense by himself. Not to be cliché but it’s kind of a buddy series because Earl and I, not only are we best friends but we both love to travel. So, we experience the travel together. That’s a huge part of the fun of it, so most of the things that people see on camera are very natural. When Earl and I experience somebody cool who’s talking about making big changes in their community. We were just in New York at Food Bank NYC, and we’re talking to these seniors at this community kitchen. I mean some of their stories are crazy.

There’s this guy, Gregory, who was working on Madison Avenue for decades as a writer, and Earl sees he’s this thin African American guy with a really nice suit on but he’s there to get his dinner. He says to Earl, where did you grow up? Where are you from? Earl says, Bangkok, Thailand and he says, hell, I know it’s Thailand. He was almost offended by the fact that Bangkok had to be clarified with Thailand.

Earl:

What other Bangkok is there?

Craig:

Yeah. What other Bangkok is there? We just love it. We just enjoy so much, and it does matter that we get to do that together. I think that’s an important part of travel is sharing the experience with somebody else.

Earl:

Yeah.

Lisa Niver:

I think you’re right. The other thing that you bring to the show is your long, long history of travel and living outside the United States and many people have visited Thailand but not many people have lived there. I studied abroad in college, but to have studied abroad at such a young age and be immersed and not study abroad, you lived there.

Earl:

We speak Thai. I always say that’s our bar trick, but it worked really well in a Thai bar. In America, no one cares if you speak Thai in a US bar. Having grown up there and then Craig went on to film in dozens of different countries for the organization that he was with and I had worked internationally. So, for us it’s always one of those if you get to know the places you know some of the language and you actually get to know the people.

What you won’t see on our show is us doing the top listicles- five place dive bars in Gurkha, Nepal or something like that. But you will see people. You’ll get to know people that are doing some interesting things. That could be professional baseball players, sculptors, activists. We were in New York City with a good friend of ours, Mickela, who has this Bare Feet show on PBS. She had us voguing in downtown Brooklyn. So, if you were there this last weekend, I apologize to everyone who saw that.

You talk about pride and it’s standing up and it’s having confidence and going down the street and being really proud about who you are as a person and just being with someone in that world wasn’t just a cutesy little dance that Madonna did. It was much, much more once you get to know why people do that. I think that’s what we get to do is expose it by the people that really care about it, and we find out just like the viewers do about some cool people all over the world.

Craig:

I would add, too, there’s an element of the way we grew up. There’s a cross cultural experience that happens only if you grow up in another country, and that cross cultural experience leans into the fact that we should all love and respect each other. We should try to identify and learn and understand another person’s culture before we made any kind of critique about it. In fact, it’s probably best to not critique other people’s culture because if you’re not part of it, if you’re not part of that group it quite frankly is annoyingly for you to be a critic of it.

So, for us that means being able to talk to…in the case of the voguing thing, we’re there for gay pride. I’m a heterosexual male, but you’re there amongst a lot of gay people. In that cross cultural experience, the only thing that I felt bad was I was screwing everything up because I’m such a bad and uncoordinated dancer.

Lisa Niver:

But anyone who’s watched Mickela’s show or danced with her, she’s such a great teacher. She’s so enthusiastic. She’s so welcoming. I think you’re right it’s a cross cultural experience. You talked about growing up in a specific faith-based reason for being in Bangkok. Can you talk about Season Four in Iraq with the kids in school?

Earl:

I was a missionary kid and not necessarily the best representative of the church always. And we all have our own journeys. So it’s not really a faith-based thing. In fact, I didn’t want to really go down the road of doing a lot of faith-based things. I just want to mention one little story.

We went to Mbale, Uganda, and we started to cover this husband and wife team, Adam and Kathy. Kathy was a neonatologist. Adam is an anesthesiologist. They were working in a really remote town. They had two tiny, little girls at the time. I remember saying why in the world? Because you can work in the UK where they were from and just crush it and then just send money down to someone else that could work in a maternal health clinic that was getting 200 kids referred in and they had a 50 percent mortality rate and see all the deaths. I mean to have someone else make your money and send it somewhere else to do it.

So, when we were asking them, why is it that you’re doing it? Were they to have said it’s because we believe that this is God’s will for us and things like that, I would have gotten it. I totally would have gotten it, but it quite frankly would have bored me because that story I’ve heard a million times. Instead what Kathy and Adam said is we’re not Christians. We’re Atheists. There was no mandate. It’s just humanity, seeing other humans, and then kicking in. So, sometimes it’s those things that, again, flip the narrative.

Iraq was interesting because Iraq is…Mosul is one of the most diversely religious cities in the world. They have thousands and thousands of a really large Christian population that’s been there for hundreds and hundreds of years. They also have the Muslims. You have some Jewish folks.

When we were there, most of what we knew about Iraq was really war coverage that you would have seen on the news. Now we’re inside of an elementary school. It was the 20th anniversary of the US’s involvement in Iraq. As we’re going into some very conservative schools where they were held by ISIS and there’s still ISIS folks that go to those schools. You started seeing people that had parents who were ISIS and kids whose parents were killed by ISIS in the same classroom.

You say how can peace happen when these kids who are 11 and 12-year-old girls…they’re all one sex. So it’s either girls or guys. In this case, the girls, it’s like how do you ever trust that other person that’s right beside you. So, the organization that we were highlighting, Hardwired Global, does a lot of curriculum around religious pluralism and just getting to know each other. That’s a metaphor for the rest of travel. I mean you have to be together. You have to see each other and you have to see each other as humans. That’s what travel does.

So, we can watch travel shows but when you’re there all of the fears that you may have had going into a country beforehand, our first time going to Iraq, there’s a lot of misconceptions. By the time you leave a couple weeks later, you’re like I see them as people very differently than I saw it, and I think that’s the beauty of real travel.

Craig:

I would add to that in terms of Iraq that one of the hardest days that Earl and I had there was when we listened to these really young girls talking. One of the things that they said was a smack down on all of us adults and all of the people who really are complicit in warfare. There was this one girl who had lost her father because he was an ISIS fighter. She said–we children want not to have war. That’s just what we’re asking for — We just don’t want fighting.

Out of the mouth of an eight or nine-year-old–That’s pretty profound. What a message for the world. Earl and I both were shedding some tears.

Earl:

That was a heart-wrenching episode.

Lisa Niver:

You’ve gotten to experience so many different cultures. One of the things I noticed is you’re also looking at how does our planet continue. Looking at sustainable farming or stoney coral disease, Atlantic sturgeon. You have a focus on some of the crisis in our planet. Is there one place that sticks out for you that is the good news or the good road where they’ve really made great strides with helping?

Earl:

You mentioned the sturgeon. We did an episode right outside Richmond in the James River. For decades people thought that the great sturgeon were no longer in the James River. Now they’re coming back and actually they’re coming back in droves. The point from one of the scientists, he said, we didn’t do any remediation. We didn’t go through and do a lot of clean-up. What we did was we stopped messing up the river. We just stopped polluting it, and it restored. A lot of times, with almost anything, it’s like the doctor code- first do no harm. It’s stop doing bad and there’s space for good to happen. That’s the story of the sturgeon but that’s also a metaphor for a lot of travel.

Craig:

The same in the US Virgin Islands. The stoney coral disease came over from Florida where they had been dumping sewage into the ocean and it made its way and wound up in the US Virgin Islands. In St. Thomas at the University of the Virgin Islands, when we interviewed them in the water, which was kind of cool. I had never really done an interview underwater. But in the water you’re looking at these coral that may never be able to bounce back from this disease. It’s like Earl said about the river. You can try to be reactive to the things like this disease, but you’ve got to really be proactive and think about what we’re doing before everything goes to hell.

Earl:

I think when you talk about a connection and community, air, water, all of these things we all share. We’ll see the impacts in a country from something that’s happening very far away. In fact, when we were in New York City this last time, you started to see the ash from the wildfires that were happening in Canada. Look, we’re connected very closely and when you start to see the impacts that are happening in one place that impacts all of us…it doesn’t feel like the borders are so rigid anymore. It starts to feel like we’re occupying the same space. I think that’s another area that we get to explore with this show in the format that we do. Who is it that has these worldwide, global problems that they’ve received from elsewhere and then how do they take care of themselves?

There is a lot of stuff that just show how interconnected we are.

Lisa Niver:

Well, it’s interesting how it’s all sort of the same layer, right? The children are saying you’re making war and it’s hard for us to live. The fire in one place but the air doesn’t know where the border is. We’re all connected, the water. The lionfish is a huge issue that I’ve been writing about. This invasive species, rivers with pollution. Your show is very aspirational about how can we dream bigger, how can we work together and How can we find the good road?

Earl:

Yeah. That’s it.

Craig:

Earl referenced space earlier. I will say that last season, we did a couple episodes about space. One of the things that we talked about was the overview effect and being able to look back at the planet and realize that all the borders and all the things we put on it for ourselves, Earl, what’s the comment from the astronauts?

Earl:

They say once you’ve seen the Earth from afar then it changes everything. They call that an overview effect. They say that astronauts leave the planet as astronauts and come back as conservationists because you see the world from such an unlikely existence and how subtle any little changes are and how connected they were. So, I love that because if travel has the ability to change your mind or help you understand the world better then space travel even more so.

They talk about how transformative that experience can be. So, we highlighted an organization called Space Perspective that does exactly that. They’re starting to launch balloons into space so you’re 100 thousand feet in the air. It’s two hours up, two hours in space, two hours descent. You get that experience to see the world in a very different way. Travel is all of that. Travel is that experience that can really change you.

When I said you first go to Iraq and you’re not sure what to expect, I know for myself that if I have blind spots, misconceptions, or stereotypes, that it probably makes sense for me to go somewhere. I went to Sudan in January of this year. Again, it was a brief period while it was peace, and I was so blown away with how great that experience was afterwards because I had no clue what these people were like. Their Muslim traditions, they’re so welcoming. There were a million things I learned and saw about their hospitality, and way of life.

I think at the end of it, once you’ve gone and come back, then you start seeing those people, as not very different. It just breaks down all of these barriers that you have in your mind. For us, that’s the beauty of travel.

Lisa Niver:

Well that was an amazing summary of how fantastic your show is and why you’re about to launch season four on PBS. Again, congratulations on all of the awards and all the destinations and really bringing the issues around our planet into people’s living rooms. Before I let you go, could you just let people know first, season four, when is it coming? If they haven’t seen the first three seasons, where can they find you?

Earl:

There’s a couple different ways that you could see it. You could see it on PBS.org in their Passport app. You can also see seasons one through three on Amazon Prime. It’s ad supported, so it’s free. It’s on Delta Airlines and Roku. Google The Good Road for more options.

Season four will start airing in September of this year, 2023. It’s eight episodes per season. They’ll run them in primetime spots beginning of September.

So, season four will run September through October and then it’ll rerun for the next two years on PBS channel, so check your local listings or check it out on TheGoodRoad.TV.

Craig:

We’ve gotten into a cadence. Season five will probably also be in the fall, so we’ve gotten into a cadence now where you can see it every fall but also all year through Amazon Prime and PBS.org.

Lisa Niver:

Thank you so much for spending this time with me. I’m so excited for season four and to learn more about all the incredible characters and destinations and philanthropy projects. Thank you both for being here.

Earl:

Thank you so much for having us.

Craig:

Thank you, Lisa. Appreciate it.

Craig entering a school in Iraq season 4

Season FOUR GALLERY

The new season of The Good Road, Season 4 launches in September 2023 on GBH-WORLD and then on all PBS stations in January 2024 through American Public Television.

SEASON TWO: “In THE GOOD ROAD, Earl Bridges and Craig Martin – longtime philanthropists and best friends – trek around the world to meet people who are making a difference in their communities. In season two, the hosts explore places closer to home like Virginia, South Carolina and Puerto Rico, and destinations abroad such as India and the Burmese border, where the duo discover inspiring change-makers and the limitless power of good.” Watch on Amazon Prime more on Facebook and Instagram.

Earl Bridges is a self-proclaimed “philanthropologist,” filmmaker and tech entrepreneur who believes that authentic storytelling is key to fixing the world’s most pressing problems. He also advises, speaks and writes about the potential of corporate social responsibility, company culture and engagement for good. 

Craig Martin is a TV and film producer, director, writer and editor who has spent the past 30 years filming in war zones, disaster zones and remote villages in more than 85 countries. Craig has produced hundreds of projects, both long- and short-form, including the feature-length docudramas ‘The Insanity of God’ and ‘Free Burma Rangers;’ the Philanthropology podcast; and Confessions of a Philanthropologist.

Craig, Lisa and Earl recording for Make Your Own Map

TV

TGR HOSTS

You can now watch all of Season 3 of The Good Road online: https://t.co/e1lMdN3hf2

— The Good Road (@thegoodroadtv) October 30, 2022

We’re in beautiful Asheville, North Carolina, filming more of Season 4 of The Good Road.

We kicked off our trip with a kayaking expedition. pic.twitter.com/FB217MXO4T

— The Good Road (@thegoodroadtv) May 31, 2023

LISTEN on APPLE PODCAST: MAKE YOUR OWN MAP Lisa’s book: Brave-ish, One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After Fifty

The post Empowering Humanity with The Good Road Hosts Craig and Earl appeared first on We Said Go Travel.

Navigating Book Promotion: Expert Tips from PR Pros

PART ONE: Navigating Book Promotion: Expert Tips from PR Pros

In the ever-evolving world of book publishing, bringing your literary masterpiece to the forefront and connecting with readers can be a daunting task. As an aspiring author with a heartfelt story to share, I understand the challenges of navigating through the vast landscape of book promotion. 

While we may not all achieve overnight success or witness our books soaring to great heights immediately, there is no shortage of possibilities to explore and avenues to try. That’s why I sought the advice of seasoned Book Publicity Professionals who have honed their craft in promoting books to broader audiences. 

In this series of articles, I’m excited to share their expert tips they’ve graciously imparted – practical and actionable guidance to improve our book’s visibility and give it the best chance to resonate with readers. You can hire one of these professionals to open more doors and take your books one step closer to success!

Lisa Niver and Pauline Frommer speaking at the Travel and Adventure Show

CAMPAIGN FOR OFFICE
The advice that helped adjust my mindset the most was from Justin Loeber, CEO of Mouth Digital + Public Relations who told me, “The most important tip for an author is to treat their PR campaign as if they are campaigning for political office. Do every kind of media, shake everyone’s hand, and send thank you notes to those who have booked you. The audience is over saturated with content and the only way to compete is to go wide.” I really thought again and again about what he said when making choices about how to spend my time for my upcoming book launch next month.

ASK FOR HELP

I met Amy Stanton, founder and CEO of Stanton and Company, when I wrote about her book for Ms. Magazine. Her top tip is to “think about all of your relationships and how they can help – this is the time to call in favors! Ask your friends with a social media following to post and make it easy for them with prepared social media assets, ask your friends that run companies to buy 50, 100, 500 books, go through your contact list and use this as an opportunity to reconnect with old friends and colleagues and let them cheer you on (and support you) with this endeavor. People are always happy to help and appreciate being asked.” I love this suggestion to invite people to buy copies for their business or as holiday gifts or for an event. Remember to lean into what makes you different, Stanton loves to dance and had a launch event at her favorite studio which was one of my favorite book parties ever!

START YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA
Audra Leslie Boltion Ortiz of The BGPR advises new authors to build a dedicated social media profile for their project on all the relevant channels from Threads to TikTok at least a year in advance. She recommends that you “post at least 3x a week and engage, engage, engage. Embrace being on social media and become an active part of the community. Think of yourself as a participant in a town hall meeting. Follow others, comment on their accounts. Encourage others to follow you. It takes time to build a following and multiple accounts can be a lot to manage, but laying the ground work is important. These are the places where you can explore angles that resonate with your audience, find your voice, and become a source of information for media outlets.  Unless your project is about your social life, your account should be about your book and angles germane to the topic versus your personal account which might focus on dinner with your family or a feature a great selfie you took while on vacation.” I agree it is never too early to build your platform and I actually took different advice which was to use my name @LisaNiver for all my social media. I had grown my platform under my website, We Said Go Travel, and moved all my social to my author name. Whichever way you go, START BUILDING! I can see that social media can make it work as your name or your book name or your company name depending on your goals. When you hire a professional, Audra told me that they “work on campaigns from a holistic point of view–the success of a project is marked by a savvy plan and the ability to explore every avenue. We don’t pitch a contact once. I’m not waiting for it to come to me–every media hit matters. It’s about building a profile, building a brand.”

PREPARATION STARTS NOW

I went to the University of Pennsylvania and love to quote our founder, Benjamin Franklin, who said: “By failing to plan, you are preparing to fail”. 

Jane Tabachnick does it all including book coaching, indie publishing and pr she told me that authors should be prepared! What does that mean? Jane says, “Be ready for your close up. Prepare your media assets including your bio in both short and long form, a media one sheet press kit, a professional head shot, high-resolution book cover graphic, a book synopsis, interview topics, and your best contact information and make it so these are easily found on your website – typically on the media or press page, or author website.” This advice resonates with me as a journalist who has interviewed many authors for my podcast. I always wonder why is it so hard to find the book cover photo and the author photo so when I made my book page on my website, I have all of these things in one section as well as on my press page.

START A NEWSLETTER

Educate yourself about books and PR in the amazing sub stack called Publishing Confidential by Kathleen Schmidt. She told me one thing authors can do is start a newsletter. “Audience acquisition is valuable because you are landing in people’s inboxes. Social media algorithms are chaotic right now, so even if you have 25K followers or more, it doesn’t mean all those people, even a fraction of them, are seeing your posts. What do I mean by that? I mean that audiences are fragmented with so many social media platforms, and the attention economy is more competitive than ever. Writing a compelling newsletter and capturing emails means you can speak directly to the audience for your book.” I host my newsletter on Aweber, some people use mailchimp or other providers. Wherever you host it, make sure to share it on your social media.

WHAT MORE CAN YOU DO to PROMOTE your book? Look for more articles in this series coming up soon! Thank you to all the Book PR professionals who offered their advice. You can message them and hire them and pre-order my book too! It is a #1 HOT NEW RELEASE ON AMAZON for both paperback and digital!

READ MY NAVIGATING BOOK PROMOTION SERIES
PART ONE PART TWO PART THREE

The post Navigating Book Promotion: Expert Tips from PR Pros appeared first on We Said Go Travel.

Loreto: Exploring the Aquatic Wonders On and Under Water

Step into the enchanting world of Loreto, a coastal paradise nestled in Baja California Sur, Mexico, where the magic of the ocean beckons travelers from all corners of the globe with its extraordinary offerings both above and below the water’s surface. From the vibrant dance of the blue-footed boobies along the shoreline to the playful antics of the sea lions in their natural habitat, Loreto is a realm where aquatic wonders abound. Its pristine waters and diverse marine life have earned it the revered title of “The Aquarium of the World,” a tribute bestowed upon this remarkable destination by the renowned oceanographer, Jacques Cousteau.

Dive into the extraordinary world of Loreto with Loreto Sea and Land!

On our way to scuba diving—we saw a pod of dolphins, explored an enchanting cave, and encountered blue-footed boobies–they are not only in the Galapagos! Unforgettable moments that will leave you breathless! Experience this incredible marine paradise, so close to home! Just a quick 2-hour flight from LA to Mexico!

Enchanting Loreto Dive Journey: Unveiling Hidden Gems!

On our way to Danzante Island, we marveled at the majestic Iguana Rock and discovered the breathtaking beauty of Honeymoon Bay. A true oasis within a marine park! As the only dive boat in sight, we embarked on a short boat ride to our underwater paradise. Dive in and embrace the serenity!

After scuba diving, unwind with refreshing drinks at Bajamar by the Beach in Loreto!

Sip on delicious cocktails while taking in the stunning ocean views. And as the sun begins to set, join us for some kite flying and hula hooping near the shore. Let’s make unforgettable memories together as we celebrate the magic of Loreto at sunset!

https://youtube.com/shorts/hlv2DIV3Xb8

Unveiling Hidden Treasures: Loreto’s Captivating Water World!

Explore the wonders beneath the waves, where crystal-clear turquoise waters reveal playful sea lions, graceful stingrays, and captivating blue-footed boobies. Relax on stunning white sand beaches like Ensenada Blanca (White Bay). Witness colorful Sally Lightfoot crabs scurrying along the shore. We dove near enchanting Coronados Island with its stunning volcanic rock formations and the magnificent Arch of Coronado. Loreto’s aquatic paradise and marine park awaits your discovery!.

Unleashing the Magic: Hula Hooping while Kite Flying in Loreto, Mexico!

Experience the thrill of my first time hula hooping while soaring with a kite in the mesmerizing beauty of Loreto. Captured in enchanting slow motion by Erik from The Global Trip, this exhilarating moment will leave you in awe. Join me as we embark on this unforgettable adventure!

Dive into Adventure, Savor Pizza Delights, and Embrace Joyful Moments in Loreto!

Whether scuba diving in the pristine waters of the Sea of Cortez, indulging in mouthwatering treats, or taking a leisurely stroll in the vibrant town square, Loreto offers an abundance of experiences to cherish. From stunning sunrises to endless exploration, this captivating destination offers so much to see, do, and enjoy.

Fly with me! Direct from Los Angeles, California to Loreto,Mexico

As we bid farewell to Loreto, we carried with us cherished memories of this aquatic wonderland. The experience of witnessing the blue-footed boobies, sea lions, and the living aquarium had left an indelible mark on our souls. Loreto’s charm and allure will forever hold a special place in our travel memories, serving as a reminder of the beauty that lies within the heart of Mexico’s coastal treasures.

Should you ever find yourself drawn to the call of the ocean and the embrace of a magical Mexican pueblo, Loreto awaits with open arms, ready to immerse you in its captivating world of aquatic wonders. Until we meet again, may the spirit of Loreto’s blue-footed boobies and sea lions inspire you to explore the mysteries of the deep and revel in the magic of this extraordinary destination.

Read my article about Exploring the Enchantment of Loreto: A Magical Mexican Pueblo: Where to Stay and Where To Eat

Learn more about all of Lisa Niver’s adventures in her book, Brave-ish, One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After Fifty

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From Silos to Solidarity: Combating Antisemitism Together

By Jeffrey I. Abrams, Regional Director, ADL Los Angeles and Rabbi Noah Farkas, President and CEO, The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles

In February of this year, our Los Angeles Jewish community was gripped by a sadly familiar fear, when two identifiably Jewish men in the Orthodox neighborhood of Pico-Robertson were shot after leaving morning prayers. The suspected shooter had a history of sharing antisemitic, conspiracy-laden beliefs, and purposely sought out locations in L.A. where he knew members of the Jewish community lived, worked, and prayed. 

Just two weeks ago, the FBI raided a house in Reseda and arrested an avowed white supremacist and antisemite who threatened the mass murder of Jews. They found, among other items, bomb-making materials, “ghost” guns, and 3D printers to make firearms. This suspect not only espoused his hatred of Jews; he was also building the capacity to act on his deluded schemes.

Over the last several weeks, groups of online trolls have sought to disrupt Jewish prayer services in Los Angeles and throughout the country by calling in fake bomb threats targeting synagogues, “swatting” synagogues that livestream their in-person services.

We live in difficult times. Antisemitism is no longer a marginal threat; it is a clear and present danger. For too long, Jewish leadership has tried to “go it alone.” This approach has helped no one – not our respective supporters, volunteers, and staff, not our national counterparts, and certainly not our local communities. Often, the siloed approach leads to inefficient and confusing outcomes with multiple press releases, clashing statements, and uncoordinated actions. Even more importantly, this approach can hurt the coordination of vital information between Jewish institutions and law enforcement.

The time has come to move from competition to cooperation, from silos to solidarity. We must put the dire needs of our community over the ideologies of self-promotion. Since last year, a group of organizations have formed an Antisemitism Roundtable to do just that. The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), American Jewish Committee, Holocaust Museum LA, and the Board of Rabbis have met bi-monthly to build trust, mutual support, and to place the greater mission of the Jewish people at the center of our work.

Today, we are pleased to announce an outcome of these conversations when it comes to communal security. The Federation and ADL Los Angeles are launching the Southern California Jewish Security Alliance (SCJSA). We will merge ADL’s long-standing expertise on extremism and intelligence-gathering with the proficiency in training, assessments, and local intelligence monitoring of the Federation’s Community Security Initiative (CSI). ADL’s Center on Extremism will embed an intelligence analyst shared with CSI, focusing on threats in Southern California. These combined efforts will be a force-multiplier, adding strength to strength. Additionally, a third organization, Community Security Services, will join SCJSA and have an office at CSI to coordinate training of volunteers in our community to protect themselves. We hope to add additional members to the SCJSA in the weeks and months ahead.

The FBI raid in Reseda is an example of the power of collaborative information sharing. CSI’s close partnership with law enforcement led directly to the apprehension of the suspect. These relationships, which ADL and CSI have established over years of hard work, also helped to mitigate the disruption caused by internet trolls recently targeting a number of synagogues and Jewish institutions in our city.  We believe SCJSA will replicate this sort of collaboration on a broader scale.

While we are proud of the new security alliance, this is just the beginning.  In the past, we may have feared competition from one another for a limited pool of donors and influence. Now, the leadership of the Antisemitism Roundtable and the members of the SCJSA understand that speaking in unison makes our voices stronger. We encourage others to join our effort to put the community first by focusing on symbiotic outcomes. We look forward to growing our collaboration with other like-minded organizations, to create a more resilient, safe, and well-connected Jewish community.

By Jeffrey I. Abrams, Regional Director, ADL Los Angeles and Rabbi Noah Farkas, President and CEO, The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles

Condemn Antisemitism
Oppose Hate and Extremism Driven by Antisemitism
Make Communities Safe from Antisemitism
Block Antisemitism Online
Act Against Global Antisemitism
Teach about Antisemitism

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Swellcast Talks Travel with Lisa Niver

Listen to my interview on Swell

Thank you to Phil for interviewing me on Swell! I loved talking about Dorado Beach, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Puerto Rico, Beaches Turks and Caicos and my upcoming book, Brave-ish, One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After Fifty.

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Exploring the Enchantment of Loreto: A Magical Mexican Pueblo

As I set foot in the charming pueblo mágico of Loreto, I could feel the magic in the air enveloping me. Tucked away along the mesmerizing coastline of Baja California Sur, this hidden gem promised an authentic Mexican experience like no other. With its rich history, captivating culture, and awe-inspiring natural beauty, Loreto had beckoned me to uncover its secrets and immerse myself in its enchantment.

Allow me to be your guide on this journey of exploration, as we venture into the heart of Loreto, discovering the most alluring places to stay and savoring mouthwatering culinary delights. Whether you seek tranquility in a serene retreat or crave the excitement of an adventure-filled getaway, Loreto has something to offer everyone. Together, we will peel back the layers of this magical town and experience the allure that has captured the hearts of many before us.

Loreto es un Pueblo Magico

Where to Stay: Hotel Posada de Las Flores

From the moment I arrived at Hotel Posada de Las Flores, I knew I had found the perfect sanctuary to embrace the enchantment of Loreto. This quaint boutique hotel, ideally located at the heart of the pueblo and just steps away from the lively plaza, exuded a unique charm that instantly charmed me.

As I settled into my room, I was eager to explore what the hotel had to offer. I couldn’t resist heading straight to the rooftop pool area to witness the breathtaking views that awaited me. From this vantage point, I was treated to an awe-inspiring panorama of Loreto’s stunning landscape, with the azure waters of the Sea of Cortez stretching to the horizon. The warm rays of the sun embraced me as I relaxed by the pool, and I couldn’t help but feel grateful for choosing Hotel Posada de Las Flores as my home during this unforgettable journey.

Where to Eat: My culinary adventure in Loreto was an absolute delight, and the town’s vibrant food scene left me craving for more. Let me share with you some of the most memorable dining experiences that I cherished:

Indulging in the vibrant flavors and breathtaking views of Loreto, Baja Sur Mexico!

Indulging in the vibrant flavors and breathtaking views of Loreto, Baja Sur Mexico! Savoring the mouthwatering delights at Oasis and indulging in the delectable dishes at Margaritas for breakfast. The warm hospitality at Orlando’s and the refreshing craft brews at El Zopilote brewery made this culinary journey even more extraordinary. Cheers to unforgettable mornings and delectable memories! This trip has been a true feast for the senses!

Indulge in a Magical Sunset: Traditional Almejas Tatemadas Buffet Dinner at Hotel Oasis in Loreto!

Experience the enchantment as the sun paints the sky with hues of gold while savoring the flavors of traditional grilled clams. Join us for a feast of local delights against the backdrop of a breathtaking sunset. An unforgettable culinary experience awaits!

https://youtu.be/1mCTNtpSUgY

Get ready to dance the night away at Hotel Oasis Loreto!

Experience the mesmerizing melodies of Arabe Ortega, a master guitarist who will serenade you with enchanting tunes. Let the rhythm guide your feet as you create unforgettable memories on the dance floor. Join us for an evening of music, dance, and pure joy!

From Ashford Castle to Maasai Warriors: Hula Hooping Around the World! Loreto Mexico

But now, it’s time for an unforgettable first in Loreto, Mexico! Hula hooping filmed in mesmerizing slow motion by Erik from The Global Trip. Thank you Erik for this magical collaboration!

Discover Baja Cuisine: Mexican Flavors and Fresh Fish at Olivos in Hotel La Mision!

Immerse yourself in a culinary journey that celebrates the best of Baja. Experience the unique blend of traditional Mexican cuisine with a modern twist, where each dish is artfully crafted using the freshest fish caught daily from the abundant Sea of Cortez by local fishermen. Indulge in the flavors that capture the essence of Loreto’s coastal charm. A dining experience unlike any other awaits you at Olivos Restaurant!

Loreto, Mexico: Dinner at Marina Puerto Escondido, Live Music, and the Mesmerizing Sunset!

Immerse yourself in a magical dining experience at La Brisa Restaurant, nestled in the vibrant Marina Puerto Escondido. Delight in delectable cuisine while savoring the sounds of live music. As you dine, admire the elegant yachts and the breathtaking Loreto sunset painting the sky with vibrant colors. An evening of pure bliss awaits in Loreto, Mexico!

More Loreto in my article, Exploring the Aquatic Wonders On and Under Water

Learn more about all of Lisa Niver’s adventures in her book, Brave-ish, One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After Fifty

The post Exploring the Enchantment of Loreto: A Magical Mexican Pueblo appeared first on We Said Go Travel.

The Importance of Community and Networking for Writers

The Importance of Community and Networking for Writers: My Journey with Author Alka Joshi

Writing is a solitary pursuit, with authors spending countless hours lost in their own worlds with their stories. However, the value of community and networking cannot be overstated for writers. Building connections with fellow industry professionals enhances our craft and provides support, inspiration, and valuable opportunities. 

As an aspiring writer, I found great admiration for Alka Joshi‘s work. Her debut novel, “The Henna Artist,” captivated me with its rich storytelling and vivid portrayal of Indian culture. I wrote about her book for Ms. Magazine and sent her my article.

8 Books That Will Transport You

From her social media, I found out about her class at Kepler’s called Beyond the Manuscript about agents, publishers and working with developmental editors. She shared personal anecdotes as well as struggles and triumphs as a writer. She and her agent talked about the book process and of course re-writing!

When each of her next books came out, I wrote about those and interviewed Alka again! I loved The Secret Keeper of Jaipur and The Perfumist of Paris perhaps even more than the original book in the Jaipur trilogy!

Watch us on my award nominated podcast, Make Your Own Map, 

Through connections made during workshops and events, I had the chance to attend writing conferences and participate in critique groups. The support and advice I received helped me find my book agent.

After I interviewed Christie Tate, NYTimes bestselling author of GROUP and BFF, for my podcast, she encouraged me to ask Alka if she might be willing to read my book, Brave-ish, One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After Fifty. 

Not only did she read my book, but she also wrote this amazing blurb for me:

“Niver’s global travel exploits had me simultaneously chewing my fingernails and cheering her on as she challenged herself to greater and riskier feats in search of self. Compelling and engrossing. A must-read for fans of Wild and Eat, Pray, Love!”

My journey with the extraordinary author Alka Joshi has proven that it’s not just about crafting beautiful stories alone; it’s about immersing yourself in a world where passionate creators unite, elevate each other, and push the boundaries of imagination.

Thank you to Happiness Between Tails by da-AL for inspiring and first publishing this article.

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Ageless Ambition: Inspirational Leadership of Carolyn Ray, JourneyWoman

In this inspiring interview, meet Carolyn Ray, CEO of JourneyWoman who empowers women over 50 to travel. She is a dynamic and visionary leader who is shattering age-related stereotypes and encourages everyone to embrace their full potential.

Listen or watch our interview on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube or your favorite podcast platform

READ THE TRANSCRIPT BELOW

Lisa Niver:

Good morning. This is Lisa Niver. I’m the founder of, We Said Go Travel, and the author of Brave-ish, One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After Fifty. I’m so excited to be here today with my guest who I’ve actually met recently in real life. Good morning, Carolyn Ray. How are you?

Carolyn Ray:

Good morning. I’m great.

Lisa Niver:

I’m so happy to have you here to talk about JourneyWoman. You and I met at the incredible Women’s Travel Fest in NYC earlier this year, so could you tell people a little bit about your panel and how that got started?

Carolyn Ray:

We had a panel called Kickass Solo Women over 50, and we had three women on it. One was 83 and the others were in their fifties and sixties. I’ll just mention Diana because she is really, really amazing and we wanted to inspire people that you can still travel when you’re in your sixties or seventies or your eighties. And in Diana’s case you can travel like a rockstar and do all the things that you’ve dreamed of.

Lisa Niver:

It was a really inspirational panel. I love hearing about how did people get started traveling. What is a memory of your first trip or the trip that made you think, I’m going to keep doing this?

Carolyn Ray:

Well, I wasn’t a big traveler as a kid. I grew up in Florida, so most of our travel was to the Caribbean or kind of close to home. And when I was 18, I was actually sent over to Europe for school for a year, and it was the first time I’d been away a actually first time I’d been out of the North America. First time I’d been anywhere on my own. I had the opportunity to go to Spain and Italy and Morocco and learn a little bit about the world. When I got married in my twenties, I married somebody who wanted to travel, but within Canada, and which is where I live now. I really did start traveling until I was in my thirties and on my own. I had a little girl. She and I went to Europe when she was barely four years old. My first solo experience, if you will, with my little daughter who’s now 23.

Lisa Niver:

That’s amazing. For me, I started traveling on a family trip and then studied abroad in Israel. Studying in another country really changes your whole life.

Carolyn Ray:

It definitely does. And I don’t know that I really appreciated it at the time, but I certainly did as I got older and started to travel with work. I started to appreciate travel and the benefits of travel more than I did when I was younger. And as a mom, it’s something I’ve tried to expose my daughter to. She is an avid solo traveler. She travels all over the world. She’s living in London at the moment, so that makes me feel like I did something right. She’s got great perspective, one of the things you learn through travel. She’s got that nailed.

Lisa Niver:

That’s so incredible. I do think it’s a great gift that parents can give to their children–the freedom to explore, but also the safety net of knowing that they’re there for them. Ready to help them figure out how to travel in a way that feels comfortable to them. People often ask me; how do I get started? I tell them to take a cooking class in your own city. You don’t have to leave home to feel like you’ve started a traveling.

I know you have evolved professionally. Can you tell my listeners about owning Journey Woman and how can they get involved in the incredible women’s business directory and traveling with you?  There’s so much support in your organization!

Carolyn Ray:

I wasn’t a big traveler growing up, but I went into consulting for about 25 years and I had this really incredible travel experience going to Kenya. And I came back from that, it was about five years ago. It was the year I turned 50, and I came back from that and I decided that I did not want to play into the consumerism that I was seeing in the world. So I sold my house, I auctioned off everything, I got rid of everything and decided that I was going to travel full-time. And coincidentally or not in that same period of time, Evelyn Hannon, who started Journey Woman, her daughter and I, Erica were having lunch and talking about her mother. Her mother had cancer and they were looking for somebody to take over JourneyWoman.

Erica said to me–you would be the perfect person. And I said, I don’t know anything about travel. I don’t know anything about websites, but there were many, many things that happened that convinced me this was the right path for me. I had left my corporate job as well. So I was in this state of possibility. Whatever the world brings my way, I’m open to it.

Within six months, I had bought JourneyWoman and redesigned it. It was a 25 year old website and we had to build a new one. I had to get familiar with all the content. I had to learn about websites. It has been five years of completely learning a new a new career and an unexpected, but amazing new career and reinvention for me.

Lisa Niver:

So we have some similarities because I did 50 challenges before I turned 50. And one of them was I went to Kenya and I actually hula hooped with the Masai warriors.

Carolyn Ray:

I ran in the mornings with them, but I didn’t hoop.

Lisa Niver:

I travel with a hula hoop and I had special permission from Chief Richard to bring something so strange into their community. I had hooped in several of the Sanctuary Retreats camps. I was there with Abercrombie and Kent and I asked for permission.  It was actually the best reaction I’ve ever had. One of the warriors was excellent at Hula hooping. One of them laughed so hard he fell down. It was a funny day.

I love that you were thinking about what you wanted in your life. For someone’s listening and they are interested in reinvention and changing their life and traveling, what do they see when they come on JourneyWoman? What’s available?

Carolyn Ray:

Journey Woman, when I bought it was one newsletter. Now we have four newsletters that go out every month. We’ve expanded the site quite a bit. We have an editorial team of 10 women all over 50. I just brought on a new writer Tanzi Con who writes about accessible solo travel. And not only is there great travel writing, but there’s also travel tips, there’s safety information. We have a women’s travel directory that has women friendly tours and trips and retreats and we’re just about to launch small ships. We also have places to stay so women can either recommend or find a safe place to stay recommended by another woman. It always was seen as a resource, but now even more so. We don’t book travel. We don’t operate tours. We’re separate from that.

It is a place where women can go if they want to learn how to get started in solo travel. We have a lot of women that are in their fifties or sixties that are widows that have never traveled on their own. That are kind of doing what I did, which is you suddenly get divorced, and you have this change in your life and you realize that you want to go see the world. You want to do things and you’re curious and all the stuff you’ve never done because you’ve been raising kids and looking after families and a job and all of this. So that’s what the site is. We are the oldest in the world. We’re probably the largest in the world in terms of mailing list and the women are amazing.

Lisa Niver:

That is great! You said you studied in Europe and I know you’re always looking for somewhere where you can speak Spanish and get a great margarita when you’re traveling. When you’re traveling, what are you looking for? What’s a destination that inspires you or calls to you?

Carolyn Ray:

I like to travel in places that are a little lesser known. And I like to stay for a long time. So in 2021, I spent four months in Mexico. Last year I spent three months in Europe, two of those in, in a small town in Spain. I’m looking for places that are a little bit off the grid, but still close enough to a big center for transportation and safety and healthcare. I live part of my life in Toronto, but the rest of the year I am trying to live for a long time in a place so I can learn about it. I’m just in the process of figuring out where I’m going to do that this winter.

Lisa Niver:

Congratulations! Travel Pulse named you one of the most influential women in travel.

Carolyn Ray:

When we talk about women’s travel in particular, this is about empowering women to live the life of their dreams, to achieve their potential. Travel for me is all about self-discovery and in some cases healing. That’s what I see JourneyWoman as– it’s a place where we can not only inspire women to travel, but empower them to be bold, to be confident, to be brave by supporting each other. We have this amazing Facebook group called Solo Travel Wisdom for Women Over 50. It is growing by 500, a thousand people a week. Women are finding us because we’ve never done any promotion or advertising.  JourneyWoman has always been a word of mouth secret and now people are finding us and they’re signing up and getting the newsletters and joining the groups and book clubs and community calls and meetups and all the other things that we do. There’s a lot going on.

Lisa Niver:

Wow. It’s so incredible. Congratulations.

Carolyn Ray:

I have a wonderful team. I have a lot of volunteers. A lot of women have been part of JourneyWoman for 25 or more years. We have volunteers that run our book clubs and our Facebook group. These women are so wise and they’re so strong. When you reach a certain point in your life, you don’t worry about what everyone else is thinking. You do what serves you. And when we get into our fifties, that’s the way we think. We are not so worried about I should do this or I should do that, or there’s rules or any of this stuff. Now it’s my time. And that’s what we see happening with Women Over 50.

Lisa Niver:

You focus on empowering women to lead their best lives. You hired someone specifically about accessibility, which is really crucial. So many people have invisible disabilities that really impact how they feel in the world, especially on the road. Can you talk more about the issue of ageism and travel?

Carolyn Ray:

We did a study last year and talked about it at Women’s Travel Fest. We discovered that first of all, 70% of women over 50 feel ignored or undervalued by the travel industry. And that’s exhibited in things like the single supplement and terminology that’s used to describe older women as well as the photography that’s being used. Not only isn’t it diverse, but also not showing women with mobility aids and that kind of thing. It is about women over 50 being seen and this isn’t just a travel problem. This is a Western society problem. We have to change that.

This is a lot of what I’m spending my time on, talking about age in a positive way. JourneyWoman has always done that, but now we’re being much more vocal about it. We’re also talking about things like human trafficking and accessibility. We’re talking about things tha, sometimes people don’t want to talk about. It is really important to me that we provoke conversation in a healthy, positive way about all these topics and issues that need to be discussed. If I don’t do it, who will?  

I’m happy to do it and I’m happy to use Journey Women as a platform to help women understand all the challenges we’re facing. And that includes sustainable travel and understanding the impact of carbon and there’s a lot of things in travel we need to be talking about. We really need to think about what we’re doing and how we’re doing it.

Lisa Niver:

I completely agree. Travel is a great way to educate people. I know for myself, the more and more I travel everywhere I’ve been around the world, every parent I’ve met wants the same thing for their children. They want their children to be happy. They want them to be healthy, they want them to have great opportunities. We’re really so much more the same. It’s so important that we focus on that. That study sounds incredible that you’ve got in information that 70% of women feel ignored. Is there a link to that on the website?

Carolyn Ray:

We have a whole section about women over 50 travel. We have all kinds of articles in there and they’re partly targeted to the travel industry, but they’re also targeted to us as women to find our voice and speak up and make sure that we’re advocating for ourselves. We have tools there to work with both the industry and with the traveler.

Lisa Niver:

My final question I’ve been asking people is related to my book that’s coming out. My book is BRAVE-ish, One Breakup, Six Continents, and Feeling Fearless after 50. I did 50 challenges before I turned 50. What do you think was the most worthwhile challenge you have done or something that’s bubbling up, something you really want to do? We know that you turned 50 and pivoted. You bought this company and you went to Kenya. You’ve really done a lot of incredible things already, but is there something still bubbling up for you or something from when you were younger that led to your ability to make those action steps?

Carolyn Ray:

I want to go to places that I haven’t been at all. I’m looking at Africa, I’m looking at places that are a little bit off the beaten path where I can go and lead the way in terms of places that need tourism. I think we’re all learning to be fearless. Lisa, something I did recently that was a scary experience for me was this idea of transformational travel and working on your stuff. It’s not just going to see a place, but it’s actually taking yourself out of your normal environment and putting yourself in a place where you can feel free to kind of work on, in my case, things that were holding me back, from fully expressing who I am.

Travel can be great because you’re out of your normal routine. You’re in a place that you may not now, it opens up possibility and all kinds of other things.

Lisa Niver:

Many people now are using this term transformational travel. So when you say that, do you mean that because you left your normal routine and you’re somewhere else, it’s transformational? Or, do you mean that it was a guided group where you did meditation and therapy and group work? Or somewhere the middle?

Carolyn Ray:

Yes, it was guided. It was facilitated. I thought I was going on a wellness yoga and meditation retreat but that is not what it was. I actually wrote about it on Journey Woman and it was so unexpected. I lost both my parents during the pandemic.

Lisa Niver:

I’m so sorry.

Carolyn Ray:

I don’t think I ever really dealt with the grief and, and a little bit of the anger from when you can’t get to people, which was the case with my father, I couldn’t get to him in time. I was carrying around that emotion and I wanted to be rid of it and I wanted to move on. Acknowledge it, but move on. And I didn’t know I needed that until I went to this experience which was nearby in Quebec City. Not too far from where I live now in Toronto. But it was enough of a shift with a really amazing woman Tania Carriere at Advivum Journeys. I had this massive moment where I realized how connected my mind and my body are and how the way we think affects the way we feel.

If you’re not feeling yourself or you’re not feeling like you can be brave or courageous in your life, it might change the way you travel too, because you might hold back from the things that you really want to do and, and the experiences you really want to have because you feel guilty or you feel scared. And, that’s what this transformational experience was. I came out of it so full of energy and so full of optimism. I’ve been clearing out all this negative energy that I was carrying with me and now look out!

Lisa Niver:

I’m glad that you were able to do that. There’s a book, SuperSurvivors, I love and they talk about how there is post-traumatic stress, but there’s also post-traumatic growth. I’m so glad that you had this opportunity. Again, I’m so sorry about your family and not being able to be with them. We can link in the notes to your article so people can read more.

Carolyn Ray:

And it’s never too late. I did some work on myself 30 years ago –that was like the last time I had a therapeutic experience when I went through my divorce. And I thought, I’m good now, I don’t need it again. Now I realize our internal journey is just as important as our external journey and they’re completely connected. If we don’t acknowledge that, then we’re holding ourselves back from what we can be. The journey is ongoing. I would invite anyone, even if you think I’m okay, which is what I thought, there’s a reason the universe put this retreat in front of me. There’s a reason that I went to it because it was very impulsive and it literally changed my life. I advocate for transformational Travel.

Lisa Niver:

I love that I got this chance to speak with you and I know people are going to be so interested and curious to learn more from you and read your article and join Journey Woman. So tell everybody how do they get involved, what do you recommend when they come on the site? Where is it and how do they start?

Carolyn Ray:

We’re at JourneyWoman.com. I would invite women to sign up for our newsletter. There’s a button right at the top of the site. You’ll get our book club emails, our monthly email, you’ll get recommended products called Things She Loves and also travel deals and discounts on solo travel with all of our all of the companies and small businesses and our women’s travel directory.

Lisa Niver:

I can see why you’ve had so many women’s awards and business awards and why you are the chair of the Canadian Society of American Travel Writers. Everyone would like the chance to be near you and learn from you. So thank you so much for sharing and coming on my show and sharing your insight with us.

Carolyn Ray:

This was fun, Lisa. Thank you.

Lisa Niver:

Thank you. And happy birthday

Carolyn Ray:

. Yay, 60. Here I come.

BIO

In 2022 alone, Carolyn travelled to 17 countries in the off season, spending several months in Mexico and Spain. She is always seeking new destinations where she can continue to enjoy margaritas, learn Spanish and live the life of her dreams. Carolyn was named one of the most influential women in travel by TravelPulse in March 2023 for her work bringing awareness to the influence of women in travel. Incoming chair of the Canadian chapter of the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW), she is also a member of the Travel Media Association of Canada (TMAC) and the Transformational Travel Council (TTC).

Last week, I woke up to this article – TravelPulse's 2023’s Most Influential Women in Travel – and saw my photograph, alongside women I admire greatly, like @LolaAkinmade and Christine Winebrenner Irick.

Journalist @MiaTaylorWrit…https://t.co/QGmTkin4xF https://t.co/zdVLR7vXnD

— Carolyn Ray (@thecarolynray) March 30, 2023

Led by CEO and Editor Carolyn Ray, JourneyWoman is beloved among mature women 50+ and known as the original women’s solo travel publication, inspiring generations of adventurous, courageous women to travel safely and well. Through our Women’s Travel Directory, we support and connect women-owned businesses around the world. If you’re a woman passionate about travel, join us at www.journeywoman.com.

Carolyn Ray, CEO, JourneyWoman

Carolyn Ray has been a driving force in empowering women to travel solo and fostering a well-connected community of women travelers. In 2019, after 25 years in senior consulting roles, she took over JourneyWoman, the world’s first publication for solo women travelers.

While JourneyWoman has always been an important source of inspiration for solo women, under Ray’s leadership the brand continues to expand as Ray works to empower women to live their best lives, while also supporting women entrepreneurs and small businesses through the publication’s Women’s Travel Directory.

“As the CEO of the world’s largest and oldest solo travel publication, I feel a deep sense of responsibility and accountability to continue the legacy of JourneyWoman,” says Ray. “I also want to represent my readers and give mature women a voice in an industry that they feel has ignored them. I also love that we’re leading discussions that aren’t happening at all at any other women’s solo travel publications, around issues like human trafficking, ageism and accessibility. Four years ago, I transitioned into travel and full-time travel writing, and I have loved every single moment of it.”

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A post shared by JourneyWoman Solo Travel for Women 50+ (@journeywoman_original)

More on Facebook, and find Carolyn on Instagram and in the New York Times

JourneyWoman in the @nyttravel! Read on for travel tips from @thevmcarolynray#solotravel #womanempowered https://t.co/k1L2f5KZYd pic.twitter.com/ON9w8pMeKr

— JourneyWoman™ Women's Travel (@Journeywoman) July 30, 2023

Carolyn Ray and Lisa Niver filming for Make Your Own Map July 2023

LISTEN on APPLE PODCAST: MAKE YOUR OWN MAPLisa’s book: Brave-ish, One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After Fifty Lisa Niver and Carolyn Ray at Women’s Travel Fest, NYC, 2023

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BRAVE-ish on WLS RADIO 890 with Colleen Kelly

Thank you to Travel Expert Colleen Kelly and Co-Host Megan Kudla for inviting me on their show: Round Trip With Colleen Kelly to talk about my memoir, Brave-ish, One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After Fifty Colleen and I first met at Joanne Vero’s Travel Media Showcase in Texas! I wrote about the conference for HuffPost! During the Girlfriend Get-away, I learned about Tammilee’s 40 before 50 which led to my 50 before 50 project!I saw her again in 2017 when the conference was in North Carolina

We saw each other this year in New York City  IMM North America which is TravMedia’s Leading Media Networking Event. I had so many exceptional meetings I had to make TWO VIDEOS: Part 1 and Part 2

AND!! We were together in San Diego for Emily Kaufman’s CAMP TRAVEL MOM 2023

Colleen Kelly and Lisa Niver at Camp Travel Mom 2023My episode on ROUND TRIP WITH COLLEEN KELLY!LISTEN on SPOTIFY

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This week on Round Trip, Colleen Kelly and Megan are focusing on women in travel who are 40 and over! It’s a group of travelers not to discount. They’re everywhere, seeking new adventures, and coming together to share their experiences. On this episode, our hosts will be joined by a journalist and author to talk about her new book surrounding this very topic, and the founders of a company that focuses on health and wellness products which women over 40 will love!

More Information from our Guests can be Found Here:
lisaniver.com
plantjuiceoils.com

ABOUT BRAVE-ish

Although Lisa Niver has traveled in far-off locales from Vanuatu to Nepal and received numerous accolades for both her writing and her top ranked website, what people don’t realize is that this began from the wreckage of a rotten romance.

Newlywed Niver was on the adventure of a lifetime. She had quit her job, rented out her condo, and was traveling around Asia. To the outside world, Niver was a woman living out her dreams of exploring ancient ruins in Cambodia and seeing orangutans in Borneo. In private, she was keeping a dark secret. But, when she found herself lying on a sidewalk in Thailand, looking up at the sky in severe pain, she knew things had to change. At age forty-seven, Niver found the courage to set course on a new life.

Feeling like a failure, pushing fifty, and moving home to her parents’ house to start again from scratch, Niver started taking one tiny “brave-ish” step at a time to take her life far away from the old one and into the adventurous world of travel writing. These small hurdles led to the challenge of trying fifty new things before turning fifty. From diving into shipwrecks, swimming with sharks, bobsledding at 3 Gs, to indulging in wild escapades, Niver found herself traversing the world on a journey of reinvention, personal growth, and discovering what it actually means to be “brave.”

While Brave-ish chronicles Niver’s inspiring expeditions to distant corners of the world including Myanmar, Cuba, Morocco, Kenya and Mongolia this is more than a travelogue. Niver’s story is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of perseverance. Brave-ish inspires readers to dream big, take risks, and embrace the unknown to create a life filled with wonder and excitement, even when courage seems elusive.

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My Unforgettable “Firsts” in Destin-Fort Walton Beach, Florida

My Unforgettable “Firsts” in Destin-Fort Walton Beach, Florida: Fishing, Lionfish Derby Judge, and Artificial Reef Deployment!

A sense of exhilaration and anticipation filled the air as I set foot in the stunning coastal paradise of Destin-Fort Walton Beach, Florida. This adventure including a series of thrilling “firsts!” From the excitement of casting my line for the very first time to the honor of serving as a judge at the Emerald Coast Open Lionfish Derby Restaurant Week and witnessing the awe-inspiring artificial reef deployment, each experience was incredible. Join me as I share my journey from my time in Destin:

https://youtube.com/shorts/CifJCYPyZ9M

Honored to be a judge at Emerald Coast Open Restaurant Week in beautiful Destin, Florida!

”Eat Lionfish to Beat Them.” It’s incredible how the choices we make on our plates can have a positive impact on our oceans. By enjoying delicious lionfish dishes, we’re helping control their population and protect our marine ecosystems. I ate at two exceptional restaurants that showcased the versatility of lionfish prepared in multiple ways. First, La Paz Mexican Restaurant delighted my taste buds with their lionfish tacos, ceviche, and grilled lionfish with a mouthwatering tropical salsa. Each dish showcased the delicate flavor and tender texture of lionfish, combined with the vibrant and bold flavors of Mexican cuisine. It was a true fiesta of flavors that left me craving for more! Second, We ate outside on the water at Harbor Docks, where they prepared lionfish in a variety of innovative ways. From lionfish sushi rolls to lionfish sliders with tangy aioli, every bite was a delightful adventure. Their culinary creativity truly highlighted the potential of lionfish as a delicious seafood option. It was an absolute feast for both the eyes and the palate! Not only did these restaurants deliver exceptional dining experiences, but they also shared valuable information about the lionfish invasion. Lionfish, native to the Indo-Pacific, have become an invasive species in the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, wreaking havoc on native marine life. By incorporating lionfish into their menus, these restaurants are actively promoting awareness and sustainable solutions. By supporting these restaurants during Emerald Coast Open Restaurant Week, we’re not only treating ourselves to incredible meals but also joining the fight against the lionfish invasion. Together, we can make a difference and protect our precious marine ecosystems! Remember, every choice matters. Let’s explore sustainable dining options, try new flavors, and help preserve the beauty of our oceans for future generations to enjoy!

Lisa Niver diving the brand new reef with Alex Fogg, Photo by Alex Fogg

What an incredible day on the water in Destin, Florida, with marine biologist Alex Fogg!

Okaloosa County’s Coastal Resource Team deployed 38 prefabricated artificial reef modules off the coast of Destin-Fort Walton Beach, an exciting initiative that highlights the community’s dedication to marine conservation. At sunrise, we set out on a boat to join this remarkable effort. With Alex’s expertise guiding us, we witnessed the careful placement and strategic planning involved in creating these artificial reefs. The team’s commitment to preserving marine life and promoting sustainable practices was truly inspiring. A big thank you to Alex Fogg for sharing his knowledge and passion for marine conservation and allowing me to join him to see the deployment and dive the new reef with him. Destin, Florida, is called the luckiest fishing village but I call it the smartest because they have Alex and Jessica and two other marine biologists as part of the Visit Destin Fort Walton Team!

Fishing with Gabby from Lady Luck Adventures in Destin, Florida!

What an incredible day out on the water with Gabby from Lady Luck Adventures in Destin, Florida! I had the privilege of going on my very first fishing trip, and let me tell you, it was an absolute blast! Gabby, our amazing captain, made sure we had a fantastic time from start to finish. Her knowledge and expertise were truly impressive, and she made the experience both educational and fun. I was with Shayna and it was her first day of fishing also! But the highlight of the day? I caught my FIRST fish ever! The exhilaration I felt as I reeled it in was absolutely indescribable. It was a moment of pure joy and accomplishment. Thanks to Gabby’s guidance, I was able to make it happen! I can’t stress enough how much fun I had on this trip. The beautiful waters of Destin provided the perfect backdrop for a day filled with laughter, excitement, and great company. Lady Luck Adventures truly lives up to its name! If you’re ever in Destin, Florida, and looking for an unforgettable fishing experience, I highly recommend booking a trip with Gabby and Lady Luck Adventures. You won’t be disappointed!

CAREing for turtles program at Gulfarium

Jessica Valek is a dedicated marine biologist with Visit Destin Fort Walton, who shared her passion for marine conservation and rehabilitation of sea turtles. We learned about sea turtle nests and their life cycle, saw the turtle hospital and did interactive turtle assessments to learn about the challenges turtles face in their natural habitats and the importance of conservation efforts. Red-light flashlights can help protect these magnificent creatures.

Exciting day exploring Gulfarium in beautiful Destin, Florida! Immerse yourself in the wonders of marine life at Gulfarium, where captivating experiences await. From up-close encounters with dolphins and sea lions to fascinating turtle assessments with marine biologist Jessica, there’s something for everyone to enjoy and learn from. The interactive programs at Gulfarium provide a unique opportunity to connect with marine animals and deepen your understanding of their habitats. Witness the intelligence and agility of dolphins as they perform incredible stunts, and marvel at the grace of sea lions as they showcase their skills. Don’t miss the chance to join the CAREing program led by Jessica, where you’ll gain insights into the well-being of sea turtles through hands-on observations. Discover the dedication and passion behind sea turtle conservation efforts and how you can make a difference. Gulfarium’s commitment to education and conservation is truly inspiring. Their team of experts is dedicated to protecting marine life and preserving our oceans for future generations. Plan your visit to Gulfarium in Destin, Florida, and embark on a journey of discovery and appreciation for the incredible creatures that call our oceans home.

Leaving Destin, Florida with gorgeous views, reflecting on an incredible journey!

From being a first-time judge at the exhilarating Lionfish Derby to experiencing the thrill of fishing for the very first time, and even witnessing the deployment of an artificial reef, my time in Destin has been filled with unforgettable adventures and breathtaking moments. The Lionfish Derby showcased the importance of controlling this invasive species, and I was honored to play a role in promoting sustainable practices. You can save the world while you savor your meal! Casting my line for the first time, feeling the tug, and reeling in my catch brought an indescribable sense of accomplishment and joy. Fishing in Destin’s pristine waters is an experience I’ll cherish forever. And then there was the awe-inspiring moment of witnessing the deployment of an artificial reef. The careful placement of each module and the team’s dedication to marine conservation left me in awe of the efforts being made to protect and enhance our precious ecosystems. As my flight ascends, I’m filled with gratitude for the incredible memories made in Destin. The beauty of this coastal paradise, the kindness of its people, and the sense of adventure that lingers in the air will forever hold a special place in my heart. Thank you, Destin-Fort Walton Beach, for the opportunity to explore, learn, and create lasting memories. Until we meet again!

My interview with Alex FoggMy interview with Alex was also featured on MSN and DiveNewsWire Want to know more about my adventures? I did 50 Challenges before I turned 50! Read all about it in my book, Brave-ish, One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After Fifty.

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