Tag: inspiration

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8 Years of Gluten-Free Globetrotter

Erin Smith

Celebrating 8 years of Gluten-Free GlobetrotterThis month marks 8 years of this Gluten-Free Globetrotter website. This is quite the milestone considering it takes on average 6-10 years to even get a celiac diagnosis in the United States. I have been living and traveling gluten-free since my diagnosis way back in 1981. I do not know any other way of living but with celiac disease. This blog has become my passion project over the past 8 years. I hope that it has encouraged you to travel and never to let celiac disease stop you from living a full and fabulous life.

As I sit back and reflect on the past 8 years, I feel beyond grateful for all of the wonderful gluten-free travel experiences that I’ve experienced. I have also met some really amazing gluten-free travelers from across the globe. (Read more here in one of my favorite posts to date!) I encourage you to use the search tool on the side of this page to see posts from the past eight years from around the world.

Highlights of the past 8 years of Gluten-Free Globetrotter include:

In total, I have now been to 23 countries and 37 states, all while living completely gluten-free!  It has been a wonderful experience traveling the globe and eating gluten-free all along the way. I hope you have enjoyed reading my blog over the past 8 years and that I have encouraged you to travel while living with celiac disease. Thank you for reading!

 

general, Gluten-Free Travel Tips

Five Tools to Help You Find Gluten-Free Meals When Traveling

Erin Smith

 

When traveling with celiac disease, we are always on the hunt for celiac-friendly places to grab a meal. Whether you are in the next town over or on the other side of the globe, finding food that is gluten-free can sometimes be a challenge. I usually do as much research ahead of time, but there are also times you need to find something while on the go. There are some great tools which can help you navigate your way to a gluten-free meal when away from home.

Continue reading “Five Tools to Help You Find Gluten-Free Meals When Traveling” →

Asia, Europe, general, Gluten-Free Travel News, USA

2018 Gluten-Free Globetrotter Year in Review: The People

Erin Smith

2018 was another big year for Gluten-Free Globetrotter. I went to six countries, traveled via air and car around 100,000 miles (if not more), and moved back to New York City from California via a cross-country road trip. One of my favorite trips of the year was an unexpected work trip to Singapore. What a beautiful and interesting country. I also loved my cross-country road trip with my mom and South Dakota was a surprise fave from the drive. I also went to Mexico, France, and Germany and yes, I still need to write about all of those trips too!

With all of these adventures, I did a lot of gluten-free eating but also met a lot of wonderful people across the globe. Honestly, meeting fellow celiac travelers is always a highlight of travel for me. These women (always women, go figure!) never let their diagnosis and gluten-free life stop them from seeing the globe. These are my people! I get giddy when I have another gluten-free “blind date” with these celiac friends from near and far… and some of these meet ups were very far from home.

Continue reading “2018 Gluten-Free Globetrotter Year in Review: The People” →

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Getting My Travel Groove Back

Erin Smith

I left a job last October that required me to get on a plane and fly to Portland, Oregon every six weeks. This took a lot out of me so once I quit, I stayed put for a while. I didn’t lose my love of travel, I was just tired of work travel. Then, life in New York City got busy. Hustling for freelance work, moving in with my boyfriend in Brooklyn, and family visits kept me in NYC more than usual. I had a few small trips since January but I felt like I was missing something.

Travel has been an integral part of my life for most of my life. Over the past ten years, I aimed to take one big trip and many smaller trips in between. Researching these trips, planning the details, and then finally going away gave me a thrill in a way that was not reproducible by staying home. It wasn’t until I started planning my Mexico trip this July that I realized exactly how much I was missing travel. I missed the researching and planning of where to go, what to do, and where to eat. I missed brushing up on foreign languages. I missed preparing myself by reading up on the cultures of the countries and cities I planned to visit. I missed the excitement for breaking out my passport for an international flight. I missed it all!

Coming back from Mexico City two weeks ago, I reflected on my absolute love of travel and how much of the world I have left to see. I felt enriched by the people I met, the foods I ate, and the history I got to see with my own eyes. I had reignited my curiosity and passion of exploring far away lands both by myself and with those I love. I appreciated the travel opportunities I’ve had so far and longed for what is yet to come.

I wrote this post yesterday from 37,000 feet above the ground flying to a conference I am working at in Dallas, Texas this week. I have a trip to Europe planned in October and a family trip to Wisconsin in November. I have not one, but FOUR road trips planned over the next two months. Two gluten-free conferences, one food conference, and my college reunion! I am once again excited to plan, travel, and reflect on all of the amazing opportunities I get to explore the world.

I got my travel groove back.

 

Howdy Texas!
Howdy Texas! My view as I land in Dallas.
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Gluten-Free Globetrotter Global Visitors

Erin Smith

My absolute favorite part of writing Gluten-Free Globetrotter® is connecting with people from around the world. Your comments emails, tweets, and Facebook posts coming from all corners of the earth make writing this website HUGELY rewarding.

I have met travelers near and far, virtually and in person through this website. I had lunch with an Australian blogger and her family while visiting New York City. I became friendly with a Croatian chef and tour guide via Skype. I helped a mother of a newly diagnosed girl plan their first gluten-free trip to the Bahamas. I dined with lovely Celiacs at a gluten-free restaurant in Costa Rica. I truly believe that I get as much from my readers as they get from reading Gluten-Free Globetrotter. All of this global support means the world to me… literally!

I was curious to see exactly where my readers are coming from and to say I was surprised would be the understatement of the year. There are 196 countries in the world. I had web visitors from 149 of these countries since January 2015. In just 7 months, gluten-free travelers from 76% of the globe have visited my site!! I cannot thank you enough for searching for gluten-free travel tips and finding Gluten-Free Globetrotter. My goal by the end of the year is to get a reader from every single country in the world.

Thank you to all of my Gluten-Free Globetrotter visitors. I hope our gluten-free travel paths cross in person one day. Until then, safe gluten-free travels!

Gluten-Free Globetrotter Travel Visitors