Carolyn & John Barrett

Carolyn & John

We are John & Carolyn Barrett.  We love to travel, see and experience new things and meet new people. We got married on Valentine's Day in 2012. John was a semi professional photographer and photo tour leader in addition to working in cybersecurity (now retired). Carolyn is a professional volunteer. She delivers for Meals on Wheels and is the area leader for a self help group called Recovery International (just a few of the many things she does). 

Since retiring in 2023, we have upped our travel game. We are actively involved in the Go With Less community on Facebook. We have been blessed with meeting a whole group of active travelers (some retired & some not) who we get to "run into" all over the world. 

We completed a self Imposed challenge of taking our photo at every United States border sign (and a few in Canada). 

We have a Polarsteps log of our travels. If you want to see our photos from different trips, then go to our site: https://www.polarsteps.com/TheBarretts

What we've done 

All links below go to our shared photo albums.


2025

1/10 - 2/12 3 Caribbean cruises and Puerto Rico 

1/11 - 1/21 VirginVoyages (San Juan, Tortola, St Kitts, Antigua, Martinique, Barbados, St Lucia, St Vincent)

1/21 - 1/26 Fajardo Puerto Rico

1/26 - 2/2 RCL (San Juan, St Croix, St Thomas, St Martin, Sint Maarten, Martinique, Barbados) with friends

2/2 - 2/8 NCL (San Juan, Dominican Republic, Aruba, Curasao, St Lucia, St Kitts) with friends

2/8 - 2/12 Dorado Puerto Rico


2024

1/13 - 1/18 MSC cruise with Mom

2/5 - 2/15 Auckland New Zealand

2/15 - 2/24 Sydney Australia, Virgin Cruise, Melbourne Australia

2/24 - 3/17 South Island New Zealand driving trip

3/17 - 3/28 Bali

3/28 - 4/4 Sydney and Blue Mountains

4/4 - 4/12 Great Barrier Reef Cairns Australia

4/12 - 5/9 Transpacific cruise - Tahiti, Hawaii, Vancouver

5/9 - 5/18 Banff & Jasper Canada

5/25 - 6/10 RV trip from Los Angeles to Chicago

7/4 - 7/6 Simpsonville
 7/6 - 7/17 Florida - Orlando, Daytona Beach housesit

7/25 - 7/27 Simpsonville

8/1 - 8/4 Carolyn - Emerald Isle Beach Interplay

8/16 - 8/24 Asheville housesit (Wallie & Winnie)

9/2 - 9/9 Virgin Voyages (Key West & Bahamas with Amy & Tim)

9/18 - 10/22 Canada & Hawaii 

9/18 - 10/4 Road trip British Columbia

10/4 - 10/12 RCL cruise (Vancouver to Hawaii)

10/13 - 10/22 Oahu & Kauai

12/8 - 12/13 Disney with Mom

12/17 - 12/20 John Atlanta

12/20 - 12/21 Simpsonville


2023
 1/21 - 2/1 Cancun Mexico

2/1 - 2/8 Virgin Voyages Cruise

5/9 - 5/13 Busch Gardens Tampa - First retirement trip

5/19 - 5/12 Houseboat in Virginia with Family

5/12 - 6/24 Canada cruise and Road Trip

7/19 - 7/23 Boone with friends

8/21 - 9/1 London

9/1 - 9/19 Carnival Cruises British Islands to Rome

9/19 - 10/4 Rome, Valencia, Granada

10/4 - 10/18 Norway Northern Lights Princess Cruise

10/18 - 11/15 GWL Northern Europe and Transatlantic cruises on Norwegian

12/24 - 12/29 Williamsburg, VA with family


2022

2/12-2/13 Virginia Beach Whale Watch

2/19-3/6 Arizona (Sedona, Phoenix)

3/26-4/3 Death Valley and Las Vegas

4/19-20 Asheboro Getaway & zoo w Mom
4/23-5/3 visit dad & Asheville Housesit
6/18-6/23 WA Housesit
6/24-7/4 Alaska Cruise, drive from Denver
7/21-7/24 C Beach Interplay
8/1-8/9 Raleigh Housesit
8/24-9/2 Asheville Housesit
10/2-10/9 Canada Cruise


2021 

1/1-1/3 Williamsburg - Busch Gardens Christmas lights / Bluegreen park side Ascend hotel 

1/16-1/18 Carolina Beach - courtyard Marriott 

2/23-2/27 Ft Lauderdale - Silver Seas Beach Resort 

3/12-14 Asheboro AirBNB w J&J + puffins Zoo tour

4/4 Simpsonville Easter 

5/14-15 Clarksville VA Coopers Landing B&B 

5/22-26 Simpsonville then Getaway Asheboro Zoo (Rydables) 

6/5-7 DC meetup w Amy & Tim 

6/19-20 Doswell VA - Indigo Girls 

7/7 Getaway Asheboro & zoo 

7/21-24 Philadelphia w Mom in Tesla 

8/7 Unscripted Hotel Durham 

8/13 C to Atlantic beach w Helen & Miki 

8/23-9/6 Alaska 

9/7-9 C Beach Interplay Emerald Isle 

10/9-11 Boone 

10/23-25 Lake Lure 

10/31-11/6 Allure of the Seas w Helen from Orlando to Coco Cay, St. Thomas, St Maarten 

11/15-30 Antarctica - Crystal Endeavor 

12/12-14 Busch Gardens & Wmsburg w Mom 

12/22-27 Atlanta Christmas at Tracy’s 

12/27-29 Savannah 

 

2020 

1/18-20 Richmond getaway Container house Airbnb 

2/15-16 Asheboro NC Zoo & Hampton Inn 

2/18-22 John Boston Work trip 

3/10-17 John Calgary photo trip 

March 2020 - start of coronavirus pandemic 

5/28-30 Beaufort NC beach getaway 

6/27-7/2  Smoky Mountains Nat'l Park Cherokee Townsend & Asheville. Met Rutherfords 

7/25-26 NC Zoo  

7/30-8/2 Asheville AirBNB with Helen Tubing 

8/30-9/4 Cancun 

10/30-11/1 Getaway Asheboro 

11/9-11/14 Universal with Tracy 

 

2019 

1/20-1/21 Carolina beach 

2/22-3/2    Western Caribbean Cruise w Helen & Joy 

3/21-3/22 Ft Lauderdale John work 

4/13-4/21 Universal Orlando with kids 

5/16-5/19   Ocean Isle beach w parents 

5/31-6/2    Charlotte for CarolinaCon 

6/9-6/19   Akamai Edge Las Vegas & Death Valley 

7/4-7/5    High Point getaway Drove Tesla 

8/27-9/11 Hawaii Maui & Big Island 

9/16-9/20   John in Boston 

10/2-10/8   John Northern Sierras scouting with Jim 

10/19-10/27 Wild West Hacking Fest + North & South Dakota / Mt Rushmore 

11/13-12/5  Panama Canal Cruise  

12/22-12/28 Christmas in Atlanta 

 

2018 

1/27-28          Rocky Mount, VA Early Inn @ The Grove & Gaelic Storm 

4/14-24          J to SF for RSA conference C to SF, Houston NOLA for PALIC reunion 

5/3-6              C to Asheville Interplay Untensive with Robin 

5/13-16          C to NYC with Edna 

6/8-6/22          Disney with Barrett family 

7/11-7/14        C to Wild Goose Festival  Hot Springs, NC 

7/28-8/18        Ireland with Geigerman's 

10/2-10/5        John in San Francisco 

10/3-10/9        Carolyn NOLA School Reunion 

10/24-10/28  Chicago RI and border signs 

11/9-11/17   Bermuda Cruise 

12/25-1/1      Simpsonville XMas & Interplay Untensive 

 

2017 

1/13-15           Ft Lauderdale – Scott & JT 

1/16-20           Cruise Miami to Bahamas & Key West 

2/4                   Cooking class @ Sur la Table w J&J 

2/17-20           J Outer Banks photo scouting trip 

3/1                  C Carolina Beach w Josh & Abby + friends 

3/11                 Charlotte IKEA 

3/17-30             J Iceland via DC 

4/10-13           Simpsonville – kids spring break 

4/23-29           Outer Banks Photo Workshop – Nags Head & Corrola – Victor, Mike, Susan, Lynn, Miles,   Casey, Linda, Richard, June 

5/6-13             Orlando Disney w Dad – Blue Tree Resort Timeshare from Sharon Van Winkle 

5/18-20            DC – J Class; Met Eva & Todd @ space museum 

6/3                   Lake Reidsville Camping LG 

6/25                  NC Zoo 

7/4-8                 Liberty Visit Us 

7/9-14              J Boston AWS class 

7/13-17             C Wild Goose Festival #7 Hot Springs, NC 

7/22-29             Yellowstone RV 

8/19-22            Eclipse with family @ Dad’s in Simpsonville  

8/22-25            C & Mom drive to Jackson to see Aunt Judee 

10/6-10/8     Zion National Park 

10/9-10/15   Las Vegas Aria Hotel/Casino - Akamai Edge Conference  

10/30-11/3 Venice, Italy 

11/3-11/6   Rome, Italy 

11/6-11/19   Transatlantic Cruise from Rome Citaveccia to San Juan - Jewel of the Seas  

12/5-12/16 Germany, Austria, Iceland Munich with Todd & Eva 

 

2016 

2/13-17           Dallas visit Lynn; TX/OK Border signs 

2/20                 Simpsonville 

2/26-28           C Tampa with Helen 

2/28-3/10       J Iceland Photo trip 

4/1-12              Boston, Paris, Iceland 

4/16                  NC Zoo 

4/30                 Bald Head Island 

5/6-8                 Lake Reidsville LG 

7/7-10              C Wild Goose Festival 

7/20                  Move out of Bessborough Drive Townhouse 

8/1-3                 WV Night Photography Ski Resort; National Radio Observatory 

8/6-7                 Lou’s Cabin w Geigerman’s Meadows of Dan 

8/12                  Close on Durants Neck Townhouse 

8/16                  Charlotte IKEA 

9/3-5                Saluda – Shirley & Craig The Happy Camper / Tubing 

9/10-19            WA – Seattle & Spokane Visit Carolyn & Ed and Mary & Dick in Gig Harbor 

10/17-23           SF Akamai Edge with Mark Shari Bill & Angie  

10/26-29          J Smokies Photo Workshop Summit Townsend 

11/25-12/3     S Carib Cruise Adventure of the Seas from PR: St Thomas, St Kitts, Aruba, Curacao 

12/23-28         Simpsonville 

  

2015 

Jan - residence inn 

2/4-5          J Boston for work 

2/15-21     Iceland 

2/23-2/25    J Merrimack for work 

3/9-11       Memphis; MS state line 

4/7-4/13     J Texas bluebonnets HLW 

4/23           Pensacola ware cousins family reunion- drove to FL with mom. Stopped over at Amy's house each way. 

5/8-10         c to Tampa with Helen 

5/14-16       camping In Virginia Kerr Lake - LG 

5/29-31      J Grandfather Mtn HLW 

6/7-13       CEH training DC for work  

6/19-31     rolling view camping - LG 

7/7-12       wild goose festival - LG 

7/26-8/1     J Nashville HLW 

8/12-8/16   J Cades Cove Faithful Friends HLW 

8/15 C to Atlanta -Howard Jones w Lara 

9/21-24 J Texas for work 

9/25-10/17 Nova Scotia HLW 

10/19-25     Miami Akamai conference for J work 

10/27-30     J teach at Smoky Mtn Summit Tremont Lodge. HLW 

11/17-19     J Merrimack for work 

11/21-27     Family Thxgiving Cruise - Oasis of the Seas Jamaica, Haiti, Cozumel 

12/18         Williamsburg with Abby & Win 

12/25         Christmas in SC 

  

2014 

1/10          Simpsonville 

1/13-1/16  Drive to Syracuse 

1/18          Hershey PA 

1/21          J Boston for work 

2/3-16        C India 

4/8             photoshop world 

4/11-14      Matt & Nancy visit us for easter 

4/25-27      Beach for J Bday - Wild Horses @ Shackelford Island 

5/24  Simpsonville 

6/1-9          Alaska cruise - Norwegian Sun 

6/26-29      C to Wild Goose 

7/24-27      Tearjerkers camping- Ft Chiswell campground 

8/18 Ohio Little Guy trip - Little Guy Factory; Amish Country; Cedar Point amusement park 

9/15-18   Moab Canoe Trip with Eva & Tamas down Colorado River; Arches Natl Park 

9/19-9/23 State Lines road trip: WY, NE,  CO 

10/15 J to White Sands & Santa Fe 

10/18-20 C to San Diego RI conference 

10/23 Boston 

10/31 Townsend Smoky Mtn Summit 

11/21        Beach with Dad & Mom&Stan. Thanksgiving in Triangle with Dad.  

12/24 Christmas in Greenville 

  

2013 

1/20  New Jersey 

2/2       Orlando - universal studios 

2/14        San Diego roar & snore- for fun  

3/6-10    Old Car City (HLW) 

3/29-31  DC w Helen - cherry blossom 

4/27-5/5   Costa Rica 

5/18           Asheville - move wild goose 

5/24-26     shinleaf camping 

6/7-18       Olympic & Palouse (HLW) 

6/24           Shinleaf - bootleg point 

7/13           His Light Nashville & meadows of dan cabin w J&J 

8/6             wild goose - hot springs 

9/18-9/23   J His Light Glacier & Carolyn RI conference Chicago 

10/5-6         carolina beach wkend w Tammy 

10/13-17       velocity conference NYC 

11/3           great wolf lodge 

11/16-19       Austin  

11/26           thanksgiving @ simpsonville 

12/25-1/2   Christmas @ Simpsonville 

 

2012 

2/14 We get married!

3/9 old car city Georgia 

4/6-4/9 Nashville 

4/28 Wedding picnic 

5/7 Rhode Island & Connecticut sign 

5/25 Orlando - Mo wedding / SeaWorld 

6/2 Prairie Home Companion - Cary 

6/9-11 His Light Mammoth Lake, Reno Air Races 

6/21 Wild Goose Festival - Shakori Hills 

6/26 Velocity Conference San José, CA - Google 

7/4 Shelton Winery w Tammy 

7/14 VBLX / Norfolk dancing with Tammy 

8/4 West Virginia Family reunión 

8/21 Boston 

9/7 Dirt Cheap Blues - Va Beach John & Ayse 

9/14 John to Reno; Carolyn & Helen to Galax 

9/29 Hanging Rock; old mill at Guilford; Shelton winery jacuzzi room, Blue Ridge Pkwy 

10/11 New Orleans w Helen 

10/21 Lindy workshop 

11/4 John to Monument Valley & Page; Carolyn to Bellingham  

11/8 Carolyn drive from Las Vegas through Zion to meet John & His light in Page; slot canyons  

11/11 Grand Canyon 

11/14-18 Las Vegas / South Point Casino, Hoover dam 

12/8 Charlotte Keb Mo 

12/19 Atlanta Visit Lara 

12/22 Greenville for Christmas  

 

2011 

1/30 Lion King 

2/18-3/6 Spain 

4/13 J photo trip to KY 

4/20 Avenue Q 

4/23 Shinleaf camping 

5/10-5/16 Vermont & Boston / Shawn wedding 

5/6 Abigail first communion 

6/23-26 Wild Goose 

7/9-12 Atlanta 

7/19 J Boston 

7/22 VA Beach Blues 

8/5 Greenville 

8/11 Allison Krauss 

8/20 J Mom & Dad visit 

8/23-25 J Boston 

8/27-9/4 New Orleans 

9/9-11 VA Beach Blues 

9/20-9/28 Boston / Bruce Cockburn / Uncle Al 

10/8-10/16 Vermont photo trip 

10/22 camping with Matt & Nancy 

12/4 Helen Prejean 

12/10 Lynn Rosetto Kasper 

12/16-18 Williamsburg 

12/25-1/1 Greenville & Atlanta 



Where we've visited