When I tell someone where I’m going next, statements follow such as, “How fun!” and “I wish I got a vacation!”. The trouble with these sentiments is maybe they don’t know how I have to travel, not necessarily how I want to travel. I arrive to a new place and immediately feel guilty if I waste a minute napping or hanging out in the hotel. I have to get busy sightseeing, tweeting or snapping photographs. I am forever mindful of the story I am there for, the one I need to keep afloat. Travel for me is not unplugged, leaving my home and work life behind. It is much more chaotic, hurried and stressful than any vacation. I want to be able to never say, “I have work to do” while exploring new lands.

Candice of Candice Does The World recently wrote about a trip to the Dominican Republic. She was on the island for a friend’s wedding. While trying to explain to the bride-to-be she would have to work a few hours in the morning, she was met with puzzlement. In the end, Candice shuts down her traveling work life just to enjoy being on a true vacation.

I envied her ability to let it all go, to write all the world and say do not disturb. I’m on vacation. I wish I could do that. There are certain limitations in making travel your job. While you get the chance to see amazing places and people, you aren’t always experiencing the place with open, non-tweeting or pinning arms.

A few summer’s ago, I was down in Puglia, Italy, the heel region of the country. In Alberobello, the homes are called trulli, ancient conical roofed structures with thick walls. I had rented a trullo for the night, only to find no Internet connection. When I hear the words, “no WiFi”, I become a crazy person, one I don’t want to be. I panicked. I had work to do. I rushed out to a cellphone store to buy a portable Internet stick. Little did I know, the signal would not emit from the thick stone walls of a trullo. And so, I spent my early evening not roaming this new Italian city but in the middle of a neighborhood street on my laptop, fervently typing away to meet some deadline. Locals stared at me, probably thinking this girl needs to be more Italian. I should have been living “la dolce vita”. Instead, I was living the sweet life of a work obsessed travel writer, one many think is just a life of vacations.

I can’t remember my last vacation, the last time I merely enjoyed a place without having to work at the same time. This isn’t my sob story, but rather I know one many of us, like Candice, are living. We bring our work and home lives with us in our suitcases. We spend time talking with friends and family back home when a whole new world is beyond the Skype screen. Travel doesn’t become an escape, but rather a continuation of life. While I don’t think travel should be all puppies and lollipops, I do believe it should be enjoyed at times without agenda, without worry and without any sort of email checking or cell phone monitoring.

I don’t know what it feels like anymore to truly go on a break, to have nothing but that place on your mind. I am always worried about deadlines and articles past due. In this age of social saturation, I think it’s all time we promise each other to truly take a vacation. I am going to challenge myself and resist procrastination. I always strive to get all of my work completed before going somewhere, but that never occurs. I want to change this pattern. I don’t want to wake up in the middle of the night to check a pinging email inbox. I want to let it all go and truly take a vacation.

On the next plane ride I take, I promise to be committed to my destination. Rather than romancing an Internet connection and my computer, I want the place to take me, sweep me off my feet and tell me to always go unplugged, at least on occasion, when I travel.  We only have so much time to see the world.

In search of my next vacation

Do you find it hard to unplug when you travel? When is the last time you truly took a vacation?

On a sunny Monday, I bring you this week’s Suzy Stumbles Over Travel. In case you are new to this site, each week I ask bloggers/writers and readers to submit their favorite travel posts of the week. This can be from your own site or another writer’s piece. I read each submission, comment, tweet the article on Twitter, stumble the piece using Stumbleupon and post a link to the article on my Facebook page. The following week I select my five favorites to be featured here and the stumbling begins again into the next week.

Just a few things to keep in mind, please only submit one post per person each week. Your submission must be travel related. Please leave a link to your post in the comment box below rather than sending it to me on Twitter, Facebook, etc. You have until the end of the day on Friday to leave your submission. Anything left past Friday will be carried over into next week’s submissions. I will get busy promoting the articles by the end of the day on Sunday. Be sure to follow me on Twitter, subscribe to my stumbles on Stumbleupon and “like” me on Facebook to make sure I give your post the attention it deserves. Check back here next Monday to see if your submission made my five favorites of the week.

The 5 Favorites of Last Week

“Solo Travel To Paris and Beyond” From Weekend in Paris

Submitted by Priscilla

Priscilla shares some of her strategies and tips for having a successful solo trip to Paris. From cooking classes to tours, many of her tips for conquering Paris all alone can be applied to other cities.

“Adventures in a Zulu Village, South Africa” From Monkeys and Mountains

Submitted by Laurel

Laurel spends some time in a Zulu village in South Africa, led around by a local guide. As the village prepares to get electricity, Laurel provides an insightful look at how the societal values from one place to the next can greatly differ.

“The Hippie Epicenter” From California Notebook

Submitted by Barbara

Barbara joins the Flower Power Hippie Tour in San Francisco. Not your average tour in the city by the Bay, she roams Haight & Ashbury all while a hippie guide name Izu tells of the city throughout its flower power days.

“How One Interview in Palestine Changed The Way I Travel Forever” From Heather’s Harmony

Submitted by Heather

On a research trip throughout Palestine and the West Bank, Heather uncovers the powerful story of Ben, a Palestinian shot by an Israeli soldier and left paralyzed. As she interviews Ben and his family, she finds a group of people curious about the life she leads.

“The City in a Palace: Carried Away by Split, Croatia” From Seek New Travel

Submitted by Kit

Kit slips and slides all over Split, Croatia thanks to the help of ancient stones adorning the flooring of the city. Being a city inside an ancient Roman palace, Kit provides enough reason through her photographs and words to head to the Croatian city, bumps and bruises and all.

Don’t forget to leave your submission in the comment box below. You have until the end of the day on Friday to submit.

I never knew I was on the Hungarian government’s bad side. “It doesn’t work,” the ticket agent to Hungary’s Parliament building tour says to me almost laughing. She seems to say, “You fool. You don’t even haven enough money on your credit card to tour all of this opulence.” Luckily my friend spots the check on this one. Budapest’s Parliament has long been a structure I have wanted to see in person. A huffy ticket agent who thinks me a pauper or criminal won’t stop me from living up to the dream.

Guards in furry coats pace outside as I make the call. As it would turn out, there is no problem with my credit card. It was the antiquated machine trying to scan it. Perhaps they still use the same credit card machines from when the Parliament opened. As the second largest Parliament building in Europe, Hungary’s space is grand from its exterior only just to start. Ground broke on its construction in 1885, all in support of the design of Imre Steindl. It would take the life of a teenager, some 13 years to complete.

At 268 meters long and topped with a 93 meter high dome, I think the Hungarian Parliament of my imagination was even bigger. Those furry adorned guards finally pull back the rope and let the English tour head inside. All must go through security first and foremost. While this wouldn’t be a problem, my credit card issues aside, we wait outside, removing jackets and scarves in freezing weather. I have chills long before I see the inside.

Post security checkpoint, I wish I had my sunglasses. The Parliament’s interior covers in 40 kilograms of gold, all for decoration of course. Throw in 10 courtyards, 13 elevators, 29 staircases and over 690 rooms and you have a government building fit for politicking.

Sadly, the tour of this structure only invites the lowly tourists like myself to see a crumb of the building. I climb one of the many staircases within, adorned in several red carpets. They roll out not just one red carpet in Hungary, but at least a trinity of velvet. You never know how many dignitaries and world leaders might show up on a given day.

I head up the stairs to the big cheese of the structure, the precious Crown of St. Stephen. Legend has it that the crown was presented to St. Stephen, first king of Hungary, back in the 1000s. However, legends are always more romanticized than reality. Many believe the crown to be from the 12^th century. It is still considered the symbol of Hungary, as best seen through the stern guards’ eyes keeping watch over it in case some tourist should make a move to swipe the crown jewels. The Crown of St. Stephen is well traveled. It has disappeared several times, including when it wound up in the US Army’s hands in 1945. The crown sat in a box at Fort Knox, Kentucky for years until someone finally had the good heart to return the crown to Hungary in 1978.

The next and final stop of the tour is the Chamber of the Lower House of the National Assembly of Hungary. I can see why the government doesn’t convene much in this space today. All of the shiny gold details would distract any politician from their country and cause.

My guide quickly ushers the masses out with a forced goodbye. I take one last look at a building I longed to enter and see first hand. And while the Parliament’s credit card machine tried to deter me, along with the suspicious glances from the guards inside and out, I made it, forever blinded by the over the top, gold greatness of Hungary’s Parliament.

Have you been to Hungary’s Parliament Building in Budapest?

When someone tells me what to do, in any area of life, my reaction has long been to do the opposite. Perhaps it is my weakness, but I hate unsolicited advice. If I didn’t ask for your opinion, I probably don’t want to hear it. I am a stubborn redhead after all. It’s practical built into my genes. This is the excuse I tell myself.

Parental advice and travel is something that always tends to be advice I resist. It is the 14 year old in me in some regard. (Parents? I don’t have those.) When a pending travel opportunity came on to the scene for me this summer, I told my parents. Naturally the first questions are “How much do they pay?” and “Can you take someone with you?”. They don’t want me to be broke and alone, advice I resist, but understand at the same time. They’re parents. Years of traveling alone or with someone I believe prove I can handle travel. It is more of a comment on trust, but I still know, they are just being parents.

With Mother’s Day in the U.S. a few days away, it’s hard not to consider our moms. My Mom has been reminding me it’s Mother’s Day on the 13^th for several weeks now. While I don’t think one day is adequate to celebrate mothers, I do know that I tend to travel like my mom, with or without her. And while it might annoy me to no end to hear, “Be careful” and “Wear your sweater” at almost 25 years old, I know she means well. And when I travel, I tend to go how my Mom would. Perhaps it was her plan all along.

The Woman in Question

Take Breaks To Soak In The Scene

Last September, I was able to treat my Mom to a little three-day trip to New York City. We were hosted at some of the best hotels I have ever stayed. We took a movie and television tour of the city. We ate schnitzel sandwiches on bank steps with business people. We were New York City.

While the trip was a grand success, my Mom reminded me that travel should not be go-go-go constantly. You need to take time for breaks. In a city seemingly devoid of benches, we found Grace Plaza and took a break from it all. We stopped to people watch and rest throbbing feet. When I travel today, I am reminded of this saving Grace Plaza, that no matter how much I need to see and do, my Mom would call for a break and so should I. Take time to soak it all in. It sounds simple, but it is a traveler’s saving grace.

Soak in the scene

Get Excited About Packing

The packing love-hate relationship is a common conversation I have with people. They hate packing and I love it. I have long loved to pack for trips and I suspect my Mom has something to do with it. Weeks before she is set to go somewhere, she is already considering what outfits to bring. She thinks about the destination and what would be appropriate.

I have always believed that many travelers forget how important physical appearance can be when you travel. Throw on those cargo shorts and bandana and you are good to go. The places of the world don’t need you to look fashionable. However I strongly disagree. How you present yourself to the world can be a powerful, stereotype-breaking tool. Dressing for the place rather than dressing how you want is the utmost sign of respect to a destination. I believe my mom always gets excited about packing not just for potential outfit pairings, but to show appreciation. Why would you complain about an experience you are blessed to have?

The Much Debated Plane Outfit

Be Chatty

While I have rolled my eyes on more than one occasion when my Mom starts a conversation with a stranger while traveling, I admire her audacity. In New York, she chatted up the Schnitzel and Things food truck owner. She uncovered a story so undeniably New York, one of making it in the big city by feeding schnitzel to the masses.

When I was traveling around Ireland by myself, I had to become my Mom out of survival. If I didn’t get chatty with café owners and bed and breakfast employees, I would be completely alone. All of that pent up lack of conversation would have driven me crazy. I would smile and say things I probably never would say if I were traveling with someone else. In the process I learned not being chatty when you travel is a hurdle you must overcome to have the truest of experiences.

Go When the Going Gets Tough

Most mothers will tell you to stick out situations even if they are difficult. However I don’t believe in staying in places that make me miserable, advice I picked up from my Mom. A little confused after graduating from college, I went to go be an au pair in Italy, only to find a hallway as my room and no privacy. I left, much to the advice of my mom. I was completely miserable and unhappy. I packed up my bags and left for my Italian mother, Loriana, who welcomed me with open arms.

Those motherly qualities are universal. From my Italian host mom Loriana to my own Mom, they hate to see their kids unhappy. We only get one life and a set amount of time. Why spend it traveling to places that make us horribly unhappy? I go when the going gets too tough to bear and I have no embarrassment doing so thanks to the advice of my Mom.

Do you find yourself traveling like your Mom? What lessons on travel has she taught you?

From rainy Denver, I bring you this week’s Suzy Stumbles Over Travel. In case you are new to this site, each week I ask bloggers/writers and readers to submit their favorite travel posts of the week. This can be a post from your own site or another writers. I read each submission, comment, tweet the article on Twitter, stumble the piece using Stumbleupon and post a link to the article on my Facebook page. The following week I select my five favorites to be featured here and the stumbling begins again into the next week.

Just a few things to keep in mind, please only submit one post per person each week. Your submission must be travel related. Please leave a link to your post in the comment box below rather than sending it to me on Twitter, Facebook, etc. You have until the end of the day on Friday to leave your submission. Anything left past Friday will be carried over into next week’s submissions. I will get busy promoting the articles by the end of the day on Sunday. Be sure to follow me on Twitter, subscribe to my stumbles on Stumbleupon and “like” me on Facebook to make sure I give your post the attention it deserves. Check back here next Monday to see if your submission made my five favorites of the week.

The 5 Favorites of Last Week

“The Sacred Rituals of Besakih ~ And the Gods came down to Bali…A photo essay” From Balifornian Tours

Submitted by Michael

Michael gets the chance to partake in Ida Batara Turun Kabeh while in Bali, one of the holiest rituals in the Balinese Hindu calendar. The event centers around the idea that the Gods come down to earth for the day and take up residence at the six holiest temples on Bali.

“No, Not Everyone Can Travel – A Bubble Burster” From Someday I’ll Be There

Submitted by Mina

For the second week in a row, I was impressed by Mina’s words about travel, money and nationality. Mina explains how articles telling him he can travel for just $23 fail to grasp the perspective of someone living in a country outside of Europe or the U.S. He presents a refreshing perspective from an Egyptian trying to travel, jumping through hoops for visas and permits to stay just for 6 days.

“The Peruvian Amazon-Day 4 Photo Gallery” From Green Global Travel

Submitted by Bret

Bret takes us on an Amazon River cruise, deep into Peru’s Pacaya-Samiria Reserve. From bird watching to monkey spotting, Bret even gets the chance to swim in the Amazon, a once in a lifetime experience indeed.

“Video: Swimming with Butanding Whale Shark in Donsol, Philippines” From Married 2 Travel

Submitted by Sheila

Sheila swims in whale sharks in the Philippines, along with many travelers. While she enjoys the experience, she also presents an interesting perspective on when tourism goes too far and endangers the creature so many want to see.

“Life Lessons in Armenia” From Katie Going Global

Submitted by Katie

After seven months on the road, Katie experiences something she hasn’t before, that overwhelming sadness to leave a place behind. As she leaves Armenia for Georgia, she reflects on not just how wonderful everything about Armenia was for her, but rather what she learned from her time there. It is a good reminder that sometimes we are sad to see a place go for what it gave us.

Don’t forget to leave you submission in the comment box below. You have until the end of the day on Friday to submit.

The clouds suggest an invasion of the spring storm variety, but I know this spot isn’t spooked. The ancient city of Nora, set up on the southern coast of Sardinia, has seen conquerors come and go, thunderheads included. With a sprinkle of rain, I roam the supposed first town on the Italian island.

Founded by the Phoenicians in the 9^th century B.C., Nora would change hands between the Carthaginians and the Romans. Most of what I observe are vestiges of Roman rule, proof that no island was isolated enough for the Romans to reach.

And like any respectable Roman site, I come upon an amphitheater, or at least its half. The show must go on regardless of erosion and time.

Nora fills with more former stages of ancient life. Exposed and open to the elements, all that remains of Nora’s patrician villas are intricate mosaic floorings. Like walking on a piece of art, life was decent back in the day in Sardinia’s first town.

Some of Nora’s ruins have scattered into the water, only seen when the sun is shining. Sadly today is a May spring day on Sardinia, when thunder grumbles, almost out of distaste for my invasion of this ancient city.

As the light drizzle turns more downpour and the skies darken ominously, I head for Nora’s exit. I pass by what appear to be piles of rumble, but they are in fact a town, a former home to many, a place of devotion. The sky and sea are the only constants that have seen the pieces of Nora’s puzzle come together and fade away. Nora can be in ruin, forgotten and left to crumble, but those constants know who she was.

You might say, my hair and travel are my trademarks. Blessed with the rarest hair color in the world, one only 2% of the population has naturally, I take great pride in being a redhead, even on the road. I have previously shared what’s inside my travel toiletry kit, but I still had a hole in that bag in terms of the shampoo and conditioner issue when I travel. I had heard about Lush solid shampoos and conditioners before and decided to give them a go on a test run this past week.

If your hair is long and tangles easily, traveling with liquid shampoo and conditioner is a necessity. I struggle with my bag being too heavy due to this necessity. I cough up $25 for a checked bag because I need at least two bottles of conditioner for a month long trip. Solid shampoo and conditioner seemed like the only alternative to these problems.

The Product

I purchased a bar of Seanik, Lush’s mineral-rich sea salt volumizing shampoo. At $10.95 a bar, I wondered if it would be worth it. A quick sniff and I was back to thinking I was Ariel in the Little Mermaid. With Irish moss seaweed and Japanese nori seaweed, the solid shampoo Seanik makes every shower seem like bathing in a blue lagoon.

I also picked up Lush’s Jungle solid conditioner at $7.95. The smell is something I couldn’t quite put my finger on, supposedly fruity and filled with cocoa butter. I am a conditioner queen so I was skeptical if this solid version would untangle these red tresses.

Pros For Travel

I had heard travelers say how much they loved Lush solid shampoos and conditioners for travel. The first day of using both solid bars, I was surprised to have very soft and shiny hair. You too could look something like this when you travel, if you want to that is.

An obvious advantage to using the solid shampoo and conditioner is avoiding baggage fees. You can feasible go carry-on only and still have enough shampoo and conditioner to last over a month. The solids make for a more economical decision. They also help free up space in your bag. The shampoo lathered really well for a solid and left my hair smelling like the sea all day.

Cons For Travel

For me, the conditioner did not condition. Day after day, I would try to get a lather going on the Jungle conditioner. It felt like nothing was going on my hair. The main problem came when I would go to brush out my tresses, nearly crying over the pain of untangling those locks that weren’t conditioned. I didn’t cry like a did when I managed to get a hair brush stuck in my hair at the age of 8, but you get the idea.

From a travel standpoint, these solid soaps take a long time to dry out and lather up in the shower. While traveling, I never really find the time for lengthy showers. I found myself spending longer in the shower just to work up a lather on the conditioner. Also as the soaps dry very slowly, if you were packing up and heading to your next destination after a shower, you will meet a gummy mess when you arrive. Perhaps it was the Lush soap containers, but my shampoo bar turned extremely soggy in its container. I tried to let the solids dry out each day, but often found the soap stuck to dish. At one point, I had to run to the kitchen for a knife to pry out the bar of soap. I don’t see how a traveler could deal with this, unless they were in one place for weeks on end.

Would This Redhead Recommend  Solid Shampoo and Conditioner for Travel?

That question is not so easy to answer. While I wouldn’t recommend the solid conditioner to anyone with long hair that tangles easily, the shampoo had its moments of shiny glory. I would travel with the solid shampoo, but certainly not the solid conditioner. Men or woman with short hair might find the solid shampoo and the solid conditioner just right for travel.

I would advise trying your own soap dish rather than Lush’s containers. When I placed the soaps in a different container, they seemed to fare better in the drying department. Overall, I am still left with that conundrum when I travel of how to tame this red head. In the meantime, I have to go wash my hair.

Note: This review was conducted completely independent to Lush. In other words, no one paid me to test these products out.

Have you tried Lush’s solid shampoos and conditioners? Have a brand you like better or have you solved the shampoo and conditioner conundrum for travel?