Straight from Barcelona, I bring you this week’s Suzy Stumbles Over Travel. In case you are new here, each week I ask readers and writers to submit their favorite travel posts of the week. I read, comment, stumble (using Stumbleupon), and tweet every submission. The following Monday, I profile my five favorites submitted last week.
If you would like to submit for this week, leave a comment in the comment box with a link to your post. Please keep this to one link per person each week. Also, you have until the end of the day on Saturday to submit your post (US Mountain Time). I can’t accept posts on Sunday. Be sure to follow me on Twitter and subscribe to my stumbles on Stumbleupon to make sure I get to your post.
The 5 Favorites Of Last Week
“Hiking in the Rain at Sunset Crater Volcano” From Kaleidoscopic Wandering
Submitted by JoAnna
JoAnna explores Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument in Arizona, completely drenched in the rain. I enjoyed her descriptions of being isolated with her husband in the pouring rain. Instead of running for the hills when bad weather presents, JoAnna takes the higher road, seeing the positives of being completely isolated on a crater.
“Use Travel To Make You Happy” From Todd’s Wanderings
Submitted by Todd
It sounds simple enough, “use travel to make you happy”. However, in the travel community, the traveler vs. tourist, long term vs. short-term traveler debate gets in the way. Todd presents another option. Love what you do and do what you love. If travel factors in to the picture, by all means embrace it. If not, no one is judging. I appreciated Todd’s positive attitude to differing travel styles.
“How To Couchsurf Without Couchsurfing” From Adventurous Kate
Submitted by Kate
Staying on a stranger’s couch, to be honest, does not and will not appeal to me. However, Kate presents a different option to couchsurfing. You can socialize with couchsurfers and not even couchsurf. I enjoyed her take on couchsurfing from someone that didn’t want to sleep with strangers, so to speak, but just used the medium as a way to meet people from all around the world.
“What I wish I knew BEFORE my RTW Trip” From Mobile Lawyer
Submitted by Michael
Nothing is more useful to a traveler than reading what an experienced traveler wish they knew before traveling around the world. For new travelers or veterans, we all can learn something for another’s travels, mistakes or misgivings.
“Travel Snapshots: Dancing Dragons” From To China…and Beyond!
Submitted by Jessica
If you need a blast of color, Jessica’s moments at the Dragon Boat Festival in Shibing, Guizhou will brighten your computer screen. I enjoyed the subtle moments she captured through the camera’s lens. Festivals are undoubtedly the best way to experience a place.
Don’t forget to submit your travel posts to this week’s Suzy Stumbles Over Travel.
From Adventurous Kate:
Yay! Thanks for choosing and stumbling my piece, Suzy!
From ayngelina:
How did I miss Kate’s post? Thanks for the update.
From Andi:
Checking the links out now…
From Michael Hodson:
Thanks for including me — and to make the same wrap-up with the fabulous Adventurous Kate?! Wowser. Happy days.
From Mary:
Really interesting posts this week!
Here’s a link for next week to share. I have a story about my scary Egyptian train ride. I hope others can learn from my mistakes…
http://worldcurioustraveler.wordpress.com/2010/08/23/how-not-to-travel-in-egypt/
From Todd | Todd's Wanderings:
Yay, thanks Suzy! Always nice to be keeping such good company.
From Sasha:
Great Picks! I’ll definitely go back and read through them in more detail! My submission for this week is Weekly Glimpse: Yangshuo’s Puyi Town, a glimpse into the rural china that still exists in Puyi village.
From Sasha:
Silly me didn’t leave the link! http://onurwaytravel.com/weekly-glimpse-puyi-town/
From Erica:
Great choices for posts this week. I too have been participating in the Couchsurfing scene without offering my couch (mainly because I have a crazy brother in law that refuses to let anyone come over for fear of psycho murderers) and the people are such an amazing group!
This is my addition for the week (even though I’ll probably have a million more road trip posts):
http://overyonderlust.com/road-trip-to-burning-man-day-1/
From Jimmy:
Hi Suzy,
Here’s a submission detailing a disastrous lunch time at my school in Korea.
http://strange-lands.com/2010/03/the-complications-of-lunch-time-in-a-korean-school.html
From Ed Loessi:
Hi Suzy,
Great posts as always! Here is a recent post from us regarding Newfoundland Canada
http://www.duvine.com/blog/index.php/2010/08/25/adventure-travel-in-newfoundland/
Thanks,
Ed
http://www.twitter.com/duvinetouring
From Jasmine:
Hi Suzy! I recently wrote a post on my trials and tribulations making friends on the road as well as tips for newbie backpackers here: http://jasminewanders.com/2010/08/7-ways-to-meet-other-travelers-on-the-road/
Thanks!
From MaryAnne Oxendale:
THanks again for the lovely posts- lots of reading to catch up on! I want to add my latest post on language learning/language burnout after a few too many years on the road: http://www.ephemeraanddetritus.com/2010/08/26/on-language-burnout-after-a-few-too-many-countries/
From Caz Makepeace:
Hi Suzy
This week I am going to submit a story of mine that was published on Brave New traveler. It is about when travel takes a friend.
http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2010/08/26/when-travel-takes-a-friend-2/
From Matt:
Hi Suzy,
Check this one out for next week:
5 Best Drives in New Zealand http://www.backpackingmatt.com/5-best-drives-in-new-zealand/
From Jason:
Hi Suzy,
I just missed out posting this one, on your site last week. It’s a post that will hopefully encourage others to tackle a small peak in Nepal rather than the usual trekking holiday. It also gives a few tips on how to organise it yourself, without having to pay a large amount of money to a large outfit (who in turn will send you with the same people you can hire directly anyway).
http://www.digidrift.com/trekking-peaks-of-nepal-island-peak-self-organised-climb/
Thanks
From Shane:
Hello Suzy,
The submission this week is about Andrew Couch of Grounded Traveler and why he lives in Freiburg:
http://www.the-working-traveller.com/why-i-live-in%E2%80%A6-freiburg/
Thanks
From Dustin Main - Skinny Backpacker:
I especially enjoyed Michael and Jessica’s posts last week. Kate totally beat me to the punch with her post about CS groups and meetups. I’m such a lazy blogger, good on ya Kate!
Lots of quality posts this week, and I’ll throw my little post on witnessing the after effects of war while traveling. All of the reading and research in the world can’t hold a candle to seeing and feeling what a country has gone through with a war.
My Date with an AK-47
http://www.skinnybackpacker.com/home/2010/8/27/my-date-with-an-ak-47.html
From Michael Hodson:
I’ll get one in right before the close of nominations — in the hope to do the very rare “back-to-back” on the weekly stumble awards.
The story of one of my tattoos and the mountain I climbed to get it. Kilimanjaro. The best, and most difficult, thing I’ve done in my lifetime.
http://mobilelawyer.blogspot.com/2010/08/kili-and-my-tattoo.html
From Amanda:
Great choices once again, Suzy! The photo essay of the dancing dragons was awesome. So colorful!
I’ve got a photo essay of my own to share with you this week. It’s of one of my favorite drives in New Zealand: The Southern Scenic Route through the Catlins on the South Island.
http://www.dangerous-business.com/2010/08/nz-drives-the-southern-scenic-route-through-the-catlins/
From Thom and Sean:
Hey Suzy,
great finds as ever! This week I wrote about Albuquerque, USA and why it’s more than just another point on Route 66.
http://www.thomandsean.com/2010/08/24/turn-left-at-albuquerque/
Sean