Now that I can no longer use “having jet-lag” as an excuse, I bring you this week’s Suzy Stumbles Over Travel. In case you are new here, each week, I ask writers and readers to submit their favorite travel posts of the week. I started this segment with the goal of bringing new writers to the table and all of their great travel stories that sometimes go unnoticed and under-appreciated. I read each submission, comment, stumble the post using Stumbleupon, tweet the article on Twitter and I post a link to the piece on my Facebook page. The following week, I select my five favorites submitted last week and the stumbling begins again.
Just a few things to keep in mind, please only submit one link per person each week. You have until the end of the day on Friday to submit. A link to the article must be left in the comment box below. 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.
The 5 Favorites of Last Week
“A Week With Tribe Wanted Sierra Leone” From Heading There
Submitted by Tom
Tom goes on a different type of tour, Tribe Wanted Sierra Leone. With a focus on community and project building, Tom’s time spent in Sierra Leone is not your average sightseeing tour. I was moved but how personal and fulfilling this experience seemed, one travelers might want to consider if heading to Sierra Leone.
“Culture Shock in a German Hospital” From Expat in Germany
Submitted by Laurel
Laurel goes through surgery in Germany, something I think most of us would be intimidated to do in a foreign country. However, rather than just a medical procedure, Laurel examines the cultural differences between medical care in Germany and care Canada. Her stories and observations are proof cultural insights are great behind the doors of hospitals in foreign places.
“Adventurous Kate Gets Shipwrecked in Indonesia” From Adventurous Kate
Submitted by Kate
If you think you have problems or tiny troubles while you travel, imagine being shipwrecked in Indonesia. Kate details her frightening experience of being shipwrecked on to Komodo Island. Without working lifeboats, Kate loses her personal possessions. Her story is one that will bring you back down to reality when things go wrong when you travel. Kate also aims to educate readers on the safety concerns of tour boats in Indonesia so that others don’t go through what she did.
“Lahore to Amritsar—A Humorous Tale of Hitchhiking the Pakistan Border” From Free Wheelings
Submitted by Brandon
Brandon describes crossing borders and being ripped off in the process by a gaggle of rickshaws. Sometimes we just give in to those higher prices quoted to tourists, but Brandon and his traveling companion stand their ground. Brandon paints a poetic scene. “I think the people of the town were behind us in not giving in to the rickshaw gang. For it they got a once in a once in a lifetime spectacle, for us, about the same. It was one of those moments in life where you naturally stand your ground and the next thing you know everyone is there to congratulate you.”
“The Palace is Closed Today: How to Deal With Uncomfortable Travel Moments” From LandLopers
Submitted by Matt
Matt reveals some of his uncomfortable moments in foreign places, from one man’s attempt to rip him off by saying the palace he wanted to visit was closed to a beggar woman really not as destitute as she seems. These are the moments of travel you have to step back and realize it is not all sunshine and rainbows with a place and its people. Through Matt’s stories, there are also a number of lessons travelers can learn in terms of how to deal with these situations.
Don’t forget to leave a comment below with your submission for this week. You have until the end of the day on Friday to submit.
Submission from Emily…
Hi Suzy! Here is my submission for the next Suzy Stumbles–an interview with the founder and CEO of Roadmonkey:
http://maiden-voyage-travel.com/adventure-philanthrophy-a-qa-with-roadmonkey-ceo-paul-von-zielbauer/
Hi Suzy,
Brandon here from freewheelings. Thank you for your kind words and for featuring my post about hitchhiking from Lahore to Amritsar. It’s one of my best travel memories and it’s nice to see it appreciated.
Speaking of appreciation, we all have of tons of it for you, the time you dedicate every week to keeping up this series and for your undying support for the travel community. You and your temperament rock.
Brandon
Hi Suzy! I just discovered your website through C’est Christine and love it! Following you now 🙂
I wanted to submit an article to Suzy Stumbles:
http://www.100mileshighway.com/2011/04/in-search-of-the-perfect-crepe/
I’m looking forward to reading more of your adventures!
Hi Suzy,
Here is a submission for this week. About driving to Alaska, and then taking the Alaskan Ferry back to the continental 48.
http://bigwillythomas.blogspot.com/2011/04/flashing-back-to-one-of-my-first-solo.html
Hi there! Popping over from twitter. Here is my submission to Suzy Stumbles, about a harrowing camping trip I took last weekend:
http://www.tattietats.com/2011/04/in-which-i-thought-i-would-die.html
Hey Suzy ~
Feel free to check out this piece I wrote about hiking in the Swiss Alps: http://kaleidoscopicwandering.com/2011/04/11/hiking-swiss-alps-travel/
hi Suzy! This week’s entry is about volunteer travel.
http://theopinionatedwanderlust.com/2011/04/10/ask-saadia-volunteer-travel/
Thanks for the stumble!
Hey Suzy,
great stumbles this week. So glad you highlighted the shipwrecked story. Now I know what not to do if I ever go to Indonesia!
Here’s my submission for this week:
http://countryskipper.com/2011/04/12/a-german-confronted-with-nazi-stuff/
once again, thanks for sharing! i always enjoy this post.
Hi Suzy,
Here’s my submission – on a little visited European capital, the good and the bad: http://www.sophiesworld.net/things-to-do-in-skopje/
Hi Suzy,
My submission is about how lucky we travellers are, even if appearances can be deceptive:
http://www.the-working-traveller.com/life-in-a-little-room-in-a-big-world/
Hey Suzy! Here’s my submission this week, about the benefits of slow travel. I attended a baby shower here in Honduras and saw some big differences compared to the North American equivalent!
http://www.hecktictravels.com/communities-and-babies
I knew Kate’s shipwreck disaster going to be among your picks. Such a tragedy, I’m glad everybody was alive in the end.
So, here’s my submission for the next round. Got swept to sea by current and wind while paddleboarding in Honduras. A good way to travel to Belize?
http://www.vagabondquest.com/honduras/paddleboarding-101-how-to-paddleboard-from-honduras-to-belize/
Hi Suzy,
Thanks again for including my Sierra Leone post. It is in great company, I really enjoyed the other posts you picked.
I’ve got something very different to my last one for you this week, a post about a trip to York my wife and I took with our niece.
I guess this is one of the things I really love about travelling. You can be in a remote village in Africa or a historical city in England and they both have really cool things about them! Anyway, this is my post:
http://www.headingthere.co.uk/article/42_great+weekend+breaks+in+york-+what+to+do+in+york/
Hey Suzy,
Brilliant selection as per usual 🙂 Just wanna hand in what I’ve managed to write up after a long delay – my piece about my Ryanair mishaps and how its evil machinations awoke the fury of my pen: http://www.thetravellingeditor.com/wp/ryanair-rant/
And excuse the profanity – under these circumstances I reckon it’s well-justified. 😉
Thanks for the wonderful list for this week.
Hi Suzy,
I second what Dina said about Kate’s story. The fact that there was a 10-month-old baby really got me– how scary it must have been for the parents!
I’m submitting my latest post. I hope it’s OK that it’s a slideshow and not an article.
http://thisismyhappiness.com/2011/04/09/this-is-brazil/
Thanks for keeping this great series going!
Hi Suzy, Here’s my submission for the week. A little different from my recent posts… about the Hindu ceremonies in Bali.
http://lashworldtour.blogspot.com/2011/04/balis-hindu-ceremonies.html
once again, thanks for helping us all promote our work! love ya!! cheers, Lash