Getting There

by Sue Williams

When Sue Williams set out on a 10-year series of journeys around the world, she expected glamour, excitement, a leisurely education. She simply didn't bargain for disaster, spine-tingling terror, and the kind of mind-numbing embarrassment that confronted her at nearly every turn. In fact, if she'd known she would wake up naked inside a sleeping bag, with all her belongings vanished, on a patch of wasteland in Central African Republic; get lost on a dark mountain top in Malawi; be stalked by a wife-hungry politician in Mexico; hitch 1000 kilometers in the wrong direction in Argentina; and discover, too late, she'd just eaten dog stew in China, she would have never left home in the first place!

Getting There is the hilarious, terrifying and, most of all, inspiring account of Sue's travels across the globe over 20 years. It isn't about destinations or pleasant arrivals, but journeys and the battle to get there, fuelled by curiosity, faith in humanity, naivety, and even extraordinary ineptitude - the tales of the true traveler.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Audiobook

Audible Audio

First published July 20, 2011

Reviews

[Jen · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a really shallow book, made worse by the narration. Everything sounded so trivial. Earthquake - killed lots of people, but the main problem for the author? It disrupted her travel plans.

[Sally Sutton · Rating 3 out of 5]

An audiobook, nicely read but I could not get over the stupidity of the author- a single white woman travelling into regions of the world that were experiencing political disharmony/ civil war and the British High Commission advised people not to travel there! She is a prolific writer now lives in Australia.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book entertaining but was disappointed that the author seemingly focused the majority of the story on the hardships of her travels rather than providing a balance between the hardships and her joys and triumphs. As an avid traveler myself, albeit on a much smaller scale than Sue Williams, I found a lot of the annoyances of her travels familiar but was irritated that they seemed to be the focus of the book. I did think it was important that she shined a light on the gender disparities that occur when traveling.

[Hilary Knowles · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was hoping to find more balance between the traveller's 'escapades and mishaps' and the uplifting, thrill of discovering new cultures, scenery and local people. Eventually the negative tone wore me down, reading about yet another bad experience and I gave up. Sorry - I love travelling but this wasn't for me.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great yarns.
Fun look at her solo travels at a time before instant and constant connection via the internet.
Many of the destinations were places my parents travelled to at the same time with some similar outlandish experiences
A good relax and down time read

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting travel book but sadly I’m reading it during the 2020 Pandemic. It makes me miss travel. Bold lady to travel by herself in tough places.

[Jigs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing...true backpacker adventures of some one travelled alone in 80's ...

[Shaun Major · Rating 4 out of 5]

I searched for this book for a very long time, and it was definitely worth the wait. Travel tales need a unique or unusual angle, and Williams nails it with the volition of her travel skills and knowledge. I could relate to this looking back on my first travels and the failings and learnings I had along the way. I may not have had all of the misfortunes that Williams experienced, but that just made her survival and passage through them even more remarkable. Deliciously written as well.

[Eva · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Teď vás asi zastřelíme aneb mladá dáma na cestách"