Stowaway FALL 2010
EXPLORE. DREAM. DISCOVER.
DRIVING THE SOUTHWEST
Traverse Arizona’s Historic Route 66
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE Beijing’s Hidden Wonders Paris Arts in a Week 5 Carry-ons for Under $50
Pick Your Continent
International Study Programs at the Kennedy Center serves students, faculty, and departments by facilitating the development and implementation of quality international academic experiences. Use the Program Finder (http://kennedy.byu.edu/isp) to choose the best fit for your academic and professional goals covering four types of programs for any major to department-specific opportunities. Study Abroad
Students attend classes taught by BYU faculty that are enriched by excursions to local sites and immersion in a new culture. Some programs offer general education courses while others offer major-specific courses. These are excellent for students who are traveling overseas for the first time and who want a structured program with plenty of interaction with BYU faculty and students.
Direct Enrollment Students attend classes at an international institution of higher education. Classes are taught by local professors with the credit transferring back to BYU. Direct enrollment is ideal for students who are willing to accept the challenges of facing a new culture on their own or in small groups of other BYU students.
International Stud\ Programs Field Study
A field study is designed to help students prepare for graduate school or a career in cross-cultural/international consulting or research. Small groups of students, or individuals, live within a community—immersed in the local culture, as they carry out their own research projects. This type of program requires independent, committed, and self-motivated students, who are willing to prepare themselves through a semester-long preparation course, and who are willing to live in local conditions as members of a culture and community. Students are academically guided by one or several faculty mentors, as well as assisted with logistical arrangements by ISP staff throughout their preparations and field experience.
International Internships
Individual students or small groups work with international companies, government organizations, or development agencies. International internships are intended to provide a practical application of classroom learning. On-the-job experience is enhanced by regular feedback from a BYU faculty mentor. These internships are geared toward students who are independent, self-motivated, and willing to face the challenges of a new culture on their own. 101 HRCB | (801) 422-3686 | isp@byu.edu | kennedy.byu.edu/isp
COVER: PHOTO BY STEWART LEIWAKABESSY/FLICKR; RIGHT: PHOTOS BY STUCK IN CUSTOMS/FLICKR, KAREN HEASLEY, RICHARD FISHER/FLICKR, BRENT ROWLAND, RON BOOTH/STOCK.XCHNG (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT)
Stowaway FALL 2010
Features 26 29
Post-Apocalyptic Jurassic Journeys Survival Guide Go back in Earth’s history Armageddon is tough enough. Here, some suggestions on how to handle things at the end of things.
32
and see what our planet used to be like by taking a tour of Utah’s dinosaur museums.
40
21 36 Beijing’s Hidden Wonders Venture beyond Beijing’s crowded tourist haunts and experience the city as few outsiders see it.
Golden Hours in Estes Park Experience the purple mountain majesties as you read about the spectacles, history, and lifestyle of Estes Park, Colorado.
Arizona’s Route 66 A writer spends a day on the old route, searching the Southwest and meeting ON THE COVER the people who remember The red rocks in Stewart Leiwakabessy’s photo reflect a another era. sunset on a winding road in the Southwest. Discover the charm and beauty of a Route 66 road trip on page 40.
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Departments Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Note 5 Happenings 6
Culture Street Markets 10 Tokyo Tastes 14 Food Contests 16
Getaway 18 19 20 21 22 23
14
23 Insider 46 47 48 49 50
18 56
Field Notes 54 56 58 59 60 61 64
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High-Tech Travel Plans Sitting Pretty Avoid the Foreign Fuzz Book It Before You Book It 5 Carry-ons Under $50
Photo Contest Sam Dodge Necrotourism Sleeping Surprises Will Work for Travel Accidental Expat Parting Shot PHOTO BY ANNE WILLIS (BOTTOM)
Moab, Utah Arco, Idaho Paris, France Portland, Oregon Italy Maine
Ready to travel? Don’t let classes stop you from studying abroad, going home, or taking that long overdue road trip with your friends. With BYU Independent Study, you get the freedom to travel while earning credits you need to graduate. Who says that you can’t be successful in school and have fun? Sign up for courses at any time, with up to a full year to complete them. Set your own deadlines and create your own schedule. You can even look at the syllabus before you enroll so you know exactly what you’ll be doing. Don’t let a couple of credits hold you back from freedom.
1-800-914-8931 elearn.byu.edu
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Stowaway EXPLORE. DREAM. DISCOVER.
EDITOR IN CHIEF Marvin K. Gardner MANAGING EDITOR Brent Rowland ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR Kara Charlesworth SENIOR EDITORS KayLynn Flanders Toni Pilcher ASSOCIATE EDITORS Karen Heasley Liz Lewis COPYEDITORS Kiyomi MacDonald Allison Mitton ART DIRECTOR Holly V.W. Munson SENIOR DESIGNERS Glen Ellsworth Joseph Sowa ASSOCIATE DESIGNERS Amanda Campos Kelcy Molyneux PHOTOGRAPHER Kelcy Molyneux PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Tristan Higbee BUSINESS MANAGER Stephen Gibbons ADVISOR Sean Johnson Top row, from left: Brent, Kara, KayLynn; second row: Toni, Karen, Liz; third row: Kiyomi, Allison, Holly; fourth row: Glen, Joseph, Amanda; fifth row: Kelcy, Tristan, Stephen.
© 2010 Marvin K. Gardner 4045 JFSB, Brigham Young University Provo, Utah 84602 Printed by MagCloud Stowaway was produced as a group project for English Language 430R, Editing for Publication, the capstone class of the editing minor at Brigham Young University. All staff members contributed to planning, writing, editing, and designing. The views expressed in this publication are solely the views of the authors and in no way represent the views or opinions of BYU. Stowaway takes inspiration from the words of Mark Twain: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” 4 > > FA L L 2 0 1 0
editor’s note
Rediscovering a Round World from the crowds, in “Beijing’s Hidden Wonders” (page 36). He describes a section of the Great Wall that holds little appeal: “a carnival-like atmosphere, replete with a KFC, McDonald’s, and t-shirt vendors.” His other image of a less-visited section, with its “crumbling towers” and “overgrown steps,” whispers the mystique of China and reminds me that authentic experience can still be found. We’ve included Arco, Idaho (page 19), and Estes Park, Colorado (page 32), in Stowaway, because you don’t have to go abroad to broaden your perspective. “Italy—The Time I Hated Pizza” (page 22) offers travel advice for an Italian countryside free of crowds. Read about Sam Dodge (page 56) and the simple, human connection that marked him in Cairo. In my experience, George Moore was right: “A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it.” Sometimes we must dislocate and abandon the familiar to see and understand what was there all along. The best travel offers a new perspective on our own world. Exactly what we need. Brent Rowland
managing editor
PHOTO BY ROBERT CHURCHILL
Travel is not essential. You can get a good education, find a great job, and raise a happy family without ever owning a passport. No one’s going to hold a lack of international experience against you (let’s hope). Yet in a globalized world, travel may be more important than ever before. Despite the claims, our world is not flat. But wrapped as we are in the familiar—with mass media and the Internet at our fingertips—it can begin to look that way. The fact that we are even calling the world flat is cause to dislocate and defamiliarize ourselves. We need to rediscover a round world—a rich, diverse, human world that connects us to other people and increases our ability to think outside ourselves. To do this we need to become better, smarter travelers. Instead of vacation travel, we need to take time for intentional travel, a kind of wandering where we purposefully head off the beaten path to the dusty corners of the world. These are places untouched by the ready-made, homogenized experience of dull brochures and long lines. Stowaway encourages you to turn your back on all that, strike out on your own, seek the everyday. That’s where you’ll find a round world ripe for exploration. The Olympics familiarized the world with Beijing, but Tristan Higbee takes us around the corner, away
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happenings
FU N K Y
FESTIVALS Alaska Bald Eagle Festival November 10–14 Haines, Alaska Every year in November, thousands of bald eagles descend on the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve to feast on salmon. Come and enjoy the celebration while viewing these rare birds. π baldeaglefestival.org
Eggplant Festival October 2 Loomis, California Every year, as the days begin to shorten but the summer sun still beats down on the Sacramento Valley in California, the people of Loomis gather together in the center of town to celebrate their favorite vegetable—the eggplant. Loomis, California, is home to the unique Eggplant Festival. Though the town is not known for producing eggplant, it celebrates the vegetable by lining the large central town parking lot with booths of eggplant jewelry, eggplant contests, and deep-fried eggplant. Loomis’s rich agricultural history makes this festival fit right in with the ambience created by the old fruit sheds in town that used to ship local produce by train to the cities surrounding it. π loomischamber.com/eggplantfestival.cfm
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The Whole Enchilada Festival September 24–26 Las Cruces, New Mexico Come and catch a taste of Mexican culture as the people of Las Cruces celebrate the making of the World’s Largest Enchilada. The festivities leading up to the main event include a carnival, food, and live music. π enchiladafiesta.com
Written by Liz Lewis Illustrated by Holly Munson
Avocado Festival October 1–3 Carpinteria, California This festival is a great way to get to know avocados a little better. Home to the world’s largest vat of guacamole, Carpinteria has no shortage of avocado recipes and dishes. Come and eat, listen to live music, learn about the avocado industry, enjoy arts and crafts, and help Carpinteria, California, celebrate avocados in the best way it knows how. π avofest.com
Swiss Days September 3–4 Midway, Utah Come to Midway to celebrate Swiss heritage with these Utah residents. Swiss Days have just about everything a festival needs: a parade, live music, a market, chuckwagon breakfasts and barbeque dinners, and even a 10K and kids’ race. π midwayswissdays.com
Whether you fancy eggplant or enchiladas, check out one of these quirky festivals and join in on the regional revelry.
Night Sky Festival September 9–12 Acadia, Maine Enjoy this festival of science, art, music, and education in an atmosphere that celebrates and educates about the beautiful night sky over the state of Maine. π nightskyfestival.org/Festival/Mon.html
Giant Omelette Festival November 6–7 Abbeville, Lousiana Come to this little town at the beginning of November and witness the use of five thousand eggs for a giant omelette. Enjoy the two-day festivities of great family activities, shows, and fundraisers that all culminate in the preparation and eating of the giant omelette. π giantomelette.org
Popcorn Festival
Festival of the Masters
September 9–11 Marion, Ohio
November 12–14 Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, Florida
Visit Marion in September for more celebration of popcorn than you’ll ever see anywhere else. From food and art to pageants and music, they’ve got it all, and it’s all about popcorn. π popcornfestival.com
If you’re headed to Disney World in November, be prepared for the chance to see one of the finest outdoor art festivals in the country. The show is much anticipated by artists and viewers alike. Besides the amazing art, enjoy live music, food, chalk art, and family activities. π tinyurl.com/mastersfestival
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www.highcountryrafting.com Vivian Park, Provo Canyon, Utah To make reservations, call
(801) 224-2500
• • • • •
Kayak, tube, and raft rentals $10/person Monday–Friday $15/person Saturday & Holidays Basecamp info for large groups Reserve your trip today! youtube.com/highcountryrafting high-country-rafting twitter.com/provoriver
Culture
ARTS >> Get to know Barcelona by roaming the colorful Las Ramblas. page 10 EATS >> Explore some of Tokyo’s culinary
options—and try cooking gyoza at home. page 14
GO LOCAL >> Test your stomach’s stamina and
PHOTO BY BENJAMIN PAGE/FLICKR
explore these local food challenges. page 16
Gyu-Kaku, a popular yakiniku restaurant chain based in Tokyo, is a meat lover’s paradise. page 14 STOWAWAY M A G .C O M < < 9
arts
The Joy of Street Markets It’s not every day that you meet first love in the middle of a street. This summer while browsing Las Ramblas in Barcelona, Spain, I not only met my childhood sweetheart, Edward Scissorhands, but I also fell in love with the amazing local art and was able to get a taste of the local flavor. For me, a street market is a place where you can go to really get a feel for the local culture. Of course there will be the obligatory souvenir booths, Bob Marley fanatics, and caricature booths. But if you look beneath the surface, there is plenty to discover. Las Ramblas is a series of smaller streets located where a riverbed formerly ran outside of the old Barcelona city walls. Eventually Barcelona outgrew the city walls and Las Ramblas began to take shape. During the late eighteenth century a pedestrian lane in the center of the street was built, and by 1865, Las Ramblas looked much the same as it does today. All along the street there are people who dress up in outrageous costumes, some standing still as statues until you give them a tip, others scaring you into taking photos with them. Local artists’ booths dot the street between flower shops and stores full of pets. The greatest way to find the culture in a street market is to head to the food section. Not only does the food section offer a great variety of the native delicacies, but food brings people together and makes everyone feel comfortable. Even if you don’t feel like trying the local cuisine, you’re sure to meet friendly locals among the browsers and vendors. Get to know the street markets; get to know the people. —Kelcy Molyneux
Performers line the thoroughfare, dressed to get the attention and money of tourists.
PHOTOS BY KELCY MOLYNEUX
Crowds gather on Las Ramblas in Barcelona.
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r e h t r fu
Stowaway ^
Visit Stowaway online
stowawaymag.com STOWAWAY M A G .C O M < < 1 1
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eats
Tokyo Tastes Whether you are going to Tokyo or just want to experience the tastes of Japan in the comfort of your own home, we’ve got ideas for you.
Imagine a restaurant where you pay to cook your own food. Doesn’t sound very worthwhile, right? Think again. Gyu-Kaku is a popular yakiniku restaurant chain, centered in Tokyo, with more than 700 locations worldwide. Yakiniku, or Japanese barbecue (literally “grilled meat”), is fun, tasty, and cultural—an experience complete with flaming grills, chopsticks, and a special yakiniku no tare, a sweet sauce that usually has a soy base. Gyu-Kaku is a meat lover’s paradise. The menu offers plates full of raw meat to choose from, which you then cook on the built-in grill at your table. The kalbi short rib is probably the best item on the menu as far as meat goes—but for the more adventurous, cow tongue (gyutan) and intestine (horumon) are also available. The menu offers plates of assorted vegetables, edamame, and
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other vegetarian dishes for those less carnivorous food lovers; try them grilled and dipped in tare. Be sure to order plenty of rice with your meal. If you can’t go all the way to Japan to experience Gyu-Kaku, you could just travel to California, New York, or Hawaii. All three states currently have Gyu-Kaku restaurants, modified for the US market and offering different entrees and sauces, complete with traditional s’mores for dessert. The Gyu-Kaku franchise is hoping to further expand throughout the United States. For information on American locations, visit the website at gyu-kaku.com. Expect to pay roughly $20–$25 per person. Many American locations offer all-you-can-eat lunch courses starting at $19.95. —Kara Charlesworth
LEFT: PHOTO BY MCONNORS/MORGUEFILE; RIGHT: PHOTOS BY ADACTIO/FLICKR (TOP) AND KARA CHARLESWORTH (BOTTOM)
Gyu-Kaku: The Japanese Barbeque Experience
Japanese Italian Cuisine In Japan but craving Italian? Not to worry! Surprisingly, Japan has some great Italian food. While you’re in Tokyo, stop by Tapasu-Tapasu in downtown Shibuya, across the street from Tokyu Hands. This casual, cozy little Italian restaurant has a unique Japanese Italian charm and a superb eggplant spaghetti. The plaster walls are adorned with Mediterranean paintings and pottery, and in the central, open kitchen, white-clad chefs bustle around large pizza ovens. English menus are available and, at lunchtime, self-serve drinks—including a wide variety of juices—come with unlimited refills.
A Tip on Tips Don’t worry about whipping out your phone’s calculator to determine 15–20 percent of your bill. In Japan, it is not customary to tip your waiter.
Chopstick Superstitions You may want to be careful with those chopsticks. Never stick your chopsticks straight up in your bowl or pass food from chopstick to chopstick. These are funeral practices and, according to Japanese superstition, are unlucky. The most proper way to put down your chopsticks is to lay them side by side across the top of your bowl.
Gyoza is the Japanese name for pot stickers—dumplings that actually originated in China.
MAKE IT AT HOME
Fried Gyoza 1 packet ready-made gyoza or potsticker wrappers (you can pick these up at a local Asian market)
4. In a large mixing bowl, whisk soy sauce, ginger juice, sesame oil, salt, and pepper.
For filling 1 cabbage leaf 2 tbsp. chopped green onions pinch of garlic 1/2 lb. of pork, chicken, or vegetables 1 tbsp. soy sauce 1 tsp. ginger juice (or grated fresh ginger) 1 tsp. sesame oil 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. pepper
5. Mix in cabbage, green onions, and your choice of pork, chicken, or vegetables. Stir until seasoning is well dispersed.
For cooking 2 tbsp. vegetable oil For dipping Soy sauce
Gyu-Kaku’s unique grills use down-draft systems to create a smoke-free environment for restaurant patrons.
1. Add cabbage to boiling water for ten seconds. Drain and squeeze the water out of the cabbage. Then chop cabbage finely and set aside. 2. Chop the green onions. Add a pinch of minced fresh garlic or garlic powder and set aside. 3. In a large sauté pan, cook the pork, chicken, or vegetables. Then chop finely.
6. Have a small bowl of water handy. Dip your fingers into the bowl and moisten the edge of the wrapper with your fingers. Quickly place 1–2 tsp. of filling in the center of the wrapper. Fold edges and firmly press closed. Repeat for all wrappers. 7. Heat 2 tbsp. vegetable oil in a sauté pan and cook gyoza gently until underside is golden brown. 8. Leaving gyoza in the pan, wipe out the oil from the pan with absorbent paper. 9. Add just enough hot water to cover the bottom of the pan. 10. Put a lid on the pan and continue cooking until the water has evaporated. When cooked, the wrapper should appear transparent and its base should be brown. 11. Serve immediately with soy sauce for dipping.
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go local
Destination: Food Contests Try local tastes and test your stomach’s stamina In the hidden nooks of towns large and small, great restaurants entice guests with unusual eating challenges. One such find is Sensuous Sandwich, which has two locations in Utah Valley. This sandwich shop holds a treasure of its own—a challenge to eat a twenty-fourinch sandwich in thirty minutes. The reward is a free t-shirt—and if you wear it to the store, you can get a medium drink free. (For details, visit sensuoussandwich. com.) You also get your picture on the wall and join the ranks of the few who had the guts to finish such a feat. However, this challenge is not for the faint of heart. Holly, an employee at the Sensuous Sandwich in Provo, Utah, said that when she tried the challenge with friends, half of them couldn’t finish—including her. But she explained that taking on the challenge was “cool.” It was not necessarily the glory of winning that made her try the challenge, but the fun she had trying it with friends. For a unique vacation, map your trip around these contests, challenging your friends and letting your stomach lead the way.
Beth’s Cafe
Buffalo Wild Wings
Pho Garden
Seattle, Washington
Multiple locations
San Francisco, California
If you prefer breakfast, make your way to Beth’s Cafe in Seattle to eat a twelve-egg omelette that you can create yourself. Beth’s Cafe does not have a prize for finishing the omelette, but great job if you do. π bethscafe.com
Buffalo Bill’s Wild Wings Blazin’ Challenge will set your mouth on fire as you attempt to eat twelve of their Blazin’ Hot Wings in six minutes. Use caution because even the milder items on their menu are not for the faint of heart. π buffalowildwings.com
Try Pho Garden in San Francisco for the unique experience of eating two pounds of noodles and two pounds of meat in one hour to earn a free meal. The restaurant offers a fun and comfortable atmosphere and great service. While you chow down for a free meal, the employees will be there cheering you on. π phogardensf.com
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Like sandwiches? Think you could tackle a twentyfour-inch sandwich in less than thirty minutes? If so, visit Sensuous Sandwich in Utah Valley. Or venture to other local food contests and put your stomach to the test.
PHOTOS BY ADACTIO/FLICKR (TOP), WORDRIDDEN/FLICKR (LEFT), RICK/FLICKR (CENTER), AVLXYZ/FLICKR (RIGHT)
—Liz Lewis
Getaway FOR A WEEKEND >> Venture to Adventure
Capital, USA—or try Craters of the Moon. page 18
FOR A WEEK >> Find out how to make the most
of Paris and how to experience the natural side of Portland, Oregon. page 20
FOR A WHILE >> Learn how to tour Italy on a bud-
PHOTO BY TRISTAN HIGBEE
get and what to see in Maine. page 22
Moab’s spectacular desert scenery offers adventures for even the most hardened adrenaline junkie. page 18 STOWAWAY M A G .C O M < < 1 7
away for a weekend
Moab, Utah
Adventure Capital, USA Tucked away in the middle of nowhere in eastern Utah is the adventure capital of the United States. Moab’s spectacular desert scenery offers adventures for even the most hardened adrenaline junkie. While summers can be blisteringly hot and winters blindingly cold, fall happily offers comfortable t-shirt weather.
Mountain biking People come from all over the world to ride Moab’s famous mountain bike trails. Among the most storied are the aptly named Slickrock Trail (a 10.6-mile loop) and the epic Porcupine Rim Trail, offering 15.6 miles of downhill madness.
River rafting The Colorado River runs right through town, offering a convenient place to cool off on hot days. You can float in an inner tube down the more benign stretches north of town or battle the whitewater in Westwater and Cataract Canyons.
Hiking
BASE jumping
Get up close and personal with the landscape. Arches and Canyonlands National Parks offer breathtaking hikes that range from 200-foot paved trails to multi-day excursions.
Even if you’re not a participant in this hair-raising sport, it’s fun to watch other people do it! The Tombstones up Kane Creek are the most-jumped cliffs in the country.
Rock climbing
Logistics
This is red rock country, after all. Wall Street (also known as Potash Road) offers convenient roadside cragging, while the terrifying Fisher Towers will test the nerves of seasoned climbers.
Moab is a 4.5-hour drive from Salt Lake City and a 5.5-hour drive from Denver. The town has all the services and amenities a traveler could want. Accommodation options range from camping along the Colorado River to upscale hotels in town. For more information, check out Moab’s official website at discovermoab.com.
Off-roading Sometimes a Prius just won’t cut it. Bring your own rig, rent a Jeep in town, or sign up for a guided tour.
Skydiving Fancy getting above the rock and sand? Skydive Moab offers tandem jumps for beginners and a quick lift in their planes for veterans.
While in Moab, make sure to explore the Fisher Towers, monoliths that stand tall with sheer cliffs sculpted by eons of erosion.
—Tristan Higbee
Craters of the Moon National Monument offers unearthly views like this, from the top of Inferno Cone.
LEFT: PHOTO COURTESY TRISTAN HIGBEE; RIGHT: PHOTO BY KAYLYNN FLANDERS
Arco, Idaho
A walk on the moon In 1969, Apollo astronauts traveled to the Craters of the Moon—the Craters of the Moon National Monument in Idaho, that is—to research what the landscape of the moon would be like. With the visible ebb and flow of lava formations, caves and tubes, craters and trails, the stark beauty of the landscape resembles a moon-like environment that covers a land area roughly the size of Rhode Island. Located in south-central Idaho, Craters is an ideal weekend getaway. Your weekend will be filled
with hiking, camping, caving, and learning. A museum with everything from the current ozone levels in the atmosphere to videos of volcanoes will prepare you for a day of climbing through the formations yourself. There’s a campground for overnighters and a car loop with places to park and hike for day-trippers. Climb to the top of Inferno Cone for a fabulous view of the valley. If you want a longer hike and a fabulous journey into the lava rocks, the cave hikes are for you.
The park is open year-round, with snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in the winter. Fall brings the best temperatures and the fewest tourists, so you can actually feel like you’re alone on a foreign landscape. Craters of the Moon National Monument is the perfect out-ofthis-world weekend escape. Visit nps.gov/crmo to check weather and more before you go. Entrance fees are $8 per vehicle or $4 per person and visitors fifteen years and younger get in free. —KayLynn Flanders
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away for a week
Paris, France Fall is the perfect time to spend a week in Paris. After the summer, airfare and hotel prices are lower, the weather is cooler, and the tourists are fewer. Paris is an exciting getaway for art and culture lovers, and you don’t have to study or work there to experience it fully—it can be done in less than a week. Here are some tips for getting the most out of a brief stay in Paris.
Use the Paris Museum Pass Buy a Paris Museum Pass for two, four, or six days. It can save you money on the most famous museums and monuments in Paris if you’re planning on seeing a lot in a short time. It can also save you from waiting in ticket lines. See parismuseumpass.com for prices, a list of attractions, and places to buy the pass.
Notre Dame Cathedral is the famous setting of Victor Hugo’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Go on a tour of the towers (included in the Paris Museum Pass) to see the famous bell tower and some fascinating gargoyles.
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Take advantage of the Metro
Plan for free museum days
In Paris, the best way to get around is the Metro. Metro stations are located all over the city, and passes are available for one, two, three, or five days. Most of the famous sites in Paris are located within Zones 1–3, but you can also buy passes for Zones 1–6.
The Musée du Louvre, Musée d’Orsay, Musée Rodin, and Centre Pompidou are just a few of the museums open to the public free of charge on the first Sunday of each month. In addition, guests twentyfive and younger can get into the Louvre for free between 6 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. on Fridays. (If you’re an art enthusiast, you’ll want to go to the Louvre more than once.) There are also some sites that are free every day, including the Maison de Victor Hugo and the Notre Dame Cathedral. Try going to the Notre Dame Cathedral for mass. It’s an experience that will transport you to another time. See cathedraledeparis .com for mass times.
Eat on the go Meals in Paris can be expensive and very time-consuming. But you don’t have to sit down for every meal—you can find fast, cheap food all over the city. In addition to the standard fast food (of course they have McDonald’s), you can stop at crêpe stands and street vendors to experience French food on the go. Outside the Musée d’Orsay there is an order-at-the-window “restaurant” with good baguette sandwiches.
—Kara Charlesworth
LEFT: PHOTO BY KARA CHARLESWORTH; RIGHT: PHOTOS BY ALLISON MITTON (TOP) AND RACHAEL VOORHEES/FLICKR (BOTTOM)
Art lovers’ paradise
Portland, Oregon Bikes, books, and bites City of roses. Home of The Shins, Nike, and author Chuck Palahniuk. Portland is a city with great culture, music, and a love of all things natural (think cycling, recycling, and granola). It has personality, and it’s a wonderful place to spend a week.
Cycling The League of American Bicyclists has recognized Portland as one of the most biker-friendly cities in the world. Cycling is a huge part of the Portland experience, and there are several fantastic biking paths throughout the city at various difficulty levels. To find a route that works well for you, visit portlandonline.com or web.oregon.com/trips/cycle_portland.cfm. Both websites also suggest enjoyable and challenging hikes in the city and the surrounding area. If you want to experience Portland’s greenery but would rather not physically exhaust yourself, take a stroll through Washington Park, which houses the Chinese gardens, Japanese gardens, and of course the city’s roses.
Recycling A stay in Portland must always include a trip to Powell’s City of Books. Located just off Burnside in the famous Pearl District and encompassing an entire city block, Powell’s is the largest independent bookstore in the nation. They have a huge selection of both new and used books, and because of its size, Powell’s often contains hidden treasures at great prices. Make sure to pick up a map of the store on your way in, or you will easily get lost—though that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Granola Okay, so this isn’t granola, but if you want a particularly unique culinary experience, go to Voodoo Donuts on SW 3rd Street. Voodoo Doughnuts showcases Portland flavors you could never have imagined in an atmosphere you will never forget. Their unique selection includes the Bacon Maple bar (a maple bar topped with bacon strips), vegan doughnuts, and the “Official City Doughnut,” the Portland Crème—a crème-filled doughnut that is covered in chocolate and has two eyes. —Allison Mitton
Reading enthusiasts from all over the country lock their bikes when visiting Powell’s, the largest independent bookstore in the United States.
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away for a while
Italy
The time I hated pizza Yes, it’s true. There was a time in my life when I ate so much three-euro margherita pizza that I would rather run to the nearest McDonald’s than so much as look at another cheesy slab of evil carbs. But cheap backpacking demands that you cut costs wherever possible. My best friend and I had barely enough money to feed ourselves and only sixteen days to see the best of Italy. So if you’re headed to the bootshaped beauty in Western Europe, here are some cheap sights you absolutely can’t miss (even if it does mean surviving on pizza).
Crypt of the Cappuchin Monks in Rome Ever wonder what a room would look if the interior decorator was the Grim Reaper? Intricate patterns of bones with the occasional full skeleton propped up in the corner decorate several final resting places under the Cappuchin Chapel in the heart of Rome. The admission is a suggested donation of a few euros—definitely a bargain (sorry, no photos are allowed).
Many worthwhile sights in Italy, like this villa on Lake Como, can be experienced only by straying outside of crowded, popular cities like Venice and Rome.
The Island of Ischia Ischia is the island right next to Capri. It’s cheaper than Capri and feels more like a real Italian community than a tourist trap. Definitely opt for this tiny paradise over its bigger, more popular brother.
San Gimingnano A tiny fortress declared a Unesco World Heritage Site, San Gimingnano rests in the hills of Tuscany outside Florence. It’s a few-euro bus ride away from the city and definitely worth a day’s wandering. Just remember to check the bus times for a ride home, or else you’ll be stranded.
Bellagio All the towns around Lake Como are worth visiting, but Bellagio’s quaint streets, delicate fountains, and steep sidewalk staircases have a rustic Italian charm that cannot be missed. The precarious bus ride around snaking, mountain roads adds to the excitement of the adventure. —Anne Willis
Maine
LEFT: PHOTO BY AMYSUE73/MORGUEFILE; RIGHT: PHOTO BY EZIOMAN/FLICKR
Out and about With outdoor activities, museums, lighthouses, shops, and more, Maine is a great getaway spot. Perhaps the most enjoyable aspects of Maine are the breathtaking scenery and the beautiful national parks. Bar Harbor provides shops, sightseeing, and countless outdoor activities in Acadia National Park. Begin your day in beautiful Acadia—a must for anyone who loves the outdoors. Hikers and bikers enjoy more than 120 miles of trails ranging from short and simple to difficult and extreme for the truly outgoing. For a more relaxing start to your day, visit one of the many lakes and ponds, and breathe in the fresh air as you spend time fishing. This park has so much to offer that it would be impossible to see it all in one day. If you just can’t get enough, set up camp at one of Acadia’s affordable campsites. For a quicker visit, check out the 360-degree view from Cadillac Mountain, which is just a short hike from the visitors’ center, or relax and enjoy the woodland trails in a horse-drawn carriage. In the fall be sure to make time for the annual Acadia Night Sky Festival. This year’s festival runs September 9–12 and features more than forty-two events for all ages, including planetarium shows, star-themed stories, photography, telescope discovery, and fireworks. If the outdoors are not for you, Bar Harbor offers indoor fun too. Don’t miss a day of shopping and sightseeing. Antiques, gift shops, art galleries, and candy shops abound. Take a break from shopping and experience a great meal at one of Bar Harbor’s restaurants. An especially popular place is the Jordan Pond House Restaurant, established in 1847. Try a fresh seafood meal, or go back in time and enjoy a traditional afternoon tea in the garden. Whatever you do, don’t miss out on Jordan Pond’s famous popovers—it would be a mistake to pass up this delicious treat! After your meal, take a stroll on the grounds. With plenty of scenery, including gardens and mountain views, you won’t be disappointed. —Amanda Campos
Visit the coast in Acadia National Park to see the waves crash against some spectacular rocky beaches.
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Features
PHOTO BY BRENT ROWLAND
COVER STORY >> Drive Arizona’s Route 66 and experience the freedom of the American road. page 40
“Foreigners know more about Route 66 than Americans do,” says George Game, president of the Canadian Route 66 Association. According to Game, eighty percent of signatures in guest books along the route are foreign. page 40 STOWAWAY M A G .C O M < < 2 5
SURVIVAL
A Post-apocalyptic Travel Guide
BY GLEN ELLSWORTH
It’s the end. and you’ve survived.
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irst of all, congratulations are in order. Not many people came out alive. But for the sake of this article, let’s not get too bogged down in thinking about the loss of virtually all mankind. After all, you have the potential to restart the human family. Instead of thinking of Adam and Eve, later generations will look back on their family trees and remember (insert your name) and (whoever you can find). That’s certainly something to look forward to. The big question is What do I do now? While I can’t answer all of the questions that you’re likely to have about your future, I can provide brief tips on something that you’re almost certainly going to be doing a lot of: traveling. Whether you’re looking for other survivors, hunting for a safe place to settle down, foraging for food and water, or just hoping to see the sights, the postapocalyptic world is going to require some movement. Let’s focus on the aftermath of some of the most likely apocalyptic scenarios: pathological, nuclear/ meteoric, and zombie.
PHOTO COURTESY UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Scenario I: Pathological Apocalypse You survived a disease that laid waste to most of the world’s population. Here are some facts of life. There are millions of recently dead, some nearer to you than you’d probably like, lying unburied in homes, hospitals, and elsewhere. Electricity is on the out and out. The regular niceties that you’re used to are gone—production of all commodities has ceased and transportation of goods has ended. Fortunately, the destruction to man-made structures and to the environment has been minimal. Instead of starting from scratch, you’ve got a ready-made society that’s just missing one key ingredient: people. Here’s what you need to do. FIND OTHER SURVIVORS The fact that you survived probably denotes your unexpected immunity to a pathogen that has proved fatal to most of the world’s population.
In all likelihood, you’re not alone in your inherent and arguably undeserved survival skills. Use whatever methods you can contrive to find other survivors: megaphone, firecrackers/flares, shortwave radios in the cab of a semi, yelling. Be creative. FIND TRANSPORTATION You’ll want something big but maneuverable. Think Land Rover or a big truck. You’ll need to haul a lot of stuff with you, so towing capacity and a trailer of some sort are a must. You can siphon fuel from underground tanks at gas stations or any nearby vehicles. This is a top priority. Gasoline will make things much easier. GATHER SUPPLIES While you’re searching for survivors, start collecting supplies. Loot. You’ve always wanted to do it. This is your chance to get all the cool gadgets you need. You will definitely want to pay a visit to a bookstore and grab a book on survival. Get what it says to get. BEWARE OF THE DEAD No, we’re not to the zombies yet. With all the unburied dead around, sanitation will be a big problem. It’s quite possible your hometown may quickly become septic. Be prepared and guard against infection. Sometime during your foraging, visit a pharmacy and get what you can to prepare for likely illnesses and injuries. Your immunity to whatever killed everyone else doesn’t make you invincible. STOCKPILE Hopefully by this time you’ve acquired a companion or two. Good. Organize foraging missions. Start paying attention to foodstuffs—especially water. You need between 1.5 and 2 liters a day. This shouldn’t be a problem initially, thanks to our society’s obsession with bottled water, but the supply is not endless. Get more than one vehicle. Commandeer a semi as your primary means of storing and moving supplies.
FIND A PLACE TO SETTLE The primary challenge in creating a post-pathological apocalyptic settlement is that there aren’t enough people to make the infrastructure work—no one to generate power, grow food, or provide any of the other necessary commodities. You’ll need to find a place small enough that you can clear out the dead, yet large enough to provide for longterm foraging and societal growth. In Stephen King’s The Stand, the survivors of a pathological apocalypse choose Boulder, Colorado. Seems like as good a suggestion as any other. Head there. REBUILD & REPOPULATE Continue to look for survivors and invite them to join your colony. Or, if you want, call it an empire. I’ll bet you’ve never been an emperor before. Either way, organize and, eventually, specialize. Remember your strength is in maintaining numbers and preserving genetic diversity.
Scenario II: Nuclear/ Meteoric Apocalypse If you’ve survived either one of these rather dire events, you’ve likely spent the past five or so years underground surrounded by stockpiles of food and several feet of concrete. Hopefully you remembered to pack a good book or two. You’re now returning to the surface with the hope that the initial effects of these events have faded enough to allow some type of survival on the surface. You’ll still have to contend with some bothersome issues like the widespread destruction of manmade structures, the destruction or extinction of most plant and animal life, and the destruction of the ozone layer. I’m leaving out the possibility of a perpetual nuclear winter because if you’re dealing with that too, then surviving isn’t really an option. COLLECT SUPPLIES Finding enough to eat and drink is going to be a real problem for you. STOWAWAY M A G .C O M < < 2 7
FIND TRANSPORTATION Look for the same type of strong, maneuverable vehicle you would in a pathogenic apocalypse, but know that your pickings will be slimmer. There has been more pervasive destruction, and everything has been deteriorating for a number of years. Fuel will be harder to come by, though you may have more luck in rural areas. If a car is out of the question, get the next best thing, maybe a wagon or a shopping cart—something to carry the basics. FIND/AVOID SURVIVORS In a system with limited resources, consumers must compete for survival. If you’ve had any experience with post-apocalyptic fiction, you know that these times can breed exceptional ruthlessness. Beware of others. Conversely, the lone man is easy prey and will find it more difficult to survive. Choose companions carefully. KEEP MOVING Natural resources will be vastly depleted, so you’ll be forced to live the life of a hunter-gatherer, scavenging the vestiges of humanity. You’ll want to travel roads that frequent towns and small cities where you can forage but also cross into more rural areas to avoid others. REINVENT AGRICULTURE The continued survival of mankind depends on the reemergence of some sort of steady farm life. Survivors can use the wreckage for only so long before they will have to make and grow new things. If you’re feeling adventurous and want to become legendary, I suggest seeking the
Svalbard Global Seed Vault located on the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen. Here the Norwegians have built a doomsday seed repository that can survive the same kind of catastrophe you did. It contains over twenty million seeds with which you can replant the world. Convenient, except the Norwegians built the Vault on an island archipelago about 810 miles from the North Pole. Someone seems to think that survivors of Armageddon will have easy access to planes and sophisticated navigation equipment. But then again, who’s to say you won’t?
Scenario III: Zombie Apocalypse Doubtlessly, some of you think that I’m venturing into the world of science fiction. Don’t be so sure. Those of us who are more open-minded take this possibility very seriously and, indeed, see signs that suggest its inevitability. Consider the possibility of a parasite that damages the brain’s frontal cortex but leaves the brain stem unharmed, reducing victims to stumbling creatures ruled by basic instinct. Or a virus that proliferates the brain chemicals that create feelings of anger or rage. How quickly would victims become brutally violent, spreading the disease through vicious attacks? Connect this line of reasoning with a scientific study published in the book Infectious Diseases Modeling Research Progress that concludes that only frequent counter-attacks at the early stage of a zombie apocalypse would prevent the breakdown of civilization. Scared? You should be.
Most aspects of basic survival I’ve covered already. I won’t bore you with needless reiteration. Everything that you need to survive a pathological apocalypse still applies. Now, however, we are primarily concerned with avoiding zombie attacks. This will require constant vigilance, good aim, and a fair bit of luck. On a positive note, it is not likely you will be bored. You will need a gun, preferably two: a shotgun and a high-powered rifle. And you will need lots of ammunition. You will need a safeish place to call home. Get away from places where there are (were) lots of people. The Great Plains is not a bad idea—you don’t hear a lot coming from Nebraska. You will need to maintain constant, unwavering diligence. I recommend finding a number of well-armed human companions. In this you face a difficult tactical problem. You need to keep human forces localized enough to defeat any undead intruders, but you need to spread out enough so that you don’t over-tax the natural resources. What you’ll need the most, in all likelihood, is a good perspective. Because really, who are we kidding? The continued survival of humanity is unlikely at best. At some point, likely on a dark night while you’re trying to complete some important mission (as we’ve learned from zombie fiction), you’ll be caught by surprise and dragged slowly under by strong, relentless hands. But don’t let yourself get down. There have been no reports that zombie life is at all bad or uncomfortable. Zombies certainly don’t seem to have a lot of stressors. In fact, I’ll bet they think they’ve found a nirvana-like existence. Maybe that’s why zombies are so intent on, um, “recruiting.” They’re just trying to share the love. By eating our brains. See! We’re feeling better about things already. Whatever happens that finally brings us to the end of things, I hope that some of us are around to see it. And I really hope that someone has the presence of mind to whisper or hum that final anthem: “It’s the end of the world as we know it. And I feel fine.”
LEFT: PHOTOS BY FLAVIO TAKEMOTO/SXC.HU (EARTH) AND KEVINZIM/FLICKR (METEOR); PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY GLEN ELLSWORTH
Look in grocery stores and pantries of large houses first, searching especially for canned food. Many water sources will be befouled by radiation or by dust and ash. Do the best you can. If you find a good source, stockpile as much as you can. Also, keep your skin covered. The intense heat of nuclear blasts or meteoric collision would significantly harm the ozone layer and allow dangerous amounts of solar radiation to penetrate.
Jurassic JOURNEYS WRitten and photographed BY Karen HEASLEY
Tour the dinosaur museums in Utah and catch a glimpse of the past
I
still remember my first trip to a dinosaur museum when I was a little girl visiting my grandparents in Utah. I don’t know if I really understood what I was looking at, but I loved it. I’m sure that I could only associate the exhibits with movies like The Land Before Time, We’re Back! or (later) Jurassic Park. But even as a little girl, there was something about the giant dinosaur bones that kept me going back for more. In a world where we know so much, dinosaurs remain largely unknown. And although experts have learned a lot about how dinosaurs lived, there is still much to be discovered. Why were they here? What did they do? Did they have a purpose? What did they look like? How did they live? Maybe that’s why I still love dinosaurs. Their mysteries intrigue me. Years later and with driving fascination, I’ve returned to my love of dinosaurs by visiting a handful of the many dinosaur museums and exhibits located in Utah.
george s. eccles dinosaur park in Ogden
The Eccles Museum is a great place to take the kids on a nice day. The outdoor park is filled with dinosaur replicas of all kinds and sizes. There are trails that lead around the grounds and outdoor play area of the museum. Various sound effects along the trails, from roaring to leaf rustling, enhance the Jurassic Park feel, making the dinosaur statues almost come alive. If visitors want to actually see how dinosaurs might have moved, they can head upstairs to a room featuring a robotic T. Rex and Triceratops facing off. Downstairs, the museum has an assortment of land- and sea-dwelling dinos. Visitors who check out some of the downstairs rock displays will discover fossilized dinosaur feces.
North American Museum of Ancient Life at Thanksgiving Point
At some point, everyone should make it out to the North American Museum of Ancient Life at Thanksgiving Point and discover several exhibits, a children’s paleontology lab, movies, and a café gift shop to boot. Museum tours move through a chronological history of the earth. Visitors progress from a space-like room to a mural representing the formation of the world to a depiction of what North America would have been like millions of years ago. There are a few things that this museum does particularly well. It gives visitors a sense of what life could have been like for the dinosaurs. It suggests that dinosaurs of all sizes filled and ruled the earth. Hands-on exhibits cater to the curious. The museum also has plenty of free play stations for children. Along with the play stations are a variety of short movie stations that educate visitors on fossil-related topics.
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The Museum of Paleontology at Brigham Young University
This museum, located on BYU campus, is nice to stop by, if it’s on your way. Although the museum itself is pretty small, it does have a few perks. Admission is free, though donations are welcomed. The museum isn’t located in a high-traffic area; in fact, many people living in Provo aren’t aware of it, so chances are it won’t be too busy. Also, what the museum lacks in quantity, it makes up for in quality. For example, many museums in Utah have a mock paleontology lab for visitors to look at during the museum tour. In Provo, you can actually watch the students at work as they study their fossils. Maybe because the museum is small, it effectively gets the point across that some dinosaurs were huge. One room consists of only dinosaur skulls—each one as big as a human being. In another room, an entire wall is taken up by the fossil of a palm frond. This small museum has a charm of its own and a few unique exhibits, although most of what is in the Provo museum can be found in other museums.
Top: An Acrocanthosaurus is displayed on the trails at Eccles Dinosaur Park Center: A cast of an alligator skull is found at the Museum of Paleontology in Provo. Bottom: The North American Museum of Ancient Life has an early Mesozoic marine fossil.
A cast of the most complete Camarasaurus is located in the Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum.
The utah field house of natural history state park museum
The dinosaur museum in Vernal provides a more hands-on experience than most museums. The dinosaur adventure begins with a twelve-minute video that introduces visitors to the museum. After the video, visitors are led into a mock dig site designed to help both children and adults envision the process of uncovering dinosaur fossils. The interactive experience continues as guests proceed to the Fossil Lab, a kids’ station designed for both playing and learning (adults might enjoy it, too). Just past the learning center is Jurassic Hall, which includes a mural of what life might have been like for the dinosaurs, a Stegosaurus exhibit showing what paleontologists think one species of stegosaur may have looked like, real Stegosaurus fossils, a “teenage” Camarasaurus . . . and the lists goes on. Jurassic Hall is filled with actual fossils, not just casts—some of which visitors are invited to touch. Then, visitors walk through the Rocks and Time Hall, which leads them to the Eocene epoch when mammals abounded. Visitors can see a progression of fossils (of both flora and fauna) before reaching the most recent artifacts of cave drawings, pottery, and clothing. There’s a lot to see; visitors should take their time going through the museum and, if possible, join a tour or ask to be shown around. The employees who work there have a deep appreciation for the artifacts and are eager to share what they know.
Plan Your Own Dinosaur Tour! π Thanksgiving Point Price: Adults $10, seniors and children $8 Online: thanksgivingpoint.org π Eccles Dinosaur Park Price: Adults $7, seniors $6, children $5 Online: dinosaurpark.org π Brigham Young University Price: Free Online: cpms.byu.edu/ESM/index.html π Utah Field House of Natural History Price: Adults $6, seniors and children $3 Online: utah.com/stateparks/field_house.htm π Utah dinosaur museum listings Online: utah.com/dinosaur
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Bear Lake in Estes Park is a popular location for hiking, picnicking, and, in the winter, cross country skiing.
Golden Hours in Estes Park By Toni Pilcher
In June 2009, traffic in Estes Park, Colorado, came to a standstill twice in the same day. First, for the birth of a resident. Second, to let the firefighters rush through to prevent the mother from hurting anyone. It was just another sign that the battle to be the dominant species in Estes Park was still raging. An elk cow hovered outside a downtown coffee shop, looking in at the hustle and bustle of people. However, she never made it into the store. She simply lay down and gave birth in the shadows of the storefront. Drivers slowed down to catch a glimpse of the miracle and to make sure that mother and calf were safe. When traffic stopped again, it was to ensure that the spectators were safe. The cow ferociously stood guard over her newborn calf, charging at passersby as if anything that moved were a threat. Estes Park regulars allowed her a wide berth and kept visitors at bay. Eventually, the cow was sedated and carried to a new location. Otherwise, she would raise her calf in that very spot, according to elk instincts. Is this tale unusual? Not in Estes Park. The local newspaper simply printed the headline “Protective Elk Mama Relocated.” Because of the open nature of the town, both people and elk walk the same sidewalks. They cross the same streets. Sometimes, they even walk into the same stores. Every autumn as
the leaves turn gold, the crowned bulls move down from the mountaintops to Estes Park to gather females and fight to secure the largest pool of descendants. The males bugle a distinctive call— which starts low and quickly rises to a high, piercing note—that often brings goosebumps to the arms of those within hearing range. It attracts cows and challenges bulls. Often the bulls lock antlers in plain view of both human and elk. This is the autumn rut. Officials believe that up to three million visitors pass through Estes Park every year to view the rut. Newcomers are warned to stay in their cars when they catch sight of the antlers coming down the road. Golfers follow certain protocol when bulls clash on the course. It’s the sort of unique, encompassing adventure that has drawn people to these locations for centuries. The rut itself predates Stonehenge, and some speculate that humans have been partaking in the atmosphere of Estes Park for ten thousand years. The town claims a heritage that STOWAWAY M A G .C O M < < 3 3
What About Birdwatching?
History buffs
While Estes Park provides an ideal venue for watching songbirds, raptors, and other birds, you can get involved in your own backyard. Most states have a birdwatching community website that includes vital avian information: which species are native to your area, where they nest, when they migrate, and even what their calls sound like. Experts and amateurs alike recommend purchasing a pair of binoculars for the best viewing experience. They also suggest that you learn the habits of your favorite bird. For instance, the red-tailed hawk is the only North American raptor that hunts from a perch. If you see a large bird sitting on a telephone pole next to an open space, it’s likely a red-tailed hawk. Your local birdwatching website will include helpful information like this. Go outside and get started!
Estes Park is an off-the-beaten-path destination for travelers interested in history. The Estes Park Museum, located in town, tells the exciting story of Estes Park’s development with its award-winning Tracks in Time exhibit. The area was inhabited for thousands of years by Ute and Arapaho tribes. Evidence of this cohabitation is still seen in the landscape. Visitors sometimes find
Top: A male Eastern bluebird sits on his preferred perch. Bottom: A pair of young African wood-owls stare.
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arrowheads or ancient jewelry while hiking. The land itself also bears the beautiful scars of the migrating glaciers during this time. The remainders of the glaciers are reflected in the mountain lakes scattered across the Rockies. The area was later settled during the gold rush by a rancher. He had to leave because of the harsh winter
The place exudes a sense of timelessness— the moraine meadows and lakes have not changed since the glaciers moved through— yet it seems to be well aware of the times. weather, but Estes Park had been discovered. Word of the rich landscape spread, and intrepid settlers poured into the valley. Ever since then, it has been a popular escape from the hectic comings and goings of life. Today, Estes Park is a symbol of a simple, organic existence in a world that grows increasingly technical and dissociated from nature.
Below, the the borders of Estes Park and Rock Mountain National Park meet.
PREVIOUS PAGE: PHOTO BY STEVE EKBLAD/STOCK.XCHNG; LEFT: PHOTOS BY LAURA SHRECK (BOTTOM), DAGBERG/FLICKR (SIDEBAR TOP), ARNOLOUISE/FLICKR (SIDEBAR BOTTOM); RIGHT: PHOTO BY RON BOOTH/STOCK.XCHNG
every American should recognize: dramatic valleys carved by ancient glaciers, pine forests groomed by native inhabitants, skeletons of an Old West ranching settlement, even remains of Depression-era lodges. The place exudes a sense of timelessness. The moraine meadows and lakes have not changed since the glaciers moved through. Drawn to Estes Park by the majesty of nature, tourists of all interests, especially those intrigued by history and adventure sports, will find an activity that they’ll enjoy.
Adventure athletes The drive to and from Estes Park follows hairpin turns and rocky cliffs, giving visitors just a taste of the adventures that await them in town. With a diverse landscape, Estes Park provides venues for intense sporting in all four seasons. In warm weather, the population swells to accommodate adventurous bikers, boaters, climbers, fishers, hikers, horseback riders, hunters, kayakers, and swimmers. Before the leaves even start to fall, mountains accumulate snow for skiers, snowshoers, and brave hikers. There are groomed slopes and ski resorts, but some of the hottest places to ski are the random patches of snow along trails that create an extreme skiing experience. These patches rarely melt and are available to skiers year-round. In every season Estes Park welcomes families as well as thrill-seekers. Many trails are wheelchair accessible while others are intended for multi-day hikes; those hikes require athletic conditioning and acclimatization to the high altitudes.
Nature enthusiasts For those who seek the wildlife of Estes Park, Mother Nature will not disappoint. Yellow Wood Guiding, a business based downtown, offers a special wildlife tour every September and October called the Elk Rut Safari. “Many people come to Estes Park to watch the elk rut but few of them really see what is truly going on,” writes Jared Gricoskie, owner of Yellow Wood Guiding, on his website. “Spend an evening with our guide and you will not only watch the rut activity and hear the bugling of bull elk, but you will also learn to read an elk’s mind through their subtle body language.” Groups of up to four people can book the personalized tour for $185 a day for the first guest, plus $45 a day for each additional guest. Gricoskie explains why the cost is well worth it for any nature enthusiast: “Learn about their behavior, biology, history, and survival strategies that makes the elk one of the most majestic animals in the Rockies,” Gricoskie says. “By the end of Elk Rut Safari you will be able to predict exactly when an elk will bugle, tell if a cow elk is interested in a bull or
Here, people and elk share spaces—even walk the same sidewalks. just playing coy, and know where to look to find the next fight between two bulls.” The elk is certainly the boldest star of the safari, but there are many
life. It guards the gate to one of the country’s largest stores of organic gold: Rocky Mountain National Park. When the autumn sunlight rests on the trees, the mountains of
“Spend an evening with our guide and you will not only watch the rut activity and hear the bugling of bull elk, but you will also learn to read an elk’s mind through their subtle body language.” other animal inhabitants in and around Estes Park. Visitors often see head-butting bighorn sheep, deer, moose, and less aggressive small mammals. The area is also an ideal place to see mountain plant
the park glitter with golden leaves. The real gold was all mined years ago. Though what “gold” remains is sacred to the residents of the small town, they open their stony mountain gate to visitors every year. STOWAWAY M A G .C O M < < 3 5
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Beijing’s Hidden Wonders By Tristan Higbee
I
PHOTO BY BEGGS/FLICKR
had mixed feelings about the Beijing Olympics. While I was excited that millions of people were going to have the chance to experience one of the most fascinating cities in the world, I knew that they would only scratch the surface of the city’s innumerable charms. Sure, they’d see the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, and the Forbidden City. But that’s like going to a Chinese buffet (which, incidentally, is a distinctly American institution) and getting only the fried rice. Yeah it’s good, but there’s just so much more! Living in China’s capital city for three years gave me enough time to venture beyond the usual tourist haunts and seek out the forgotten gems. These are the places that give you a more intimate taste of what this fifteen million–strong metropolis has to offer. A few tourists might still pass through these areas, but don’t be surprised if you’re the only wai guo ren (“foreigner”) around. The unspoiled Great Wall Most tourists go to a section of the Great Wall near the small village of Badaling, about an hour north of the city. While the wall here is undeniably spectacular, it has a carnival-like atmosphere, replete with a KFC, a McDonald’s, and t-shirt vendors. It has been completely restored from its crumbling state and sees millions of visitors every year. I’ve been to several different sections of the Great Wall, and my favorite is the five-mile-long stretch between Jinshanling and Simatai. This part of the wall offers an authentic Great Wall experience with
crumbling towers, overgrown steps, and no fast food in sight. The scenery is just as spectacular as at Badaling, and there are far fewer crowds. While walking along this ancient architectural masterpiece, I couldn’t help keeping a lookout for invading Mongol hordes. Beijing’s old city walls Every bit as tall and imposing as the Great Wall, Beijing’s old city walls appear out of nowhere between shopping malls and high rise apartment complexes. I was in a taxi when I first saw them and had the driver stop so I could get a closer look. In recent years a pleasant little park has been built along the base of the wall, offering a glimpse of what the city would have looked like to the approaching ancient traveler. People’s Revolution Military Museum Just a quick metro ride away from the old city walls is the China People’s Revolution Military Museum. When I stepped through the doors of this massive monument
to communist supremacy, I was immediately greeted by a veritable doomsday assemblage of weaponry. There are tanks, rockets, missiles, guns, rocket launchers, and even downed American spy planes. For those always hungry for a good photo-op, you can stand on one of the tanks to prove to everyone back home how epic your travels are. PLA shooting range If the Military Museum’s “look but don’t touch” policy just doesn’t cut it, I recommend visiting the shooting range of the People’s Liberation Army. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I was escorted into a room that was literally covered floor-to-ceiling with weapons. I was instructed to choose which weapons I wanted to fire. The cost of firing off hundreds of rounds on an Uzi, AK-47, sniper rifle, anti-tank machine gun, and several other weapons of varying levels of ferocity? About a hundred U.S. dollars. The feeling of firing off automatic weapons in a military facility in communist China? Priceless.
The stretch of the Great Wall between Jinshanling and Simatai offers an authentic, uncrowded Great Wall experience. STOWAWAY M A G .C O M < < 3 7
Beijing International Sculpture Park For those interested in a less violent form of relaxation, this park is just the ticket. After reading a glowing review of the park in one of Beijing’s English-language newspapers, I had to see it for myself. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the park’s virtues had not been over-hyped. Interspersed among the grassy knolls, ice cream stands, and comfortable benches are hundreds of sculptures from all over the world. With everything from robots and life-size giraffes to abstract shapes and mechanical aliens, this one-ofa-kind open-air museum offers something for every artistic palate. The Underground City The words “Underground City” were painted on a small, unassuming wooden sign above the busy alleyway. Intrigued, I stopped my bike, squeezed through a dark passageway, and was greeted in English by an enthusiastic tour guide. “Welcome to Beijing Underground City!” she happily proclaimed. She explained to me that this vast series of rooms and tunnels was built as an elaborate bomb shelter, a place for the inhabitants of the city above to seek refuge in the case of nuclear war or some other disaster. I was escorted by the guide through a barracks, a movie theater, a hospital, and even a silk factory. As I emerged, blinking, back into the world above, I wondered how
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Wangfujing night market One of the best parts of traveling to exotic lands is being able to regale your friends with tales of the crazy foods you’ve eaten. Wangfujing night market in downtown Beijing is the place to go for an authentically alien menu. The delicacies of this row of stalls and carts include, but are not limited to, scorpions, bird fetuses, dogs, and snakes. I managed to stomach the scorpions, but I never could get myself to eat the baby birds.
of Chinese scenery, they imagine lush, craggy peaks, waterfalls, and rice paddies. That part of China is a couple thousand miles south of Beijing, but there is a taste of it just a couple hours away. Shidu means “ten ferries” in Chinese, a reference to the ten river crossings your bus, train, or taxi (whichever you prefer) must make to get there. The deep, green, beautiful gorge you’ll step into once you’re out of the minibus is a stark contrast to the concrete walls of the city. Pleasure seekers can find a number of beautiful hikes to go on, and thrill seekers will discover plentiful rock climbing and rafting opportunities.
Shidu If the pollution and traffic of the city gets to be too much, take a trip to Shidu. When a lot of people think
The Lugou Bridge Also known as the Marco Polo Bridge, this bridge was crossed— and highly praised—by the famous
many of the hurried neighborhood denizens around me were aware of the subterranean sprawl just under their feet.
LEFT: PHOTOS BY CHENYINGPHOTO/FLICKR (LEFT), D’N’C’S/FLICKR (RIGHT); RIGHT: PHOTO BY CHENYINGPHOTO/FLICKR
Above: Don’t miss the China People’s Military Museum. Right: Explore the Wangfujing night market for an authentically alien menu.
The Lugou Bridge, marked by hundreds of unique stone lions, was crossed by the famous Venetian explorer Marco Polo. Venetian explorer as he entered Beijing. Hundreds of stone lions line the 874-foot-long stone span. I’ve always biked to the bridge (there are numerous bike rental agencies all over town if you’d like to do the same), which is a pleasant ten-mile ride southwest of downtown Beijing. If that doesn’t sound very appealing, there are several buses to the bridge throughout the day. History buffs will enjoy a small museum near the scenic bridge dedicated to the Marco Polo Bridge Incident, which marked the start of the Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945).
The Hutongs Hutongs are the ancient alleyways of Beijing formed by lines of traditional courtyard residences. All of the inhabitants of Beijing used to live in these areas, but almost all of them have been destroyed since the mid-1950s. A number of neighborhoods still exist, however. Some of my fondest memories of Beijing include exploring the hutongs on foot and bicycle. I remember making friends with an old Chinese woman and being invited into her beautiful courtyard home for tea. I spoke a little Chinese, but mostly we just laughed and enjoyed ourselves. For those whose feet are still aching from that
walk along the Great Wall, inexpensive rickshaw and pedicab tours of the hutongs are also available.
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es, the touristy and well-known Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square are worth sitting in traffic for. But there is a difference between seeing a city and experiencing it. Beijing’s charm lies in its ability to astonish you with something on every corner and down every alleyway. Don’t be afraid of leaving the beaten path to explore the brilliant unknown. Experience the Beijing that few outsiders see, and you’ll come away with a belly full of more than just fried rice.
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Arizonaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Route 66 Driving the Southwest Written and Photographed By Brent Rowland
Two old-fashioned gas pumps sit beside a quiet stretch of the original Route 66 in Hackberry, Arizona.
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he sun slid into a strip of sky between clouds and low-rising mesas as I pulled into Kingman, an old train town hunkered among the sparse desert hills of western Arizona. Shadows stretched everywhere, the way they do in the Southwest, hanging off everything. A slight but steady breeze moved the air. When I reached the heart of the old town, a large sign announced what I had come for: Historic Route 66 Scenic Road. There it was, the Main Street of America, lined on one side by railroad tracks and on the other by brick buildings in their weathered process of historical distinction. The sidewalks were empty. The whole scene felt a little rundown, a bit lonely, almost forgotten. I wandered until after dark. It was exactly what I had come for, and I was going to spend the entire next day trying to figure out why. For many people the desert is a hard place to understand—that is, it’s hard to understand why anyone would live there. Summer temperatures can pin the mercury to 120 degrees. Heat waves rise off the ground and hum in the air. Huge tracts of land offer the eye nothing but dirt and creosote. I have a friend who visited once and never wants to go back. The desert must be experienced, not merely visited or observed from some vacation resort. The desert is too nuanced for that, too raw. It has the arresting grandeur, the red rocks, the sweet, unearthly smell after rain, and the surreal sunsets. But to really get a sense for the desert, to begin to understand it, you have to spend some time with the land.
Angel Delgadillo founded America’s first Historic Route 66 Association—and inspired Pixar’s Cars. 42 > > FA L L 20 1 0
John Steinbeck once called the desert “a mystery, something concealed and waiting.” For 401 miles, the Arizona section of Route 66 offers an intimate look at the Southwest, and that concealed “something” slowly becomes apparent.
I
woke in Kingman before sunrise, excited to get on the road. The sky had already swelled to a
pulling in like docking ships, the road behind me full of cars, kids popping caps off sweaty Coke bottles. It was quiet. The Mother Road looked pretty small. I must have been there for ten minutes before a car passed. No one stopped to join me. I passed through Valentine, Truxton, Peach Springs, all of them worn and stuck somewhere sixty years ago, before a new highway changed things. A new road had
The Southwest may be the only place big enough and wild enough to communicate the freedom of the American road. deep pre-dawn blue. I got in my car and headed for Seligman. In 1985, Route 66 was decommissioned as a national highway when the new interstate system was announced. I-40 now handles east-west traffic across northern Arizona, and it follows the path set by Route 66—for the most part. A ninety-mile segment of old 66 arcs north out of Kingman, all on its own as a twolane highway, and reconnects with I-40 in Seligman. I haven’t traveled the entire 2,451 miles of Route 66, but I have no problem suggesting that this quiet segment—wending through rolling hills, wide valleys, and desert forests—may be one of the best segments on the whole route. Here the road is rough at times. The lanes narrow. Trains pass. I started to get a feel for what Route 66, not the idea or the icon but the actual road, was like. A valley reached to the horizon on my left. I began to dip and rise through hills covered in green shrubs and small trees. Something like a homemade wooden billboard stood beside the road, announcing my arrival in Hackberry. Around the next hill a lone gas station came into view. I pulled in. Welcome to Hackberry. Two old-fashioned pumps stood before a rusting, windblown general store. I wondered when gas had last flowed through those nozzles. I imagined giant Chevys and Buicks
been built. That was all. But it made the difference, and I was glad. Here, away from the interstate, the original Route 66 begins to feel like some sort of living museum, a place curated only by time and memory. Life changed when Route 66 was decommissioned. Businesses and families suffered. People lost jobs and lifestyles. Traffic flowed elsewhere. A part of the world shifted and reformed itself. As with everything, it was bad for some and good for others. What made me happy driving that old ninety-mile stretch of the Southwest was the connection I felt to another place, one my grandparents and great-grandparents knew. Each rundown, hollowed-out gas station began to feel like a type of art that only time and neglect can achieve. If the interstate had never been built, I wouldn’t be experiencing any of this for myself. It would all be new and commercialized, cluttered with fast food and grab ’n’ go. Instead, everything felt distinct and original. I enjoyed the harshness of it all, the complete lack of façade that business foists on us. Here was the Southwest. Here, in tired structures alone against the desert, was the mystery of time and change, all concealed and waiting along old Route 66.
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he small town of Seligman, Arizona, presents one of history’s strange ironies. Businesses
A Navajo trading post outside Winslow sells handcrafted jewelry, rugs, and Route 66 souvenirs. huddle around Route 66 in a lonely strip. Old residents, who remember the booming days when Route 66 brought America straight through their town, now look south and watch cars pass on I-40. They can see the vein that diverted the lifeblood from their town. Seligman doesn’t look like much, but for those in the know, it’s the epicenter of Route 66’s Southwest history. Angel Delgadillo hangs his hat in Seligman, and he’s hung it there all his life. If old Route 66 is a living museum, Angel is the appointed director. I heard about Angel outside the Route 66 Motel (there’s at least one in most cities on the way). George Game, president of the Canadian Route 66 Association, happened to be walking across the parking lot. Wearing dark sunglasses and a varsity-style jacket with his association’s logo on the back, Game excitedly talked about his devotion to America’s famous route. He travels from Vancouver, Canada, several times a year to organize events and
help rehabilitate sections of the road. “Foreigners know more about Route 66 than Americans do,” Game laughed. He told me that 80 percent of signatures in guest books along the route are foreign. When I told him I was in the middle of an all-day drive across Arizona, he became even more excited and asked if I had met Angel Delgadillo. When I said no, he offered to introduce me. “Angel’s the guy who started it all,” Game said. Delgadillo has owned a barbershop in Seligman since 1950. Today the building is a shrine to Route 66. Memorabilia covers the walls, along with letters, business cards, notes, license plates, money, and other items from guests around the world. At 83 years of age, Delgadillo still rides his bike to work every day. He retired as a barber twelve years ago, but he cuts hair for anyone who isn’t local, using the barber chair his father bought in 1926.
“I call it PR barbering,” Delgadillo told me with an ear-to-ear grin (he is known for his big smile, which he flashes frequently). “They get the experience and go home and tell their friends.” Delgadillo was in full PR mode when I arrived, playing host to a family from Slovenia. Delgadillo is good at what he does, cracking jokes, proffering advice, and showing us what a visit to the barber felt like in 1950. I don’t know how many barbers in Arizona still offer a classic shave—complete with a warm towel wrapped around the head—but Delgadillo must be one of the few. In 1987, disappointed that America’s highway had been decommissioned, Delgadillo founded the country’s first Historic Route 66 Association in Arizona. He requested that the state declare Route 66 a historic landmark. Several people dismissed the idea as hopeless; but Delgadillo had lived his whole life in Seligman, and he didn’t want to watch the town slowly die. He persisted for almost a
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year until Arizona said yes and became the first state to make Route 66 a historic road. “It was the end of an era,” Delgadillo said. “We were forgotten by the world, but I don’t take no for an answer.” Today, after all his work to promote Route 66, Delgadillo said he couldn’t be happier. International travelers stop by almost every day in the summer. His story influenced Pixar in the making of their feature film Cars. In his small Seligman shop, Angel Delgadillo simply plays his part as a barber you’ve never heard of. Along Route 66, he’s the most famous barber in the world.
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fter leaving Seligman, I spent the rest of the day driving through some of the Southwest’s most distinct landscapes. From the hills of western Arizona I climbed through Coconino National Forest to mountains covered in ponderosa pine. The eastern section of Arizona’s Route 66 opens up to a wide desert flatland. You can visit large volcanic fields with cinder cones, lava flows, and craters. I can’t imagine that any other section along the route changes so often or so drastically. In Winslow I stood on the corner made famous by the Eagles song “Take It Easy.” The center of town revolves around a Route 66 historic attraction devoted to the lyrics. Diane Patterson has owned The Original Standin’ on a Corner Store for more than 14 years. Outdoor speakers play Eagles music all day long. Patterson smiled affectionately when I mentioned Delgadillo. “I wish we got half the traffic they get over there.” Patterson sells Route 66 souvenirs,
but during tourist season her business thrives on Eagles fans and Winslow’s famous corner. Farther east the earth turned red and rocky. High clouds and vapor trails drifted apart in the sky. In Holbrook I stopped by the Wigwam Motel, perhaps the most iconic of all Route 66 sites and the most mistaken. The whole allure is that you get to sleep inside a room built like a wigwam, but the architecture is actually that of a tipi. Historical inaccuracy aside, the name persists and the Wigwam Motel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. At the end of the day I pulled off Route 66 to watch a classic desert sunset. After a full day on the road, I felt closer to the era that Angel Delgadillo and my grandparents knew. Though slowly succumbing to time, that era survives across northern Arizona: the best place to experience what the Southwest looked like before hulking strip malls and vast urban sprawls staked a claim to the land. Of course I can’t help it—the desert is in my blood. I had come
looking for the place my family called home, and I was happy to find it somewhat intact. Angel Delgadillo probably wouldn’t agree with me, but without Interstate 40 there wouldn’t be a Historic Route 66 today. Many of the landmarks he loves and fights to preserve would have been subsumed in the natural progression of things. A new road was built, and an entire era was not forgotten, as Delgadillo says, but preserved. The Southwest may be the only place left still big enough and wild enough to communicate the freedom of the American road. Driving Route 66 becomes a sort of meta road trip, a reflection on what the open road means. After all, at one time Route 66 took more people to more places in America than any other road had before. No matter how many interstates spread across the country, the roots of the modern road trip will always lie beneath Route 66. Its landscapes and people remind us why we took to the road in the first place— and what we love about a full tank of gas and a distant horizon.
Arizona’s old Route 66 offers access to diverse desert landscapes. See more of the author’s photos at stowawaymag.com. 44 > > FA L L 2 0 1 0
Insider
TIPS + TRICKS >> Get tech-savvy with your travel planning. page 46 HOW TO >> Avoid the pitfalls of run-ins with police abroad. page 48
RIGHT: PHOTO BY MARGOT WOLFS/FLICKR
GEAR >> Find the perfect, affordable carry-on that fits your style. page 50
Whether youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re puzzling over a high-tech Japanese toilet or attempting to master the use of a squat toilet, check out these tips from worldwide toilet experts. page 47 STOWAWAY M A G .C O M < < 4 5
tips + tricks
High-Tech Travel Plans There are many resources to help you maximize adventure and minimize the unknown on your travels. Travel guides can be full of smart traveling tips, fun things to do, great places to stay, and littleknown places to see. But travel guides are out-of-date almost the minute they’re off the press. One thing stands between you and the perfect vacation: current information. The solution? The Internet. For current reviews of the places you’re staying, check out websites like TripAdvisor (tripadvisor.com), TV Trip (tvtrip.com), or HomeAway (homeaway.com). These sites have travelers’ photos, reliable reviews, and up-to-date information about your destination. Twaller (twaller. com) is a newer site—it’s Twitter for travelers—offering connections to local people who offer insight into the weather, entertainment, hotels, restaurants, and more for your desired destination. If you use price comparison websites like Kayak (kayak.com), Priceline (priceline.com), or Expedia
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(expedia.com), be careful—just because you find an incredibly low rate doesn’t mean that’s the price you’ll pay. Check against the actual hotel, airline, or rental company’s website to get a better idea of cost. For customer service reasons, it’s often better to purchase through the company’s actual website. For student travelers, STA Travel (statravel.com) gives great student rates on flights, hotels, and more. It also has great information on tours and rail passes, as well as travel tips to keep traveling students safe. Also check out Hostel World (hostelworld.com) for inexpensive places to stay. Google Maps (maps.google.com) in satellite mode allows you to see recent photos of addresses all over the world so you can scope out the area before you buy and before you go. Use the directions feature to see how to get to the nearest metro station, or to that fabulous café ten minutes away. —KayLynn Flanders
App Travel Your phone may hold the answer to one of the greatest questions of all time: What’s for dinner? The Urbanspoon app for the iPhone has the answer. This app, using GPS, will let you see what your nearby dinner options are according to rating, food type, and price. You can also find a random place to eat by using a feature like a slot machine that chooses a restaurant for you. For other great iPhone travel apps, go to apple .com/iphone/apps-for-everything/traveling.html.
LEFT: PHOTOS BY PRL.ORG (TOP) AND TEXTUALLY.ORG (BOTTOM); RIGHT: PHOTO BY JACKTWO/FLICKR
Make the most of web resources
insights
Sitting Pretty Foreign bathroom conundrums and how to handle them Any seasoned traveler will tell you that one of the most important phrases to learn in a language is “Where is the bathroom?” But consider learning another useful phrase: “How does this thing work?” Here’s how to handle a few of the most puzzling foreign bathroom scenarios.
What does this button do? Japanese toilets seem to do it all: they spray, they blow dry, they automatically lift and close the lid—they even chirp. Japan’s most popular toilet variety, the Washlet, is known for mystifying tourists with its complex control panel, often labeled only in Japanese. Some do have diagrams indicating the bidet function (the icon looks like a fountain); the white noise feature (the icon is usually a musical note), which is used to mask any embarrassing sounds; and the stop button (a square icon), which is handy for users who accidentally press the bidet button. Many Washlets also include knobs and dials, which are used to adjust the bidet nozzle. “With these, it’s just trial and error to figure out what they do,” explains Morna Gregory, co-author of Toilets of the World ($9.95, borders.com). “To try them is a pleasant surprise! But stay seated when you’re trying them—many involve jets of water that will soak you if you’re standing.” Despite the potential confusion, Gregory notes, nothing beats a Washlet. “The Japanese have really nailed this one,” she says.
Know your right from your left In the 2006 comedy Outsourced, the main character, Todd, is offered a bowl of nuts by the Indian family he’ll be staying with. To the horror of his Indian hosts, Todd plunges his left hand into the bowl. The convention in India, as well as many African and Middle Eastern cultures, is to use only the right hand for eating. The left hand is considered unclean—because it’s used for cleaning up in the bathroom. Instead of using toilet paper, bathroom users scoop water from a bucket using their left hand. In rural areas, carry a water bottle just in case a bucket of water isn’t offered. If you’re not feeling adventurous enough to try your hand at the Indian method of wiping, you may want to
November 19 is World Toilet Day! Visit worldtoiletday.com to learn more and to donate to help improve sanitation conditions worldwide. arm yourself with Charmin To Go rolls, $1.40 each at rei.com.
Sit or squat Although the use of the squat toilet, commonly used throughout Asia, has been shown to provide some health benefits, many first-timers find the experience disconcerting. And while many hotels and businesses now offer Western style toilets in addition to the squat toilets, it hasn’t caught on everywhere—so be prepared. For straightforward but tactful explanations of how to take care of business, try online tutorials from WikiHow or Howcast (just search “how to use a squat toilet”). Always face the bathroom door, Gregory advises, and for females, it’s usually easiest to attempt when wearing a skirt. It also helps to check for the best options available, thanks to nifty smartphone apps like Sit or Squat, which lists locations and ratings for the nearest facilities. As in India, the policy is typically bring-your-own-T.P., so make sure you’re stocked. Also keep in mind that squat toilets aren’t equipped
to flush paper; since some facilities don’t have a trash can nearby, consider carrying a plastic bag to store used toilet paper until you can find a place to dispose of it. And for goodness’ sake, always carry a bottle of hand sanitizer.
Be considerate For Gregory, bathroom etiquette is just as important as any other type of etiquette. “To not follow etiquette is to risk making people uncomfortable or downright offending them,” she says. Michael Sykes, founder of the International Center for Bathroom Etiquette (icbe.org), agrees. Although Sykes’ website typically makes light of awkward bathroom experiences, he says that ultimately, it’s all about being considerate. Perhaps the best way to be considerate—in any culture—is to simply keep your distance. “Just interact as little as possible in the bathroom,” Sykes says. “It’s a private place, and most people like their space.” —Holly V.W. Munson
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AVOID THE
Foreign Fuzz Reagan Call adjusted his handcuffed wrists and watched from the back of the car as three Filipino police officers discussed his fate. He knew it had been a set-up and that they were hoping for a cash payoff. He had refused. He was uncertain what would happen next. Afraid that they might sense his fear, he had forced a laugh every time they tried to intimidate him with outdated police lines from eighties movies. The huddle broke and one of the officers approached. “Okay,” he said, “you are going to jail. Are you sure that you don’t want this to be easier on you?” Small, insignificant decisions seemed like big mistakes now. He repeated his earlier answer, “No, take me to jail.” More than 2,500 Americans are arrested abroad annually, and more than thirty percent of those arrests are drug related (see travel.state. gov). Several simple suggestions might have helped Reagan and could help you to avoid becoming part of that statistic. First, maintain a low-key appearance. Don’t do crazy stuff. If it is illegal in the United States, it is most likely illegal in other countries. Don’t be flashy. Leave the jewelry at home, and don’t be extravagant with your money. Second, remember that while in a foreign country, you are subject to its laws. Familiarize yourself with those laws before traveling. The website travel.state.gov is an excellent resource with in-depth information on foreign law. Third, don’t bribe law enforcement. The police officer that confronts you may or may not be looking for a payoff. The same bribe that persuades one officer to let you go could persuade another to lock you up. The best approach is to pretend to be innocent and ignorant. If
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the officer is looking for a payoff, he may get frustrated and let you go; if he’s not, the best you can hope for is a warning. Reagan was fingerprinted and placed in a cramped cell. He was alone for a few minutes before the investigator arrived and he began to replay the events of the evening in his head. He had gone out alone to a karaoke bar. In Asia karaoke is sacred. Every night he would listen to drunken Filipinos strain to get that English r sound out. He sipped his beer until a craving for a cigarette began to gnaw at him, so he paid someone to bring him a pack of cigarettes. Fifteen minutes later, still lacking a cigarette, he wondered if some Filipino was celebrating his forty cents. At the peak of his despair, the Filipino returned. “My friend, we have your cigarettes, but that guy over there across the street, he has them.” Why doesn’t this guy just bring me the pack? he wondered. More curious than afraid and still in need of a cigarette, he crossed the road. The
man immediately handed over a cigarette package, but without anything inside. “Hey man!” Reagan complained, “What’s this about?” “Quickly,” the man hushed, “put the package in your pocket.” Irritated, Reagan marched toward the lamppost. “I think I’ll see what the hell you’re trying to give me first, dude.” Before reaching the light, Reagan heard shouting. “Police! Police! Hands up! What’s that you have?” Three officers surrounded Reagan, accused him of buying drugs, and handcuffed him. Reagan tried to remain calm, cool, and friendly when the investigator arrived at his cell, but he repeated what he had told the other officers, “I know this is a set-up, and I know my right to call the US embassy.” Reagan never had to make that call to the embassy. Later that night, once again to the sound of karaoke, Reagan sat back and enjoyed another Filipino beer, this one courtesy of his new investigator friend. The fourth and last suggestion is for those unlucky enough to be arrested abroad: always ask to speak with your embassy. If the officer turns down your request, keep asking. Be polite, but be persistent. Once you have contacted your consul or embassy, they will know how to help you from there. Happy travels and good luck avoiding the foreign fuzz. —Stephen Gibbons
LEFT: PHOTOS BY ROBERT MEIJ/SXC.HU (TOP) AND MICHAL ZACHARZEWSKI/SXC.HU (CENTER); RIGHT: PHOTOS COURTESY AMAZON (TOP LEFT AND BOTTOM RIGHT) AND BRENT ROWLAND (TOP RIGHT AND BOTTOM LEFT)
how to
vicarious traveler
Book It Before You Book It When the travel guides lose their appeal and the travel pamphlets cause too much clutter, pick up a paperback and get to know the streets a different way: living vicariously through characters and stories.
A Year in Provence Peter Mayle Perfect for a lazy day, Mayle’s book chronicles the time he packed up and moved to Provence, France, for a year. The delicious pace (and the delicious food) enticed him to return and write again about the region.
A Walk in the Woods
The New York Trilogy
Bill Bryson
Paul Auster
Bryson will guide you on a hike of the Appalachian Trail more humorous than any other 2,000mile walk. Whether you’re an avid hiker or not, it will leave you exhausted from laughing and wishing to travel the same trails he did.
Auster’s detective novels offer more than entertaining suspense. They delve into postmodern issues while hustling about the streets of New York City.
The Food and Flavors of Haute Provence Georgeanne Brennan Brennan does more than fill your mental mouth with flavors; she whets your palate for the culture with interspersed narratives that have you traipsing around the countryside.
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gear
(for any style)
Passengers already pay plenty in luggage fees— and airlines may eventually even charge for carry-ons. But for now, make the most of your tote with these affordable, stylish picks. 1 | Mantastic Vintage Handpainted Suitcase, $40 brightwall.etsy.com Who says men’s luggage has to be bland? Turn it up a notch with a tote from BrightWall’s sizable collection of “upcycled” suitcases, such as this zeppelin-adorned, old school Samsonite.
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2 | Modern
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5
Stowaway Bag, $24 flight001.com It helps that it bears the same name as our favorite travel mag, but this nifty nylon bag has plenty of other perks. Perfect for packing as a spare—just in case you stock up on one too many snow globes—the lightweight bag can be folded into a compact zippered pouch. It comes in chili red (shown) or blue.
3 | Retro Vintage 60s Tapestry Mini Suitcase, $19 paintitgold.etsy.com Indulge your inner sixties fashionista with a pick like this tapestry suitcase from Etsy. But if you’re
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planning a retro ensemble to match, don’t get too far out—pair a flowerpower bag with neutral tones.
4 | Classic Multi Dots Suitcases, $8–$14.50 paper-source.com With this suitcase’s irresistible polka-dot interior, packing won’t be such a chore. And when the trip’s over it can be put to work as a charming desk organizer. Just take your pick: the suitcase comes in four sizes and four colors—blue (shown), chartreuse, red, and black.
5 | Sporty Three Pollen Sport Bag, $29.99 target.com Whether you’re looking for a bag that matches your beloved yoga mat or you simply want something bright and cheery, try this sleek shoulder bag. Plus, interior compartments keep tickets and other small items within easy reach. —Holly V.W. Munson
PHOTOS BY BRIGHTWALL/ETSY, FLIGHT001.COM, PAINTITGOLD/ETSY, PAPER-SOURCE.COM, TARGET.COM (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP)
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Carry-ons Under $50
The difference between a career and a purpose is about 8,000 miles.
800.424.8580 www.peacecorps.gov
Life is calling. How far will you go?
STOWAWAY M A G .C O M < < 5 1
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stowawaymag.com
Field Notes PHOTO CONTEST >> Check out the winners of Stowaway’s second photo contest. page 54
TRENDS >> It’s sightseeing that involves seeing dead people. It’s necrotourism. page 58
PHOTO BY CHRISTINE ARMBRUSTER
BETWEEN THE LINES >> Not sure what to do as a post-grad? Try being an expat. page 61
Christine Armbruster, a winner in Stowaway’s photo contest, took this pastel-perfect shot at Miami’s South Beach. page 54
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Stowaway
Photo Contest
100 reader entries + Stowaway staff = the best of the best
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st
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Foggy Crossing Christian Lobo, 21 Portland, Oregon
“I took this picture while serving a mission in Lisbon, Portugal. It was taken while crossing the Tagus River in Portugal. The fog happens occasionally in the winter, but it is rarely as high or as thick as it was on the day of this photo. The statue on the left is called Cristo Rei (meaning “Christ King”), and was built in 1959 as a monument to Portugal’s protection during World War II.”
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nd Monte Carlo Aubrey Carr, 24 Alpine, Utah
“I took this picture while on tour with the BYU Ballroom Dance Company. We did a tour of Europe, and one of our stops was in Monte Carlo for a day. It was the prettiest place I’ve seen. The water was unbelievably clear and the cliffs were stunning.”
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rd Sunset Arch, Miami Christine Armbruster, 21 San Antonio, Texas
“I had been staying in South Beach and never got to see the beach during the day. The last night I was in South Beach, I finally had a little bit of time off. I headed over to the shore just as the sun was going down, where I finally got to see the beautiful pastel colors the Florida beach is known for.” STOWAWAY M A G .C O M < < 5 5
profile
SAM DODGE Where he’s been: Egypt and Israel Why he went: Poetic inspiration What he learned: You can make friends anywhere Sam Dodge is an even more fascinating person than his name would suggest. With a commanding presence and contagious enthusiasm, the twenty-five-year-old Brigham Young University graduate can converse for hours about history, politics, or religion, and his opinions and passion are evident in any interaction with him. His enthusiasm for history and cultures sparked his desire to go alone to Egypt and Israel for three weeks. The decision to go was a hard one to make, Dodge said. Like many college students with a desire to see the world, he was concerned about the cost and his absence from school. However, Dodge kept thinking about something that Henry David Thoreau said in Walden: “The masses of men lead lives of quiet desperation.” So he purchased a nonrefundable ticket to Cairo and started planning his adventure. After three weeks in Egypt and Israel, Dodge came back with the opinion that “most people are genuinely good.” He began to realize this on his first day out in Cairo. He
spent the day exploring the pyramids and the city, but when he got on a bus to go back to his hostel he realized he was hopelessly lost. He said that the bus stopped and “a cute Egyptian girl got on. She asked where I was going and started laughing. She knew I was lost.” After he told her where he needed to be, she volunteered to take him to the metro station so he could get back to his hostel. She helped him get off at the right bus stop and then took him to the station, where she directed him to the train he needed. Though it was a small act, the Egyptian girl’s willingness to help him made a strong impression on Dodge. After a few days in Cairo, Dodge boarded a bus headed for the Sinai Desert. Several hours into the eight-hour ride, Dodge began to notice signs for St. Katherine’s, the monastery at the base of Mt. Sinai. He walked to the front of the bus, pointed to the map in his Lonely Planet travel guide, and said to the driver, “Al-Milga,” the name of the town where he wanted to stay. “All the Egyptians started chattering to each other,” Dodge said, “and then one of them turned to me and said, ‘You follow me.’” While not fluent, he spoke more English
Camels are a traditional way to cross the desert that appeal to many tourists.
Above: Hieroglyphics adorn a column at the Luxor Temple in Egypt. Below: The Mosque of Muhammad Ali Pasha or the Alabaster Mosque is a must-see in Cairo.
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LEFT: PHOTOS BY SAM DODGE (LEFT) AND ALLISON MITTON (RIGHT TOP AND BOTTOM); RIGHT: PHOTOS BY ADAM BANGERTER
Finding the familiar in unfamiliar places
than Dodge had expected, and when they got off the bus the man took him straight to Al-Milga. As Dodge later explained in his blog, “The only thing I could do was put my fate in the hands of this complete stranger who did not speak my language. I now believe that one of the greatest benefits from traveling alone like this [is] that you really learn how to trust people.” After his time in Egypt, Dodge flew into Tel Aviv to begin exploring Israel. On his second day in the country, Dodge drove north to the Galilee and spent the night in a convent in Nazareth. At the convent he met a fellow traveler, Louis, who was studying to be a Catholic priest. Dodge loved having a Catholic priest as a tour guide of the Holy Land, and they spent the following day learning from each other as they visited the various churches in the Galilee. According to Jewish custom, Shabbot, the Jewish Sabbath, begins at sundown on Friday and ends at sundown on Saturday. Dodge’s first full day in Jerusalem was a Friday, and he went down to the Western Wall in the evening so he could welcome Shabbot with the Jews. The Wall is considered a synagogue, and as such is divided into separate sections for men and women. After putting a prayer written on a small piece of paper in the Wall, Dodge watched as a hundred teenage Jewish boys came marching toward the Wall singing hymns. When they reached the courtyard in front of the Wall they began to dance in circles as they sang. Although Dodge is not Jewish, the men immediately welcomed him into their circle and he was able to sing and dance with them as they began the Sabbath. He wrote, “The energy was incredible.
Left: The Dome of the Rock stands in the Old City of Jerusalem. Below: The roof of the Austrian Hospice provides a view of the Old City of Jerusalem.
I have never before been so completely immersed in a culture, a faith, and a people.” Dodge saw all the sights during his trip—the pyramids, Valley of the Kings, Bethlehem, Masada—but he talked less about them than about the people he encountered. He was awed by the young Jews he saw rejoicing at the Western Wall and humbled by the old men weeping there. He was impressed by the devotion of the monks, yet frustrated by the contention between Christian denominations. He was thrilled to meet other travelers and happily made lifelong friends. While the places were incredible, what Dodge truly experienced during his adventure in the Middle East was said best by Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Every man I meet is my superior in some way. In that, I learn of him.” —Allison Mitton
12 Tips for Traveling Abroad The Taj Mahal. The Pyramids of Giza. Machu Picchu. The Great Wall. All of these conjure up images of grand adventures, untamed wilds, and exotic cultures. Although traveling in these places can be dangerous, it can also be wonderfully exciting and fulfilling. Here are twelve tips that will set your mind at ease and allow you to get the most out of your trip: 1. Know about the country, its culture, and its customs. 2. Have a flexible schedule. 3. Embrace the differences. 4. Take a basic first aid kit. 5. Copy your documents so they can be easily replaced if lost or stolen. 6. Try not to draw attention to yourself. 7. Be courteous and open-minded. 8. Pack light. 9. Keep your money protected. 10. Don’t drink the tap water. 11. Tell those at home your itinerary. 12. Use common sense! —Tristan Higbee
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trends
Necrotourism It’s not as bad as it sounds
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“Dad was bouncing to get to the top of the hill and see the grave. The rest of us were wearing pajamas. And we weren’t happy.” Westover elaborates on his own experience of connecting with a place that was especially important to him: “I found it really moving . . . really moving, in a way I can’t explain. You sort of feel the presence of the dead, some kind of connection to history that you can only get on the spot,” he says. “There’s this idea that if you go to a place, you understand something that you can’t otherwise understand.” While Nielsen certainly didn’t understand what was so spectacular about the grave of Doc Holliday when she visited, she’s become more appreciative with time. “I’m not into the period or anything,” she remarks, “but whenever Holliday comes up in a conversation, I feel like I’m a little closer to him, like I’ve had an experience with him or know him better than other people. It’s certainly not anything I would feel if I hadn’t been there.” —Glen Ellsworth
LEFT: PHOTO BY LITTLEMAN/STOCK.XCHNG; RIGHT: PHOTO BY BRASIL2/ISTOCK
In the early evening of a late spring somewhere around her thirteenth year, Nicole Nielsen and her entire family hiked up a rugged hill in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. They had stopped mid-trip to visit the gated tombstone of Doc Holliday, one of the men made famous by the shootout at the O.K. Corral. “My dad had a big thing for westerns and cowboys,” she says. “He was bouncing to get to the top of the hill and see the grave. The rest of us were wearing pajamas. And we weren’t happy.” Nielsen’s father is one of many travelers who have gone a good distance out of their way and put their family through some avoidable discomforts to visit the graves or other haunts of the dead and famous. Whether it’s a pilgrimage to Graceland to see the final resting place of the King or to Stratford-upon-Avon to visit the remains of the Bard, people often make a special journey to memorialize or remember the men and women who have influenced us. This phenomenon is necrotourism. According to Dr. Paul Westover, a professor of English at Brigham Young University and something of an expert on the topic, necrotourism can be defined simply as tourism to the places of the dead. He explains, “The grave is the first tourist site. Only later does it expand to take in birthplaces, houses where they used to live, places they used to go, bars where they used to hang out.” This type of travel isn’t new—it’s been around since the first famous person died. And it’s not too hard to think of monuments dedicated to the dead (Pyramids, anyone? Taj Mahal?). There are even apocryphal reports of St. Paul the Apostle making a trip to visit the grave of the poet Virgil. But with the advent of modern travel and fame, this type of tourism has become an industry—and a popular one at that. About half a million people visit Graceland every year, which is nothing compared to Westminster Abbey, home of the famed Poet’s Corner, which receives more than three million visitors a year. The question, then, is what are necrotourists hoping to find? A grave or maybe a house or relic? The revered person is long gone, but the faithful are certainly hoping to experience something in these places. Westover explains, “Often they want to find somebody on his own ground, see where he walked, the kind of people he would have seen, the landscapes that would have inspired him. Many people are still trying to encounter a ghost; they’re still very much talking as if they’re going to commune with the dead.” Whether necrotourists actually find what they’re looking for is a question that is harder to answer. Some people are decidedly disappointed with what they find. Maybe reality destroys the beauty of their ideal. Others find communion.
tales from the trip
SLEEPING SURPRISES Mattress matters One of the biggest surprises during my vacation in Italy was the sleeping arrangements. I expected the traditional American hotel setup with the nice big beds, pleasantly distanced from each other. Imagine my surprise when I discovered the “matrimonial” beds: instead of two queen-sized beds, our hotel room had two twin mattresses an inch apart from each other. Patrons who wanted one bed had the mattresses pushed together and covered with a single sheet, but my traveling companion—my college roommate—and I obviously did not. The bed sizes ended up not being much of an issue. I was so jet-lagged and worn out for most of the trip that I slept pretty soundly. One night, though, I woke up with something right next to my face. The room was dark, so I couldn’t tell what it was. I did the only rational thing I could come up with: I poked it. It was warm and caved at the touch. I poked it again. It turns out my roommate had rolled over in her sleep and her hand had flopped onto my pillow. Because our beds were only an inch apart, I was lucky I hadn’t been hit in the face. I threw her hand back at her, not caring if it hit her or not. Served her right for waking me up! Of course, the next morning, she had no recollection of any of this. We both laughed at it and were grateful to get home to the States and back to our own, separate beds. —Rachel Giddings, Salt Lake City, Utah
Not so youthful When I was staying in a youth hostel in London, I woke up one morning to find a person in the next bunk who hadn’t been there the night before. I didn’t have my glasses on or my contacts in, so I wasn’t sure if it was a man or a woman. I decided that I would go ahead and start getting ready before everyone else woke up. Unfortunately the unknown person next to me awoke and sat up. It was an older man, with longish, scraggly gray hair, and he was smiling at me. What happened to this being a youth hostel?! Luckily I had not gotten very far with the getting ready part, so I smiled back and pretended to yawn. With a fake stretch, I lay down to pretend I was going back to sleep. —Cassie Bradway, Clayton, Oklahoma
Submit your interesting traveling tales to Stowaway! Email us at stowawaymag@gmail.com with a story of 300 words or fewer.
Hypothermia hype Desolation Canyon on the Green River is a remote stretch of graygreen water aptly named for its harsh inaccessibility. When I ran the course, there was one way in and one way out. Launching at Sand Wash begins a several-day adventure ending seventy-four miles downriver at Nefertiti Rapids. The trip begins with several mild miles of calm, relaxing water—which then turns into dozens of rated rapids. There are no kind, gentle spots to renege and remove yourself from the elements. The elements are spectacular, however, including stark landscapes, harsh cliffs, vibrant colors, and rich history that leads the imagination to the dry and dusty trails of outlaws likes Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Our team chose mid-April to run Desolation. We were all experienced and well-equipped. As the designated “left-rear” oarsman, I frequently got dipped into white water. I also enjoyed a lot of “free-floating.”
In this spirit-energizing experience, you float alongside the boat facing downstream in a semi-sitting position. It’s vital to keep your feet protected and flexed so you can dodge large, threatening boulders in the water. As the risks of the trip were considered, my captain would always recap the signs and symptoms of hypothermia and caution us against spending too much time free-floating. We were acutely aware of the dangers as we were doing the run in the still snow-capped canyon in April. So four days into the seven day float when I woke up in a sleeping bag in my skivvies wedged between two handsome, strong men from our team, I was startled to say the least. I knew immediately that rather than promiscuity, I had suffered hypothermia. It’s true when they say that the person going into hypothermic shock is the last person to know… —Diane Tadehara, Ferron, Utah
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off the beaten path
Will Work for
I
tugged nervously at my apron as I left work for the day. I had an interview for another job in about fifteen minutes, so I quickly changed into dress pants, a blouse, and heels. As I arrived, a man in a white t-shirt and jeans approached me. “Here for the interview?” he asked. I couldn’t believe my eyes; I realized that I had overdressed. This casual character was the man who ran the resort near Zion Canyon where I was interviewing to be a cook. The job demanded about forty hours a week, but the opportunity came with free room and board and any of the activities at the resort. He seemed to assure me, through his lax manner, that the difficult part was not the work itself, but being able to work when I would be so tempted to explore the beautiful canyon. So, what does all this have to do with your next vacation? The months following that interview were a whirlwind of adventure that made for my longest and most memorable vacation yet. Depending on my work schedule, I could spend my morning horseback riding on the rim of Zion Canyon or lounging by the resort pool. I could hike through the stunning red cliffs, find hidden spots noticed only by those who aren’t in a rush, and enjoy the clear summer nights of stargazing with other employees at the resort. Days off were always an adventure—an entire twenty-four hours to explore the locale. During my summer, I went into the canyon
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many times to hike and enjoy the wildlife. One day I even slipped on a pair of water socks and hiked three miles up the Narrows—a beautiful hike that is almost entirely in the river. On the days I couldn’t make it out of the resort, I still found plenty of things to do. I honed my rock-climbing skills on the several climbing walls at the resort, defied gravity on the bungee trampoline, kicked up some dust on ATV rides, went off-roading in “The Beast” (a Suburban with the back roof removed and replaced with rods to hold on to), toured local trails during bicycle rides,
Above: The majestic Patriarchs are a must-see in the park. Below: Rock shops litter the area around Zion Canyon. They’re a great way to find a little piece of the canyon to take home with you. sunned by a luxurious swimming pool, and enjoyed hours of entertainment through the several large televisions provided for employees. So, why would you work there instead of just vacationing there? I found that, as a college student, it was difficult for me to find the time or money to travel anywhere; the simple solution was to work and travel. Opportunities like this exist everywhere and are not only for college students. They can be a beautiful summer away, a thrifty alternative to an expensive study abroad, and even experience for a future career. Working and traveling also hold one charm that normal, fast-paced traveling can’t offer—life-long friends. Maren Flanigan, a fellow employee at Zion Canyon,
said that her favorite part of that summer was spending time with the people she met. When the workday was over and the hikes were finished, the new people you met and the fun that you had creating memories and friendships would last a lifetime. So, how do you find a job like this? Chances to work and travel can be found everywhere. You can find ways to work out of the country through online searches—try searching “work in (insert dream location here)”—or, if you’re a college student, take a look at the campus job fair. Remember, though, that this is a job as well as a vacation. Positions like this usually come with a contract and a bonus for staying the length of your contract. When working under contract, always be clear with the logistics in order to protect yourself from losing any money. Several of my coworkers were unclear about the end date of their contracts. When the time came for them to go home, it was all too easy for the manager of the resort to say that the employees had not held up their end of the contract and would not receive the bonus. At the end of your employment, you’ll find that you have a wealth of friends, experience, and fun memories to take with you for the rest of your life. —Liz Lewis
LEFT: PHOTOS BY LIZ LEWIS; RIGHT: PHOTO COURTESY ANNE WILLIS
Travel
between the lines
CHRONICLES OF AN
ACCIDENTAL EXPAT By Anne Willis
I didn’t mean to do it. Become an expat, I mean. So I was shocked when I recently discovered that I am technically an expatriate of the United States of America. I promise that I didn’t do it on purpose. I’m proud to be a Mayflower descendant. But while the majority of my family didn’t move farther than fifty miles away from Plymouth Rock, I cannot shake the urge to explore more distant lands. Still, I recognize that my New England roots gave me the tenacity, poise, and ability to shovel snow one day and sunbathe the next. But during the fall semester of 2008, I studied abroad for a semester at the University of Newcastle in New South Wales, Australia. I made amazing new friends, studied writing with great professors, traveled up and down the east coast, and filled several memory cards with pictures. I fell in love with more than the beautiful weather and the exotic flora and fauna. I did the one thing my dad made me promise not to do: I fell in love with a bloody Aussie bloke. He walks around the streets barefoot, gets “oceansick” when he’s too far inland, drinks beer with brunch, and loves the game of cricket. He practically has the Southern Cross sparkling in his eyes, and he’s the one who gave me the courage to face all my post-graduation challenges as an expatriate. By the time my parents picked me up at Logan Airport in Boston (where I told them my gut-wrenching sobs and hiccups were because I was so happy to be home, not because I had just been cruelly torn from the love of my life back in the southern hemisphere), I had begun devising a plan. If I earned enough for a roundtrip ticket and got a visa, I could go back to Australia upon graduation. Thus, August 2009 found me armed with a miniscule amount of money, a return ticket, and a year-long working holiday visa that allowed me to work in Australia doing whatever I wanted for six months at a time. Starting a directionless, post-college life anywhere is overwhelming, but I reasoned that it would be much more glamorous to hunt for a job, a house, and new friends as an interested foreigner in one of the most beautiful countries in the world. Plus, Australia held the added bonus of my beloved bloke. Luckily, the Australian came with some built-in friends and a house, so I didn’t have to worry about where I was going to live. I did, however, worry about
how I was going to pay rent. I spent the first month in Australia attempting to find someplace to work. I wanted to give up and beg my parents for money, but my New England spirit kicked in and I persevered and soon found that there were a lot of food and beverage jobs around the area. I just needed two courses that could be attained over a weekend: the
Starting a directionless, post-college life anywhere is overwhelming. It would be much more glamorous to hunt for a job, a house, and new friends as an interested foreigner in one of the most beautiful countries in the world—Australia. Responsible Service of Alcohol and Responsible Conduct of Gambling. The courses were cheap and ended up paying for themselves. After I landed some unpaid work experience bartending and waitressing in a bar right next door to our house, I was hired there. I was finally making enough money ($21 an hour is the minimum wage for casual food and beverage attendants!) for food and shelter. Now I just needed to adjust to the different culture as a temporary citizen. Being from the elitist, fast-paced suburbs of Boston, I first felt like I was an alien in this strange, kind world. Why isn’t anyone powerwalking up the sidewalk, elbowing slowpokes out of the way? Why is everyone being so nice to me? Where are all the Starbucks? The atmosphere was off-putting, and I tried my hardest to hang onto the remnants of my Boston cynicism. I suppose when it’s sunny and tropical birds are chirping, no one needs to rush. Eventually, the Australian “no worries,
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From here, you can see the future. The most rewarding thing you can do now is to help create a better tomorrow.
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Life is calling. How far will you go?
Essential Tips for an Aspiring Expat FIND A JOB Look for job postings on your new town’s website. Government websites often suggest where to look for jobs as a nanny, tutor, or even fruit harvester. Don’t forget to look for signs in shop windows, check the classifieds, and visit temporary recruitment agencies (make sure their services are available to non-citizens). SECURE A PLACE TO LIVE Know your area. Check out your local paper to find the hip (and safe) neighborhoods. Many travelers like to share a house to save on rent and to experience living with another foreigner, so try a roommatefinding website like expatfinder .com/housing-property/ flatshare.html. Another option is to house sit, so join a house sitting community online and find some free housing options.
mate” attitude enveloped me in a warm fold of sunshine and I began moving a little slower, more intentionally, and appreciating the bountiful beauty of everyday life. I’ve learned a lot through the friends I’ve made, and it’s true what they say about Australians: They’re friendly, laidback, helpful, and eager to share their knowledge of Australia with foreigners. They were also the first to laugh at my funny American accent, alternate view of the world, and fear of strange new creatures. The resilience of a people who live in one of the harshest, most uninhabitable places on the planet is unmistakable. They are survivors. Their sky doesn’t have much of an ozone layer, their ocean is filled with vicious sharks and killer jellyfish, and their desert is filled with nine out of the ten deadliest snakes in the world. Even suburban backyards are home to toxic spiders and plants with razor-sharp spikes. Yet Australians walk around with their chests puffed out as if to say, “Yeah, we can survive here. We know how to pee on a jellyfish sting and suck the venom out of snake bites. We’ll even wash it down with some Toohey’s New and a meat pie.” Since I moved here, I’ve tried to devise sneaky ways to stay. I want to embody the eternally cool, pioneer attitude of an Australian. My options are to marry an Aussie, find a job and a company to sponsor
me to stay, or pick fruit for three months to buy myself another year on my working holiday visa. I’m tough too; I’ve spent my life in New England battling everything from blizzards to sweltering heat. I have learned the ways of native Australians by living and working shoulder to shoulder with them, and I like what I see.
You may wake up one day to realize that you’ve accidentally become an expat, and that you kind of like it. Moving here was a good decision—one of my best—even if I don’t find a way to stay for more than a year. I have learned more about myself, my inherent resilience, and my ability to adapt. I have been molded by my experiences as a stranger in a strange land. Everything from the gruelling stress of eternal job and house searches to learning about cricket, riptides and unflappable coolness though my Australian friends has made me a more capable, confident person. Not everyone can pick up and leave home, but if the idea seems tantalizing, create the opportunity, seize it, embrace it, and let the wild winds of cultural immersion help you see what you’re made of. You may wake up one day to realize that you’ve accidentally become an expat, and that you kind of like it.
PHOTOS COURTESY ANNE WILLIS
ACCULTURATE Expats don’t just observe the culture; they participate in it. You don’t have to lose your accent, but it’s good to learn the language or colloquialisms so you don’t get lost. If you pass any judgments, don’t continuously refer to “us” and “them”—all that does is alienate.
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Parting Shot Photo by Aubrey Carr
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The mountainous region in North West England known as the Lake District is famous not only for its lakes but also for its associations with the early nineteenth century authors like William Wordsworth. Preserved as a national park, the region has kept most of its culSTOWAWAY M A Gcanoes .C O M < < 6 5 tural identity. On the lakes, steamboats and old-fashioned are abundant.
Find a little peace in the Japanese Gardens of Portland, Oregon. page 21